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 1, 2009 | AK | HB 81 | 2009-2010 Operating Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 4) |
| March 31, 2009 | KS | HB 2354 | 2009-2010 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 5) |
| March 26, 2009 | ID | S 1148 | Alcohol Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| March 25, 2009 | PA | SB 490 | Oil and Gas Lease Fund Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17) |
| March 24, 2009 | KS | HB 2354 | 2009-2010 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 14) |
| March 24, 2009 | IN | HB 1379 | Unemployment Benefit Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20) |
| March 24, 2009 | NC | SB 287 | State Health Plan Changes and Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 18) |
| March 23, 2009 | VT | Same-Sex Marriage Ballot Question | Amendment Rejected - Senate (11 - 19) | |
| March 23, 2009 | CO | HB 1260 | Designated Beneficiary Agreements Between Unmarried Adults | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| March 19, 2009 | IA | SF 389 | Health Insurance Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18) |
| March 19, 2009 | NM | HB 393 | Opening Conference Committees to the Public | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 8) |
| March 18, 2009 | OH | HB 2 | 2009-2011 Biennium Transportation Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 9) |
| March 17, 2009 | NM | SB 263 | Requiring State Contractors to Disclose Campaign Contributions | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
| March 17, 2009 | CO | SB 228 | Repealing the General Fund Spending Cap | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| March 16, 2009 | NJ | S 2091 | Formalizing Palimony Agreements | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| March 16, 2009 | NJ | S 2091 | Formalizing Palimony Agreements | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| March 16, 2009 | NJ | S 21 | Local Government PERS/PFRS Contribution Deferral | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| March 16, 2009 | NJ | S 21 | Local Government PERS/PFRS Contribution Deferral | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| March 13, 2009 | SD | HB 1300 | 2009-2010 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| March 13, 2009 | KY | HB 374 | Gasoline Tax Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7) |
| March 12, 2009 | SD | HB 1197 | Tax Changes Relating to Single Family Dwellings Under Construction | Veto Override Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| March 12, 2009 | UT | SB 208 | Posting Public Notices Online | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 10) |
| March 12, 2009 | WA | SB 5599 | National Popular Vote Act | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21) |
| March 12, 2009 | MI | SB 69 | Alternative Business Tax Eligibility Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| March 12, 2009 | TN | SB 83 | "Living" Wage Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 13) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/01 | HB 81 | 2009-2010 Operating Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 4) |
| 3/31 | HB 2354 | 2009-2010 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 5) |
| 3/26 | S 1148 | Alcohol Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 3/25 | SB 490 | Oil and Gas Lease Fund Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17) |
| 3/24 | HB 2354 | 2009-2010 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 14) |
| 3/24 | HB 1379 | Unemployment Benefit Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20) |
| 3/24 | SB 287 | State Health Plan Changes and Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 18) |
| 3/23 | Same-Sex Marriage Ballot Question | Amendment Rejected - Senate (11 - 19) | |
| 3/23 | HB 1260 | Designated Beneficiary Agreements Between Unmarried Adults | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| 3/19 | SF 389 | Health Insurance Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18) |
| 3/19 | HB 393 | Opening Conference Committees to the Public | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 8) |
| 3/18 | HB 2 | 2009-2011 Biennium Transportation Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 9) |
| 3/17 | SB 263 | Requiring State Contractors to Disclose Campaign Contributions | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
| 3/17 | SB 228 | Repealing the General Fund Spending Cap | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| 3/16 | S 2091 | Formalizing Palimony Agreements | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| 3/16 | S 2091 | Formalizing Palimony Agreements | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| 3/16 | S 21 | Local Government PERS/PFRS Contribution Deferral | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| 3/16 | S 21 | Local Government PERS/PFRS Contribution Deferral | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| 3/13 | HB 1300 | 2009-2010 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| 3/13 | HB 374 | Gasoline Tax Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7) |
| 3/12 | HB 1197 | Tax Changes Relating to Single Family Dwellings Under Construction | Veto Override Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| 3/12 | SB 208 | Posting Public Notices Online | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 10) |
| 3/12 | SB 5599 | National Popular Vote Act | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21) |
| 3/12 | SB 69 | Alternative Business Tax Eligibility Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| 3/12 | SB 83 | "Living" Wage Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 13) |