Vote Smart provides easy access to congressional and state voting records and maintains a collection of key votes grouped by issue. Vote Smart uses the following criteria to select key votes:
Vote Smart provides a summary of the version of the bill text associated with each selected key vote. Our summaries are written by Vote Smart's staff and interns, who adhere to our strict policies and procedures in order to guarantee absolute impartiality and accuracy. They do not necessarily reflect the content of the final version of the bill, but rather the version voted on in that stage. While many procedural votes take place before a full chamber vote, our voting stages reflect the final reading of each chamber vote. Each key vote selection is reviewed by the project's community of advisors, who are political scientists and journalists from all fifty states.
For more information about the legislative process, see here.
| Date | State | Bill No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 10, 2009 | IN | HB 1723 | 2009-2010 Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (52 - 46) |
| Feb. 10, 2009 | IN | HB 1656 | Shifting Federal Transportation Funding to Counties and Localities | Bill Passed - House (88 - 11) |
| Feb. 9, 2009 | VA | SB 1105 | Prohibiting Smoking in Restaurants | Bill Passed - House (59 - 39) |
| Feb. 9, 2009 | WY | HB 170 | State Lottery for Scholarship Funding | Bill Failed - House (25 - 35) |
| Feb. 9, 2009 | WY | HB 170 | State Lottery for Scholarship Funding | Bill Failed - House (25 - 35) |
| Feb. 9, 2009 | CO | HB 1057 | Mandatory Unpaid Parental Work Leave for Education Activities | Bill Passed - House (35 - 30) |
| Feb. 5, 2009 | VA | HB 1826 | Driver's License Suspension for Unexcused School Absences | Bill Passed - House (68 - 28) |
| Feb. 5, 2009 | VA | HB 1826 | Driver's License Suspension for Unexcused School Absences | Bill Passed - House (68 - 28) |
| Feb. 5, 2009 | KS | SB 23 | 2008-2009, 2009-2010, and 2010-2011 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (74 - 48) |
| Feb. 5, 2009 | OR | SB 338 | Authorizing Bonds for Public-Works Projects | Bill Passed - House (39 - 21) |
| Feb. 5, 2009 | AR | HB 1204 | Tobacco Tax Increase | Bill Passed - House (75 - 24) |
| Feb. 4, 2009 | SD | HB 1171 | Exemptions from School District Minimum Size Requirements | Bill Passed - House (36 - 34) |
| Feb. 4, 2009 | VA | HB 1671 | "Derelict Building" Plan Requirements | Bill Passed - House (80 - 17) |
| Feb. 3, 2009 | UT | HB 90 | Increasing Illegal Abortion Penalty | Bill Passed - House (56 - 16) |
| Feb. 3, 2009 | UT | HB 222 | Offering Anesthetics to Women Undergoing Abortions | Bill Passed - House (56 - 15) |
| Feb. 3, 2009 | MT | HB 157 | Children's Health Insurance Program Appropriations and Amendments | Bill Passed - House (60 - 40) |
| Feb. 3, 2009 | WY | HB 31 | Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (31 - 29) |
| Feb. 2, 2009 | WY | HB 87 | Property Tax Assessment Rate Reduction | Bill Failed - House (24 - 36) |
| Feb. 2, 2009 | UT | SB 4 | 2008-2009 Education Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (57 - 17) |
| Feb. 2, 2009 | NY | A 1688 | Expanding Local Control Over Rent Laws | Bill Passed - House (94 - 49) |
| Feb. 2, 2009 | NY | A 2005 | Expanding Rent Control Coverage | Bill Passed - House (91 - 52) |
| Feb. 2, 2009 | NY | A 860 | Increasing Income and Rent Threshold to Qualify for Rent Deregulation | Bill Passed - House (86 - 58) |
| Feb. 2, 2009 | CO | HB 1091 | Carbon Monoxide Detector Requirements | Bill Passed - House (43 - 21) |
| Feb. 2, 2009 | NY | A 1686 | Reducing the Cap on Vacated Apartment Rent Increases | Bill Passed - House (100 - 43) |
| Feb. 2, 2009 | CO | HB 1091 | Carbon Monoxide Detector Requirements | Bill Passed - House (43 - 21) |
| Jan. 30, 2009 | WY | Amdt 2002 to HB 31 | Allowing Counties and Municipalities to Opt Out of Smoking Ban | Amendment Adopted - House (41 - 18) |
| Jan. 30, 2009 | WY | Amdt 2001 to HB 31 | Exempting 21+ Establishments from Smoking Ban | Amendment Adopted - House (34 - 25) |
| Jan. 30, 2009 | WY | HB 141 | Amending DUI Statutes | Bill Passed - House (49 - 10) |
| Jan. 30, 2009 | GA | HB 143 | Property Tax Grant Appropriation Authorization | Bill Passed - House (117 - 55) |
| Jan. 29, 2009 | ND | HB 1182 | Point Reduction for Seat Belt Use | Bill Passed - House (56 - 38) |
| Jan. 29, 2009 | WY | HB 190 | Suspending Driver's Licenses for Nonpayment of Child Support | Bill Passed - House (37 - 23) |
| Jan. 29, 2009 | UT | HB 17 | Allowing Doctors to Prescribe Antibiotics to Unnamed Sexual Partners | Bill Passed - House (63 - 8) |
| Jan. 29, 2009 | AR | HB 1013 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Passed - House (78 - 12) |
| Jan. 28, 2009 | AR | HB 1119 | Prohibiting Cell Phone Use While Driving for Specific Age Groups | Bill Passed - House (62 - 27) |
| Jan. 26, 2009 | CO | HB 1042 | Amending Minimum Traffic Speed Regulations | Bill Passed - House (37 - 27) |
| Jan. 22, 2009 | National | H J Res 3 | Releasing Funds for Economic Stabilization Act | Joint Resolution Passed - House (270 - 155) |
| Jan. 22, 2009 | MS | HB 1090 | Increasing Public Utilities Staff Oversight | Bill Passed - House (64 - 53) |
| Jan. 21, 2009 | National | HR 384 | Oversight of the Troubled Asset Relief Program | Bill Passed - House (260 - 166) |
| Jan. 21, 2009 | National | HR 384 | Oversight of the Troubled Asset Relief Program | Bill Passed - House (260 - 166) |
| Jan. 14, 2009 | FL | SB 2-A | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - House (74 - 43) |
| Jan. 14, 2009 | FL | SB 2-A | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - House (74 - 43) |
| Jan. 14, 2009 | MS | HB 364 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Passed - House (81 - 39) |
| Jan. 7, 2009 | MS | HB 290 | 2008-2009 Higher Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (87 - 34) |
| Dec. 19, 2008 | MI | SB 861 | Tuition Assistance for Students in High Poverty Areas | Bill Passed - House (61 - 34) |
| Dec. 15, 2008 | NJ | S 1599 | Mortgage and Housing Assistance Programs | Bill Passed - House (49 - 28) |
| Dec. 15, 2008 | NJ | A 3373 | Amending NJ STARS/NJ STARS II Scholarship Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (63 - 10) |
| Dec. 11, 2008 | MI | HB 4141 | Expanding the Use of School Sinking Funds | Bill Passed - House (71 - 28) |
| Dec. 10, 2008 | National | HR 7321 | Automotive Industry Financing | Bill Passed - House (237 - 170) |
| Dec. 4, 2008 | MI | HB 5117 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Passed - House (68 - 32) |
| Dec. 4, 2008 | MI | HB 5765 | Reducing Pupil Count for First Class School Districts | Bill Passed - House (59 - 42) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/10 | HB 1723 | 2009-2010 Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (52 - 46) |
| 2/10 | HB 1656 | Shifting Federal Transportation Funding to Counties and Localities | Bill Passed - House (88 - 11) |
| 2/09 | SB 1105 | Prohibiting Smoking in Restaurants | Bill Passed - House (59 - 39) |
| 2/09 | HB 170 | State Lottery for Scholarship Funding | Bill Failed - House (25 - 35) |
| 2/09 | HB 170 | State Lottery for Scholarship Funding | Bill Failed - House (25 - 35) |
| 2/09 | HB 1057 | Mandatory Unpaid Parental Work Leave for Education Activities | Bill Passed - House (35 - 30) |
| 2/05 | HB 1826 | Driver's License Suspension for Unexcused School Absences | Bill Passed - House (68 - 28) |
| 2/05 | HB 1826 | Driver's License Suspension for Unexcused School Absences | Bill Passed - House (68 - 28) |
| 2/05 | SB 23 | 2008-2009, 2009-2010, and 2010-2011 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (74 - 48) |
| 2/05 | SB 338 | Authorizing Bonds for Public-Works Projects | Bill Passed - House (39 - 21) |
| 2/05 | HB 1204 | Tobacco Tax Increase | Bill Passed - House (75 - 24) |
| 2/04 | HB 1171 | Exemptions from School District Minimum Size Requirements | Bill Passed - House (36 - 34) |
| 2/04 | HB 1671 | "Derelict Building" Plan Requirements | Bill Passed - House (80 - 17) |
| 2/03 | HB 90 | Increasing Illegal Abortion Penalty | Bill Passed - House (56 - 16) |
| 2/03 | HB 222 | Offering Anesthetics to Women Undergoing Abortions | Bill Passed - House (56 - 15) |
| 2/03 | HB 157 | Children's Health Insurance Program Appropriations and Amendments | Bill Passed - House (60 - 40) |
| 2/03 | HB 31 | Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (31 - 29) |
| 2/02 | HB 87 | Property Tax Assessment Rate Reduction | Bill Failed - House (24 - 36) |
| 2/02 | SB 4 | 2008-2009 Education Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (57 - 17) |
| 2/02 | A 1688 | Expanding Local Control Over Rent Laws | Bill Passed - House (94 - 49) |
| 2/02 | A 2005 | Expanding Rent Control Coverage | Bill Passed - House (91 - 52) |
| 2/02 | A 860 | Increasing Income and Rent Threshold to Qualify for Rent Deregulation | Bill Passed - House (86 - 58) |
| 2/02 | HB 1091 | Carbon Monoxide Detector Requirements | Bill Passed - House (43 - 21) |
| 2/02 | A 1686 | Reducing the Cap on Vacated Apartment Rent Increases | Bill Passed - House (100 - 43) |
| 2/02 | HB 1091 | Carbon Monoxide Detector Requirements | Bill Passed - House (43 - 21) |
| 1/30 | Amdt 2002 to HB 31 | Allowing Counties and Municipalities to Opt Out of Smoking Ban | Amendment Adopted - House (41 - 18) |
| 1/30 | Amdt 2001 to HB 31 | Exempting 21+ Establishments from Smoking Ban | Amendment Adopted - House (34 - 25) |
| 1/30 | HB 141 | Amending DUI Statutes | Bill Passed - House (49 - 10) |
| 1/30 | HB 143 | Property Tax Grant Appropriation Authorization | Bill Passed - House (117 - 55) |
| 1/29 | HB 1182 | Point Reduction for Seat Belt Use | Bill Passed - House (56 - 38) |
| 1/29 | HB 190 | Suspending Driver's Licenses for Nonpayment of Child Support | Bill Passed - House (37 - 23) |
| 1/29 | HB 17 | Allowing Doctors to Prescribe Antibiotics to Unnamed Sexual Partners | Bill Passed - House (63 - 8) |
| 1/29 | HB 1013 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Passed - House (78 - 12) |
| 1/28 | HB 1119 | Prohibiting Cell Phone Use While Driving for Specific Age Groups | Bill Passed - House (62 - 27) |
| 1/26 | HB 1042 | Amending Minimum Traffic Speed Regulations | Bill Passed - House (37 - 27) |
| 1/22 | H J Res 3 | Releasing Funds for Economic Stabilization Act | Joint Resolution Passed - House (270 - 155) |
| 1/22 | HB 1090 | Increasing Public Utilities Staff Oversight | Bill Passed - House (64 - 53) |
| 1/21 | HR 384 | Oversight of the Troubled Asset Relief Program | Bill Passed - House (260 - 166) |
| 1/21 | HR 384 | Oversight of the Troubled Asset Relief Program | Bill Passed - House (260 - 166) |
| 1/14 | SB 2-A | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - House (74 - 43) |
| 1/14 | SB 2-A | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - House (74 - 43) |
| 1/14 | HB 364 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Passed - House (81 - 39) |
| 1/07 | HB 290 | 2008-2009 Higher Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (87 - 34) |
| 12/19 | SB 861 | Tuition Assistance for Students in High Poverty Areas | Bill Passed - House (61 - 34) |
| 12/15 | S 1599 | Mortgage and Housing Assistance Programs | Bill Passed - House (49 - 28) |
| 12/15 | A 3373 | Amending NJ STARS/NJ STARS II Scholarship Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (63 - 10) |
| 12/11 | HB 4141 | Expanding the Use of School Sinking Funds | Bill Passed - House (71 - 28) |
| 12/10 | HR 7321 | Automotive Industry Financing | Bill Passed - House (237 - 170) |
| 12/04 | HB 5117 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Passed - House (68 - 32) |
| 12/04 | HB 5765 | Reducing Pupil Count for First Class School Districts | Bill Passed - House (59 - 42) |