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.


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Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
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 4, 2009 WA HB 1329 Child Care Center Unionization Bill Passed - House (65 - 31)
March 3, 2009 UT HB 187 Restricting Access to Public Waters on Private Property Bill Failed - House (34 - 41)
March 3, 2009 WA HB 1956 Limiting Local Regulations of Homeless Shelters Bill Passed - House (56 - 41)
March 2, 2009 CA HR 5 Statement of Opposition to Proposition 8 Resolution Passed - House (45 - 27)
Feb. 25, 2009 AR HB 1464 Minimum Wage Increase Bill Passed - House (67 - 27)
Feb. 25, 2009 AR HB 1464 Minimum Wage Increase Bill Passed - House (67 - 27)
Feb. 25, 2009 VA SB 961 Expanding Death Penalty Eligibility to Accomplices Bill Passed - House (74 - 26)
Feb. 25, 2009 CO HB 1001 Tax Credit for Job Creation Bill Passed - House (52 - 13)
Feb. 25, 2009 NM HB 28 Increasing Penalties for Intimidation of Judges Bill Passed - House (43 - 21)
Feb. 24, 2009 IN HB 1379 Unemployment Benefit Amendments Bill Passed - House (55 - 41)
Feb. 24, 2009 ID H 173 Restricting Eligibility for State Retiree Health Benefits Bill Passed - House (59 - 11)
Feb. 24, 2009 CO HB 1260 Designated Beneficiary Agreements Between Unmarried Adults Bill Passed - House (41 - 24)
Feb. 24, 2009 CO HB 1260 Designated Beneficiary Agreements Between Unmarried Adults Bill Passed - House (41 - 24)
Feb. 20, 2009 VT Ainsworth Amdt Legislative Pay Cut Amendment Rejected - House (50 - 88)
Feb. 19, 2009 IA HF 333 Wage Standards for Public Project Workers Bill Failed - House (49 - 49)
Feb. 18, 2009 NH HB 103 Laid Off Employees Payment Time-Frame Bill Passed - House (194 - 164)
Feb. 18, 2009 UT HB 122 Restricting Access to Government Litigation Records Bill Passed - House (43 - 27)
Feb. 18, 2009 OK HB 1602 Attorney Fee Limits Bill Passed - House (54 - 46)
Feb. 17, 2009 ND HB 1572 Legislative Intent With Regards to the Legal Definition of Life Bill Passed - House (51 - 41)
Feb. 17, 2009 OK HB 1410 State Purchasing Authority Amendments Bill Passed - House (61 - 37)
Feb. 17, 2009 OR HB 2436 Real Estate Fees to Fund Housing Programs Bill Passed - House (44 - 15)
Feb. 12, 2009 HI HB 444 Legalizing Same-Sex Civil Unions Bill Passed - House (33 - 17)
Feb. 11, 2009 WY HB 32 Gray Wolf Management Plan Amendments Bill Failed - House (7 - 52)
Feb. 11, 2009 OK HB 1601 Regulating Attorney Election Contributions Bill Passed - House (62 - 36)
Feb. 10, 2009 IN HB 1656 Shifting Federal Transportation Funding to Counties and Localities Bill Passed - House (88 - 11)
Feb. 9, 2009 WY HB 240 Pay Raise for Certain Elected Officials Bill Passed - House (37 - 23)
Feb. 9, 2009 CO HB 1057 Mandatory Unpaid Parental Work Leave for Education Activities Bill Passed - House (35 - 30)
Feb. 6, 2009 ND HB 1508 State-Sponsored Children's Savings Accounts Bill Failed - House (28 - 64)
Feb. 6, 2009 WY HJ 17 Constitutional Amendment to Define Marriage Joint Resolution Failed - House (25 - 35)
Feb. 5, 2009 VA HB 1826 Driver's License Suspension for Unexcused School Absences Bill Passed - House (68 - 28)
Feb. 5, 2009 ND HB 1557 Even-Numbered Year Budget Adjustment Legislative Sessions Bill Failed - House (33 - 61)
Feb. 4, 2009 VA HB 1671 "Derelict Building" Plan Requirements Bill Passed - House (80 - 17)
Feb. 3, 2009 MT HB 157 Children's Health Insurance Program Appropriations and Amendments Bill Passed - House (60 - 40)
Feb. 2, 2009 NY A 1686 Reducing the Cap on Vacated Apartment Rent Increases Bill Passed - House (100 - 43)
