Key Votes

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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:

  1. The vote should be helpful in portraying how a member stands on a particular issue
  2. The vote should be clear for any person to understand
  3. The vote has received media attention
  4. The vote was passed or defeated by a very close margin
  5. Occasionally, if a specific bill is consistently inquired about on the Voter's Research Hotline, the vote will be added

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.


results per page:
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)
March 12, 2009 MI SB 201 Vehicle Sales Tax Modification Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7)
March 11, 2009 UT HB 2 2009-2010 Education Budget Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 9)
March 11, 2009 UT HB 345 Regulating Former Lawmakers in Lobbying Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
March 11, 2009 UT HB 345 Regulating Former Lawmakers in Lobbying Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
March 11, 2009 TX SB 362 Requiring Proof of Identification to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12)
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 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 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 6, 2009 UT HB 100 Prison Education and Medical Financing Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 7)
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 OK SB 318 Repeal of the Grocery Sales Tax Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 8)
March 4, 2009 OK SB 748 Independent Performance Audit of State Department of Education Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 20)
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 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 OR SB 5552 2007-2009 Biennium Budget Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8)
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)
3/12 SB 201 Vehicle Sales Tax Modification Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7)
3/11 HB 2 2009-2010 Education Budget Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 9)
3/11 HB 345 Regulating Former Lawmakers in Lobbying Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
3/11 HB 345 Regulating Former Lawmakers in Lobbying Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
3/11 SB 362 Requiring Proof of Identification to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12)
3/10 IP 1 Lodging Tax Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 5)
3/10 SB 834 Increased Local School Board Control Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21)
3/10 SB 4 Voter Identification Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 21)
3/10 SB 53 Prohibiting the Awarding of Legal Fees to Plaintiffs in Public Interest Lawsuits Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 6)
3/10 SB 53 Prohibiting the Awarding of Legal Fees to Plaintiffs in Public Interest Lawsuits Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 6)
3/09 SB 241 Instructional Spending Requirements for School Districts Bill Failed - Senate (12 - 17)
3/09 SB 241 Instructional Spending Requirements for School Districts Bill Failed - Senate (12 - 17)
3/06 HB 100 Prison Education and Medical Financing Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 7)
3/05 SB 279 Capital Punishment Restrictions Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13)
3/05 SB 200 Reorganization of State Transportation Authorities Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 25)
3/05 SB 200 Reorganization of State Transportation Authorities Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 25)
3/05 SB 200 Reorganization of State Transportation Authorities Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 25)
3/04 SB 318 Repeal of the Grocery Sales Tax Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 8)
3/04 SB 748 Independent Performance Audit of State Department of Education Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 20)
3/03 SB 581 2007-2008, 2008-2009, and 2009-2010 Budget Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8)
3/03 SB 29 Authorizing Corporate Water Systems to Refuse Fluoridation Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11)
3/03 SB 9 Transferable Tax Credit for Film Production Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10)
3/03 SB 315 Top Marginal Income Tax Rate Reduction Postponement Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 20)
3/03 SB 279 Funding for Road Construction Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 11)
3/03 SB 5552 2007-2009 Biennium Budget Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8)

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