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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 10, 2009 | WA | SB 5688 | Expanding Domestic Partnership Rights | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18) |
| March 10, 2009 | OK | SB 4 | Voter Identification | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 21) |
| March 9, 2009 | SD | HB 1240 | Smoking Ban | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (46 - 23) |
| March 6, 2009 | UT | HB 100 | Prison Education and Medical Financing Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 7) |
| March 5, 2009 | MD | SB 279 | Capital Punishment Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13) |
| March 4, 2009 | SD | HB 1240 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| March 4, 2009 | GA | SB 235 | Ban on Required Human Microchip Implantation | |
| March 3, 2009 | ND | HB 1182 | Point Reduction for Seat Belt Use | Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 25) |
| March 3, 2009 | ND | HB 1182 | Point Reduction for Seat Belt Use | Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 25) |
| March 3, 2009 | SC | H 3418 | Requiring Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (67 - 44) |
| March 2, 2009 | UT | SJR 14 | Legislative Regulation of Death Row Appeals | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (23 - 6) |
| Feb. 27, 2009 | NE | LB 5 | Trapping In Rights-of-Way | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18) |
| Feb. 26, 2009 | National | S 160 | Washington DC Voting Act | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37) |
| Feb. 26, 2009 | NM | SB 12 | Establishing Domestic Partnerships | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 25) |
| Feb. 25, 2009 | VA | SB 1035 | Allowing Guns in Alcohol-Serving Establishments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
| Feb. 25, 2009 | NM | SB 141 | Allowing Increase of Penalties for Convicted Public Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 12) |
| Feb. 25, 2009 | NM | SB 44 | Prohibiting Smoking in Cars with Children | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
| Feb. 25, 2009 | VA | SB 961 | Expanding Death Penalty Eligibility to Accomplices | Bill Passed - House (74 - 26) |
| Feb. 25, 2009 | VA | SB 961 | Expanding Death Penalty Eligibility to Accomplices | Bill Passed - House (74 - 26) |
| Feb. 25, 2009 | AR | SB 78 | Seat Belt Violation as Primary Offense | Bill Passed - House (60 - 31) |
| Feb. 25, 2009 | AR | SB 78 | Seat Belt Violation as Primary Offense | Bill Passed - House (60 - 31) |
| Feb. 25, 2009 | NM | HB 28 | Increasing Penalties for Intimidation of Judges | Bill Passed - House (43 - 21) |
| Feb. 25, 2009 | GA | SB 23 | Admissibility of Seat Belt Evidence in Court | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 12) |
| Feb. 24, 2009 | VA | SB 1035 | Allowing Guns in Alcohol-Serving Establishments | Bill Passed - House (66 - 33) |
| Feb. 24, 2009 | VA | HB 1826 | Driver's License Suspension for Unexcused School Absences | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 3) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/10 | SB 5688 | Expanding Domestic Partnership Rights | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18) |
| 3/10 | SB 4 | Voter Identification | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 21) |
| 3/09 | HB 1240 | Smoking Ban | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (46 - 23) |
| 3/06 | HB 100 | Prison Education and Medical Financing Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 7) |
| 3/05 | SB 279 | Capital Punishment Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13) |
| 3/04 | HB 1240 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| 3/04 | SB 235 | Ban on Required Human Microchip Implantation | |
| 3/03 | HB 1182 | Point Reduction for Seat Belt Use | Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 25) |
| 3/03 | HB 1182 | Point Reduction for Seat Belt Use | Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 25) |
| 3/03 | H 3418 | Requiring Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (67 - 44) |
| 3/02 | SJR 14 | Legislative Regulation of Death Row Appeals | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (23 - 6) |
| 2/27 | LB 5 | Trapping In Rights-of-Way | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18) |
| 2/26 | S 160 | Washington DC Voting Act | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37) |
| 2/26 | SB 12 | Establishing Domestic Partnerships | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 25) |
| 2/25 | SB 1035 | Allowing Guns in Alcohol-Serving Establishments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
| 2/25 | SB 141 | Allowing Increase of Penalties for Convicted Public Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 12) |
| 2/25 | SB 44 | Prohibiting Smoking in Cars with Children | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
| 2/25 | SB 961 | Expanding Death Penalty Eligibility to Accomplices | Bill Passed - House (74 - 26) |
| 2/25 | SB 961 | Expanding Death Penalty Eligibility to Accomplices | Bill Passed - House (74 - 26) |
| 2/25 | SB 78 | Seat Belt Violation as Primary Offense | Bill Passed - House (60 - 31) |
| 2/25 | SB 78 | Seat Belt Violation as Primary Offense | Bill Passed - House (60 - 31) |
| 2/25 | HB 28 | Increasing Penalties for Intimidation of Judges | Bill Passed - House (43 - 21) |
| 2/25 | SB 23 | Admissibility of Seat Belt Evidence in Court | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 12) |
| 2/24 | SB 1035 | Allowing Guns in Alcohol-Serving Establishments | Bill Passed - House (66 - 33) |
| 2/24 | HB 1826 | Driver's License Suspension for Unexcused School Absences | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 3) |