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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 13, 2009 | ME | LD 290 | Out-of-State Health Insurance | "Ought Not to Pass" Report Adopted - House (82 - 63) |
| May 13, 2009 | WI | SB 181 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (61 - 38) |
| May 13, 2009 | CT | HB 6578 | Death Penalty Replacement | Bill Passed - House (90 - 56) |
| May 12, 2009 | NY | A 7732 | Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (89 - 52) |
| May 12, 2009 | LA | HB 60 | Birth Certificates for Adoption | Bill Passed - House (78 - 17) |
| May 6, 2009 | CO | SB 241 | DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest | Conference Report Adopted - House (52 - 12) |
| May 6, 2009 | CO | SB 241 | DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest | Conference Report Adopted - House (52 - 12) |
| May 5, 2009 | ME | LD 1020 | Same Sex Marriage Bill | Bill Passed - House (89 - 57) |
| May 4, 2009 | VT | Transportation Amendment to S 67 | Selective Service Registration by Drivers License | Amendment Rejected - House (60 - 68) |
| May 4, 2009 | TN | HB 959 | Close Handgun Permit Records | Bill Passed - House (83 - 12) |
| May 4, 2009 | TN | HB 959 | Close Handgun Permit Records | Bill Passed - House (83 - 12) |
| April 29, 2009 | WI | SB 20 | Discriminatory Pay Compensation | Bill Passed - House (51 - 47) |
| April 29, 2009 | National | HR 1913 | Hate Crimes Expansion | Bill Passed - House (249 - 175) |
| April 28, 2009 | MO | Amdt 1 | Allowing Pharmacists to Refuse to Provide "Abortifacients" | Amendment Adopted - House (115 - 43) |
| April 28, 2009 | OR | HB 2377 | Prohibiting Handheld Cell Phone Use While Driving | Bill Passed - House (38 - 22) |
| April 28, 2009 | NY | A 801 | Renewal Requirement for Pistol and Revolver Licenses | Bill Passed - House (87 - 58) |
| April 28, 2009 | NY | A 6468 | Microstamping Requirement for Semiautomatic Pistols | Bill Passed - House (94 - 47) |
| April 27, 2009 | TN | SB 393 | Prohibiting Texting While Driving | Bill Passed - House (67 - 24) |
| April 23, 2009 | AL | HB 533 | Hate Crime Law Expansion | Bill Passed - House (46 - 41) |
| 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 | 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 21, 2009 | WA | SB 5288 | Probation Time Reductions | Bill Passed - House (51 - 45) |
| April 21, 2009 | CO | HB 1274 | Repeals Death Penalty | Bill Passed - House (33 - 32) |
| April 16, 2009 | MO | HB 668 | Firearm Regulation Amendments | Bill Passed - House (105 - 50) |
| April 15, 2009 | VT | H 147 | Primary Seat Belt Enforcement | Bill Passed - House (104 - 40) |
| April 15, 2009 | WA | SB 5688 | Expanding Domestic Partnership Rights | Bill Passed - House (62 - 35) |
| 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 10, 2009 | MD | SB 277 | Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems | Bill Passed - House (94 - 41) |
| April 9, 2009 | MT | HB 228 | Amending Concealed Weapons and Self-Defense Statutes | Conference Report Adopted - House (85 - 14) |
| April 9, 2009 | MT | HB 228 | Amending Concealed Weapons and Self-Defense Statutes | Conference Report Adopted - House (85 - 14) |
| April 8, 2009 | NH | HB 415 | Prohibiting Gender Identity Discrimination | Bill Passed - House (188 - 187) |
| April 7, 2009 | VT | S 115 | Same-Sex Marriage | Veto Override Passed - House (100 - 49) |
| April 6, 2009 | TN | HB 962 | Authorizing Guns in Restaurants that Serve Alcohol | Bill Passed - House (70 - 26) |
| April 3, 2009 | VT | S 115 | Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (94 - 52) |
| April 3, 2009 | ND | SB 2278 | Prohibiting Sexual Orientation Discrimination | Bill Failed - House (34 - 54) |
| April 3, 2009 | GA | SB 86 | Requiring Proof of Citizenship for Voter Registration | Bill Passed - House (140 - 67) |
| April 2, 2009 | NC | HB 2 | Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (72 - 45) |
| April 2, 2009 | National | HR 1256 | FDA Oversight of Tobacco Products | Bill Passed - House (298 - 112) |
| April 1, 2009 | NC | Amdt 2 to HB 2 | Exempting 18+ Establishments from Smoking Ban | Amendment Adopted - House (70 - 46) |
| April 1, 2009 | ND | SB 2070 | Ban on Smoking in Cars with Children Passengers | Bill Failed - House (31 - 58) |
| April 1, 2009 | OK | SB 4 | Voter Identification | Bill Passed - House (71 - 27) |
| April 1, 2009 | IL | HB | Text Messaging while Driving Ban | Bill Passed - House (89 - 27) |
| April 1, 2009 | IL | HB 71 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Passed - House (89 - 27) |
