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 25, 2010 IL SB 2494 Funding for School Vouchers Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 20)
March 25, 2010 FL SJR 2 Classroom Size Limitation Amendments Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
March 24, 2010 MD SB 778 Prohibits Public Schools from Sending Vocational Test Scores to Military Recruiters Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 23)
March 24, 2010 MD SB 1035 Authorizes Card Games at a Specific Facility Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13)
March 24, 2010 FL SB 6 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17)
March 24, 2010 MD SB 321 Prohibiting Hand-Held Cell Phone Use While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 23)
March 24, 2010 NH SB 489 Gambling Expansion Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 10)
March 24, 2010 MI SB 1163 2010-2011 Education Budget Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 17)
March 24, 2010 ID S 1419 2010-2011 Higher Education Budget Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
March 24, 2010 NH SB 392 Annual Public Hearing on Health Care Costs Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 10)
March 23, 2010 IA HF 2456 Texting While Driving Ban Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 12)
March 23, 2010 KY HB 239 School Principal Selection Process Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
March 22, 2010 CO HB 1188 Navigation Rights for River Outfitters Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
March 22, 2010 AZ SB 1334 Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10)
March 22, 2010 AZ SB 1309 Expanding Parental Consent Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
March 22, 2010 ID S 1418 2010-2011 Education Budget Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8)
March 18, 2010 IL SB 615 Local Food, Farms and Jobs Act Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 16)
March 17, 2010 National HR 2847 Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations and Tax Credits ("Senate Jobs Bill") Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (68 - 29)
March 17, 2010 GA SR 794 Prohibiting Health Care Mandates Resolution Failed - Senate (34 - 19)
March 16, 2010 IA SF 2376 2010-2011 Education Budget Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20)
March 16, 2010 IA SF 2378 Increase in Fees for Traffic Violations Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 17)
March 12, 2010 WV HB 4652 School Calendar Committees Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7)
March 11, 2010 CA SBx8 32 Tax Law Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 15)
March 11, 2010 CA SBx8 32 Tax Law Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 15)
March 10, 2010 VA HB 885 Authorizing Concealed Firearms in Vehicles Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
March 10, 2010 ID S 1352 Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 5)
March 9, 2010 SD HB 1231 Prescription Drug Registry Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 5)
March 9, 2010 ID H 391 Opposing Federal Individual Health Insurance Mandate Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10)
March 9, 2010 VA SB 737 Requiring Department of Education Review of Charter School Applications Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 12)
March 9, 2010 UT SB 47 Energy Management Program Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 7)
March 8, 2010 SD HB 1240 Need-Based Education Grant Fund Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11)
March 8, 2010 UT SB 44 Extending CHIP and Medicaid Coverage to Children of Documented Immigrants Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 14)
March 5, 2010 CO HB 1001 Increases Renewable Energy Standards Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
March 4, 2010 CA ABx8 9 Tax and Transportation Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10)
March 4, 2010 CA ABx8 6 Fuel Tax Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10)
March 2, 2010 AZ SB 1334 Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 11)
Feb. 26, 2010 WY HB 101 Wind-Generated Electricity Tax Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 1)
Feb. 26, 2010 ID S 1353 Authorizing Health Care Professionals to Refuse Specific Health Care Services Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
Feb. 24, 2010 National HR 2847 Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations and Tax Credits ("Senate Jobs Bill") Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (70 - 28)
Feb. 24, 2010 National HR 2847 Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations and Tax Credits ("Senate Jobs Bill") Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (70 - 28)
Feb. 24, 2010 SD HCR 1009 Urges Changes to the Public School Environmental Curriculum Resolution Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
Feb. 24, 2010 VT S 289 Authorizing Nuclear Power Plant Operation Until 2032 Bill Failed - Senate (4 - 26)
Feb. 23, 2010 IN HB 1367 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19)
Feb. 22, 2010 National HR 2847 Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations and Tax Credits ("Senate Jobs Bill") Cloture Invoked - Senate (62 - 30)
Feb. 22, 2010 VA HB 756 Allocating Offshore Drilling Royalties Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19)
Feb. 18, 2010 WY SF 64 Increasing Seat Belt Violation Fine Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9)
Feb. 17, 2010 TN SB 3498 Requiring Legal Challenge to Federal Health Insurance Mandates Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 1)
