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 8, 2009 | DE | HB 100 | Reestablishing a Sports Lottery | Bill Passed - House (30 - 4) |
| May 6, 2009 | ME | LD 1020 | Same Sex Marriage Bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| May 6, 2009 | ME | LD 1020 | Same Sex Marriage Bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| May 6, 2009 | NC | SB 526 | Prevention of Bullying and Violence in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22) |
| May 6, 2009 | NC | SB 526 | Prevention of Bullying and Violence in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22) |
| May 6, 2009 | CO | SB 241 | DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest | Conference Report Adopted - House (52 - 12) |
| May 6, 2009 | CO | SB 241 | DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest | Conference Report Adopted - House (52 - 12) |
| May 5, 2009 | MN | SF 2081 | 2010-2011 Economic Development Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (74 - 57) |
| May 5, 2009 | ME | LD 1020 | Same Sex Marriage Bill | Bill Passed - House (89 - 57) |
| May 5, 2009 | ME | LD 1020 | Same Sex Marriage Bill | Bill Passed - House (89 - 57) |
| May 5, 2009 | OR | SB 786 | Workplace Religious Discrimination | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
| May 4, 2009 | VT | Transportation Amendment to S 67 | Selective Service Registration by Drivers License | Amendment Rejected - House (60 - 68) |
| May 4, 2009 | MN | SF 2081 | 2010-2011 Economic Development Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (38 - 28) |
| May 4, 2009 | TN | HB 959 | Close Handgun Permit Records | Bill Passed - House (83 - 12) |
| May 4, 2009 | TN | HB 959 | Close Handgun Permit Records | Bill Passed - House (83 - 12) |
| May 4, 2009 | OR | HB 2821 | Employee Vacation Use Amendments | Bill Passed - House (34 - 23) |
| May 4, 2009 | MN | SF 97 | Legalizing Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 29) |
| May 4, 2009 | CO | HB 1057 | Mandatory Unpaid Parental Work Leave for Education Activities | Conference Report Adopted - House (39 - 26) |
| May 4, 2009 | MN | SF 341 | Domestic Partner Death Rights | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 24) |
| May 2, 2009 | ND | SB 2162 | Child Care Background Checks | Conference Report Adopted - House (71 - 20) |
| April 30, 2009 | CO | SB 296 | Seat Belt Violation as Primary Offense | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| April 29, 2009 | NH | HB 383 | Mandating Seat Belt Usage | Bill Tabled - Senate (13 - 11) |
| April 29, 2009 | NH | HB 383 | Mandating Seat Belt Usage | Bill Tabled - Senate (13 - 11) |
| April 29, 2009 | WI | SB 20 | Discriminatory Pay Compensation | Bill Passed - House (51 - 47) |
| April 29, 2009 | National | HR 1913 | Hate Crimes Expansion | Bill Passed - House (249 - 175) |
| April 29, 2009 | National | HR 1913 | Hate Crimes Expansion | Bill Passed - House (249 - 175) |
| April 29, 2009 | NH | HB 436 | Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 11) |
| April 29, 2009 | NH | HB 648 | Medical Marijuana Legalization | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 10) |
| April 29, 2009 | NH | HB 436 | Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 11) |
| April 28, 2009 | MO | Amdt 1 | Allowing Pharmacists to Refuse to Provide "Abortifacients" | Amendment Adopted - House (115 - 43) |
| April 28, 2009 | MO | Amdt 1 | Allowing Pharmacists to Refuse to Provide "Abortifacients" | Amendment Adopted - House (115 - 43) |
| April 28, 2009 | OR | HB 2377 | Prohibiting Handheld Cell Phone Use While Driving | Bill Passed - House (38 - 22) |
| April 28, 2009 | WI | SB 20 | Discriminatory Pay Compensation | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| April 28, 2009 | CO | SB 88 | Extending Health Benefits to Domestic Partners of State Employees | Bill Passed - House (34 - 30) |
| April 28, 2009 | NY | A 801 | Renewal Requirement for Pistol and Revolver Licenses | Bill Passed - House (87 - 58) |
| April 28, 2009 | NY | A 6468 | Microstamping Requirement for Semiautomatic Pistols | Bill Passed - House (94 - 47) |
| April 27, 2009 | TN | SB 393 | Prohibiting Texting While Driving | Bill Passed - House (67 - 24) |
| April 27, 2009 | CO | HB 1057 | Mandatory Unpaid Parental Work Leave for Education Activities | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 13) |
| April 27, 2009 | CO | SB 241 | DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7) |
| April 27, 2009 | CO | SB 241 | DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7) |
| April 25, 2009 | WA | SB 5288 | Probation Time Reductions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| April 24, 2009 | ND | HB 1478 | Children's Health Insurance Program Eligibility Expansion | Conference Report Rejected - House (41 - 47) |
| April 23, 2009 | OK | HB 1326 | Ban on Certain Types of Stem Cell Research | Veto Override Passed - House (68 - 26) |
| April 23, 2009 | OK | HB 1326 | Ban on Certain Types of Stem Cell Research | Veto Override Failed - Senate (26 - 19) |
| April 23, 2009 | AL | HB 533 | Hate Crime Law Expansion | Bill Passed - House (46 - 41) |
| April 23, 2009 | AL | HB 533 | Hate Crime Law Expansion | Bill Passed - House (46 - 41) |
| April 23, 2009 | AL | HB 533 | Hate Crime Law Expansion | Bill Passed - House (46 - 41) |
