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 16, 2009 | MO | SB 306 | State Health Care Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7) |
| April 16, 2009 | ID | S 1166 | Workers' Compensation Dividend Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7) |
| April 15, 2009 | WA | HB 1517 | Expediting the Restoration of Felons' Voting Rights | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19) |
| April 15, 2009 | OK | SB 834 | Increased Local School Board Control | Bill Passed - House (60 - 39) |
| April 15, 2009 | IN | HB 1607 | West Lake Commuter Rail Project | Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 7) |
| April 15, 2009 | VT | H 442 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (82 - 54) |
| April 15, 2009 | WA | SB 5599 | National Popular Vote Act | Bill Passed - House (52 - 42) |
| April 15, 2009 | IN | HB 1604 | Authorizing Local Tax Increases to Fund Sports and Convention Facilities | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17) |
| April 15, 2009 | IN | HB 1604 | Authorizing Local Tax Increases to Fund Sports and Convention Facilities | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17) |
| April 15, 2009 | ID | S 1148 | Alcohol Law Amendments | Bill Failed - House (28 - 42) |
| April 14, 2009 | MO | HB 10 | 2009-10 Health Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| April 14, 2009 | HI | SB 1111 | Transient Accommodation Tax Increase | Bill Passed - House (37 - 11) |
| April 14, 2009 | MT | HB 2 | 2009-2011 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 24) |
| April 14, 2009 | MO | HB 11 | 2009-2010 Social Services Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 6) |
| April 14, 2009 | TX | SB 855 | Authorizing County Taxes and Fees to Fund Transportation Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| April 14, 2009 | TX | SB 855 | Authorizing County Taxes and Fees to Fund Transportation Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| April 14, 2009 | HI | HB 1605 | Allowing Counties to Impose Retail Sales Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 4) |
| April 14, 2009 | HI | HB 1605 | Allowing Counties to Impose Retail Sales Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 4) |
| April 14, 2009 | HI | HB 1744 | Allowing a County Surcharge on the Transient Accommodations Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 6) |
| April 14, 2009 | HI | HB 1747 | Income Tax Rate Increase for Top Income Brackets | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 4) |
| April 14, 2009 | HI | HB 1744 | Allowing a County Surcharge on the Transient Accommodations Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 6) |
| April 14, 2009 | ID | H 303 | Online Public Education | Bill Passed - House (51 - 19) |
| April 13, 2009 | MD | SB 785 | Inheritance Tax Exemption for Domestic Partners | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 18) |
| April 13, 2009 | MD | SB 785 | Inheritance Tax Exemption for Domestic Partners | Bill Passed - House (94 - 38) |
| April 13, 2009 | CO | SB 281 | Clarifying Pinnacol Assurance as a Subdivision of the State | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| April 13, 2009 | CO | SB 273 | Appropriation of Pinnacol Assurance Funds | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| April 13, 2009 | CO | SB 273 | Appropriation of Pinnacol Assurance Funds | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| April 13, 2009 | CO | SB 281 | Clarifying Pinnacol Assurance as a Subdivision of the State | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| April 11, 2009 | WV | SB 246 | Temporary Unemployment Compensation Tax Increase for Employers | Bill Passed - House (71 - 29) |
| April 11, 2009 | WV | SB 373 | PROMISE Scholarship Amendments | Bill Passed - House (86 - 14) |
| April 10, 2009 | MD | HB 310 | Extending Unemployment Benefits to Part-Time Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 9) |
| April 10, 2009 | ID | S 1186 | Highway Project Financing | Bill Passed - House (39 - 29) |
| April 9, 2009 | ID | H 135 | Fuel Tax for Highway Maintenance | Bill Failed - House (32 - 37) |
| April 9, 2009 | NH | HB 2 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (182 - 165) |
| April 8, 2009 | OR | SB 311 | Changes in Liability Limits | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 5) |
| April 8, 2009 | OR | SB 311 | Changes in Liability Limits | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 5) |
| April 8, 2009 | OR | SB 311 | Changes in Liability Limits | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 5) |
| April 8, 2009 | OK | HB 1601 | Regulating Attorney Election Contributions | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22) |
| April 8, 2009 | OK | HB 1601 | Regulating Attorney Election Contributions | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22) |
| April 8, 2009 | NH | HB 1 | 2009-2011 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - House (193 - 174) |
| April 7, 2009 | MN | SF 1328 | 2009-2011 Biennium Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 29) |
| April 7, 2009 | ID | H 138 | Allowing Lawsuits for Nonnative Species Attacks | Bill Passed - House (46 - 24) |
| April 7, 2009 | MA | S 2024 | Massachusetts Transportation Agency Consolidation | Bill Passed - House (147 - 7) |
| April 7, 2009 | ID | H 276 | 2009-2010 Department of Environmental Quality Budget | Bill Passed - House (53 - 16) |
| April 7, 2009 | ID | S 1186 | Highway Project Financing | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 6) |
| April 6, 2009 | OR | SB 311 | Changes in Liability Limits | Bill Passed - House (50 - 8) |
| April 6, 2009 | OR | SB 311 | Changes in Liability Limits | Bill Passed - House (50 - 8) |
