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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 20, 2009 | NY | S 1290 | Anti-Shackling Bill | Bill Passed - House (119 - 21) |
| May 20, 2009 | NY | S 1290 | Anti-Shackling Bill | Bill Passed - House (119 - 21) |
| May 20, 2009 | OH | HB 3 | Moratorium on Foreclosures | Bill Passed - House (54 - 43) |
| May 20, 2009 | MI | HB 4836 | Hate Crimes | Bill Passed - House (66 - 43) |
| May 20, 2009 | RI | H 5359 | Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - House (63 - 5) |
| May 20, 2009 | CT | HB 6600 | SustiNet Health Insurance Plan | Bill Passed - House (107 - 35) |
| May 20, 2009 | CT | HB 6582 | Healthcare Partnership | Bill Passed - House (109 - 36) |
| May 19, 2009 | LA | HB 504 | Jefferson Parish School Board Elections | Bill Passed - House (63 - 26) |
| May 19, 2009 | LA | HB 517 | Health Care Protection | Bill Passed - House (82 - 13) |
| May 18, 2009 | MN | SF 97 | Legalizing Medical Marijuana | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 28) |
| May 18, 2009 | MN | SF 97 | Legalizing Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - House (70 - 64) |
| May 18, 2009 | OR | HB 2509 | Sexual Education | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9) |
| May 18, 2009 | MN | SF 971 | School Anti-Bullying Policy Requirements | Bill Passed - House (95 - 39) |
| May 18, 2009 | OR | HB 2509 | Sexual Education | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9) |
| May 17, 2009 | MN | HF 1362 | Health Budget | Veto Override Failed - House (87 - 47) |
| May 15, 2009 | OR | HB 2726 | Nutrition Labeling on Menus | Bill Passed - House (43 - 15) |
| May 15, 2009 | TX | HB 2962 | Childrens' Health Care | Bill Passed - House (87 - 55) |
| May 14, 2009 | TX | HB 1657 | Contractor Worker's Compensation | Bill Passed - House (73 - 71) |
| May 14, 2009 | MO | SB 291 | Education Provision Modifications | Bill Passed - House (110 - 46) |
| May 14, 2009 | CA | SB 572 | Harvey Milk Day | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| May 14, 2009 | CA | SB 4 | Prohibiting Smoking at State Park Beaches | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| May 13, 2009 | ME | LD 290 | Out-of-State Health Insurance | "Ought Not to Pass" Report Adopted - House (82 - 63) |
| May 13, 2009 | WI | SB 181 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (61 - 38) |
| May 13, 2009 | AZ | HB 2028 | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 8) |
| May 13, 2009 | WI | SB 181 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
| May 13, 2009 | AZ | HB 2028 | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (33 - 25) |
| May 12, 2009 | MO | SB 306 | State Health Care Expansion | Bill Passed - House (83 - 77) |
| May 12, 2009 | RI | H 5143 | E-Verify Bill | Bill Passed - House (38 - 33) |
| May 11, 2009 | MN | HF 1362 | Health Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (47 - 18) |
| May 11, 2009 | MN | HF 1362 | Health Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (80 - 51) |
| May 11, 2009 | TX | HB 1736 | Increasing Wrongful Conviction Compensation | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 4) |
| May 11, 2009 | NC | HB 2 | Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18) |
| May 8, 2009 | FL | SB 788 | Gambling Expansion | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 9) |
| May 8, 2009 | FL | SB 788 | Gambling Expansion | Conference Report Adopted - House (82 - 35) |
| May 8, 2009 | ID | H 374 | Allowing Diversion of Funds to Virtual Education | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9) |
| May 7, 2009 | TN | SB 433 | Homeschool Diplomas | Bill Passed - House (61 - 27) |
| May 7, 2009 | TN | SB 2133 | Charter School Access Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 7) |
| May 7, 2009 | ID | H 374 | Allowing Diversion of Funds to Virtual Education | Bill Passed - House (49 - 15) |
| May 6, 2009 | CO | HB 1366 | Capital Gains Income Tax Reduction Modification | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (37 - 28) |
| May 6, 2009 | CO | HB 1366 | Capital Gains Income Tax Reduction Modification | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| May 6, 2009 | NY | S 1363 | Tenants' Protection In Foreclosure | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 24) |
| May 6, 2009 | NC | SB 526 | Prevention of Bullying and Violence in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22) |
| May 6, 2009 | MI | HB 4785 | Job Training Program Benefits and Security | Bill Passed - House (68 - 39) |
| May 6, 2009 | OH | HB 9 | Tenants' Protection During Foreclosure | Bill Passed - House (53 - 42) |
| May 6, 2009 | CO | SB 241 | DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest | Conference Report Adopted - House (52 - 12) |
| May 5, 2009 | CO | SB 244 | Requiring Health Insurance Plans to Cover Autism Treatments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| May 4, 2009 | CO | SB 244 | Requiring Health Insurance Plans to Cover Autism Treatments | Bill Passed - House (45 - 20) |
