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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 10, 2009 | NV | IP 1 | Lodging Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 5) |
| March 10, 2009 | HI | HB 952 | Amending Unionization Requirements | Bill Passed - House (37 - 9) |
| March 9, 2009 | SD | HB 1240 | Smoking Ban | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (46 - 23) |
| March 9, 2009 | WA | HB 1709 | Payday Lending Regulations | Bill Passed - House (84 - 10) |
| March 6, 2009 | UT | HJR 8 | Mandating Secret Ballots | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
| March 5, 2009 | KS | HB 2014 | Allowing Coal Power Plants | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
| March 5, 2009 | ID | S 1119 | Allowing Public Utility Assistance Programs | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 18) |
| March 4, 2009 | SD | HB 1240 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| March 4, 2009 | OK | HB 1332 | Increased Regulation of Pet Breeders | Bill Passed - House (74 - 26) |
| March 4, 2009 | NH | HB 644 | Gasoline Tax Increase | Bill Passed - House (190 - 162) |
| March 4, 2009 | WA | HB 1329 | Child Care Center Unionization | Bill Passed - House (65 - 31) |
| March 4, 2009 | UT | HJR 8 | Mandating Secret Ballots | Bill Passed - House (53 - 22) |
| March 4, 2009 | UT | SB 29 | Authorizing Corporate Water Systems to Refuse Fluoridation | Bill Passed - House (60 - 11) |
| March 4, 2009 | OK | SB 318 | Repeal of the Grocery Sales Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 8) |
| March 3, 2009 | OH | SB 9 | Transferable Tax Credit for Film Production | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10) |
| March 3, 2009 | OH | HB 6 | Transferable Tax Credit for Film Production | Bill Passed - House (83 - 14) |
| March 3, 2009 | UT | SB 29 | Authorizing Corporate Water Systems to Refuse Fluoridation | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11) |
| March 3, 2009 | AL | HB 373 | Higher Alcohol Content Limit for Beer | Bill Passed - House (49 - 37) |
| March 2, 2009 | MD | SB 278 | Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 9) |
| Feb. 27, 2009 | UT | HB 89 | Requiring Insurance Coverage of Prosthetic Devices | Bill Passed - House (46 - 27) |
| Feb. 27, 2009 | KS | HB 2014 | Allowing Coal Power Plants | Bill Passed - House (79 - 44) |
| Feb. 26, 2009 | GA | SB 31 | Energy Rate Increases to Finance Nuclear Power Plant Construction | Bill Passed - House (107 - 66) |
| Feb. 25, 2009 | VA | SB 1035 | Allowing Guns in Alcohol-Serving Establishments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
| Feb. 25, 2009 | MT | HB 418 | Amendments Regarding Horse Slaughterhouses | Bill Passed - House (66 - 33) |
| Feb. 25, 2009 | IN | HB 1207 | Required Nutritional Information on Restaurant Menus | Bill Passed - House (51 - 46) |
| Feb. 25, 2009 | AR | HB 1464 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - House (67 - 27) |
| Feb. 25, 2009 | CO | HB 1001 | Tax Credit for Job Creation | Bill Passed - House (52 - 13) |
| Feb. 24, 2009 | SC | Amdt 5 | Prohibiting Employment Termination Due to Abortion Waiting Period | Amendment Rejected - House (54 - 60) |
| Feb. 24, 2009 | VA | SB 1035 | Allowing Guns in Alcohol-Serving Establishments | Bill Passed - House (66 - 33) |
| Feb. 24, 2009 | IN | HB 1379 | Unemployment Benefit Amendments | Bill Passed - House (55 - 41) |
| Feb. 24, 2009 | NV | IP 1 | Lodging Tax | Bill Passed - House (35 - 7) |
| Feb. 24, 2009 | CO | HB 1260 | Designated Beneficiary Agreements Between Unmarried Adults | Bill Passed - House (41 - 24) |
| Feb. 23, 2009 | MT | HB 394 | Prohibits the Use of Individual Prescription Information for Marketing | Motion Rejected - House (50 - 50) |
| Feb. 23, 2009 | SD | HB 1240 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (43 - 27) |
| Feb. 21, 2009 | MT | SB 387 | Restrictions on Appeals for Energy Project Permits | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23) |
| Feb. 19, 2009 | VA | SB 1105 | Prohibiting Smoking in Restaurants | Conference Report Adopted - House (60 - 39) |
| Feb. 19, 2009 | VA | SB 1105 | Prohibiting Smoking in Restaurants | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 13) |
| Feb. 19, 2009 | ND | HB 1213 | Prohibiting Smoking in Bars and Hotels | Bill Failed - House (33 - 59) |
| Feb. 19, 2009 | IA | HF 333 | Wage Standards for Public Project Workers | Bill Failed - House (49 - 49) |
| Feb. 19, 2009 | KS | SB 160 | Increasing Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 7) |
| Feb. 18, 2009 | OK | HB 1602 | Attorney Fee Limits | Bill Passed - House (54 - 46) |
| Feb. 18, 2009 | NH | HB 103 | Laid Off Employees Payment Time-Frame | Bill Passed - House (194 - 164) |
| Feb. 18, 2009 | IA | HF 311 | Health Insurance Coverage for Prosthetics | Bill Passed - House (64 - 33) |
| Feb. 18, 2009 | WY | HB 67 | Taxing Moist Snuff Tobacco Based on Weight | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| Feb. 17, 2009 | ND | HB 1255 | Corporate Tax Rate Reduction | Bill Passed - House (57 - 36) |
| Feb. 17, 2009 | ND | HB 1268 | Sales Tax Exemption on Clothing Purchases | Bill Passed - House (66 - 26) |