Feb. 17, 2010 NM HB 150 Hispanic Education Act Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
Feb. 17, 2010 NM HB 12 Health Insurer Service Reimbursement Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 16)
Feb. 16, 2010 NM HB 231 Authorizing Education Retirement Board Pension Disclosure Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/25 SB 2494 Funding for School Vouchers Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 20)
3/25 SJR 2 Classroom Size Limitation Amendments Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
3/24 SB 778 Prohibits Public Schools from Sending Vocational Test Scores to Military Recruiters Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 23)
3/24 SB 1035 Authorizes Card Games at a Specific Facility Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13)
3/24 SB 6 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17)
3/24 SB 321 Prohibiting Hand-Held Cell Phone Use While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 23)
3/24 SB 489 Gambling Expansion Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 10)
3/24 SB 1163 2010-2011 Education Budget Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 17)
3/24 S 1419 2010-2011 Higher Education Budget Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
3/24 SB 392 Annual Public Hearing on Health Care Costs Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 10)
3/23 HF 2456 Texting While Driving Ban Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 12)
3/23 HB 239 School Principal Selection Process Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
3/22 HB 1188 Navigation Rights for River Outfitters Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
3/22 SB 1334 Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10)
3/22 SB 1309 Expanding Parental Consent Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
3/22 S 1418 2010-2011 Education Budget Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8)
3/18 SB 615 Local Food, Farms and Jobs Act Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 16)
3/17 HR 2847 Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations and Tax Credits ("Senate Jobs Bill") Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (68 - 29)
3/17 SR 794 Prohibiting Health Care Mandates Resolution Failed - Senate (34 - 19)
3/16 SF 2376 2010-2011 Education Budget Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20)
3/16 SF 2378 Increase in Fees for Traffic Violations Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 17)
3/12 HB 4652 School Calendar Committees Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7)
3/11 SBx8 32 Tax Law Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 15)
3/11 SBx8 32 Tax Law Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 15)
3/10 HB 885 Authorizing Concealed Firearms in Vehicles Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
3/10 S 1352 Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 5)
3/09 HB 1231 Prescription Drug Registry Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 5)
3/09 H 391 Opposing Federal Individual Health Insurance Mandate Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10)
3/09 SB 737 Requiring Department of Education Review of Charter School Applications Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 12)
3/09 SB 47 Energy Management Program Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 7)
3/08 HB 1240 Need-Based Education Grant Fund Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11)
3/08 SB 44 Extending CHIP and Medicaid Coverage to Children of Documented Immigrants Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 14)
3/05 HB 1001 Increases Renewable Energy Standards Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
3/04 ABx8 9 Tax and Transportation Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10)
3/04 ABx8 6 Fuel Tax Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10)
3/02 SB 1334 Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 11)
2/26 HB 101 Wind-Generated Electricity Tax Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 1)
2/26 S 1353 Authorizing Health Care Professionals to Refuse Specific Health Care Services Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
2/24 HR 2847 Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations and Tax Credits ("Senate Jobs Bill") Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (70 - 28)
2/24 HR 2847 Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations and Tax Credits ("Senate Jobs Bill") Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (70 - 28)
2/24 HCR 1009 Urges Changes to the Public School Environmental Curriculum Resolution Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
2/24 S 289 Authorizing Nuclear Power Plant Operation Until 2032 Bill Failed - Senate (4 - 26)
2/23 HB 1367 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19)
2/22 HR 2847 Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations and Tax Credits ("Senate Jobs Bill") Cloture Invoked - Senate (62 - 30)
2/22 HB 756 Allocating Offshore Drilling Royalties Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19)
2/18 SF 64 Increasing Seat Belt Violation Fine Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9)
2/17 SB 3498 Requiring Legal Challenge to Federal Health Insurance Mandates Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 1)
2/17 HB 150 Hispanic Education Act Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
2/17 HB 12 Health Insurer Service Reimbursement Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 16)
2/16 HB 231 Authorizing Education Retirement Board Pension Disclosure Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18)

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