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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 7, 2009 | VT | H 441 | 2009-2010 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 10) |
| May 7, 2009 | MO | HB 22 | Capital Improvements | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 8) |
| May 6, 2009 | CO | HB 1366 | Capital Gains Income Tax Reduction Modification | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| May 6, 2009 | PA | SB 850 | 2009-2010 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20) |
| May 5, 2009 | KS | HB 2373 | 2009-2011 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| May 4, 2009 | MN | SF 2081 | 2010-2011 Economic Development Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (38 - 28) |
| May 4, 2009 | MN | SF 341 | Domestic Partner Death Rights | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 24) |
| May 1, 2009 | FL | HB 903 | Capping Attorney Fees in Workers' Compensation Lawsuits | Motion Agreed - Senate (22 - 16) |
| May 1, 2009 | FL | HB 479 | Amendments Regarding Public Employee Retirement | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 11) |
| May 1, 2009 | FL | HB 479 | Amendments Regarding Public Employee Retirement | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 11) |
| April 30, 2009 | FL | Amdt 626368 | Liability Insurance Related to SunRail Commuter Line | Motion Rejected - Senate (17 - 23) |
| April 29, 2009 | IN | HB 1491 | St. Joseph Superior Court Judges | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 18) |
| April 29, 2009 | IN | HB 1491 | St. Joseph Superior Court Judges | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 18) |
| April 29, 2009 | OK | SB 834 | Increased Local School Board Control | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 22) |
| April 29, 2009 | ND | SCR 4038 | Creating a Public Health Investment Trust Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 23) |
| April 29, 2009 | ND | SCR 4038 | Creating a Public Health Investment Trust Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 23) |
| April 28, 2009 | MT | HB 2 | 2009-2011 Biennium Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 23) |
| April 27, 2009 | MN | Ban on State Funds for Abortions | Amendment Rejected - Senate (26 - 39) | |
| April 25, 2009 | IA | SF 376 | Bonds Issuance for Infrastructure Projects and the Creation of an Iowa Jobs Program, Board, and Fund. | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 18) |
| April 25, 2009 | IA | SF 477 | Appropriation Bonds | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 18) |
| April 25, 2009 | WA | HB 1244 | 2009-2011 Biennium Budget and 2007-2009 Supplemental Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20) |
| April 24, 2009 | WA | SB 5768 | Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Project | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (39 - 9) |
| April 22, 2009 | NC | SB 287 | State Health Plan Changes and Appropriations | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 19) |
| April 22, 2009 | OK | HB 1603 | Tort Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 19) |
| April 22, 2009 | OK | HB 1602 | Attorney Fee Limits | Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 23) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/07 | H 441 | 2009-2010 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 10) |
| 5/07 | HB 22 | Capital Improvements | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 8) |
| 5/06 | HB 1366 | Capital Gains Income Tax Reduction Modification | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| 5/06 | SB 850 | 2009-2010 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20) |
| 5/05 | HB 2373 | 2009-2011 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| 5/04 | SF 2081 | 2010-2011 Economic Development Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (38 - 28) |
| 5/04 | SF 341 | Domestic Partner Death Rights | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 24) |
| 5/01 | HB 903 | Capping Attorney Fees in Workers' Compensation Lawsuits | Motion Agreed - Senate (22 - 16) |
| 5/01 | HB 479 | Amendments Regarding Public Employee Retirement | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 11) |
| 5/01 | HB 479 | Amendments Regarding Public Employee Retirement | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 11) |
| 4/30 | Amdt 626368 | Liability Insurance Related to SunRail Commuter Line | Motion Rejected - Senate (17 - 23) |
| 4/29 | HB 1491 | St. Joseph Superior Court Judges | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 18) |
| 4/29 | HB 1491 | St. Joseph Superior Court Judges | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 18) |
| 4/29 | SB 834 | Increased Local School Board Control | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 22) |
| 4/29 | SCR 4038 | Creating a Public Health Investment Trust Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 23) |
| 4/29 | SCR 4038 | Creating a Public Health Investment Trust Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 23) |
| 4/28 | HB 2 | 2009-2011 Biennium Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 23) |
| 4/27 | Ban on State Funds for Abortions | Amendment Rejected - Senate (26 - 39) | |
| 4/25 | SF 376 | Bonds Issuance for Infrastructure Projects and the Creation of an Iowa Jobs Program, Board, and Fund. | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 18) |
| 4/25 | SF 477 | Appropriation Bonds | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 18) |
| 4/25 | HB 1244 | 2009-2011 Biennium Budget and 2007-2009 Supplemental Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20) |
| 4/24 | SB 5768 | Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Project | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (39 - 9) |
| 4/22 | SB 287 | State Health Plan Changes and Appropriations | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 19) |
| 4/22 | HB 1603 | Tort Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 19) |
| 4/22 | HB 1602 | Attorney Fee Limits | Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 23) |