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. 24, 2009 | IA | SF 218 | Growth Percentage for State School Foundation Program | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
| Feb. 24, 2009 | CO | SB 88 | Extending State Employee Health Benefits to Domestic Partners | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11) |
| Feb. 23, 2009 | NJ | S 119 | Legalizing Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
| Feb. 23, 2009 | HI | SB 777 | Requiring Comprehensive Sex Education When Using State Funds | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 3) |
| Feb. 23, 2009 | HI | SB 777 | Requiring Comprehensive Sex Education When Using State Funds | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 3) |
| Feb. 21, 2009 | MT | SB 387 | Restrictions on Appeals for Energy Project Permits | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23) |
| Feb. 20, 2009 | NE | LB 85 | Bond Revenue to Fund Streets and Bridges | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 10) |
| Feb. 20, 2009 | CO | HB 1091 | Carbon Monoxide Detector Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 5) |
| Feb. 20, 2009 | CO | HB 1091 | Carbon Monoxide Detector Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 5) |
| Feb. 19, 2009 | VA | SB 1105 | Prohibiting Smoking in Restaurants | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 13) |
| Feb. 19, 2009 | CA | ABx3 3 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 12) |
| Feb. 19, 2009 | KS | SB 59 | Enforcing Seat Belt Violations as a Primary Offense | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 17) |
| Feb. 19, 2009 | CA | SBx3 7 | Transportation Financing Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 12) |
| Feb. 18, 2009 | SC | S 351 | State Ports Authority Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 14) |
| Feb. 18, 2009 | SD | HB 1171 | Exemptions from School District Minimum Size Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12) |
| Feb. 17, 2009 | SD | SB 106 | School Funding Formula Revision | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| Feb. 17, 2009 | KS | SB 25 | Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13) |
| Feb. 16, 2009 | MT | SB 142 | Consideration of Gender for Insurance Coverage | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23) |
| Feb. 13, 2009 | ND | SB 2184 | Repeals Auto Rebate Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 6) |
| Feb. 13, 2009 | UT | SB 48 | Amending Requirements for Obtaining Teaching Licenses | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10) |
| Feb. 12, 2009 | KS | SB 23 | 2008-2009, 2009-2010, and 2010-2011Budget Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 11) |
| Feb. 12, 2009 | AR | HB 1204 | Tobacco Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7) |
| Feb. 11, 2009 | GA | SB 31 | Energy Rate Increases to Finance Nuclear Power Plant Construction | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 16) |
| Feb. 10, 2009 | KY | SB 3 | Allowing Early High School Graduation | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12) |
| Feb. 9, 2009 | SD | SJR 1 | Authorization of Legal Gaming due to Gaming in Bordering States | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/24 | SF 218 | Growth Percentage for State School Foundation Program | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
| 2/24 | SB 88 | Extending State Employee Health Benefits to Domestic Partners | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11) |
| 2/23 | S 119 | Legalizing Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
| 2/23 | SB 777 | Requiring Comprehensive Sex Education When Using State Funds | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 3) |
| 2/23 | SB 777 | Requiring Comprehensive Sex Education When Using State Funds | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 3) |
| 2/21 | SB 387 | Restrictions on Appeals for Energy Project Permits | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23) |
| 2/20 | LB 85 | Bond Revenue to Fund Streets and Bridges | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 10) |
| 2/20 | HB 1091 | Carbon Monoxide Detector Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 5) |
| 2/20 | HB 1091 | Carbon Monoxide Detector Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 5) |
| 2/19 | SB 1105 | Prohibiting Smoking in Restaurants | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 13) |
| 2/19 | ABx3 3 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 12) |
| 2/19 | SB 59 | Enforcing Seat Belt Violations as a Primary Offense | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 17) |
| 2/19 | SBx3 7 | Transportation Financing Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 12) |
| 2/18 | S 351 | State Ports Authority Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 14) |
| 2/18 | HB 1171 | Exemptions from School District Minimum Size Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12) |
| 2/17 | SB 106 | School Funding Formula Revision | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| 2/17 | SB 25 | Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13) |
| 2/16 | SB 142 | Consideration of Gender for Insurance Coverage | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23) |
| 2/13 | SB 2184 | Repeals Auto Rebate Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 6) |
| 2/13 | SB 48 | Amending Requirements for Obtaining Teaching Licenses | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10) |
| 2/12 | SB 23 | 2008-2009, 2009-2010, and 2010-2011Budget Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 11) |
| 2/12 | HB 1204 | Tobacco Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7) |
| 2/11 | SB 31 | Energy Rate Increases to Finance Nuclear Power Plant Construction | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 16) |
| 2/10 | SB 3 | Allowing Early High School Graduation | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12) |
| 2/09 | SJR 1 | Authorization of Legal Gaming due to Gaming in Bordering States | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |