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. 23, 2009 SD HB 1240 Smoking Ban Bill Passed - House (43 - 27)
Feb. 23, 2009 HI SB 777 Requiring Comprehensive Sex Education When Using State Funds Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 3)
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. 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 VA SB 1105 Prohibiting Smoking in Restaurants Conference Report Adopted - House (60 - 39)
Feb. 19, 2009 ND HB 1213 Prohibiting Smoking in Bars and Hotels Bill Failed - House (33 - 59)
Feb. 19, 2009 ND HB 1400 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (78 - 16)
Feb. 19, 2009 GA SB 42 Transfer of Authority Over State's Public Defender System Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 21)
Feb. 18, 2009 NH HB 383 Mandating Seat Belt Usage Bill Passed - House (197 - 155)
Feb. 18, 2009 IA HF 311 Health Insurance Coverage for Prosthetics Bill Passed - House (64 - 33)
Feb. 18, 2009 SD HB 1171 Exemptions from School District Minimum Size Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12)
Feb. 18, 2009 ND HB 1348 Allowing Concealed Firearms on Campuses Bill Passed - House (48 - 46)
Feb. 17, 2009 SD SB 106 School Funding Formula Revision Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7)
Feb. 17, 2009 OR HB 2436 Real Estate Fees to Fund Housing Programs Bill Passed - House (44 - 15)
Feb. 17, 2009 KS SB 25 Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13)
Feb. 16, 2009 ND HB 1197 Seat Belt Violation as Primary Offense Bill Failed - House (34 - 58)
Feb. 16, 2009 MT SB 142 Consideration of Gender for Insurance Coverage Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23)
Feb. 13, 2009 UT SB 48 Amending Requirements for Obtaining Teaching Licenses Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10)
Feb. 12, 2009 SD SB 156 Expansion of Hate Crime Law Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 21)
Feb. 12, 2009 MS HB 234 Sex Education Pilot Program Bill Passed - House (79 - 40)
Feb. 12, 2009 MS HB 234 Sex Education Pilot Program Bill Passed - House (79 - 40)
Feb. 12, 2009 KS SB 23 2008-2009, 2009-2010, and 2010-2011Budget Amendments Conference Report Adopted - House (70 - 51)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/23 HB 1240 Smoking Ban Bill Passed - House (43 - 27)
2/23 SB 777 Requiring Comprehensive Sex Education When Using State Funds Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 3)
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)
2/20 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 SB 1105 Prohibiting Smoking in Restaurants Conference Report Adopted - House (60 - 39)
2/19 HB 1213 Prohibiting Smoking in Bars and Hotels Bill Failed - House (33 - 59)
2/19 HB 1400 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (78 - 16)
2/19 SB 42 Transfer of Authority Over State's Public Defender System Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 21)
2/18 HB 383 Mandating Seat Belt Usage Bill Passed - House (197 - 155)
2/18 HF 311 Health Insurance Coverage for Prosthetics Bill Passed - House (64 - 33)
2/18 HB 1171 Exemptions from School District Minimum Size Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12)
2/18 HB 1348 Allowing Concealed Firearms on Campuses Bill Passed - House (48 - 46)
2/17 SB 106 School Funding Formula Revision Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7)
2/17 HB 2436 Real Estate Fees to Fund Housing Programs Bill Passed - House (44 - 15)
2/17 SB 25 Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13)
2/16 HB 1197 Seat Belt Violation as Primary Offense Bill Failed - House (34 - 58)
2/16 SB 142 Consideration of Gender for Insurance Coverage Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23)
2/13 SB 48 Amending Requirements for Obtaining Teaching Licenses Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10)
2/12 SB 156 Expansion of Hate Crime Law Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 21)
2/12 HB 234 Sex Education Pilot Program Bill Passed - House (79 - 40)
2/12 HB 234 Sex Education Pilot Program Bill Passed - House (79 - 40)
2/12 SB 23 2008-2009, 2009-2010, and 2010-2011Budget Amendments Conference Report Adopted - House (70 - 51)

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