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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 8, 2009 | OR | SB 311 | Changes in Liability Limits | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 5) |
| April 8, 2009 | NH | HB 1 | 2009-2011 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - House (193 - 174) |
| April 7, 2009 | MN | SF 1328 | 2009-2011 Biennium Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 29) |
| April 7, 2009 | MA | S 2024 | Massachusetts Transportation Agency Consolidation | Bill Passed - House (147 - 7) |
| April 7, 2009 | ID | S 1186 | Highway Project Financing | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 6) |
| April 7, 2009 | ID | H 276 | 2009-2010 Department of Environmental Quality Budget | Bill Passed - House (53 - 16) |
| April 6, 2009 | OR | SB 311 | Changes in Liability Limits | Bill Passed - House (50 - 8) |
| April 3, 2009 | GA | HB 119 | 2009-2010 State Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (137 - 41) |
| April 3, 2009 | NE | LB 260 | Wrongful Conviction Compensation | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 9) |
| April 3, 2009 | NY | A 158-B | Budget Financing | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 30) |
| April 3, 2009 | NY | A 159-B | Budget Financing | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 30) |
| April 3, 2009 | NY | A 157-B | Budget Financing | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 30) |
| April 3, 2009 | VT | H 441 | 2009-2010 Budget | Bill Passed - House (94 - 52) |
| April 3, 2009 | GA | HB 243 | Ending New Enrollment in Bonus Program for Teachers' National Certification | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17) |
| April 3, 2009 | ID | H 173 | Restricting Eligibility for State Retiree Health Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| April 2, 2009 | RI | H 5019 | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 6) |
| April 2, 2009 | NY | A 156-B | Budget Financing | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 30) |
| April 1, 2009 | RI | H 5019 | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (58 - 16) |
| April 1, 2009 | TX | SB 1 | 2009-2011 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 5) |
| April 1, 2009 | VT | H 438 | Gas Tax Increase to Fund Transportation Construction Bonds | Bill Passed - House (108 - 35) |
| April 1, 2009 | AK | HB 81 | 2009-2010 Operating Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 4) |
| April 1, 2009 | GA | SB 200 | Reorganization of the Department of Transportation | Bill Passed - House (90 - 84) |
| April 1, 2009 | OH | HB 2 | 2009-2011 Biennium Transportation Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (70 - 29) |
| March 31, 2009 | National | S Amdt 739 | Public Debt Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 54) |
| March 31, 2009 | KS | HB 2354 | 2009-2010 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 5) |
| March 31, 2009 | KS | HB 2354 | 2009-2010 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (71 - 53) |
| March 31, 2009 | NY | A 158-B | Budget Financing | Bill Passed - House (88 - 59) |
| March 31, 2009 | NY | A 159-B | Budget Financing | Bill Passed - House (86 - 59) |
| March 31, 2009 | NY | A 157-B | Budget Financing | Bill Passed - House (85 - 61) |
| March 31, 2009 | NY | A 156-B | Budget Financing | Bill Passed - House (91 - 56) |
| March 26, 2009 | MO | HB 2 | 2009-10 Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (92 - 64) |
| March 26, 2009 | MN | HF 1797 | Federal Stimulus Transportation Funding | Bill Passed - House (113 - 19) |
| March 26, 2009 | MO | HB 10 | 2009-10 Health Budget | Bill Passed - House (88 - 66) |
| March 26, 2009 | MD | HB 310 | Extending Unemployment Benefits to Part-Time Employees | Bill Passed - House (94 - 43) |
| March 26, 2009 | MO | HB 11 | 2009-2010 Social Services Budget | Bill Passed - House (88 - 66) |
| March 26, 2009 | ID | H 262 | Teacher Compensation Adjustments | Bill Passed - House (49 - 20) |
| March 25, 2009 | KS | HB 2275 | Drug Testing for Cash Assistance Recipients | Bill Passed - House (99 - 26) |
| March 25, 2009 | PA | SB 490 | Oil and Gas Lease Fund Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17) |
| March 25, 2009 | GA | SB 83 | Expanding Homestead Property Tax Exemption | Bill Failed - House (109 - 63) |
| March 24, 2009 | WI | SB 37 | Allowing Drivers To Keep Licenses While Paying Fines | Bill Passed - House (53 - 45) |
| March 24, 2009 | IN | HB 1379 | Unemployment Benefit Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20) |
| March 24, 2009 | KS | HB 2354 | 2009-2010 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 14) |
| March 24, 2009 | NC | SB 287 | State Health Plan Changes and Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 18) |
| March 24, 2009 | KS | HB 2373 | 2009-2011 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - House (70 - 54) |
| March 23, 2009 | GA | HB 233 | Two-Year Property Tax Assessment Freeze | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (114 - 55) |
| March 19, 2009 | NM | HB 154 | Capital Improvement Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (37 - 28) |
