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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 1, 2011 | National | HR 658 | Federal Aviation Administration Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (223 - 196) |
| March 30, 2011 | GA | SB 122 | Public-Private Partnerships to Build Reservoirs | Bill Passed - House (92 - 68) |
| March 27, 2011 | MS | SB 3100 | Issuance of State Bonds for Improvements in Higher Learning Institutions | Conference Report Adopted - House (91 - 27) |
| March 23, 2011 | AR | HB 2007 | Requires Driver's License Exams to be in English Only | Bill Failed - House (49 - 37) |
| March 17, 2011 | NH | HB 218 | Repealing the New Hampshire Rail Transit Authority | Bill Passed - House (190 - 119) |
| March 14, 2011 | NJ | A 3648 | Electric Vehicle Charging Stations | Bill Passed - House (47 - 28) |
| March 14, 2011 | NJ | A 3648 | Electric Vehicle Charging Stations | Bill Passed - House (47 - 28) |
| March 10, 2011 | MO | HB 167 | Driver License Examinations Administered in English Only | Bill Passed - House (102 - 56) |
| March 7, 2011 | UT | 1SHB 89 | Protection of Children from Second Hand Smoke in Motor Vehicles | Bill Passed - House (39 - 35) |
| March 5, 2011 | WA | HB 1382 | Express Toll Lanes in the Eastside Corridor | Bill Passed - House (52 - 46) |
| March 4, 2011 | NM | HB 78 | Driver License and ID Card Restrictions for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (42 - 28) |
| March 3, 2011 | NJ | A 2215 | Loans for Development of Green Buildings | Veto Override Failed - House (44 - 32) |
| March 3, 2011 | UT | SB 124 | Leaving a Child Unattended in a Motor Vehicle | Bill Passed - House (47 - 26) |
| March 1, 2011 | GA | HB 279 | Increased Age Requirement for Child Restraints | Bill Passed - House (129 - 43) |
| Feb. 25, 2011 | UT | HB 155 | Cycling Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (39 - 33) |
| Feb. 21, 2011 | VA | HB 2527 | Virginia Transportation Infrastructure Fund and Bank | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (31 - 68) |
| Feb. 21, 2011 | VA | SB 1367 | Motor Vehicle Title Loans for Non-Residents | Bill Passed - House (51 - 47) |
| Feb. 17, 2011 | VA | SB 1446 | Transportation Budget | Bill Passed - House (66 - 32) |
| Feb. 15, 2011 | AR | SB 154 | Cell Phones in School Zones | Bill Passed - House (52 - 41) |
| Feb. 10, 2011 | ND | HB 1278 | Fees for Traffic Violations | Bill Passed - House (51 - 42) |
| Feb. 9, 2011 | ND | HB 1190 | Prohibits Distracted Driving | Bill Passed - House (56 - 37) |
| Feb. 9, 2011 | GA | HB 72 | Establish an English-Only Driving Test | Bill Tabled - House (115 - 50) |
| Feb. 9, 2011 | WY | HB 207 | Allowing Guns in Cars While Parked at Work | Bill Passed - House (36 - 23) |
| Feb. 8, 2011 | ND | HB 1195 | Bans Texting While Driving | Bill Passed - House (50 - 41) |
| Feb. 8, 2011 | ND | HB 1190 | Prohibits Distracted Driving | Bill Failed - House (47 - 44) |
| Feb. 1, 2011 | AR | HB 1049 | Prohibit Cell Phone Use in School Zones | Bill Passed - House (53 - 41) |
| Jan. 31, 2011 | AR | HB 1049 | Prohibit Cell Phone Use in School Zones | Bill Failed - House (46 - 47) |
| Jan. 26, 2011 | WY | HB 29 | Mandatory Testing for Suspected DUI Offenders | Bill Passed - House (35 - 23) |
| Jan. 10, 2011 | NJ | S 2381 | Electric Generation Facilities Pilot Program | Bill Passed - House (57 - 15) |
| Dec. 21, 2010 | National | HR 3082 | Continuing Appropriations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (193 - 165) |
| Aug. 10, 2010 | National | HR 1586 | Aid To States for Medicaid, Teacher Employment, and Other Purposes | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (247 - 161) |
| July 28, 2010 | MI | HB 6151 | Transportation Law Amendments ("Complete Streets" Policy) | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (76 - 21) |
