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 11, 2009 | OK | HB 1037 | Voter Identification | Bill Passed - House (59 - 39) |
| March 11, 2009 | UT | HB 345 | Regulating Former Lawmakers in Lobbying | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
| March 10, 2009 | UT | SB 53 | Prohibiting the Awarding of Legal Fees to Plaintiffs in Public Interest Lawsuits | Bill Passed - House (42 - 30) |
| March 10, 2009 | UT | SB 53 | Prohibiting the Awarding of Legal Fees to Plaintiffs in Public Interest Lawsuits | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 6) |
| March 10, 2009 | UT | SB 53 | Prohibiting the Awarding of Legal Fees to Plaintiffs in Public Interest Lawsuits | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 6) |
| March 10, 2009 | NV | IP 1 | Lodging Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 5) |
| March 10, 2009 | OK | SB 834 | Increased Local School Board Control | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21) |
| March 10, 2009 | OK | SB 4 | Voter Identification | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 21) |
| March 10, 2009 | UT | SB 79 | Elevating Standard of Proof for Specific Medical Malpractice Lawsuits | Bill Passed - House (53 - 18) |
| March 10, 2009 | UT | SB 53 | Prohibiting the Awarding of Legal Fees to Plaintiffs in Public Interest Lawsuits | Bill Passed - House (42 - 30) |
| March 10, 2009 | HI | HB 1744 | Suspending the Distribution of Transient Accommodation Tax Revenue to Counties | Bill Passed - House (33 - 17) |
| March 10, 2009 | HI | HB 1744 | Suspending the Distribution of Transient Accommodation Tax Revenue to Counties | Bill Passed - House (33 - 17) |
| March 10, 2009 | RI | H 5005 | Voter Pre-Registration | Bill Passed - House (56 - 10) |
| March 9, 2009 | UT | HB 379 | Environmental Lawsuit Delay Bond | Bill Passed - House (52 - 22) |
| March 9, 2009 | UT | SB 241 | Instructional Spending Requirements for School Districts | Bill Failed - Senate (12 - 17) |
| March 9, 2009 | UT | SB 241 | Instructional Spending Requirements for School Districts | Bill Failed - Senate (12 - 17) |
| March 9, 2009 | KY | HB 102 | State and Local Transportation Authorities | Bill Passed - House (67 - 23) |
| March 9, 2009 | AR | HB 1700 | Expanding Eligibility for Children's Health Insurance Program | Bill Passed - House (82 - 14) |
| March 9, 2009 | GA | HB 160 | Speeding Fee | Bill Passed - House (113 - 53) |
| March 9, 2009 | KY | HB 102 | State and Local Transportation Authorities | Bill Passed - House (67 - 23) |
| March 6, 2009 | UT | HB 100 | Prison Education and Medical Financing Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 7) |
| March 6, 2009 | KY | HB 374 | Gasoline Tax Amendments | Bill Passed - House (82 - 17) |
| March 5, 2009 | SD | SJR 3 | Extending Senate Terms and Legislative Term-Limits | Bill Failed - House (17 - 49) |
| March 5, 2009 | OR | SB 5552 | 2007-2009 Biennium Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (37 - 22) |
| March 5, 2009 | OH | HB 2 | 2009-2011 Biennium Transportation Budget | Bill Passed - House (53 - 45) |
| March 5, 2009 | OR | SB 581 | 2007-2008, 2008-2009, and 2009-2010 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (37 - 22) |
| March 5, 2009 | OR | SB 581 | 2007-2008, 2008-2009, and 2009-2010 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (37 - 22) |
| March 5, 2009 | NM | HB 616 | State Employee Return-to-Work Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (49 - 13) |
| March 5, 2009 | OR | SB 5552 | 2007-2009 Biennium Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (37 - 22) |
| March 5, 2009 | MD | SB 279 | Capital Punishment Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13) |
| March 5, 2009 | GA | SB 200 | Reorganization of State Transportation Authorities | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 25) |
| March 5, 2009 | GA | SB 200 | Reorganization of State Transportation Authorities | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 25) |
| March 5, 2009 | GA | SB 200 | Reorganization of State Transportation Authorities | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 25) |
| March 4, 2009 | NH | HCR 6 | Resolution Regarding States' Rights | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (216 - 150) |
| March 4, 2009 | OK | SB 748 | Independent Performance Audit of State Department of Education | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 20) |
| March 4, 2009 | UT | SB 29 | Authorizing Corporate Water Systems to Refuse Fluoridation | Bill Passed - House (60 - 11) |
