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
April 22, 2009 NC SB 287 State Health Plan Changes and Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - House (60 - 56)
April 22, 2009 NC SB 287 State Health Plan Changes and Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 19)
April 22, 2009 WA HB 1517 Expediting the Restoration of Felons' Voting Rights Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 44)
April 22, 2009 WA HB 2344 Allowing Tuition Increases Bill Passed - House (50 - 47)
April 22, 2009 OR HB 2672 Increasing Moist Snuff Tobacco Tax and Regulations Bill Passed - House (40 - 18)
April 21, 2009 WA SB 5288 Probation Time Reductions Bill Passed - House (51 - 45)
April 21, 2009 ID H 262 Teacher Compensation Adjustments Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8)
April 20, 2009 WA HB 2261 Education Law Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (67 - 31)
April 20, 2009 TX HB 681 Warning Signs Regarding Mercury Levels in Fish Bill Passed - House (95 - 50)
April 20, 2009 NV AB 495 Removing Medical Malpractice Award Cap Bill Passed - House (26 - 15)
April 20, 2009 MN SF 802 2009-2011 Biennium Public Safety and Corrections Budget Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 31)
April 17, 2009 MN SF 2083 2009-2011 Biennium Higher Education Budget Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 23)
April 17, 2009 MN SF 2083 2009-2011 Biennium Higher Education Budget Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 23)
April 17, 2009 MN Limit of 3 Percent on Tuition Increases Amendment Rejected - Senate (32 - 33)
April 17, 2009 NV SB 372 Smoking Ban Exceptions Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5)
April 17, 2009 MN SF 971 School Anti-Bullying Policy Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 22)
April 16, 2009 MN Limmer Amdt Homosexuality in Education Amendment Rejected - Senate (24 - 37)
April 16, 2009 WA HB 2261 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23)
April 16, 2009 NC HB 88 Parental Choice Between Abstinence-Only or Comprehensive Sex Education Bill Passed - House (62 - 52)
April 16, 2009 MO HJR 32 Bonds to Fund Higher Education Joint Resolution Passed - House (131 - 28)
April 16, 2009 MO HB 668 Firearm Regulation Amendments Bill Passed - House (105 - 50)
April 16, 2009 MO SB 306 State Health Care Expansion Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7)
April 16, 2009 CA SB 242 Prohibiting Language Discrimination Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15)
April 15, 2009 IN SB 89 Health Care Amendments Bill Passed - House (73 - 20)
April 15, 2009 WA HB 1517 Expediting the Restoration of Felons' Voting Rights Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19)
Date No. Title Outcome
4/22 SB 287 State Health Plan Changes and Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - House (60 - 56)
4/22 SB 287 State Health Plan Changes and Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 19)
4/22 HB 1517 Expediting the Restoration of Felons' Voting Rights Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 44)
4/22 HB 2344 Allowing Tuition Increases Bill Passed - House (50 - 47)
4/22 HB 2672 Increasing Moist Snuff Tobacco Tax and Regulations Bill Passed - House (40 - 18)
4/21 SB 5288 Probation Time Reductions Bill Passed - House (51 - 45)
4/21 H 262 Teacher Compensation Adjustments Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8)
4/20 HB 2261 Education Law Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (67 - 31)
4/20 HB 681 Warning Signs Regarding Mercury Levels in Fish Bill Passed - House (95 - 50)
4/20 AB 495 Removing Medical Malpractice Award Cap Bill Passed - House (26 - 15)
4/20 SF 802 2009-2011 Biennium Public Safety and Corrections Budget Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 31)
4/17 SF 2083 2009-2011 Biennium Higher Education Budget Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 23)
4/17 SF 2083 2009-2011 Biennium Higher Education Budget Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 23)
4/17 Limit of 3 Percent on Tuition Increases Amendment Rejected - Senate (32 - 33)
4/17 SB 372 Smoking Ban Exceptions Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5)
4/17 SF 971 School Anti-Bullying Policy Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 22)
4/16 Limmer Amdt Homosexuality in Education Amendment Rejected - Senate (24 - 37)
4/16 HB 2261 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23)
4/16 HB 88 Parental Choice Between Abstinence-Only or Comprehensive Sex Education Bill Passed - House (62 - 52)
4/16 HJR 32 Bonds to Fund Higher Education Joint Resolution Passed - House (131 - 28)
4/16 HB 668 Firearm Regulation Amendments Bill Passed - House (105 - 50)
4/16 SB 306 State Health Care Expansion Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7)
4/16 SB 242 Prohibiting Language Discrimination Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15)
4/15 SB 89 Health Care Amendments Bill Passed - House (73 - 20)
4/15 HB 1517 Expediting the Restoration of Felons' Voting Rights Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19)

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