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.


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Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Dec. 22, 2009 National S Amdt 3276 Senate Health Care Bill Amendments Amendment Adopted - Senate (60 - 39)
Dec. 16, 2009 OH HB 60 Restrictions on Snack and Beverage Sales in Schools Bill Passed - House (60 - 37)
Dec. 16, 2009 PA SB 711 Legalizing Table Games Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 22)
Dec. 15, 2009 PA SB 711 Legalizing Table Games Bill Passed - House (103 - 92)
Dec. 10, 2009 NJ A 2762 Authorizing Reduction of Mandatory Minimum Sentences for Drug Offenses in School Zones Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
Dec. 10, 2009 NJ A 2762 Authorizing Reduction of Mandatory Minimum Sentences for Drug Offenses in School Zones Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
Dec. 10, 2009 NJ A 2762 Authorizing Reduction of Mandatory Minimum Sentences for Drug Offenses in School Zones Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
Dec. 3, 2009 National S Amdt 2791 Preventive Services Coverage Requirements Amendment Adopted - Senate (61 - 39)
Dec. 3, 2009 National S Amdt 2791 Preventive Services Coverage Requirements Amendment Adopted - Senate (61 - 39)
Dec. 2, 2009 NY A 40003 Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 38)
Dec. 2, 2009 NY A 40003 Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 38)
Dec. 2, 2009 NY A 40003 Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - House (88 - 51)
Dec. 2, 2009 NY A 40003 Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - House (88 - 51)
Nov. 18, 2009 MA S 2210 Sentencing Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
Nov. 5, 2009 WI AB 458 Sex Education Curriculum Requirements Bill Passed - House (48 - 43)
Nov. 5, 2009 WI AB 458 Sex Education Curriculum Requirements Bill Passed - House (48 - 43)
Nov. 3, 2009 CA SBx5 1 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
Oct. 29, 2009 RI HB 5044 Prostitution Ban Concurrence Vote Passed - House (46 - 9)
Oct. 29, 2009 RI HB 5044 Prostitution Ban Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 2)
Oct. 28, 2009 NH HB 648 Medical Marijuana Legalization Veto Override Failed - Senate (14 - 10)
Oct. 28, 2009 NH HB 648 Medical Marijuana Legalization Veto Override Passed - House (240 - 115)
Oct. 22, 2009 National HR 2647 2009-2010 Defense Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (68 - 29)
Oct. 8, 2009 National HR 2647 2009-2010 Defense Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - House (281 - 146)
Oct. 8, 2009 MA SB 2028 Pandemic and Disaster Preparedness Plan Bill Passed - House (114 - 36)
Oct. 7, 2009 PA HB 1531 Tax Law Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (102 - 96)
Date No. Title Outcome
12/22 S Amdt 3276 Senate Health Care Bill Amendments Amendment Adopted - Senate (60 - 39)
12/16 HB 60 Restrictions on Snack and Beverage Sales in Schools Bill Passed - House (60 - 37)
12/16 SB 711 Legalizing Table Games Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 22)
12/15 SB 711 Legalizing Table Games Bill Passed - House (103 - 92)
12/10 A 2762 Authorizing Reduction of Mandatory Minimum Sentences for Drug Offenses in School Zones Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
12/10 A 2762 Authorizing Reduction of Mandatory Minimum Sentences for Drug Offenses in School Zones Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
12/10 A 2762 Authorizing Reduction of Mandatory Minimum Sentences for Drug Offenses in School Zones Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
12/03 S Amdt 2791 Preventive Services Coverage Requirements Amendment Adopted - Senate (61 - 39)
12/03 S Amdt 2791 Preventive Services Coverage Requirements Amendment Adopted - Senate (61 - 39)
12/02 A 40003 Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 38)
12/02 A 40003 Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 38)
12/02 A 40003 Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - House (88 - 51)
12/02 A 40003 Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - House (88 - 51)
11/18 S 2210 Sentencing Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
11/05 AB 458 Sex Education Curriculum Requirements Bill Passed - House (48 - 43)
11/05 AB 458 Sex Education Curriculum Requirements Bill Passed - House (48 - 43)
11/03 SBx5 1 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
10/29 HB 5044 Prostitution Ban Concurrence Vote Passed - House (46 - 9)
10/29 HB 5044 Prostitution Ban Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 2)
10/28 HB 648 Medical Marijuana Legalization Veto Override Failed - Senate (14 - 10)
10/28 HB 648 Medical Marijuana Legalization Veto Override Passed - House (240 - 115)
10/22 HR 2647 2009-2010 Defense Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (68 - 29)
10/08 HR 2647 2009-2010 Defense Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - House (281 - 146)
10/08 SB 2028 Pandemic and Disaster Preparedness Plan Bill Passed - House (114 - 36)
10/07 HB 1531 Tax Law Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (102 - 96)

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