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
March 12, 2009 GA SB 169 In Vitro Embryo Creation Limitations Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 22)
March 12, 2009 TN HB 254 Eliminating Thumbprint Requirement for Gun Purchases Bill Passed - House (82 - 11)
March 12, 2009 WA SB 2252 Shifting Local Tax Revenue Bill Passed - House (54 - 42)
March 12, 2009 GA HB 23 Age-Specific Ban on Wireless Communication While Driving Bill Passed - House (138 - 34)
March 12, 2009 GA HB 23 Age-Specific Ban on Wireless Communication While Driving Bill Passed - House (138 - 34)
March 11, 2009 NH SB 115 Expanding Subsidized Health Care Program Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 4)
March 11, 2009 OK HJR 1042 English as Official State Language Joint Resolution Passed - House (66 - 32)
March 11, 2009 OK HJR 1042 English as Official State Language Joint Resolution Passed - House (66 - 32)
March 11, 2009 TX SB 362 Requiring Proof of Identification to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12)
March 11, 2009 OR HB 2509 Sexual Education Bill Passed - House (41 - 19)
March 11, 2009 OR HB 2509 Sexual Education Bill Passed - House (41 - 19)
March 11, 2009 OK HB 1037 Voter Identification Bill Passed - House (59 - 39)
March 11, 2009 National S 22 Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 Bill Failed - House (282 - 144)
March 11, 2009 MI HB 4455 Mortgage Payment Modifications Bill Passed - House (74 - 34)
March 11, 2009 AZ HB 2400 Specifying Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Penalty Bill Passed - House (37 - 19)
March 11, 2009 AZ HB 2400 Specifying Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Penalty Bill Passed - House (37 - 19)
March 11, 2009 AZ HB 2564 Abortion Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (36 - 19)
March 10, 2009 WA SB 5688 Expanding Domestic Partnership Rights Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18)
March 10, 2009 WA SB 5688 Expanding Domestic Partnership Rights Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18)
March 10, 2009 OK SB 4 Voter Identification Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 21)
March 9, 2009 SD HB 1240 Smoking Ban Concurrence Vote Passed - House (46 - 23)
March 9, 2009 UT SB 225 Extending CHIP and Medicaid Coverage to Children of Documented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 14)
March 9, 2009 UT HB 171 Extending CHIP and Medicaid Coverage to Children of Documented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (50 - 23)
March 9, 2009 UT HB 171 Extending CHIP and Medicaid Coverage to Children of Documented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (50 - 23)
March 9, 2009 UT SB 225 Extending CHIP and Medicaid Coverage to Children of Documented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 14)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/12 SB 169 In Vitro Embryo Creation Limitations Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 22)
3/12 HB 254 Eliminating Thumbprint Requirement for Gun Purchases Bill Passed - House (82 - 11)
3/12 SB 2252 Shifting Local Tax Revenue Bill Passed - House (54 - 42)
3/12 HB 23 Age-Specific Ban on Wireless Communication While Driving Bill Passed - House (138 - 34)
3/12 HB 23 Age-Specific Ban on Wireless Communication While Driving Bill Passed - House (138 - 34)
3/11 SB 115 Expanding Subsidized Health Care Program Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 4)
3/11 HJR 1042 English as Official State Language Joint Resolution Passed - House (66 - 32)
3/11 HJR 1042 English as Official State Language Joint Resolution Passed - House (66 - 32)
3/11 SB 362 Requiring Proof of Identification to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12)
3/11 HB 2509 Sexual Education Bill Passed - House (41 - 19)
3/11 HB 2509 Sexual Education Bill Passed - House (41 - 19)
3/11 HB 1037 Voter Identification Bill Passed - House (59 - 39)
3/11 S 22 Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 Bill Failed - House (282 - 144)
3/11 HB 4455 Mortgage Payment Modifications Bill Passed - House (74 - 34)
3/11 HB 2400 Specifying Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Penalty Bill Passed - House (37 - 19)
3/11 HB 2400 Specifying Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Penalty Bill Passed - House (37 - 19)
3/11 HB 2564 Abortion Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (36 - 19)
3/10 SB 5688 Expanding Domestic Partnership Rights Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18)
3/10 SB 5688 Expanding Domestic Partnership Rights Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18)
3/10 SB 4 Voter Identification Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 21)
3/09 HB 1240 Smoking Ban Concurrence Vote Passed - House (46 - 23)
3/09 SB 225 Extending CHIP and Medicaid Coverage to Children of Documented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 14)
3/09 HB 171 Extending CHIP and Medicaid Coverage to Children of Documented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (50 - 23)
3/09 HB 171 Extending CHIP and Medicaid Coverage to Children of Documented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (50 - 23)
3/09 SB 225 Extending CHIP and Medicaid Coverage to Children of Documented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 14)

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