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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 19, 2009 | ND | HB 1213 | Prohibiting Smoking in Bars and Hotels | Bill Failed - House (33 - 59) |
| Feb. 18, 2009 | NH | HB 383 | Mandating Seat Belt Usage | Bill Passed - House (197 - 155) |
| Feb. 18, 2009 | UT | HB 122 | Restricting Access to Government Litigation Records | Bill Passed - House (43 - 27) |
| Feb. 17, 2009 | IN | HB 1213 | Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (70 - 26) |
| Feb. 16, 2009 | ND | HB 1197 | Seat Belt Violation as Primary Offense | Bill Failed - House (34 - 58) |
| Feb. 12, 2009 | ND | HB 1453 | Wheelchair Accessibility in Businesses | Bill Failed - House (19 - 72) |
| Feb. 12, 2009 | HI | HB 444 | Legalizing Same-Sex Civil Unions | Bill Passed - House (33 - 17) |
| Feb. 11, 2009 | MS | HB 1533 | Election Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (78 - 44) |
| Feb. 9, 2009 | VA | SB 1105 | Prohibiting Smoking in Restaurants | Bill Passed - House (59 - 39) |
| Feb. 9, 2009 | ND | HB 1576 | Election Law Amendments | Bill Failed - House (47 - 46) |
| 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 | UT | SB 16 | Prohibiting "Gang Loitering" | Bill Passed - House (56 - 17) |
| Feb. 4, 2009 | VA | HB 2314 | Allowing Police Chaplains to Conduct Sectarian Prayer | Bill Passed - House (66 - 30) |
| Feb. 3, 2009 | WY | HB 31 | Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (31 - 29) |
| Jan. 30, 2009 | WY | Amdt 2001 to HB 31 | Exempting 21+ Establishments from Smoking Ban | Amendment Adopted - House (34 - 25) |
| Jan. 30, 2009 | WY | Amdt 2002 to HB 31 | Allowing Counties and Municipalities to Opt Out of Smoking Ban | Amendment Adopted - House (41 - 18) |
| Jan. 29, 2009 | ND | HB 1182 | Point Reduction for Seat Belt Use | Bill Passed - House (56 - 38) |
| Jan. 29, 2009 | AR | HB 1013 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Passed - House (78 - 12) |
| Jan. 28, 2009 | AR | HB 1119 | Prohibiting Cell Phone Use While Driving for Specific Age Groups | Bill Passed - House (62 - 27) |
| Jan. 27, 2009 | AR | HB 1050 | Freedom of Information Act Exemption Specifications | Bill Passed - House (57 - 31) |
| Jan. 26, 2009 | CO | HB 1042 | Amending Minimum Traffic Speed Regulations | Bill Passed - House (37 - 27) |
| Jan. 20, 2009 | MT | HB 62 | Mandatory Trapper Education Course | Bill Passed - House (51 - 48) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/19 | HB 1213 | Prohibiting Smoking in Bars and Hotels | Bill Failed - House (33 - 59) |
| 2/18 | HB 383 | Mandating Seat Belt Usage | Bill Passed - House (197 - 155) |
| 2/18 | HB 122 | Restricting Access to Government Litigation Records | Bill Passed - House (43 - 27) |
| 2/17 | HB 1213 | Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (70 - 26) |
| 2/16 | HB 1197 | Seat Belt Violation as Primary Offense | Bill Failed - House (34 - 58) |
| 2/12 | HB 1453 | Wheelchair Accessibility in Businesses | Bill Failed - House (19 - 72) |
| 2/12 | HB 444 | Legalizing Same-Sex Civil Unions | Bill Passed - House (33 - 17) |
| 2/11 | HB 1533 | Election Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (78 - 44) |
| 2/09 | SB 1105 | Prohibiting Smoking in Restaurants | Bill Passed - House (59 - 39) |
| 2/09 | HB 1576 | Election Law Amendments | Bill Failed - House (47 - 46) |
| 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 | SB 16 | Prohibiting "Gang Loitering" | Bill Passed - House (56 - 17) |
| 2/04 | HB 2314 | Allowing Police Chaplains to Conduct Sectarian Prayer | Bill Passed - House (66 - 30) |
| 2/03 | HB 31 | Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (31 - 29) |
| 1/30 | Amdt 2001 to HB 31 | Exempting 21+ Establishments from Smoking Ban | Amendment Adopted - House (34 - 25) |
| 1/30 | Amdt 2002 to HB 31 | Allowing Counties and Municipalities to Opt Out of Smoking Ban | Amendment Adopted - House (41 - 18) |
| 1/29 | HB 1182 | Point Reduction for Seat Belt Use | Bill Passed - House (56 - 38) |
| 1/29 | HB 1013 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Passed - House (78 - 12) |
| 1/28 | HB 1119 | Prohibiting Cell Phone Use While Driving for Specific Age Groups | Bill Passed - House (62 - 27) |
| 1/27 | HB 1050 | Freedom of Information Act Exemption Specifications | Bill Passed - House (57 - 31) |
| 1/26 | HB 1042 | Amending Minimum Traffic Speed Regulations | Bill Passed - House (37 - 27) |
| 1/20 | HB 62 | Mandatory Trapper Education Course | Bill Passed - House (51 - 48) |