| May 4, 2009 | MN | SF 97 | Legalizing Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 29) |
| May 4, 2009 | ND | SB 2003 | 2009-2011 Biennuim Higher Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (70 - 24) |
| May 4, 2009 | CO | HB 1057 | Mandatory Unpaid Parental Work Leave for Education Activities | Conference Report Adopted - House (39 - 26) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/20 | S 1290 | Anti-Shackling Bill | Bill Passed - House (119 - 21) |
| 5/20 | S 1290 | Anti-Shackling Bill | Bill Passed - House (119 - 21) |
| 5/20 | HB 3 | Moratorium on Foreclosures | Bill Passed - House (54 - 43) |
| 5/20 | HB 4836 | Hate Crimes | Bill Passed - House (66 - 43) |
| 5/20 | H 5359 | Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - House (63 - 5) |
| 5/20 | HB 6600 | SustiNet Health Insurance Plan | Bill Passed - House (107 - 35) |
| 5/20 | HB 6582 | Healthcare Partnership | Bill Passed - House (109 - 36) |
| 5/19 | HB 504 | Jefferson Parish School Board Elections | Bill Passed - House (63 - 26) |
| 5/19 | HB 517 | Health Care Protection | Bill Passed - House (82 - 13) |
| 5/18 | SF 97 | Legalizing Medical Marijuana | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 28) |
| 5/18 | SF 97 | Legalizing Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - House (70 - 64) |
| 5/18 | HB 2509 | Sexual Education | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9) |
| 5/18 | SF 971 | School Anti-Bullying Policy Requirements | Bill Passed - House (95 - 39) |
| 5/18 | HB 2509 | Sexual Education | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9) |
| 5/17 | HF 1362 | Health Budget | Veto Override Failed - House (87 - 47) |
| 5/15 | HB 2726 | Nutrition Labeling on Menus | Bill Passed - House (43 - 15) |
| 5/15 | HB 2962 | Childrens' Health Care | Bill Passed - House (87 - 55) |
| 5/14 | HB 1657 | Contractor Worker's Compensation | Bill Passed - House (73 - 71) |
| 5/14 | SB 291 | Education Provision Modifications | Bill Passed - House (110 - 46) |
| 5/14 | SB 572 | Harvey Milk Day | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| 5/14 | SB 4 | Prohibiting Smoking at State Park Beaches | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| 5/13 | LD 290 | Out-of-State Health Insurance | "Ought Not to Pass" Report Adopted - House (82 - 63) |
| 5/13 | SB 181 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (61 - 38) |
| 5/13 | HB 2028 | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 8) |
| 5/13 | SB 181 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
| 5/13 | HB 2028 | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (33 - 25) |
| 5/12 | SB 306 | State Health Care Expansion | Bill Passed - House (83 - 77) |
| 5/12 | H 5143 | E-Verify Bill | Bill Passed - House (38 - 33) |
| 5/11 | HF 1362 | Health Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (47 - 18) |
| 5/11 | HF 1362 | Health Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (80 - 51) |
| 5/11 | HB 1736 | Increasing Wrongful Conviction Compensation | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 4) |
| 5/11 | HB 2 | Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18) |
| 5/08 | SB 788 | Gambling Expansion | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 9) |
| 5/08 | SB 788 | Gambling Expansion | Conference Report Adopted - House (82 - 35) |
| 5/08 | H 374 | Allowing Diversion of Funds to Virtual Education | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9) |
| 5/07 | SB 433 | Homeschool Diplomas | Bill Passed - House (61 - 27) |
| 5/07 | SB 2133 | Charter School Access Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 7) |
| 5/07 | H 374 | Allowing Diversion of Funds to Virtual Education | Bill Passed - House (49 - 15) |
| 5/06 | HB 1366 | Capital Gains Income Tax Reduction Modification | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (37 - 28) |
| 5/06 | HB 1366 | Capital Gains Income Tax Reduction Modification | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| 5/06 | S 1363 | Tenants' Protection In Foreclosure | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 24) |
| 5/06 | SB 526 | Prevention of Bullying and Violence in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22) |
| 5/06 | HB 4785 | Job Training Program Benefits and Security | Bill Passed - House (68 - 39) |
| 5/06 | HB 9 | Tenants' Protection During Foreclosure | Bill Passed - House (53 - 42) |
| 5/06 | SB 241 | DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest | Conference Report Adopted - House (52 - 12) |
| 5/05 | SB 244 | Requiring Health Insurance Plans to Cover Autism Treatments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| 5/04 | SB 244 | Requiring Health Insurance Plans to Cover Autism Treatments | Bill Passed - House (45 - 20) |
| 5/04 | SF 97 | Legalizing Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 29) |
| 5/04 | SB 2003 | 2009-2011 Biennuim Higher Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (70 - 24) |
| 5/04 | HB 1057 | Mandatory Unpaid Parental Work Leave for Education Activities | Conference Report Adopted - House (39 - 26) |