| Feb. 17, 2009 | OK | HB 1410 | State Purchasing Authority Amendments | Bill Passed - House (61 - 37) |
| Feb. 17, 2009 | KS | SB 25 | Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13) |
| Feb. 17, 2009 | IN | HB 1213 | Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (70 - 26) |
| Feb. 16, 2009 | IA | SF 137 | Wage Discrimination Policy and Penalties | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/10 | IP 1 | Lodging Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 5) |
| 3/10 | HB 952 | Amending Unionization Requirements | Bill Passed - House (37 - 9) |
| 3/09 | HB 1240 | Smoking Ban | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (46 - 23) |
| 3/09 | HB 1709 | Payday Lending Regulations | Bill Passed - House (84 - 10) |
| 3/06 | HJR 8 | Mandating Secret Ballots | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
| 3/05 | HB 2014 | Allowing Coal Power Plants | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
| 3/05 | S 1119 | Allowing Public Utility Assistance Programs | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 18) |
| 3/04 | HB 1240 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| 3/04 | HB 1332 | Increased Regulation of Pet Breeders | Bill Passed - House (74 - 26) |
| 3/04 | HB 644 | Gasoline Tax Increase | Bill Passed - House (190 - 162) |
| 3/04 | HB 1329 | Child Care Center Unionization | Bill Passed - House (65 - 31) |
| 3/04 | HJR 8 | Mandating Secret Ballots | Bill Passed - House (53 - 22) |
| 3/04 | SB 29 | Authorizing Corporate Water Systems to Refuse Fluoridation | Bill Passed - House (60 - 11) |
| 3/04 | SB 318 | Repeal of the Grocery Sales Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 8) |
| 3/03 | SB 9 | Transferable Tax Credit for Film Production | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10) |
| 3/03 | HB 6 | Transferable Tax Credit for Film Production | Bill Passed - House (83 - 14) |
| 3/03 | SB 29 | Authorizing Corporate Water Systems to Refuse Fluoridation | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11) |
| 3/03 | HB 373 | Higher Alcohol Content Limit for Beer | Bill Passed - House (49 - 37) |
| 3/02 | SB 278 | Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 9) |
| 2/27 | HB 89 | Requiring Insurance Coverage of Prosthetic Devices | Bill Passed - House (46 - 27) |
| 2/27 | HB 2014 | Allowing Coal Power Plants | Bill Passed - House (79 - 44) |
| 2/26 | SB 31 | Energy Rate Increases to Finance Nuclear Power Plant Construction | Bill Passed - House (107 - 66) |
| 2/25 | SB 1035 | Allowing Guns in Alcohol-Serving Establishments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
| 2/25 | HB 418 | Amendments Regarding Horse Slaughterhouses | Bill Passed - House (66 - 33) |
| 2/25 | HB 1207 | Required Nutritional Information on Restaurant Menus | Bill Passed - House (51 - 46) |
| 2/25 | HB 1464 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - House (67 - 27) |
| 2/25 | HB 1001 | Tax Credit for Job Creation | Bill Passed - House (52 - 13) |
| 2/24 | Amdt 5 | Prohibiting Employment Termination Due to Abortion Waiting Period | Amendment Rejected - House (54 - 60) |
| 2/24 | SB 1035 | Allowing Guns in Alcohol-Serving Establishments | Bill Passed - House (66 - 33) |
| 2/24 | HB 1379 | Unemployment Benefit Amendments | Bill Passed - House (55 - 41) |
| 2/24 | IP 1 | Lodging Tax | Bill Passed - House (35 - 7) |
| 2/24 | HB 1260 | Designated Beneficiary Agreements Between Unmarried Adults | Bill Passed - House (41 - 24) |
| 2/23 | HB 394 | Prohibits the Use of Individual Prescription Information for Marketing | Motion Rejected - House (50 - 50) |
| 2/23 | HB 1240 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (43 - 27) |
| 2/21 | SB 387 | Restrictions on Appeals for Energy Project Permits | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23) |
| 2/19 | SB 1105 | Prohibiting Smoking in Restaurants | Conference Report Adopted - House (60 - 39) |
| 2/19 | SB 1105 | Prohibiting Smoking in Restaurants | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 13) |
| 2/19 | HB 1213 | Prohibiting Smoking in Bars and Hotels | Bill Failed - House (33 - 59) |
| 2/19 | HF 333 | Wage Standards for Public Project Workers | Bill Failed - House (49 - 49) |
| 2/19 | SB 160 | Increasing Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 7) |
| 2/18 | HB 1602 | Attorney Fee Limits | Bill Passed - House (54 - 46) |
| 2/18 | HB 103 | Laid Off Employees Payment Time-Frame | Bill Passed - House (194 - 164) |
| 2/18 | HF 311 | Health Insurance Coverage for Prosthetics | Bill Passed - House (64 - 33) |
| 2/18 | HB 67 | Taxing Moist Snuff Tobacco Based on Weight | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| 2/17 | HB 1255 | Corporate Tax Rate Reduction | Bill Passed - House (57 - 36) |
| 2/17 | HB 1268 | Sales Tax Exemption on Clothing Purchases | Bill Passed - House (66 - 26) |
| 2/17 | HB 1410 | State Purchasing Authority Amendments | Bill Passed - House (61 - 37) |
| 2/17 | SB 25 | Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13) |
| 2/17 | HB 1213 | Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (70 - 26) |
| 2/16 | SF 137 | Wage Discrimination Policy and Penalties | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |