Key Votes

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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:

  1. The vote should be helpful in portraying how a member stands on a particular issue
  2. The vote should be clear for any person to understand
  3. The vote has received media attention
  4. The vote was passed or defeated by a very close margin
  5. Occasionally, if a specific bill is consistently inquired about on the Voter's Research Hotline, the vote will be added

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.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
March 9, 2009 UT SB 241 Instructional Spending Requirements for School Districts Bill Failed - Senate (12 - 17)
March 6, 2009 UT HB 100 Prison Education and Medical Financing Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 7)
March 5, 2009 KS HB 2014 Allowing Coal Power Plants Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9)
March 5, 2009 ID S 1119 Allowing Public Utility Assistance Programs Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 18)
March 5, 2009 GA SB 200 Reorganization of State Transportation Authorities Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 25)
March 4, 2009 SD HB 1240 Smoking Ban Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
March 4, 2009 OK SB 748 Independent Performance Audit of State Department of Education Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 20)
March 4, 2009 UT SB 61 Allowing Home-Schooled Students to Participate in Extracurricular Activities Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 16)
March 3, 2009 ND HB 1182 Point Reduction for Seat Belt Use Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 25)
March 3, 2009 OR SB 5552 2007-2009 Biennium Budget Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8)
March 3, 2009 UT SB 29 Authorizing Corporate Water Systems to Refuse Fluoridation Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11)
March 3, 2009 OH SB 9 Transferable Tax Credit for Film Production Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10)
March 3, 2009 OR SB 581 2007-2008, 2008-2009, and 2009-2010 Budget Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8)
March 3, 2009 AL SB 279 Funding for Road Construction Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 11)
March 2, 2009 MD SB 278 Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 9)
Feb. 26, 2009 OR HB 2436 Real Estate Fees to Fund Housing Programs Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9)
Feb. 25, 2009 NM SB 44 Prohibiting Smoking in Cars with Children Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
Feb. 25, 2009 NM SB 44 Prohibiting Smoking in Cars with Children Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
Feb. 25, 2009 GA SB 23 Admissibility of Seat Belt Evidence in Court Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 12)
Feb. 24, 2009 MT SB 326 Medical Marijuana Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22)
Feb. 24, 2009 VA HB 1671 "Derelict Building" Plan Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 3)
Feb. 24, 2009 VA HB 1826 Driver's License Suspension for Unexcused School Absences Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 3)
Feb. 24, 2009 NV SB 116 Seat Belt Violation as a Primary Offense Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 9)
Feb. 24, 2009 VA HB 1826 Driver's License Suspension for Unexcused School Absences Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 3)
Feb. 24, 2009 GA SB 120 Repeal of Certain MARTA Financial Restrictions Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 9)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/09 SB 241 Instructional Spending Requirements for School Districts Bill Failed - Senate (12 - 17)
3/06 HB 100 Prison Education and Medical Financing Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 7)
3/05 HB 2014 Allowing Coal Power Plants Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9)
3/05 S 1119 Allowing Public Utility Assistance Programs Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 18)
3/05 SB 200 Reorganization of State Transportation Authorities Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 25)
3/04 HB 1240 Smoking Ban Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
3/04 SB 748 Independent Performance Audit of State Department of Education Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 20)
3/04 SB 61 Allowing Home-Schooled Students to Participate in Extracurricular Activities Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 16)
3/03 HB 1182 Point Reduction for Seat Belt Use Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 25)
3/03 SB 5552 2007-2009 Biennium Budget Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8)
3/03 SB 29 Authorizing Corporate Water Systems to Refuse Fluoridation Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11)
3/03 SB 9 Transferable Tax Credit for Film Production Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10)
3/03 SB 581 2007-2008, 2008-2009, and 2009-2010 Budget Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8)
3/03 SB 279 Funding for Road Construction Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 11)
3/02 SB 278 Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 9)
2/26 HB 2436 Real Estate Fees to Fund Housing Programs Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9)
2/25 SB 44 Prohibiting Smoking in Cars with Children Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
2/25 SB 44 Prohibiting Smoking in Cars with Children Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
2/25 SB 23 Admissibility of Seat Belt Evidence in Court Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 12)
2/24 SB 326 Medical Marijuana Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22)
2/24 HB 1671 "Derelict Building" Plan Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 3)
2/24 HB 1826 Driver's License Suspension for Unexcused School Absences Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 3)
2/24 SB 116 Seat Belt Violation as a Primary Offense Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 9)
2/24 HB 1826 Driver's License Suspension for Unexcused School Absences Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 3)
2/24 SB 120 Repeal of Certain MARTA Financial Restrictions Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 9)

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