| March 4, 2009 | OK | HB 1603 | Tort Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (61 - 39) |
| March 4, 2009 | OK | SB 318 | Repeal of the Grocery Sales Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 8) |
| March 4, 2009 | NH | HB 644 | Gasoline Tax Increase | Bill Passed - House (190 - 162) |
| March 4, 2009 | KS | HB 2206 | Partial Birth/Late-term Abortion Reporting Requirements | Bill Passed - House (82 - 40) |
| March 3, 2009 | WY | SF 12 | Increasing Campaign Contribution Limit | Bill Failed - House (30 - 30) |
| March 3, 2009 | OH | HB 6 | Transferable Tax Credit for Film Production | Bill Passed - House (83 - 14) |
| March 3, 2009 | SC | H 3418 | Requiring Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (67 - 44) |
| March 3, 2009 | OH | SB 9 | Transferable Tax Credit for Film Production | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10) |
| March 3, 2009 | OK | SB 315 | Top Marginal Income Tax Rate Reduction Postponement | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 20) |
| March 3, 2009 | AL | SB 279 | Funding for Road Construction | Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 11) |
| March 3, 2009 | UT | HB 187 | Restricting Access to Public Waters on Private Property | Bill Failed - House (34 - 41) |
| March 3, 2009 | OR | SB 5552 | 2007-2009 Biennium Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
| March 3, 2009 | OR | SB 5552 | 2007-2009 Biennium Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
| March 3, 2009 | OR | SB 581 | 2007-2008, 2008-2009, and 2009-2010 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
| March 3, 2009 | OR | SB 581 | 2007-2008, 2008-2009, and 2009-2010 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
| March 3, 2009 | UT | SB 29 | Authorizing Corporate Water Systems to Refuse Fluoridation | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11) |
| March 3, 2009 | WA | HB 1956 | Limiting Local Regulations of Homeless Shelters | Bill Passed - House (56 - 41) |
| March 2, 2009 | UT | HB 66 | Tax Law and Education Funding Amendments | Bill Failed - House (33 - 42) |
| Feb. 27, 2009 | VT | S 34 | Presidential Election by National Popular Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 10) |
| Feb. 27, 2009 | VT | S 34 | Presidential Election by National Popular Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 10) |
| Feb. 26, 2009 | MO | HB 242 | Authorizing Four-Day School Weeks | Bill Passed - House (101 - 60) |
| Feb. 26, 2009 | NM | SB 12 | Establishing Domestic Partnerships | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 25) |
| Feb. 26, 2009 | National | S 160 | Washington DC Voting Act | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37) |
| Feb. 26, 2009 | National | S 160 | Washington DC Voting Act | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37) |
| Feb. 26, 2009 | IA | HF 414 | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (55 - 43) |
| Feb. 26, 2009 | National | S 160 | Washington DC Voting Act | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37) |
| Feb. 26, 2009 | CO | SB 108 | Increasing Vehicle Fees to Fund Transportation Projects | Bill Passed - House (34 - 31) |
| Feb. 26, 2009 | IA | SF 218 | Growth Percentage for State School Foundation Program | Bill Passed - House (53 - 44) |
| Feb. 25, 2009 | IN | HB 1729 | Gaming Facility Tax Amendments | Bill Passed - House (58 - 39) |
| Feb. 25, 2009 | IN | HB 1607 | West Lake Commuter Rail Project | Bill Passed - House (68 - 31) |
| Feb. 25, 2009 | AR | HB 1339 | Election of the President by National Popular Vote | Bill Passed - House (56 - 43) |
| Feb. 25, 2009 | VA | SB 1167 | Increasing the Fees for Personalized License Plates | Bill Failed - House (41 - 57) |
| Feb. 25, 2009 | IN | HB 1730 | Exempting Energy Efficient Projects From Referendum Requirements | Bill Passed - House (52 - 48) |
| Feb. 25, 2009 | IN | HB 1730 | Exempting Energy Efficient Projects From Referendum Requirements | Bill Passed - House (52 - 48) |
| Feb. 25, 2009 | CT | HB 6602 | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| Feb. 25, 2009 | NM | SB 141 | Allowing Increase of Penalties for Convicted Public Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 12) |
| Feb. 25, 2009 | NM | SB 141 | Allowing Increase of Penalties for Convicted Public Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 12) |
| Feb. 25, 2009 | VA | SB 961 | Expanding Death Penalty Eligibility to Accomplices | Bill Passed - House (74 - 26) |
| Feb. 25, 2009 | CO | HB 1001 | Tax Credit for Job Creation | Bill Passed - House (52 - 13) |