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
March 6, 2009 UT HJR 8 Mandating Secret Ballots Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8)
March 5, 2009 NM HB 616 State Employee Return-to-Work Restrictions Bill Passed - House (49 - 13)
March 5, 2009 UT HB 179 Authorizing Land Swap for Development of UTA Rail Station Bill Passed - House (52 - 21)
March 5, 2009 MD SB 279 Capital Punishment Restrictions Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13)
March 5, 2009 NM HB 616 State Employee Return-to-Work Restrictions Bill Passed - House (49 - 13)
March 5, 2009 OR SB 5552 2007-2009 Biennium Budget Amendments Bill Passed - House (37 - 22)
March 5, 2009 ID S 1119 Allowing Public Utility Assistance Programs Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 18)
March 5, 2009 OR SB 581 2007-2008, 2008-2009, and 2009-2010 Budget Amendments Bill Passed - House (37 - 22)
March 5, 2009 GA SB 200 Reorganization of State Transportation Authorities Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 25)
March 5, 2009 GA SB 200 Reorganization of State Transportation Authorities Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 25)
March 4, 2009 NH HCR 6 Resolution Regarding States' Rights "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (216 - 150)
March 4, 2009 OK HB 1603 Tort Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (61 - 39)
March 4, 2009 KS HB 2206 Partial Birth/Late-term Abortion Reporting Requirements Bill Passed - House (82 - 40)
March 4, 2009 WA HB 1329 Child Care Center Unionization Bill Passed - House (65 - 31)
March 4, 2009 WA HB 1329 Child Care Center Unionization Bill Passed - House (65 - 31)
March 4, 2009 UT SB 61 Allowing Home-Schooled Students to Participate in Extracurricular Activities Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 16)
March 4, 2009 UT HJR 8 Mandating Secret Ballots Bill Passed - House (53 - 22)
March 4, 2009 MI HB 4132 School Attendance Amendments Bill Passed - House (71 - 37)
March 3, 2009 UT HB 187 Restricting Access to Public Waters on Private Property Bill Failed - House (34 - 41)
March 3, 2009 OR SB 5552 2007-2009 Biennium Budget Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8)
March 3, 2009 OR SB 581 2007-2008, 2008-2009, and 2009-2010 Budget Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8)
March 3, 2009 WA HB 1956 Limiting Local Regulations of Homeless Shelters Bill Passed - House (56 - 41)
March 2, 2009 CA SR 7 Statement of Opposition to Proposition 8 Resolution Passed - Senate (18 - 14)
March 2, 2009 CA HR 5 Statement of Opposition to Proposition 8 Resolution Passed - House (45 - 27)
Feb. 26, 2009 National S 160 Washington DC Voting Act Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/06 HJR 8 Mandating Secret Ballots Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8)
3/05 HB 616 State Employee Return-to-Work Restrictions Bill Passed - House (49 - 13)
3/05 HB 179 Authorizing Land Swap for Development of UTA Rail Station Bill Passed - House (52 - 21)
3/05 SB 279 Capital Punishment Restrictions Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13)
3/05 HB 616 State Employee Return-to-Work Restrictions Bill Passed - House (49 - 13)
3/05 SB 5552 2007-2009 Biennium Budget Amendments Bill Passed - House (37 - 22)
3/05 S 1119 Allowing Public Utility Assistance Programs Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 18)
3/05 SB 581 2007-2008, 2008-2009, and 2009-2010 Budget Amendments Bill Passed - House (37 - 22)
3/05 SB 200 Reorganization of State Transportation Authorities Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 25)
3/05 SB 200 Reorganization of State Transportation Authorities Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 25)
3/04 HCR 6 Resolution Regarding States' Rights "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (216 - 150)
3/04 HB 1603 Tort Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (61 - 39)
3/04 HB 2206 Partial Birth/Late-term Abortion Reporting Requirements Bill Passed - House (82 - 40)
3/04 HB 1329 Child Care Center Unionization Bill Passed - House (65 - 31)
3/04 HB 1329 Child Care Center Unionization Bill Passed - House (65 - 31)
3/04 SB 61 Allowing Home-Schooled Students to Participate in Extracurricular Activities Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 16)
3/04 HJR 8 Mandating Secret Ballots Bill Passed - House (53 - 22)
3/04 HB 4132 School Attendance Amendments Bill Passed - House (71 - 37)
3/03 HB 187 Restricting Access to Public Waters on Private Property Bill Failed - House (34 - 41)
3/03 SB 5552 2007-2009 Biennium Budget Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8)
3/03 SB 581 2007-2008, 2008-2009, and 2009-2010 Budget Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8)
3/03 HB 1956 Limiting Local Regulations of Homeless Shelters Bill Passed - House (56 - 41)
3/02 SR 7 Statement of Opposition to Proposition 8 Resolution Passed - Senate (18 - 14)
3/02 HR 5 Statement of Opposition to Proposition 8 Resolution Passed - House (45 - 27)
2/26 S 160 Washington DC Voting Act Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37)

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