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
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)

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