| April 23, 2009 | WI | SB 27 | Requires Insurance Coverage for Children's Hearing Aid Treatments | Bill Passed - House (80 - 16) |
| April 23, 2009 | MN | SF 2082 | 2010-2011 Budget | Bill Passed - House (69 - 62) |
| April 22, 2009 | PA | A771 | Requiring Hands Free Devices for Cell Phones in Cars | Amendment Rejected - House (95 - 100) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/08 | HB 100 | Reestablishing a Sports Lottery | Bill Passed - House (30 - 4) |
| 5/06 | LD 1020 | Same Sex Marriage Bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 5/06 | LD 1020 | Same Sex Marriage Bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 5/06 | SB 526 | Prevention of Bullying and Violence in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22) |
| 5/06 | SB 526 | Prevention of Bullying and Violence in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22) |
| 5/06 | SB 241 | DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest | Conference Report Adopted - House (52 - 12) |
| 5/06 | SB 241 | DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest | Conference Report Adopted - House (52 - 12) |
| 5/05 | SF 2081 | 2010-2011 Economic Development Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (74 - 57) |
| 5/05 | LD 1020 | Same Sex Marriage Bill | Bill Passed - House (89 - 57) |
| 5/05 | LD 1020 | Same Sex Marriage Bill | Bill Passed - House (89 - 57) |
| 5/05 | SB 786 | Workplace Religious Discrimination | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
| 5/04 | Transportation Amendment to S 67 | Selective Service Registration by Drivers License | Amendment Rejected - House (60 - 68) |
| 5/04 | SF 2081 | 2010-2011 Economic Development Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (38 - 28) |
| 5/04 | HB 959 | Close Handgun Permit Records | Bill Passed - House (83 - 12) |
| 5/04 | HB 959 | Close Handgun Permit Records | Bill Passed - House (83 - 12) |
| 5/04 | HB 2821 | Employee Vacation Use Amendments | Bill Passed - House (34 - 23) |
| 5/04 | SF 97 | Legalizing Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 29) |
| 5/04 | HB 1057 | Mandatory Unpaid Parental Work Leave for Education Activities | Conference Report Adopted - House (39 - 26) |
| 5/04 | SF 341 | Domestic Partner Death Rights | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 24) |
| 5/02 | SB 2162 | Child Care Background Checks | Conference Report Adopted - House (71 - 20) |
| 4/30 | SB 296 | Seat Belt Violation as Primary Offense | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| 4/29 | HB 383 | Mandating Seat Belt Usage | Bill Tabled - Senate (13 - 11) |
| 4/29 | HB 383 | Mandating Seat Belt Usage | Bill Tabled - Senate (13 - 11) |
| 4/29 | SB 20 | Discriminatory Pay Compensation | Bill Passed - House (51 - 47) |
| 4/29 | HR 1913 | Hate Crimes Expansion | Bill Passed - House (249 - 175) |
| 4/29 | HR 1913 | Hate Crimes Expansion | Bill Passed - House (249 - 175) |
| 4/29 | HB 436 | Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 11) |
| 4/29 | HB 648 | Medical Marijuana Legalization | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 10) |
| 4/29 | HB 436 | Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 11) |
| 4/28 | Amdt 1 | Allowing Pharmacists to Refuse to Provide "Abortifacients" | Amendment Adopted - House (115 - 43) |
| 4/28 | Amdt 1 | Allowing Pharmacists to Refuse to Provide "Abortifacients" | Amendment Adopted - House (115 - 43) |
| 4/28 | HB 2377 | Prohibiting Handheld Cell Phone Use While Driving | Bill Passed - House (38 - 22) |
| 4/28 | SB 20 | Discriminatory Pay Compensation | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| 4/28 | SB 88 | Extending Health Benefits to Domestic Partners of State Employees | Bill Passed - House (34 - 30) |
| 4/28 | A 801 | Renewal Requirement for Pistol and Revolver Licenses | Bill Passed - House (87 - 58) |
| 4/28 | A 6468 | Microstamping Requirement for Semiautomatic Pistols | Bill Passed - House (94 - 47) |
| 4/27 | SB 393 | Prohibiting Texting While Driving | Bill Passed - House (67 - 24) |
| 4/27 | HB 1057 | Mandatory Unpaid Parental Work Leave for Education Activities | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 4/27 | SB 241 | DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7) |
| 4/27 | SB 241 | DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7) |
| 4/25 | SB 5288 | Probation Time Reductions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| 4/24 | HB 1478 | Children's Health Insurance Program Eligibility Expansion | Conference Report Rejected - House (41 - 47) |
| 4/23 | HB 1326 | Ban on Certain Types of Stem Cell Research | Veto Override Passed - House (68 - 26) |
| 4/23 | HB 1326 | Ban on Certain Types of Stem Cell Research | Veto Override Failed - Senate (26 - 19) |
| 4/23 | HB 533 | Hate Crime Law Expansion | Bill Passed - House (46 - 41) |
| 4/23 | HB 533 | Hate Crime Law Expansion | Bill Passed - House (46 - 41) |
| 4/23 | HB 533 | Hate Crime Law Expansion | Bill Passed - House (46 - 41) |
| 4/23 | SB 27 | Requires Insurance Coverage for Children's Hearing Aid Treatments | Bill Passed - House (80 - 16) |
| 4/23 | SF 2082 | 2010-2011 Budget | Bill Passed - House (69 - 62) |
| 4/22 | A771 | Requiring Hands Free Devices for Cell Phones in Cars | Amendment Rejected - House (95 - 100) |