| March 19, 2009 | IA | SF 389 | Health Insurance Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18) |
| March 19, 2009 | National | HR 1586 | TARP Recipient Bonuses Tax | Bill Passed - House (328 - 93) |
| March 19, 2009 | National | HR 1586 | TARP Recipient Bonuses Tax | Bill Passed - House (328 - 93) |
| March 19, 2009 | ID | H 246 | Gasoline Tax Increase | Bill Failed - House (27 - 43) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/08 | SB 311 | Changes in Liability Limits | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 5) |
| 4/08 | HB 1 | 2009-2011 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - House (193 - 174) |
| 4/07 | SF 1328 | 2009-2011 Biennium Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 29) |
| 4/07 | S 2024 | Massachusetts Transportation Agency Consolidation | Bill Passed - House (147 - 7) |
| 4/07 | S 1186 | Highway Project Financing | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 6) |
| 4/07 | H 276 | 2009-2010 Department of Environmental Quality Budget | Bill Passed - House (53 - 16) |
| 4/06 | SB 311 | Changes in Liability Limits | Bill Passed - House (50 - 8) |
| 4/03 | HB 119 | 2009-2010 State Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (137 - 41) |
| 4/03 | LB 260 | Wrongful Conviction Compensation | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 9) |
| 4/03 | A 158-B | Budget Financing | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 30) |
| 4/03 | A 159-B | Budget Financing | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 30) |
| 4/03 | A 157-B | Budget Financing | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 30) |
| 4/03 | H 441 | 2009-2010 Budget | Bill Passed - House (94 - 52) |
| 4/03 | HB 243 | Ending New Enrollment in Bonus Program for Teachers' National Certification | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17) |
| 4/03 | H 173 | Restricting Eligibility for State Retiree Health Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| 4/02 | H 5019 | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 6) |
| 4/02 | A 156-B | Budget Financing | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 30) |
| 4/01 | H 5019 | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (58 - 16) |
| 4/01 | SB 1 | 2009-2011 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 5) |
| 4/01 | H 438 | Gas Tax Increase to Fund Transportation Construction Bonds | Bill Passed - House (108 - 35) |
| 4/01 | HB 81 | 2009-2010 Operating Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 4) |
| 4/01 | SB 200 | Reorganization of the Department of Transportation | Bill Passed - House (90 - 84) |
| 4/01 | HB 2 | 2009-2011 Biennium Transportation Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (70 - 29) |
| 3/31 | S Amdt 739 | Public Debt Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 54) |
| 3/31 | HB 2354 | 2009-2010 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 5) |
| 3/31 | HB 2354 | 2009-2010 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (71 - 53) |
| 3/31 | A 158-B | Budget Financing | Bill Passed - House (88 - 59) |
| 3/31 | A 159-B | Budget Financing | Bill Passed - House (86 - 59) |
| 3/31 | A 157-B | Budget Financing | Bill Passed - House (85 - 61) |
| 3/31 | A 156-B | Budget Financing | Bill Passed - House (91 - 56) |
| 3/26 | HB 2 | 2009-10 Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (92 - 64) |
| 3/26 | HF 1797 | Federal Stimulus Transportation Funding | Bill Passed - House (113 - 19) |
| 3/26 | HB 10 | 2009-10 Health Budget | Bill Passed - House (88 - 66) |
| 3/26 | HB 310 | Extending Unemployment Benefits to Part-Time Employees | Bill Passed - House (94 - 43) |
| 3/26 | HB 11 | 2009-2010 Social Services Budget | Bill Passed - House (88 - 66) |
| 3/26 | H 262 | Teacher Compensation Adjustments | Bill Passed - House (49 - 20) |
| 3/25 | HB 2275 | Drug Testing for Cash Assistance Recipients | Bill Passed - House (99 - 26) |
| 3/25 | SB 490 | Oil and Gas Lease Fund Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17) |
| 3/25 | SB 83 | Expanding Homestead Property Tax Exemption | Bill Failed - House (109 - 63) |
| 3/24 | SB 37 | Allowing Drivers To Keep Licenses While Paying Fines | Bill Passed - House (53 - 45) |
| 3/24 | HB 1379 | Unemployment Benefit Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20) |
| 3/24 | HB 2354 | 2009-2010 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 14) |
| 3/24 | SB 287 | State Health Plan Changes and Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 18) |
| 3/24 | HB 2373 | 2009-2011 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - House (70 - 54) |
| 3/23 | HB 233 | Two-Year Property Tax Assessment Freeze | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (114 - 55) |
| 3/19 | HB 154 | Capital Improvement Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (37 - 28) |
| 3/19 | SF 389 | Health Insurance Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18) |
| 3/19 | HR 1586 | TARP Recipient Bonuses Tax | Bill Passed - House (328 - 93) |
| 3/19 | HR 1586 | TARP Recipient Bonuses Tax | Bill Passed - House (328 - 93) |
| 3/19 | H 246 | Gasoline Tax Increase | Bill Failed - House (27 - 43) |