| March 27, 2009 | WV | HB 2621 | Prohibiting the Use of Cell Phones While Driving | Bill Passed - House (80 - 18) |
| March 26, 2009 | MD | SB 279 | Capital Punishment Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (87 - 52) |
| March 26, 2009 | NH | HB 436 | Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (186 - 179) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/13 | LD 290 | Out-of-State Health Insurance | "Ought Not to Pass" Report Adopted - House (82 - 63) |
| 5/13 | SB 181 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (61 - 38) |
| 5/13 | HB 6578 | Death Penalty Replacement | Bill Passed - House (90 - 56) |
| 5/12 | A 7732 | Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (89 - 52) |
| 5/12 | HB 60 | Birth Certificates for Adoption | Bill Passed - House (78 - 17) |
| 5/06 | SB 241 | DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest | Conference Report Adopted - House (52 - 12) |
| 5/06 | SB 241 | DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest | Conference Report Adopted - House (52 - 12) |
| 5/05 | LD 1020 | Same Sex Marriage Bill | Bill Passed - House (89 - 57) |
| 5/04 | Transportation Amendment to S 67 | Selective Service Registration by Drivers License | Amendment Rejected - House (60 - 68) |
| 5/04 | HB 959 | Close Handgun Permit Records | Bill Passed - House (83 - 12) |
| 5/04 | HB 959 | Close Handgun Permit Records | Bill Passed - House (83 - 12) |
| 4/29 | SB 20 | Discriminatory Pay Compensation | Bill Passed - House (51 - 47) |
| 4/29 | HR 1913 | Hate Crimes Expansion | Bill Passed - House (249 - 175) |
| 4/28 | Amdt 1 | Allowing Pharmacists to Refuse to Provide "Abortifacients" | Amendment Adopted - House (115 - 43) |
| 4/28 | HB 2377 | Prohibiting Handheld Cell Phone Use While Driving | Bill Passed - House (38 - 22) |
| 4/28 | A 801 | Renewal Requirement for Pistol and Revolver Licenses | Bill Passed - House (87 - 58) |
| 4/28 | A 6468 | Microstamping Requirement for Semiautomatic Pistols | Bill Passed - House (94 - 47) |
| 4/27 | SB 393 | Prohibiting Texting While Driving | Bill Passed - House (67 - 24) |
| 4/23 | HB 533 | Hate Crime Law Expansion | Bill Passed - House (46 - 41) |
| 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 | 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) |
| 4/21 | SB 5288 | Probation Time Reductions | Bill Passed - House (51 - 45) |
| 4/21 | HB 1274 | Repeals Death Penalty | Bill Passed - House (33 - 32) |
| 4/16 | HB 668 | Firearm Regulation Amendments | Bill Passed - House (105 - 50) |
| 4/15 | H 147 | Primary Seat Belt Enforcement | Bill Passed - House (104 - 40) |
| 4/15 | SB 5688 | Expanding Domestic Partnership Rights | Bill Passed - House (62 - 35) |
| 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) |
| 4/10 | SB 277 | Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems | Bill Passed - House (94 - 41) |
| 4/09 | HB 228 | Amending Concealed Weapons and Self-Defense Statutes | Conference Report Adopted - House (85 - 14) |
| 4/09 | HB 228 | Amending Concealed Weapons and Self-Defense Statutes | Conference Report Adopted - House (85 - 14) |
| 4/08 | HB 415 | Prohibiting Gender Identity Discrimination | Bill Passed - House (188 - 187) |
| 4/07 | S 115 | Same-Sex Marriage | Veto Override Passed - House (100 - 49) |
| 4/06 | HB 962 | Authorizing Guns in Restaurants that Serve Alcohol | Bill Passed - House (70 - 26) |
| 4/03 | S 115 | Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (94 - 52) |
| 4/03 | SB 2278 | Prohibiting Sexual Orientation Discrimination | Bill Failed - House (34 - 54) |
| 4/03 | SB 86 | Requiring Proof of Citizenship for Voter Registration | Bill Passed - House (140 - 67) |
| 4/02 | HB 2 | Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (72 - 45) |
| 4/02 | HR 1256 | FDA Oversight of Tobacco Products | Bill Passed - House (298 - 112) |
| 4/01 | Amdt 2 to HB 2 | Exempting 18+ Establishments from Smoking Ban | Amendment Adopted - House (70 - 46) |
| 4/01 | SB 2070 | Ban on Smoking in Cars with Children Passengers | Bill Failed - House (31 - 58) |
| 4/01 | SB 4 | Voter Identification | Bill Passed - House (71 - 27) |
| 4/01 | HB | Text Messaging while Driving Ban | Bill Passed - House (89 - 27) |
| 4/01 | HB 71 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Passed - House (89 - 27) |
| 3/27 | HB 2621 | Prohibiting the Use of Cell Phones While Driving | Bill Passed - House (80 - 18) |
| 3/26 | SB 279 | Capital Punishment Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (87 - 52) |
| 3/26 | HB 436 | Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (186 - 179) |