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. 5, 2009 | VA | SB 1161 | Classifying a Seat Belt Violation as a Primary Offense | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15) |
| Feb. 4, 2009 | MS | SB 2548 | Identification Requirements to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17) |
| Feb. 4, 2009 | VA | HB 2314 | Allowing Police Chaplains to Conduct Sectarian Prayer | Bill Passed - House (66 - 30) |
| Feb. 4, 2009 | VA | SB 1257 | Background Checks for Gun Show Purchases | Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 21) |
| Feb. 3, 2009 | National | S Amdt 109 | Hollywood Productions Tax Credit | Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 45) |
| Feb. 3, 2009 | SD | SB 83 | Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 18) |
| Feb. 3, 2009 | SD | SB 79 | Primary Seat Belt Enforcement | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| Feb. 3, 2009 | VA | SB 1105 | Prohibiting Smoking in Bars and Restaurants | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13) |
| Feb. 3, 2009 | MT | HB 157 | Children's Health Insurance Program Appropriations and Amendments | Bill Passed - House (60 - 40) |
| Feb. 3, 2009 | UT | HB 90 | Increasing Illegal Abortion Penalty | Bill Passed - House (56 - 16) |
| Feb. 3, 2009 | UT | HB 222 | Offering Anesthetics to Women Undergoing Abortions | Bill Passed - House (56 - 15) |
| Feb. 3, 2009 | WY | HB 31 | Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (31 - 29) |
| Feb. 2, 2009 | ND | SB 2070 | Ban on Smoking in Cars with Children Passengers | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 10) |
| Feb. 2, 2009 | ND | SB 2070 | Ban on Smoking in Cars with Children Passengers | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 10) |
| Feb. 2, 2009 | SD | HB 1004 | Legalizing the Killing of Threatening Mountain Lions | Bill Passed - House (37 - 32) |
| Jan. 30, 2009 | WY | Amdt 2001 to HB 31 | Exempting 21+ Establishments from Smoking Ban | Amendment Adopted - House (34 - 25) |
| Jan. 30, 2009 | WY | Amdt 2002 to HB 31 | Allowing Counties and Municipalities to Opt Out of Smoking Ban | Amendment Adopted - House (41 - 18) |
| Jan. 30, 2009 | ND | SB 2087 | Secrecy in Public University Hiring | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 15) |
| Jan. 30, 2009 | WY | HB 141 | Amending DUI Statutes | Bill Passed - House (49 - 10) |
| Jan. 30, 2009 | WY | HB 141 | Amending DUI Statutes | Bill Passed - House (49 - 10) |
| Jan. 29, 2009 | WY | HB 190 | Suspending Driver's Licenses for Nonpayment of Child Support | Bill Passed - House (37 - 23) |
| Jan. 29, 2009 | ND | HB 1182 | Point Reduction for Seat Belt Use | Bill Passed - House (56 - 38) |
| Jan. 29, 2009 | ND | HB 1182 | Point Reduction for Seat Belt Use | Bill Passed - House (56 - 38) |
| Jan. 29, 2009 | UT | HB 17 | Allowing Doctors to Prescribe Antibiotics to Unnamed Sexual Partners | Bill Passed - House (63 - 8) |
| Jan. 29, 2009 | AR | HB 1013 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Passed - House (78 - 12) |
| Jan. 28, 2009 | WY | SF 65 | Ban on Texting While Driving | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 17) |
| Jan. 28, 2009 | WY | SF 65 | Ban on Texting While Driving | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 17) |
| Jan. 28, 2009 | AR | HB 1119 | Prohibiting Cell Phone Use While Driving for Specific Age Groups | Bill Passed - House (62 - 27) |
| Jan. 28, 2009 | AR | HB 1119 | Prohibiting Cell Phone Use While Driving for Specific Age Groups | Bill Passed - House (62 - 27) |
| Jan. 27, 2009 | VA | SB 961 | Expanding Death Penalty Eligibility to Accomplices | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
| Jan. 27, 2009 | AR | HB 1050 | Freedom of Information Act Exemption Specifications | Bill Passed - House (57 - 31) |
| Jan. 26, 2009 | WY | HB 98 | Mandatory Minimum Sentence for Sexual Assault of a Minor | Bill Failed - House (20 - 39) |
| Jan. 26, 2009 | WY | HB 98 | Mandatory Minimum Sentence for Sexual Assault of a Minor | Bill Failed - House (20 - 39) |
| Jan. 26, 2009 | CO | HB 1042 | Amending Minimum Traffic Speed Regulations | Bill Passed - House (37 - 27) |
| Jan. 26, 2009 | CO | HB 1042 | Amending Minimum Traffic Speed Regulations | Bill Passed - House (37 - 27) |
| Jan. 20, 2009 | MT | HB 62 | Mandatory Trapper Education Course | Bill Passed - House (51 - 48) |
