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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 6, 2009 | GA | SB 83 | Expanding Homestead Property Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 14) |
| Feb. 5, 2009 | CO | SB 108 | Increasing Vehicle Fees to Fund Transportation Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| Feb. 4, 2009 | MS | SB 2548 | Identification Requirements to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17) |
| Feb. 4, 2009 | VA | SB 1473 | Department of Forestry Land Use Permits | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
| Feb. 4, 2009 | VA | SB 1473 | Department of Forestry Land Use Permits | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
| Feb. 3, 2009 | NY | A 163-A | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 29) |
| Feb. 3, 2009 | NY | S 249-A | Budget Financing | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 29) |
| Feb. 2, 2009 | UT | SB 4 | 2008-2009 Education Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5) |
| Feb. 2, 2009 | MT | SB 81 | Board of Public Education Elections | Bill Failed - Senate (21 - 29) |
| Feb. 2, 2009 | MT | SB 81 | Board of Public Education Elections | Bill Failed - Senate (21 - 29) |
| Feb. 2, 2009 | MT | SB 80 | Board of Regents Elections | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 30) |
| Feb. 2, 2009 | MT | SB 80 | Board of Regents Elections | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 30) |
| Feb. 2, 2009 | MT | SJ 7 | Statement of Opposition to Expansion of EPA Jurisdiction (H.R. 2421) | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
| Feb. 2, 2009 | MT | SJ 7 | Statement of Opposition to Expansion of EPA Jurisdiction (H.R. 2421) | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
| Jan. 30, 2009 | AZ | SB 1001 | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 12) |
| Jan. 29, 2009 | MS | HB 364 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 7) |
| Jan. 29, 2009 | KS | SB 23 | 2008-2009, 2009-2010, and 2010-2011 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 14) |
| Jan. 28, 2009 | OR | SB 5562 | Authorizing Bonds for Public-Works Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| Jan. 28, 2009 | OR | SB 338 | Authorizing Bonds for Public-Works Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| Jan. 27, 2009 | IA | SF 44 | Expediting Local-Option Tax Approval in Disaster Areas | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
| Jan. 27, 2009 | IA | SF 44 | Expediting Local-Option Tax Approval in Disaster Areas | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
| Jan. 27, 2009 | VA | SB 961 | Expanding Death Penalty Eligibility to Accomplices | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
| Jan. 26, 2009 | VA | SB 810 | Authorizing No-Excuse, In-Person Absentee Voting | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
| Jan. 21, 2009 | WY | SF 12 | Increasing Campaign Contribution Limit | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
| Jan. 21, 2009 | MT | SB 31 | Revising Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Commission Membership Qualifications | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 20) |
| Jan. 15, 2009 | CT | HB 5095 | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12) |
| Jan. 14, 2009 | FL | SB 2-A | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 13) |
| Jan. 14, 2009 | TX | SR 14 | Majority Vote Requirement for Voter ID Bill Consideration | Resolution Passed - Senate (18 - 13) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/06 | SB 83 | Expanding Homestead Property Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 14) |
| 2/05 | SB 108 | Increasing Vehicle Fees to Fund Transportation Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| 2/04 | SB 2548 | Identification Requirements to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17) |
| 2/04 | SB 1473 | Department of Forestry Land Use Permits | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
| 2/04 | SB 1473 | Department of Forestry Land Use Permits | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
| 2/03 | A 163-A | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 29) |
| 2/03 | S 249-A | Budget Financing | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 29) |
| 2/02 | SB 4 | 2008-2009 Education Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5) |
| 2/02 | SB 81 | Board of Public Education Elections | Bill Failed - Senate (21 - 29) |
| 2/02 | SB 81 | Board of Public Education Elections | Bill Failed - Senate (21 - 29) |
| 2/02 | SB 80 | Board of Regents Elections | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 30) |
| 2/02 | SB 80 | Board of Regents Elections | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 30) |
| 2/02 | SJ 7 | Statement of Opposition to Expansion of EPA Jurisdiction (H.R. 2421) | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
| 2/02 | SJ 7 | Statement of Opposition to Expansion of EPA Jurisdiction (H.R. 2421) | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
| 1/30 | SB 1001 | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 12) |
| 1/29 | HB 364 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 7) |
| 1/29 | SB 23 | 2008-2009, 2009-2010, and 2010-2011 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 14) |
| 1/28 | SB 5562 | Authorizing Bonds for Public-Works Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| 1/28 | SB 338 | Authorizing Bonds for Public-Works Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| 1/27 | SF 44 | Expediting Local-Option Tax Approval in Disaster Areas | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
| 1/27 | SF 44 | Expediting Local-Option Tax Approval in Disaster Areas | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
| 1/27 | SB 961 | Expanding Death Penalty Eligibility to Accomplices | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
| 1/26 | SB 810 | Authorizing No-Excuse, In-Person Absentee Voting | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
| 1/21 | SF 12 | Increasing Campaign Contribution Limit | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
| 1/21 | SB 31 | Revising Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Commission Membership Qualifications | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 20) |
| 1/15 | HB 5095 | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12) |
| 1/14 | SB 2-A | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 13) |
| 1/14 | SR 14 | Majority Vote Requirement for Voter ID Bill Consideration | Resolution Passed - Senate (18 - 13) |