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 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. 26, 2009 | IA | HF 414 | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (55 - 43) |
| Feb. 26, 2009 | MO | HB 242 | Authorizing Four-Day School Weeks | Bill Passed - House (101 - 60) |
| 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 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 | IN | HB 1729 | Gaming Facility Tax Amendments | Bill Passed - House (58 - 39) |
| Feb. 25, 2009 | VA | SB 961 | Expanding Death Penalty Eligibility to Accomplices | Bill Passed - House (74 - 26) |
| Feb. 25, 2009 | NM | HB 28 | Increasing Penalties for Intimidation of Judges | Bill Passed - House (43 - 21) |
| Feb. 25, 2009 | CO | HB 1001 | Tax Credit for Job Creation | Bill Passed - House (52 - 13) |
| Feb. 24, 2009 | NV | IP 1 | Lodging Tax | Bill Passed - House (35 - 7) |
| Feb. 24, 2009 | IN | HB 1379 | Unemployment Benefit Amendments | Bill Passed - House (55 - 41) |
| Feb. 24, 2009 | IN | HB 1215 | Increasing Traffic Fines to Fund Trauma Centers | Bill Passed - House (53 - 42) |
| Feb. 24, 2009 | ID | H 173 | Restricting Eligibility for State Retiree Health Benefits | Bill Passed - House (59 - 11) |
| Feb. 24, 2009 | CO | HB 1260 | Designated Beneficiary Agreements Between Unmarried Adults | Bill Passed - House (41 - 24) |
| Feb. 20, 2009 | VT | Ainsworth Amdt | Legislative Pay Cut | Amendment Rejected - House (50 - 88) |
| Feb. 20, 2009 | VT | Ainsworth Amdt | Legislative Pay Cut | Amendment Rejected - House (50 - 88) |
| Feb. 19, 2009 | ND | HB 1400 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (78 - 16) |
| Feb. 18, 2009 | OK | HB 1602 | Attorney Fee Limits | Bill Passed - House (54 - 46) |
| Feb. 18, 2009 | UT | HB 122 | Restricting Access to Government Litigation Records | Bill Passed - House (43 - 27) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/03 | HB 1956 | Limiting Local Regulations of Homeless Shelters | Bill Passed - House (56 - 41) |
| 3/02 | HB 66 | Tax Law and Education Funding Amendments | Bill Failed - House (33 - 42) |
| 2/26 | HF 414 | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (55 - 43) |
| 2/26 | HB 242 | Authorizing Four-Day School Weeks | Bill Passed - House (101 - 60) |
| 2/26 | SB 108 | Increasing Vehicle Fees to Fund Transportation Projects | Bill Passed - House (34 - 31) |
| 2/26 | SF 218 | Growth Percentage for State School Foundation Program | Bill Passed - House (53 - 44) |
| 2/25 | HB 1607 | West Lake Commuter Rail Project | Bill Passed - House (68 - 31) |
| 2/25 | HB 1339 | Election of the President by National Popular Vote | Bill Passed - House (56 - 43) |
| 2/25 | SB 1167 | Increasing the Fees for Personalized License Plates | Bill Failed - House (41 - 57) |
| 2/25 | HB 1730 | Exempting Energy Efficient Projects From Referendum Requirements | Bill Passed - House (52 - 48) |
| 2/25 | HB 1730 | Exempting Energy Efficient Projects From Referendum Requirements | Bill Passed - House (52 - 48) |
| 2/25 | HB 1729 | Gaming Facility Tax Amendments | Bill Passed - House (58 - 39) |
| 2/25 | SB 961 | Expanding Death Penalty Eligibility to Accomplices | Bill Passed - House (74 - 26) |
| 2/25 | HB 28 | Increasing Penalties for Intimidation of Judges | Bill Passed - House (43 - 21) |
| 2/25 | HB 1001 | Tax Credit for Job Creation | Bill Passed - House (52 - 13) |
| 2/24 | IP 1 | Lodging Tax | Bill Passed - House (35 - 7) |
| 2/24 | HB 1379 | Unemployment Benefit Amendments | Bill Passed - House (55 - 41) |
| 2/24 | HB 1215 | Increasing Traffic Fines to Fund Trauma Centers | Bill Passed - House (53 - 42) |
| 2/24 | H 173 | Restricting Eligibility for State Retiree Health Benefits | Bill Passed - House (59 - 11) |
| 2/24 | HB 1260 | Designated Beneficiary Agreements Between Unmarried Adults | Bill Passed - House (41 - 24) |
| 2/20 | Ainsworth Amdt | Legislative Pay Cut | Amendment Rejected - House (50 - 88) |
| 2/20 | Ainsworth Amdt | Legislative Pay Cut | Amendment Rejected - House (50 - 88) |
| 2/19 | HB 1400 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (78 - 16) |
| 2/18 | HB 1602 | Attorney Fee Limits | Bill Passed - House (54 - 46) |
| 2/18 | HB 122 | Restricting Access to Government Litigation Records | Bill Passed - House (43 - 27) |