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. 5, 2009 AR HB 1204 Tobacco Tax Increase Bill Passed - House (75 - 24)
Feb. 4, 2009 VA HB 1671 "Derelict Building" Plan Requirements Bill Passed - House (80 - 17)
Feb. 4, 2009 SD HB 1171 Exemptions from School District Minimum Size Requirements Bill Passed - House (36 - 34)
Feb. 3, 2009 VA SB 1105 Prohibiting Smoking in Bars and Restaurants Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13)
Feb. 3, 2009 SD SB 83 Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 18)
Feb. 3, 2009 UT HB 90 Increasing Illegal Abortion Penalty Bill Passed - House (56 - 16)
Feb. 3, 2009 UT HB 222 Offering Anesthetics to Women Undergoing Abortions Bill Passed - House (56 - 15)
Feb. 3, 2009 WY HB 31 Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban Bill Passed - House (31 - 29)
Feb. 3, 2009 MT HB 157 Children's Health Insurance Program Appropriations and Amendments Bill Passed - House (60 - 40)
Feb. 2, 2009 MT SB 80 Board of Regents Elections Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 30)
Feb. 2, 2009 WY HB 87 Property Tax Assessment Rate Reduction Bill Failed - House (24 - 36)
Feb. 2, 2009 UT SB 4 2008-2009 Education Budget Amendments Bill Passed - House (57 - 17)
Feb. 2, 2009 ND SB 2070 Ban on Smoking in Cars with Children Passengers Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 10)
Feb. 2, 2009 UT SB 4 2008-2009 Education Budget Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5)
Feb. 2, 2009 MT SB 81 Board of Public Education Elections Bill Failed - Senate (21 - 29)
Feb. 2, 2009 NY A 1688 Expanding Local Control Over Rent Laws Bill Passed - House (94 - 49)
Feb. 2, 2009 CO HB 1091 Carbon Monoxide Detector Requirements Bill Passed - House (43 - 21)
Feb. 2, 2009 NY A 1686 Reducing the Cap on Vacated Apartment Rent Increases Bill Passed - House (100 - 43)
Feb. 2, 2009 NY A 860 Increasing Income and Rent Threshold to Qualify for Rent Deregulation Bill Passed - House (86 - 58)
Feb. 2, 2009 NY A 2005 Expanding Rent Control Coverage Bill Passed - House (91 - 52)
Feb. 2, 2009 CO HB 1091 Carbon Monoxide Detector Requirements Bill Passed - House (43 - 21)
Jan. 30, 2009 WY Amdt 2001 to HB 31 Exempting 21+ Establishments from Smoking Ban Amendment Adopted - House (34 - 25)
Jan. 30, 2009 WY Amdt 2002 to HB 31 Allowing Counties and Municipalities to Opt Out of Smoking Ban Amendment Adopted - House (41 - 18)
Jan. 30, 2009 WY HB 141 Amending DUI Statutes Bill Passed - House (49 - 10)
Jan. 30, 2009 ND SB 2087 Secrecy in Public University Hiring Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 15)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/05 HB 1204 Tobacco Tax Increase Bill Passed - House (75 - 24)
2/04 HB 1671 "Derelict Building" Plan Requirements Bill Passed - House (80 - 17)
2/04 HB 1171 Exemptions from School District Minimum Size Requirements Bill Passed - House (36 - 34)
2/03 SB 1105 Prohibiting Smoking in Bars and Restaurants Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13)
2/03 SB 83 Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 18)
2/03 HB 90 Increasing Illegal Abortion Penalty Bill Passed - House (56 - 16)
2/03 HB 222 Offering Anesthetics to Women Undergoing Abortions Bill Passed - House (56 - 15)
2/03 HB 31 Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban Bill Passed - House (31 - 29)
2/03 HB 157 Children's Health Insurance Program Appropriations and Amendments Bill Passed - House (60 - 40)
2/02 SB 80 Board of Regents Elections Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 30)
2/02 HB 87 Property Tax Assessment Rate Reduction Bill Failed - House (24 - 36)
2/02 SB 4 2008-2009 Education Budget Amendments Bill Passed - House (57 - 17)
2/02 SB 2070 Ban on Smoking in Cars with Children Passengers Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 10)
2/02 SB 4 2008-2009 Education Budget Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5)
2/02 SB 81 Board of Public Education Elections Bill Failed - Senate (21 - 29)
2/02 A 1688 Expanding Local Control Over Rent Laws Bill Passed - House (94 - 49)
2/02 HB 1091 Carbon Monoxide Detector Requirements Bill Passed - House (43 - 21)
2/02 A 1686 Reducing the Cap on Vacated Apartment Rent Increases Bill Passed - House (100 - 43)
2/02 A 860 Increasing Income and Rent Threshold to Qualify for Rent Deregulation Bill Passed - House (86 - 58)
2/02 A 2005 Expanding Rent Control Coverage Bill Passed - House (91 - 52)
2/02 HB 1091 Carbon Monoxide Detector Requirements Bill Passed - House (43 - 21)
1/30 Amdt 2001 to HB 31 Exempting 21+ Establishments from Smoking Ban Amendment Adopted - House (34 - 25)
1/30 Amdt 2002 to HB 31 Allowing Counties and Municipalities to Opt Out of Smoking Ban Amendment Adopted - House (41 - 18)
1/30 HB 141 Amending DUI Statutes Bill Passed - House (49 - 10)
1/30 SB 2087 Secrecy in Public University Hiring Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 15)

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