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
Aug. 10, 2009 NC HB 148 Local Transportation Reforms Concurrence Vote Passed - House (73 - 40)
Aug. 6, 2009 National HR 3435 Supplemental Appropriations for the "Cash for Clunkers" Program Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 37)
July 31, 2009 National HR 3435 Supplemental Appropriations for the "Cash for Clunkers" Program Bill Passed - House (316 - 109)
July 24, 2009 CA ABX4 30 Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Revisions: Transfer of Local Government Revenue Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19)
July 15, 2009 NC HB 1185 Habitual DWI Reinstatement after Ten Years Concurrence Vote Passed - House (87 - 29)
June 24, 2009 OR HB 2186 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14)
June 23, 2009 OR HB 2377 Prohibiting Handheld Cell Phone Use While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
June 22, 2009 AZ SB 1440 Smoking in Cars with Minors Bill Failed - Senate (9 - 20)
June 22, 2009 AZ SB 1443 Driving While Texting Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 15)
June 22, 2009 NY A 1039 Albany Parking Permits Bill Passed - House (99 - 42)
June 18, 2009 MA S 2087 Massachusetts Transportation Agency Consolidation Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 11)
June 18, 2009 MA S 2087 Massachusetts Transportation Agency Consolidation Conference Report Adopted - House (130 - 25)
June 17, 2009 LA HB 499 Seat Belt Law Concurrence Vote Passed - House (75 - 12)
June 16, 2009 SC S 351 State Ports Authority Amendments Veto Override Passed - Senate (35 - 9)
June 15, 2009 LA HB 835 Railroad Safety Program Bill Failed - House (50 - 45)
June 9, 2009 National HR 2751 Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save Act Bill Passed - House (298 - 119)
June 3, 2009 ME LD 1357 Relating to Driver's License and Identification Card Regulations Veto Override Failed - Senate (7 - 28)
June 3, 2009 ME LD 1357 Relating to Driver's License and Identification Card Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
June 2, 2009 LA HB 639 Motorcycle Helmets Bill Passed - House (64 - 33)
June 1, 2009 ME LD 1357 Relating to Driver's License and Identification Card Regulations Bill Passed - House (81 - 56)
June 1, 2009 CA SB 435 Smog Check Requirements for Motorcycles Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 17)
May 31, 2009 TX HB 537 Increase Required Age for Seatbelts Conference Report Adopted - House (105 - 34)
May 29, 2009 OR HB 2001 Transit and Gas Tax Increase Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 6)
May 27, 2009 LA Amdt B-200 Cell Phone Secondary Offense Amendment Adopted - House (56 - 40)
May 27, 2009 LA HB 146 Cell Phones While Driving Bill Passed - House (57 - 41)
Date No. Title Outcome
8/10 HB 148 Local Transportation Reforms Concurrence Vote Passed - House (73 - 40)
8/06 HR 3435 Supplemental Appropriations for the "Cash for Clunkers" Program Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 37)
7/31 HR 3435 Supplemental Appropriations for the "Cash for Clunkers" Program Bill Passed - House (316 - 109)
7/24 ABX4 30 Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Revisions: Transfer of Local Government Revenue Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19)
7/15 HB 1185 Habitual DWI Reinstatement after Ten Years Concurrence Vote Passed - House (87 - 29)
6/24 HB 2186 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14)
6/23 HB 2377 Prohibiting Handheld Cell Phone Use While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
6/22 SB 1440 Smoking in Cars with Minors Bill Failed - Senate (9 - 20)
6/22 SB 1443 Driving While Texting Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 15)
6/22 A 1039 Albany Parking Permits Bill Passed - House (99 - 42)
6/18 S 2087 Massachusetts Transportation Agency Consolidation Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 11)
6/18 S 2087 Massachusetts Transportation Agency Consolidation Conference Report Adopted - House (130 - 25)
6/17 HB 499 Seat Belt Law Concurrence Vote Passed - House (75 - 12)
6/16 S 351 State Ports Authority Amendments Veto Override Passed - Senate (35 - 9)
6/15 HB 835 Railroad Safety Program Bill Failed - House (50 - 45)
6/09 HR 2751 Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save Act Bill Passed - House (298 - 119)
6/03 LD 1357 Relating to Driver's License and Identification Card Regulations Veto Override Failed - Senate (7 - 28)
6/03 LD 1357 Relating to Driver's License and Identification Card Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
6/02 HB 639 Motorcycle Helmets Bill Passed - House (64 - 33)
6/01 LD 1357 Relating to Driver's License and Identification Card Regulations Bill Passed - House (81 - 56)
6/01 SB 435 Smog Check Requirements for Motorcycles Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 17)
5/31 HB 537 Increase Required Age for Seatbelts Conference Report Adopted - House (105 - 34)
5/29 HB 2001 Transit and Gas Tax Increase Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 6)
5/27 Amdt B-200 Cell Phone Secondary Offense Amendment Adopted - House (56 - 40)
5/27 HB 146 Cell Phones While Driving Bill Passed - House (57 - 41)

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