Jan. 29, 2009 WY HB 190 Suspending Driver's Licenses for Nonpayment of Child Support Bill Passed - House (37 - 23)
Jan. 28, 2009 MT HB 13 State Employee Compensation Amendments Bill Passed - House (62 - 36)
Jan. 28, 2009 AR HB 1119 Prohibiting Cell Phone Use While Driving for Specific Age Groups Bill Passed - House (62 - 27)
Jan. 27, 2009 National S 181 Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 Bill Passed - House (250 - 177)
Jan. 27, 2009 WI AB 2 Mandatory State Contracting with Domestic Companies Bill Passed - House (69 - 30)
Jan. 27, 2009 WI AB 1 Wisconsin-Based Products and Services Purchasing Goals Bill Passed - House (77 - 22)
Jan. 27, 2009 AR HB 1050 Freedom of Information Act Exemption Specifications Bill Passed - House (57 - 31)
Jan. 27, 2009 AR HB 1050 Freedom of Information Act Exemption Specifications Bill Passed - House (57 - 31)
Jan. 26, 2009 WY HB 98 Mandatory Minimum Sentence for Sexual Assault of a Minor Bill Failed - House (20 - 39)
Jan. 26, 2009 MO HCR 5 Rejecting Pay Increases for Elected Officials and Judges Resolution Passed - House (129 - 31)
Jan. 22, 2009 MS HB 1090 Increasing Public Utilities Staff Oversight Bill Passed - House (64 - 53)
Jan. 14, 2009 FL SB 2-A 2008-2009 Budget Amendments Conference Report Adopted - House (74 - 43)
Jan. 14, 2009 IL HR 5 Impeachment of Governor Rod R. Blagojevich Resolution Passed - House (117 - 1)
Jan. 14, 2009 National HR 2 Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization and Expansion Bill Passed - House (289 - 139)
Jan. 13, 2009 ND HB 1036 Workforce Safety and Insurance Premium Rate Regulation Bill Passed - House (62 - 32)
Jan. 13, 2009 ND HB 1036 Workforce Safety and Insurance Premium Rate Regulation Bill Passed - House (62 - 32)
Jan. 9, 2009 IL HR 1671 Impeachment of Governor Rod R. Blagojevich Resolution Passed - House (114 - 1)
Jan. 9, 2009 National HR 11 Employment Discrimination Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (247 - 171)
Jan. 9, 2009 National HR 12 Employment Discrimination Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (256 - 163)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/04 HJR 8 Mandating Secret Ballots Bill Passed - House (53 - 22)
3/04 HB 4132 School Attendance Amendments Bill Passed - House (71 - 37)
3/04 HB 1329 Child Care Center Unionization Bill Passed - House (65 - 31)
3/03 HB 187 Restricting Access to Public Waters on Private Property Bill Failed - House (34 - 41)
3/03 HB 1956 Limiting Local Regulations of Homeless Shelters Bill Passed - House (56 - 41)
3/02 HR 5 Statement of Opposition to Proposition 8 Resolution Passed - House (45 - 27)
2/25 HB 1464 Minimum Wage Increase Bill Passed - House (67 - 27)
2/25 HB 1464 Minimum Wage Increase Bill Passed - House (67 - 27)
2/25 SB 961 Expanding Death Penalty Eligibility to Accomplices Bill Passed - House (74 - 26)
2/25 HB 1001 Tax Credit for Job Creation Bill Passed - House (52 - 13)
2/25 HB 28 Increasing Penalties for Intimidation of Judges Bill Passed - House (43 - 21)
2/24 HB 1379 Unemployment Benefit Amendments Bill Passed - House (55 - 41)
2/24 H 173 Restricting Eligibility for State Retiree Health Benefits Bill Passed - House (59 - 11)
2/24 HB 1260 Designated Beneficiary Agreements Between Unmarried Adults Bill Passed - House (41 - 24)
2/24 HB 1260 Designated Beneficiary Agreements Between Unmarried Adults Bill Passed - House (41 - 24)
2/20 Ainsworth Amdt Legislative Pay Cut Amendment Rejected - House (50 - 88)
2/19 HF 333 Wage Standards for Public Project Workers Bill Failed - House (49 - 49)
