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 14, 2009 | NC | SB 461 | Racial Discrimination in Capital Sentences | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 10) |
| May 14, 2009 | NC | SB 461 | Racial Discrimination in Capital Sentences | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 10) |
| May 14, 2009 | CA | SB 572 | Harvey Milk Day | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| May 14, 2009 | CA | SB 4 | Prohibiting Smoking at State Park Beaches | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| May 13, 2009 | WI | SB 181 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
| May 12, 2009 | National | S Amdt 1067 | Allowing Loaded Guns in National Parks | Amendment Adopted - Senate (67 - 29) |
| May 11, 2009 | TX | HB 1736 | Increasing Wrongful Conviction Compensation | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 4) |
| May 11, 2009 | TX | HB 1736 | Increasing Wrongful Conviction Compensation | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 4) |
| May 11, 2009 | NC | HB 2 | Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18) |
| May 6, 2009 | CO | HB 1274 | Repeals Death Penalty | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (17 - 18) |
| May 6, 2009 | ME | LD 1020 | Same Sex Marriage Bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| May 5, 2009 | OR | SB 786 | Workplace Religious Discrimination | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
| May 4, 2009 | MN | SF 97 | Legalizing Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 29) |
| April 30, 2009 | CO | SB 296 | Seat Belt Violation as Primary Offense | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| April 29, 2009 | NH | HB 383 | Mandating Seat Belt Usage | Bill Tabled - Senate (13 - 11) |
| April 29, 2009 | NH | HB 383 | Mandating Seat Belt Usage | Bill Tabled - Senate (13 - 11) |
| April 29, 2009 | NH | HB 556 | Abolishing the Death Penalty | Bill Tabled - Senate (13 - 11) |
| April 29, 2009 | NH | HB 436 | Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 11) |
| April 29, 2009 | NH | HB 648 | Medical Marijuana Legalization | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 10) |
| April 28, 2009 | WI | SB 20 | Discriminatory Pay Compensation | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| April 27, 2009 | CO | SB 241 | DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7) |
| April 27, 2009 | CO | SB 241 | DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7) |
| April 25, 2009 | WA | SB 5288 | Probation Time Reductions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| 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 20, 2009 | MN | SF 802 | 2009-2011 Biennium Public Safety and Corrections Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 31) |
| 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 | TN | HB 962 | Authorizing Guns in Restaurants that Serve Alcohol | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| 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 | 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 9, 2009 | MT | HB 228 | Amending Concealed Weapons and Self-Defense Statutes | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (40 - 10) |
| April 9, 2009 | MT | HB 228 | Amending Concealed Weapons and Self-Defense Statutes | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (40 - 10) |
| 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 - Senate (23 - 5) |
| April 6, 2009 | MD | HB 302 | Allowing Judges to Confiscate Firearms from Domestic Abuse Suspects | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 15) |
| April 6, 2009 | MD | HB 302 | Allowing Judges to Confiscate Firearms from Domestic Abuse Suspects | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 15) |
| April 3, 2009 | NE | LB 260 | Wrongful Conviction Compensation | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 9) |
| April 3, 2009 | GA | SB 86 | Requiring Proof of Citizenship for Voter Registration | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 13) |
| April 2, 2009 | MT | HB 531 | Red Light Camera Prohibition | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 11) |
| April 2, 2009 | MD | SB 277 | Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| April 2, 2009 | MD | SB 277 | Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| March 31, 2009 | TX | SB 298 | Authorizing Sobriety Checkpoints | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 11) |
| March 31, 2009 | TX | SB 298 | Authorizing Sobriety Checkpoints | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 11) |
| March 30, 2009 | GA | HB 614 | Prescription Tracking Database | Bill Failed - Senate (25 - 29) |
| March 30, 2009 | GA | HB 614 | Prescription Tracking Database | Bill Failed - Senate (25 - 29) |
| March 23, 2009 | VT | Same-Sex Marriage Ballot Question | Amendment Rejected - Senate (11 - 19) | |
| March 23, 2009 | VT | S 115 | Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 4) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/14 | SB 461 | Racial Discrimination in Capital Sentences | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 10) |
| 5/14 | SB 461 | Racial Discrimination in Capital Sentences | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 10) |
| 5/14 | SB 572 | Harvey Milk Day | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| 5/14 | SB 4 | Prohibiting Smoking at State Park Beaches | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| 5/13 | SB 181 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
| 5/12 | S Amdt 1067 | Allowing Loaded Guns in National Parks | Amendment Adopted - Senate (67 - 29) |
| 5/11 | HB 1736 | Increasing Wrongful Conviction Compensation | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 4) |
| 5/11 | HB 1736 | Increasing Wrongful Conviction Compensation | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 4) |
| 5/11 | HB 2 | Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18) |
| 5/06 | HB 1274 | Repeals Death Penalty | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (17 - 18) |
| 5/06 | LD 1020 | Same Sex Marriage Bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 5/05 | SB 786 | Workplace Religious Discrimination | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
| 5/04 | SF 97 | Legalizing Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 29) |
| 4/30 | SB 296 | Seat Belt Violation as Primary Offense | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| 4/29 | HB 383 | Mandating Seat Belt Usage | Bill Tabled - Senate (13 - 11) |
| 4/29 | HB 383 | Mandating Seat Belt Usage | Bill Tabled - Senate (13 - 11) |
| 4/29 | HB 556 | Abolishing the Death Penalty | Bill Tabled - Senate (13 - 11) |
| 4/29 | HB 436 | Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 11) |
| 4/29 | HB 648 | Medical Marijuana Legalization | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 10) |
| 4/28 | SB 20 | Discriminatory Pay Compensation | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| 4/27 | SB 241 | DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7) |
| 4/27 | SB 241 | DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7) |
| 4/25 | SB 5288 | Probation Time Reductions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| 4/22 | SB 899 | Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7) |
| 4/21 | SB 283 | Establishing Domestic Partnerships | Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 9) |
| 4/20 | SF 802 | 2009-2011 Biennium Public Safety and Corrections Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 31) |
| 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 | HB 962 | Authorizing Guns in Restaurants that Serve Alcohol | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| 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 | 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) |
| 4/09 | HB 228 | Amending Concealed Weapons and Self-Defense Statutes | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (40 - 10) |
| 4/09 | HB 228 | Amending Concealed Weapons and Self-Defense Statutes | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (40 - 10) |
| 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 - Senate (23 - 5) |
| 4/06 | HB 302 | Allowing Judges to Confiscate Firearms from Domestic Abuse Suspects | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 15) |
| 4/06 | HB 302 | Allowing Judges to Confiscate Firearms from Domestic Abuse Suspects | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 15) |
| 4/03 | LB 260 | Wrongful Conviction Compensation | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 9) |
| 4/03 | SB 86 | Requiring Proof of Citizenship for Voter Registration | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 13) |
| 4/02 | HB 531 | Red Light Camera Prohibition | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 11) |
| 4/02 | SB 277 | Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| 4/02 | SB 277 | Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| 3/31 | SB 298 | Authorizing Sobriety Checkpoints | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 11) |
| 3/31 | SB 298 | Authorizing Sobriety Checkpoints | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 11) |
| 3/30 | HB 614 | Prescription Tracking Database | Bill Failed - Senate (25 - 29) |
| 3/30 | HB 614 | Prescription Tracking Database | Bill Failed - Senate (25 - 29) |
| 3/23 | Same-Sex Marriage Ballot Question | Amendment Rejected - Senate (11 - 19) | |
| 3/23 | S 115 | Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 4) |