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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 Failed - Senate (24 - 38) |
| 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) |
| Sept. 9, 2009 | CA | SB 54 | Recognizing Out-of-State Same-Sex Marriages | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| Sept. 8, 2009 | CA | SB 572 | Harvey Milk Day | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| Sept. 3, 2009 | CA | SB 54 | Recognizing Out-of-State Same-Sex Marriages | Bill Passed - House (47 - 29) |
| Sept. 3, 2009 | CA | SB 572 | Harvey Milk Day | Bill Passed - House (46 - 28) |
| July 6, 2009 | NC | SB 870 | Making General Statutes Gender Neutral | Motion Agreed - House (79 - 33) |
| June 24, 2009 | DE | SB 121 | Adding Sexual Orientation to Delaware Anti-Discriminatory Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5) |
| June 24, 2009 | DE | SB 121 | Adding Sexual Orientation to Delaware Anti-Discriminatory Laws | Bill Passed - House (26 - 14) |
| June 23, 2009 | NC | SB 526 | Prevention of Bullying and Violence in Schools | Bill Passed - House (58 - 57) |
| June 4, 2009 | DE | SB 121 | Adding Sexual Orientation to Delaware Anti-Discriminatory Laws | |
| June 3, 2009 | NH | HB 73 | Religious Choice in Performing Marriage Ceremonies | Conference Report Adopted - House (198 - 176) |
| May 31, 2009 | NV | SB 283 | Establishing Domestic Partnerships | Veto Override Passed - House (28 - 14) |
| May 30, 2009 | NV | SB 283 | Establishing Domestic Partnerships | Veto Override Passed - Senate (14 - 7) |
| May 28, 2009 | LA | HB 834 | Education Requirements for Marriage and Family Therapists | Bill Passed - House (53 - 40) |
| May 20, 2009 | NH | HB 73 | Religious Choice in Performing Marriage Ceremonies | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 10) |
| May 18, 2009 | MN | SF 971 | School Anti-Bullying Policy Requirements | Bill Passed - House (95 - 39) |
| May 15, 2009 | NV | SB 283 | Establishing Domestic Partnerships | Bill Passed - House (26 - 14) |
| May 14, 2009 | CA | SB 572 | Harvey Milk Day | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| May 12, 2009 | NY | A 7732 | Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (89 - 52) |
| May 12, 2009 | LA | HB 60 | Birth Certificates for Adoption | Bill Passed - House (78 - 17) |
| 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) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12/02 | A 40003 | Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (88 - 51) |
| 12/02 | A 40003 | Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 38) |
| 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) |
| 9/09 | SB 54 | Recognizing Out-of-State Same-Sex Marriages | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| 9/08 | SB 572 | Harvey Milk Day | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| 9/03 | SB 54 | Recognizing Out-of-State Same-Sex Marriages | Bill Passed - House (47 - 29) |
| 9/03 | SB 572 | Harvey Milk Day | Bill Passed - House (46 - 28) |
| 7/06 | SB 870 | Making General Statutes Gender Neutral | Motion Agreed - House (79 - 33) |
| 6/24 | SB 121 | Adding Sexual Orientation to Delaware Anti-Discriminatory Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5) |
| 6/24 | SB 121 | Adding Sexual Orientation to Delaware Anti-Discriminatory Laws | Bill Passed - House (26 - 14) |
| 6/23 | SB 526 | Prevention of Bullying and Violence in Schools | Bill Passed - House (58 - 57) |
| 6/04 | SB 121 | Adding Sexual Orientation to Delaware Anti-Discriminatory Laws | |
| 6/03 | HB 73 | Religious Choice in Performing Marriage Ceremonies | Conference Report Adopted - House (198 - 176) |
| 5/31 | SB 283 | Establishing Domestic Partnerships | Veto Override Passed - House (28 - 14) |
| 5/30 | SB 283 | Establishing Domestic Partnerships | Veto Override Passed - Senate (14 - 7) |
| 5/28 | HB 834 | Education Requirements for Marriage and Family Therapists | Bill Passed - House (53 - 40) |
| 5/20 | HB 73 | Religious Choice in Performing Marriage Ceremonies | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 10) |
| 5/18 | SF 971 | School Anti-Bullying Policy Requirements | Bill Passed - House (95 - 39) |
| 5/15 | SB 283 | Establishing Domestic Partnerships | Bill Passed - House (26 - 14) |
| 5/14 | SB 572 | Harvey Milk Day | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| 5/12 | A 7732 | Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (89 - 52) |
| 5/12 | HB 60 | Birth Certificates for Adoption | Bill Passed - House (78 - 17) |
| 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) |