2/18 HB 103 Laid Off Employees Payment Time-Frame Bill Passed - House (194 - 164)
2/18 HB 122 Restricting Access to Government Litigation Records Bill Passed - House (43 - 27)
2/18 HB 1602 Attorney Fee Limits Bill Passed - House (54 - 46)
2/17 HB 1572 Legislative Intent With Regards to the Legal Definition of Life Bill Passed - House (51 - 41)
2/17 HB 1410 State Purchasing Authority Amendments Bill Passed - House (61 - 37)
2/17 HB 2436 Real Estate Fees to Fund Housing Programs Bill Passed - House (44 - 15)
2/12 HB 444 Legalizing Same-Sex Civil Unions Bill Passed - House (33 - 17)
2/11 HB 32 Gray Wolf Management Plan Amendments Bill Failed - House (7 - 52)
2/11 HB 1601 Regulating Attorney Election Contributions Bill Passed - House (62 - 36)
2/10 HB 1656 Shifting Federal Transportation Funding to Counties and Localities Bill Passed - House (88 - 11)
2/09 HB 240 Pay Raise for Certain Elected Officials Bill Passed - House (37 - 23)
2/09 HB 1057 Mandatory Unpaid Parental Work Leave for Education Activities Bill Passed - House (35 - 30)
2/06 HB 1508 State-Sponsored Children's Savings Accounts Bill Failed - House (28 - 64)
2/06 HJ 17 Constitutional Amendment to Define Marriage Joint Resolution Failed - House (25 - 35)
2/05 HB 1826 Driver's License Suspension for Unexcused School Absences Bill Passed - House (68 - 28)
2/05 HB 1557 Even-Numbered Year Budget Adjustment Legislative Sessions Bill Failed - House (33 - 61)
2/04 HB 1671 "Derelict Building" Plan Requirements Bill Passed - House (80 - 17)
2/03 HB 157 Children's Health Insurance Program Appropriations and Amendments Bill Passed - House (60 - 40)
2/02 A 1686 Reducing the Cap on Vacated Apartment Rent Increases Bill Passed - House (100 - 43)
1/29 HB 190 Suspending Driver's Licenses for Nonpayment of Child Support Bill Passed - House (37 - 23)
1/28 HB 13 State Employee Compensation Amendments Bill Passed - House (62 - 36)
1/28 HB 1119 Prohibiting Cell Phone Use While Driving for Specific Age Groups Bill Passed - House (62 - 27)
1/27 S 181 Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 Bill Passed - House (250 - 177)
1/27 AB 2 Mandatory State Contracting with Domestic Companies Bill Passed - House (69 - 30)
1/27 AB 1 Wisconsin-Based Products and Services Purchasing Goals Bill Passed - House (77 - 22)
1/27 HB 1050 Freedom of Information Act Exemption Specifications Bill Passed - House (57 - 31)
1/27 HB 1050 Freedom of Information Act Exemption Specifications Bill Passed - House (57 - 31)
1/26 HB 98 Mandatory Minimum Sentence for Sexual Assault of a Minor Bill Failed - House (20 - 39)
1/26 HCR 5 Rejecting Pay Increases for Elected Officials and Judges Resolution Passed - House (129 - 31)
1/22 HB 1090 Increasing Public Utilities Staff Oversight Bill Passed - House (64 - 53)
1/14 SB 2-A 2008-2009 Budget Amendments Conference Report Adopted - House (74 - 43)
1/14 HR 5 Impeachment of Governor Rod R. Blagojevich Resolution Passed - House (117 - 1)
1/14 HR 2 Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization and Expansion Bill Passed - House (289 - 139)
1/13 HB 1036 Workforce Safety and Insurance Premium Rate Regulation Bill Passed - House (62 - 32)
1/13 HB 1036 Workforce Safety and Insurance Premium Rate Regulation Bill Passed - House (62 - 32)
1/09 HR 1671 Impeachment of Governor Rod R. Blagojevich Resolution Passed - House (114 - 1)
1/09 HR 11 Employment Discrimination Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (247 - 171)
1/09 HR 12 Employment Discrimination Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (256 - 163)

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