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 23, 2009 | AL | HB 533 | Hate Crime Law Expansion | Bill Passed - House (46 - 41) |
| April 22, 2009 | PA | A771 | Requiring Hands Free Devices for Cell Phones in Cars | Amendment Rejected - House (95 - 100) |
| April 22, 2009 | WA | HB 1517 | Expediting the Restoration of Felons' Voting Rights | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 44) |
| April 22, 2009 | CT | SB 899 | Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (100 - 44) |
| April 22, 2009 | CT | SB 899 | Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7) |
| April 21, 2009 | NV | SB 283 | Establishing Domestic Partnerships | Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 9) |
| April 17, 2009 | NV | SB 372 | Smoking Ban Exceptions | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5) |
| April 17, 2009 | NE | LB 355 | Exempting Cigar Bars from the Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
| 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 15, 2009 | WA | SB 5688 | Expanding Domestic Partnership Rights | Bill Passed - House (62 - 35) |
| April 15, 2009 | VT | H 147 | Primary Seat Belt Enforcement | Bill Passed - House (104 - 40) |
| April 13, 2009 | MD | HB 387 | "Lawful Status" Requirements for ID Cards, Vehicle Licenses and Permits | Conference Report Adopted - House (76 - 60) |
| April 10, 2009 | MD | SB 277 | Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems | Bill Passed - House (94 - 41) |
| April 8, 2009 | NH | HB 415 | Prohibiting Gender Identity Discrimination | Bill Passed - House (188 - 187) |
| April 8, 2009 | ME | LD 67 | Prohibiting Smoking at State Park Beaches | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| April 7, 2009 | VT | S 115 | Same-Sex Marriage | Veto Override Passed - House (100 - 49) |
| April 7, 2009 | VT | S 115 | Same-Sex Marriage | Veto Override Passed - Senate (23 - 5) |
| April 3, 2009 | ND | SB 2278 | Prohibiting Sexual Orientation Discrimination | Bill Failed - House (34 - 54) |
| April 3, 2009 | VT | S 115 | Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (94 - 52) |
| April 3, 2009 | GA | SB 86 | Requiring Proof of Citizenship for Voter Registration | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 13) |
| April 3, 2009 | GA | SB 86 | Requiring Proof of Citizenship for Voter Registration | Bill Passed - House (140 - 67) |
| April 2, 2009 | MT | HB 531 | Red Light Camera Prohibition | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 11) |
| April 2, 2009 | NC | HB 2 | Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (72 - 45) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/23 | HB 533 | Hate Crime Law Expansion | Bill Passed - House (46 - 41) |
| 4/22 | A771 | Requiring Hands Free Devices for Cell Phones in Cars | Amendment Rejected - House (95 - 100) |
| 4/22 | HB 1517 | Expediting the Restoration of Felons' Voting Rights | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 44) |
| 4/22 | SB 899 | Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (100 - 44) |
| 4/22 | SB 899 | Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7) |
| 4/21 | SB 283 | Establishing Domestic Partnerships | Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 9) |
| 4/17 | SB 372 | Smoking Ban Exceptions | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5) |
| 4/17 | LB 355 | Exempting Cigar Bars from the Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
| 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) |
| 4/15 | SB 5688 | Expanding Domestic Partnership Rights | Bill Passed - House (62 - 35) |
| 4/15 | H 147 | Primary Seat Belt Enforcement | Bill Passed - House (104 - 40) |
| 4/13 | HB 387 | "Lawful Status" Requirements for ID Cards, Vehicle Licenses and Permits | Conference Report Adopted - House (76 - 60) |
| 4/10 | SB 277 | Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems | Bill Passed - House (94 - 41) |
| 4/08 | HB 415 | Prohibiting Gender Identity Discrimination | Bill Passed - House (188 - 187) |
| 4/08 | LD 67 | Prohibiting Smoking at State Park Beaches | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| 4/07 | S 115 | Same-Sex Marriage | Veto Override Passed - House (100 - 49) |
| 4/07 | S 115 | Same-Sex Marriage | Veto Override Passed - Senate (23 - 5) |
| 4/03 | SB 2278 | Prohibiting Sexual Orientation Discrimination | Bill Failed - House (34 - 54) |
| 4/03 | S 115 | Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (94 - 52) |
| 4/03 | SB 86 | Requiring Proof of Citizenship for Voter Registration | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 13) |
| 4/03 | SB 86 | Requiring Proof of Citizenship for Voter Registration | Bill Passed - House (140 - 67) |
| 4/02 | HB 531 | Red Light Camera Prohibition | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 11) |
| 4/02 | HB 2 | Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (72 - 45) |