| April 6, 2009 | OR | SB 311 | Changes in Liability Limits | Bill Passed - House (50 - 8) |
| April 3, 2009 | GA | HB 119 | 2009-2010 State Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (137 - 41) |
| April 3, 2009 | GA | HB 2 | Citizenship Status Verification of Government Assistance Recipients | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 16) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/16 | SB 306 | State Health Care Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7) |
| 4/16 | S 1166 | Workers' Compensation Dividend Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7) |
| 4/15 | HB 1517 | Expediting the Restoration of Felons' Voting Rights | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19) |
| 4/15 | SB 834 | Increased Local School Board Control | Bill Passed - House (60 - 39) |
| 4/15 | HB 1607 | West Lake Commuter Rail Project | Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 7) |
| 4/15 | H 442 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (82 - 54) |
| 4/15 | SB 5599 | National Popular Vote Act | Bill Passed - House (52 - 42) |
| 4/15 | HB 1604 | Authorizing Local Tax Increases to Fund Sports and Convention Facilities | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17) |
| 4/15 | HB 1604 | Authorizing Local Tax Increases to Fund Sports and Convention Facilities | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17) |
| 4/15 | S 1148 | Alcohol Law Amendments | Bill Failed - House (28 - 42) |
| 4/14 | HB 10 | 2009-10 Health Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| 4/14 | SB 1111 | Transient Accommodation Tax Increase | Bill Passed - House (37 - 11) |
| 4/14 | HB 2 | 2009-2011 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 24) |
| 4/14 | HB 11 | 2009-2010 Social Services Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 6) |
| 4/14 | SB 855 | Authorizing County Taxes and Fees to Fund Transportation Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| 4/14 | SB 855 | Authorizing County Taxes and Fees to Fund Transportation Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| 4/14 | HB 1605 | Allowing Counties to Impose Retail Sales Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 4) |
| 4/14 | HB 1605 | Allowing Counties to Impose Retail Sales Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 4) |
| 4/14 | HB 1744 | Allowing a County Surcharge on the Transient Accommodations Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 6) |
| 4/14 | HB 1747 | Income Tax Rate Increase for Top Income Brackets | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 4) |
| 4/14 | HB 1744 | Allowing a County Surcharge on the Transient Accommodations Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 6) |
| 4/14 | H 303 | Online Public Education | Bill Passed - House (51 - 19) |
| 4/13 | SB 785 | Inheritance Tax Exemption for Domestic Partners | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 18) |
| 4/13 | SB 785 | Inheritance Tax Exemption for Domestic Partners | Bill Passed - House (94 - 38) |
| 4/13 | SB 281 | Clarifying Pinnacol Assurance as a Subdivision of the State | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| 4/13 | SB 273 | Appropriation of Pinnacol Assurance Funds | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| 4/13 | SB 273 | Appropriation of Pinnacol Assurance Funds | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| 4/13 | SB 281 | Clarifying Pinnacol Assurance as a Subdivision of the State | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| 4/11 | SB 246 | Temporary Unemployment Compensation Tax Increase for Employers | Bill Passed - House (71 - 29) |
| 4/11 | SB 373 | PROMISE Scholarship Amendments | Bill Passed - House (86 - 14) |
| 4/10 | HB 310 | Extending Unemployment Benefits to Part-Time Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 9) |
| 4/10 | S 1186 | Highway Project Financing | Bill Passed - House (39 - 29) |
| 4/09 | H 135 | Fuel Tax for Highway Maintenance | Bill Failed - House (32 - 37) |
| 4/09 | HB 2 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (182 - 165) |
| 4/08 | SB 311 | Changes in Liability Limits | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 5) |
| 4/08 | SB 311 | Changes in Liability Limits | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 5) |
| 4/08 | SB 311 | Changes in Liability Limits | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 5) |
| 4/08 | HB 1601 | Regulating Attorney Election Contributions | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22) |
| 4/08 | HB 1601 | Regulating Attorney Election Contributions | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22) |
| 4/08 | HB 1 | 2009-2011 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - House (193 - 174) |
| 4/07 | SF 1328 | 2009-2011 Biennium Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 29) |
| 4/07 | H 138 | Allowing Lawsuits for Nonnative Species Attacks | Bill Passed - House (46 - 24) |
| 4/07 | S 2024 | Massachusetts Transportation Agency Consolidation | Bill Passed - House (147 - 7) |
| 4/07 | H 276 | 2009-2010 Department of Environmental Quality Budget | Bill Passed - House (53 - 16) |
| 4/07 | S 1186 | Highway Project Financing | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 6) |
| 4/06 | SB 311 | Changes in Liability Limits | Bill Passed - House (50 - 8) |
| 4/06 | SB 311 | Changes in Liability Limits | Bill Passed - House (50 - 8) |
| 4/06 | SB 311 | Changes in Liability Limits | Bill Passed - House (50 - 8) |
| 4/03 | HB 119 | 2009-2010 State Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (137 - 41) |
| 4/03 | HB 2 | Citizenship Status Verification of Government Assistance Recipients | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 16) |