| July 1, 2010 | PA | HB 67 | Driving Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (71 - 126) |
| June 28, 2010 | NJ | S 2090 | Car Inspection Waiver | Bill Passed - House (41 - 37) |
| June 21, 2010 | NJ | A 2740 | Requiring Review of New Drivers' Program | Bill Passed - House (57 - 21) |
| June 18, 2010 | NY | A 9705 | 2010-2011 Transportation, Economic Development, and Environmental Conservation Budget | Bill Passed - House (82 - 51) |
| June 16, 2010 | LA | HB 1410 | Establishing the Louisiana Interstate Rail Compact | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (59 - 33) |
| June 7, 2010 | LA | Amdt 5381 | Prohibits the Closing of State Motor Vehicle Offices | Amendment Adopted - House (51 - 46) |
| June 2, 2010 | LA | SB 9 | Classifying Text Messaging While Driving as a Primary Offense | Bill Passed - House (69 - 22) |
| May 12, 2010 | LA | HB 1339 | Increasing Driving Restrictions on Class E License Holders | Bill Passed - House (59 - 34) |
| May 11, 2010 | CO | HB 1238 | Increasing Fines for Moving Traffic Violations in Wildlife Crossing Zones | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (34 - 29) |
| May 11, 2010 | KS | HB 2650 | Transportation Works For Kansas Program | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (86 - 38) |
| May 6, 2010 | LA | HB 863 | Prohibits Hand-Held Cell Phones while Driving | Bill Failed - House (49 - 41) |
| May 3, 2010 | CT | SB 407 | Requiring Motorcycle Training Course | Bill Passed - House (117 - 31) |
| April 30, 2010 | CT | HB 5033 | Partial Refund of Sales Tax Imposed on the Sale of School Buses with Seat Belts | Bill Passed - House (125 - 18) |
| April 27, 2010 | AZ | HB 2338 | Yellow Light Standardization | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (36 - 21) |
| April 21, 2010 | AL | SB 121 | Highway Construction Appropriations from the Alabama Trust Fund | Conference Report Adopted - House (86 - 13) |
| April 21, 2010 | AL | SB 121 | Highway Construction Appropriations from the Alabama Trust Fund | Conference Report Adopted - House (86 - 13) |
| April 20, 2010 | MI | HB 4394 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (74 - 33) |
| April 12, 2010 | ME | LD 1826 | Bond Authorization | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (102 - 44) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/01 | HR 658 | Federal Aviation Administration Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (223 - 196) |
| 3/30 | SB 122 | Public-Private Partnerships to Build Reservoirs | Bill Passed - House (92 - 68) |
| 3/27 | SB 3100 | Issuance of State Bonds for Improvements in Higher Learning Institutions | Conference Report Adopted - House (91 - 27) |
| 3/23 | HB 2007 | Requires Driver's License Exams to be in English Only | Bill Failed - House (49 - 37) |
| 3/17 | HB 218 | Repealing the New Hampshire Rail Transit Authority | Bill Passed - House (190 - 119) |
| 3/14 | A 3648 | Electric Vehicle Charging Stations | Bill Passed - House (47 - 28) |
| 3/14 | A 3648 | Electric Vehicle Charging Stations | Bill Passed - House (47 - 28) |
| 3/10 | HB 167 | Driver License Examinations Administered in English Only | Bill Passed - House (102 - 56) |
| 3/07 | 1SHB 89 | Protection of Children from Second Hand Smoke in Motor Vehicles | Bill Passed - House (39 - 35) |
| 3/05 | HB 1382 | Express Toll Lanes in the Eastside Corridor | Bill Passed - House (52 - 46) |
| 3/04 | HB 78 | Driver License and ID Card Restrictions for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (42 - 28) |
| 3/03 | A 2215 | Loans for Development of Green Buildings | Veto Override Failed - House (44 - 32) |
| 3/03 | SB 124 | Leaving a Child Unattended in a Motor Vehicle | Bill Passed - House (47 - 26) |
| 3/01 | HB 279 | Increased Age Requirement for Child Restraints | Bill Passed - House (129 - 43) |