| Jan. 20, 2009 | MT | HB 62 | Mandatory Trapper Education Course | Bill Passed - House (51 - 48) |
| Jan. 15, 2009 | National | S 22 | Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 | Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 21) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/05 | SB 1161 | Classifying a Seat Belt Violation as a Primary Offense | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15) |
| 2/04 | SB 2548 | Identification Requirements to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17) |
| 2/04 | HB 2314 | Allowing Police Chaplains to Conduct Sectarian Prayer | Bill Passed - House (66 - 30) |
| 2/04 | SB 1257 | Background Checks for Gun Show Purchases | Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 21) |
| 2/03 | S Amdt 109 | Hollywood Productions Tax Credit | Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 45) |
| 2/03 | SB 83 | Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 18) |
| 2/03 | SB 79 | Primary Seat Belt Enforcement | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 2/03 | SB 1105 | Prohibiting Smoking in Bars and Restaurants | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13) |
| 2/03 | HB 157 | Children's Health Insurance Program Appropriations and Amendments | Bill Passed - House (60 - 40) |
| 2/03 | HB 90 | Increasing Illegal Abortion Penalty | Bill Passed - House (56 - 16) |
| 2/03 | HB 222 | Offering Anesthetics to Women Undergoing Abortions | Bill Passed - House (56 - 15) |
| 2/03 | HB 31 | Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (31 - 29) |
| 2/02 | SB 2070 | Ban on Smoking in Cars with Children Passengers | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 10) |
| 2/02 | SB 2070 | Ban on Smoking in Cars with Children Passengers | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 10) |
| 2/02 | HB 1004 | Legalizing the Killing of Threatening Mountain Lions | Bill Passed - House (37 - 32) |
| 1/30 | Amdt 2001 to HB 31 | Exempting 21+ Establishments from Smoking Ban | Amendment Adopted - House (34 - 25) |
| 1/30 | Amdt 2002 to HB 31 | Allowing Counties and Municipalities to Opt Out of Smoking Ban | Amendment Adopted - House (41 - 18) |
| 1/30 | SB 2087 | Secrecy in Public University Hiring | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 15) |
| 1/30 | HB 141 | Amending DUI Statutes | Bill Passed - House (49 - 10) |
| 1/30 | HB 141 | Amending DUI Statutes | Bill Passed - House (49 - 10) |
| 1/29 | HB 190 | Suspending Driver's Licenses for Nonpayment of Child Support | Bill Passed - House (37 - 23) |
| 1/29 | HB 1182 | Point Reduction for Seat Belt Use | Bill Passed - House (56 - 38) |
| 1/29 | HB 1182 | Point Reduction for Seat Belt Use | Bill Passed - House (56 - 38) |
| 1/29 | HB 17 | Allowing Doctors to Prescribe Antibiotics to Unnamed Sexual Partners | Bill Passed - House (63 - 8) |
| 1/29 | HB 1013 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Passed - House (78 - 12) |
| 1/28 | SF 65 | Ban on Texting While Driving | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 17) |
| 1/28 | SF 65 | Ban on Texting While Driving | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 17) |
| 1/28 | HB 1119 | Prohibiting Cell Phone Use While Driving for Specific Age Groups | Bill Passed - House (62 - 27) |
| 1/28 | HB 1119 | Prohibiting Cell Phone Use While Driving for Specific Age Groups | Bill Passed - House (62 - 27) |
| 1/27 | SB 961 | Expanding Death Penalty Eligibility to Accomplices | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
| 1/27 | HB 1050 | Freedom of Information Act Exemption Specifications | Bill Passed - House (57 - 31) |
| 1/26 | HB 98 | Mandatory Minimum Sentence for Sexual Assault of a Minor | Bill Failed - House (20 - 39) |
| 1/26 | HB 98 | Mandatory Minimum Sentence for Sexual Assault of a Minor | Bill Failed - House (20 - 39) |
| 1/26 | HB 1042 | Amending Minimum Traffic Speed Regulations | Bill Passed - House (37 - 27) |
| 1/26 | HB 1042 | Amending Minimum Traffic Speed Regulations | Bill Passed - House (37 - 27) |
| 1/20 | HB 62 | Mandatory Trapper Education Course | Bill Passed - House (51 - 48) |
| 1/20 | HB 62 | Mandatory Trapper Education Course | Bill Passed - House (51 - 48) |
| 1/15 | S 22 | Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 | Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 21) |