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 14, 2009 | CA | SB 4 | Prohibiting Smoking at State Park Beaches | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| 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 11, 2009 | MN | HF 1362 | Health Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (47 - 18) |
| 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 | ID | H 374 | Allowing Diversion of Funds to Virtual Education | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9) |
| May 7, 2009 | TN | SB 2133 | Charter School Access Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 7) |
| May 6, 2009 | NY | S 1363 | Tenants' Protection In Foreclosure | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 24) |
| May 6, 2009 | CO | HB 1366 | Capital Gains Income Tax Reduction Modification | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| May 6, 2009 | NC | SB 526 | Prevention of Bullying and Violence in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22) |
| May 5, 2009 | CO | SB 244 | Requiring Health Insurance Plans to Cover Autism Treatments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| May 4, 2009 | MN | SF 97 | Legalizing Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 29) |
| May 1, 2009 | FL | HB 1495 | Property Insurance Law Modifications | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 6) |
| May 1, 2009 | FL | SB 360 | Growth Management Deregulation | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 7) |
| April 29, 2009 | NH | HB 383 | Mandating Seat Belt Usage | Bill Tabled - Senate (13 - 11) |
| April 29, 2009 | OK | SB 834 | Increased Local School Board Control | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 22) |
| April 29, 2009 | ND | SCR 4038 | Creating a Public Health Investment Trust Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 23) |
| April 29, 2009 | NH | HB 648 | Medical Marijuana Legalization | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 10) |
| April 28, 2009 | National | PN 188 | Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of Health and Human Services | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (65 - 31) |
| April 27, 2009 | CO | SB 244 | Requiring Health Insurance Plans to Cover Autism Treatments | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| April 27, 2009 | FL | SB 762 | Allowing Universities to Levy "Tuition Differential" Charges | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7) |
| April 27, 2009 | CO | HB 1057 | Mandatory Unpaid Parental Work Leave for Education Activities | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 13) |
| April 27, 2009 | CO | SB 241 | DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7) |
| April 25, 2009 | WA | SB 5288 | Probation Time Reductions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| April 25, 2009 | WA | HB 2344 | Allowing Tuition Increases | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20) |
| April 22, 2009 | NC | SB 287 | State Health Plan Changes and Appropriations | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 19) |
| April 21, 2009 | ID | H 262 | Teacher Compensation Adjustments | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| April 20, 2009 | MN | SF 802 | 2009-2011 Biennium Public Safety and Corrections Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 31) |
| 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 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 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 | 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 | WA | HB 1517 | Expediting the Restoration of Felons' Voting Rights | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19) |
| April 15, 2009 | TX | SB 1049 | Increasing Age Restriction on Tobacco Purchases | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5) |
| April 14, 2009 | MO | HB 10 | 2009-10 Health Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| April 9, 2009 | MT | HB 228 | Amending Concealed Weapons and Self-Defense Statutes | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (40 - 10) |
| April 8, 2009 | ME | LD 67 | Prohibiting Smoking at State Park Beaches | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| April 7, 2009 | MN | SF 1328 | 2009-2011 Biennium Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 29) |
| April 6, 2009 | CO | SB 170 | Expanding In-State Tuition Eligibility | Motion Rejected - Senate (16 - 18) |
| April 6, 2009 | CO | SB 170 | Expanding In-State Tuition Eligibility | Motion Rejected - Senate (16 - 18) |
| April 6, 2009 | ND | HB 1171 | Home School Deregulation | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| April 6, 2009 | MN | SF 10 | Sharing Services For Schools Districts | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 33) |
| April 6, 2009 | MD | HB 302 | Allowing Judges to Confiscate Firearms from Domestic Abuse Suspects | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 15) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/14 | SB 4 | Prohibiting Smoking at State Park Beaches | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| 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) |
| 5/11 | HF 1362 | Health Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (47 - 18) |
| 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 | H 374 | Allowing Diversion of Funds to Virtual Education | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9) |
| 5/07 | SB 2133 | Charter School Access Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 7) |
| 5/06 | S 1363 | Tenants' Protection In Foreclosure | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 24) |
| 5/06 | HB 1366 | Capital Gains Income Tax Reduction Modification | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| 5/06 | SB 526 | Prevention of Bullying and Violence in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22) |
| 5/05 | SB 244 | Requiring Health Insurance Plans to Cover Autism Treatments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| 5/04 | SF 97 | Legalizing Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 29) |
| 5/01 | HB 1495 | Property Insurance Law Modifications | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 6) |
| 5/01 | SB 360 | Growth Management Deregulation | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 7) |
| 4/29 | HB 383 | Mandating Seat Belt Usage | Bill Tabled - Senate (13 - 11) |
| 4/29 | SB 834 | Increased Local School Board Control | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 22) |
| 4/29 | SCR 4038 | Creating a Public Health Investment Trust Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 23) |
| 4/29 | HB 648 | Medical Marijuana Legalization | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 10) |
| 4/28 | PN 188 | Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of Health and Human Services | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (65 - 31) |
| 4/27 | SB 244 | Requiring Health Insurance Plans to Cover Autism Treatments | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| 4/27 | SB 762 | Allowing Universities to Levy "Tuition Differential" Charges | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7) |
| 4/27 | HB 1057 | Mandatory Unpaid Parental Work Leave for Education Activities | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 4/27 | SB 241 | DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7) |
| 4/25 | SB 5288 | Probation Time Reductions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| 4/25 | HB 2344 | Allowing Tuition Increases | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20) |
| 4/22 | SB 287 | State Health Plan Changes and Appropriations | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 19) |
| 4/21 | H 262 | Teacher Compensation Adjustments | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| 4/20 | SF 802 | 2009-2011 Biennium Public Safety and Corrections Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 31) |
| 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) |
| 4/17 | 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) |
| 4/16 | Limmer Amdt | Homosexuality in Education | Amendment Rejected - Senate (24 - 37) |
| 4/16 | HB 2261 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| 4/16 | 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 | HB 1517 | Expediting the Restoration of Felons' Voting Rights | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19) |
| 4/15 | SB 1049 | Increasing Age Restriction on Tobacco Purchases | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5) |
| 4/14 | HB 10 | 2009-10 Health Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| 4/09 | HB 228 | Amending Concealed Weapons and Self-Defense Statutes | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (40 - 10) |
| 4/08 | LD 67 | Prohibiting Smoking at State Park Beaches | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| 4/07 | SF 1328 | 2009-2011 Biennium Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 29) |
| 4/06 | SB 170 | Expanding In-State Tuition Eligibility | Motion Rejected - Senate (16 - 18) |
| 4/06 | SB 170 | Expanding In-State Tuition Eligibility | Motion Rejected - Senate (16 - 18) |
| 4/06 | HB 1171 | Home School Deregulation | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| 4/06 | SF 10 | Sharing Services For Schools Districts | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 33) |
| 4/06 | HB 302 | Allowing Judges to Confiscate Firearms from Domestic Abuse Suspects | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 15) |