| 2/25 | HB 155 | Cycling Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (39 - 33) |
| 2/21 | HB 2527 | Virginia Transportation Infrastructure Fund and Bank | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (31 - 68) |
| 2/21 | SB 1367 | Motor Vehicle Title Loans for Non-Residents | Bill Passed - House (51 - 47) |
| 2/17 | SB 1446 | Transportation Budget | Bill Passed - House (66 - 32) |
| 2/15 | SB 154 | Cell Phones in School Zones | Bill Passed - House (52 - 41) |
| 2/10 | HB 1278 | Fees for Traffic Violations | Bill Passed - House (51 - 42) |
| 2/09 | HB 1190 | Prohibits Distracted Driving | Bill Passed - House (56 - 37) |
| 2/09 | HB 72 | Establish an English-Only Driving Test | Bill Tabled - House (115 - 50) |
| 2/09 | HB 207 | Allowing Guns in Cars While Parked at Work | Bill Passed - House (36 - 23) |
| 2/08 | HB 1195 | Bans Texting While Driving | Bill Passed - House (50 - 41) |
| 2/08 | HB 1190 | Prohibits Distracted Driving | Bill Failed - House (47 - 44) |
| 2/01 | HB 1049 | Prohibit Cell Phone Use in School Zones | Bill Passed - House (53 - 41) |
| 1/31 | HB 1049 | Prohibit Cell Phone Use in School Zones | Bill Failed - House (46 - 47) |
| 1/26 | HB 29 | Mandatory Testing for Suspected DUI Offenders | Bill Passed - House (35 - 23) |
| 1/10 | S 2381 | Electric Generation Facilities Pilot Program | Bill Passed - House (57 - 15) |
| 12/21 | HR 3082 | Continuing Appropriations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (193 - 165) |
| 8/10 | HR 1586 | Aid To States for Medicaid, Teacher Employment, and Other Purposes | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (247 - 161) |
| 7/28 | HB 6151 | Transportation Law Amendments ("Complete Streets" Policy) | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (76 - 21) |
| 7/01 | HB 67 | Driving Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (71 - 126) |
| 6/28 | S 2090 | Car Inspection Waiver | Bill Passed - House (41 - 37) |
| 6/21 | A 2740 | Requiring Review of New Drivers' Program | Bill Passed - House (57 - 21) |
| 6/18 | A 9705 | 2010-2011 Transportation, Economic Development, and Environmental Conservation Budget | Bill Passed - House (82 - 51) |
| 6/16 | HB 1410 | Establishing the Louisiana Interstate Rail Compact | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (59 - 33) |
| 6/07 | Amdt 5381 | Prohibits the Closing of State Motor Vehicle Offices | Amendment Adopted - House (51 - 46) |
| 6/02 | SB 9 | Classifying Text Messaging While Driving as a Primary Offense | Bill Passed - House (69 - 22) |
| 5/12 | HB 1339 | Increasing Driving Restrictions on Class E License Holders | Bill Passed - House (59 - 34) |
| 5/11 | HB 1238 | Increasing Fines for Moving Traffic Violations in Wildlife Crossing Zones | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (34 - 29) |
| 5/11 | HB 2650 | Transportation Works For Kansas Program | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (86 - 38) |
| 5/06 | HB 863 | Prohibits Hand-Held Cell Phones while Driving | Bill Failed - House (49 - 41) |
| 5/03 | SB 407 | Requiring Motorcycle Training Course | Bill Passed - House (117 - 31) |
| 4/30 | HB 5033 | Partial Refund of Sales Tax Imposed on the Sale of School Buses with Seat Belts | Bill Passed - House (125 - 18) |
| 4/27 | HB 2338 | Yellow Light Standardization | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (36 - 21) |
| 4/21 | SB 121 | Highway Construction Appropriations from the Alabama Trust Fund | Conference Report Adopted - House (86 - 13) |
| 4/21 | SB 121 | Highway Construction Appropriations from the Alabama Trust Fund | Conference Report Adopted - House (86 - 13) |
| 4/20 | HB 4394 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (74 - 33) |
| 4/12 | LD 1826 | Bond Authorization | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (102 - 44) |