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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 4, 2009 | RI | H 5336 | Coastal Resources Management Council | Bill Passed - House (60 - 8) |
| June 3, 2009 | TN | HB 962 | Authorizing Guns in Restaurants that Serve Alcohol | Veto Override Passed - House (69 - 27) |
| June 2, 2009 | WV | HB 105 | Liquor License Bidding | Bill Passed - House (71 - 27) |
| June 1, 2009 | CA | AB 920 | Solar Power Energy Credit | Bill Passed - House (51 - 26) |
| June 1, 2009 | CT | SB 1080 | Calorie Information on Menus | Bill Passed - House (89 - 60) |
| May 31, 2009 | IL | SB 2252 | Temporary Income Tax Increase and Tax Credit for Green Businesses | Bill Failed - House (42 - 74) |
| May 29, 2009 | OR | SB 786 | Workplace Religious Discrimination | Bill Passed - House (38 - 21) |
| May 28, 2009 | CT | HB 6187 | Requiring Paid Sick Leave | Bill Passed - House (88 - 58) |
| May 27, 2009 | IL | SB 1682 | Pre-need Funeral Funds Amendments | Bill Passed - House (71 - 30) |
| May 27, 2009 | OR | HB 2001 | Transit and Gas Tax Increase | Bill Passed - House (38 - 22) |
| May 26, 2009 | MI | HB 4377 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (73 - 31) |
| May 21, 2009 | NJ | A 1645 | Requiring Qualified Purchasing Agents | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 26) |
| May 21, 2009 | LA | HB 705 | Equal Pay for Women | Bill Failed - House (33 - 59) |
| May 21, 2009 | NJ | A 3372 | Wages in Board of Public Utilities Construction Projects | Bill Passed - House (54 - 22) |
| May 20, 2009 | CT | HB 6600 | SustiNet Health Insurance Plan | Bill Passed - House (107 - 35) |
| May 20, 2009 | CT | HB 6582 | Healthcare Partnership | Bill Passed - House (109 - 36) |
| May 20, 2009 | OH | HB 3 | Moratorium on Foreclosures | Bill Passed - House (54 - 43) |
| May 19, 2009 | LA | HB 782 | Wireless Phone Card Fees | Bill Passed - House (79 - 13) |
| May 19, 2009 | RI | H 5769 | Boxing Rule Changes | Bill Passed - House (53 - 13) |
| May 19, 2009 | LA | HB 517 | Health Care Protection | Bill Passed - House (82 - 13) |
| May 15, 2009 | OR | HB 2726 | Nutrition Labeling on Menus | Bill Passed - House (43 - 15) |
| May 14, 2009 | TX | HB 1657 | Contractor Worker's Compensation | Bill Passed - House (73 - 71) |
| May 13, 2009 | ME | LD 290 | Out-of-State Health Insurance | "Ought Not to Pass" Report Adopted - House (82 - 63) |
| May 13, 2009 | WI | SB 181 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (61 - 38) |
| May 12, 2009 | RI | H 5143 | E-Verify Bill | Bill Passed - House (38 - 33) |
| May 12, 2009 | NC | HB 1289 | Lottery Sales Ban at Check Cashing Sites | Bill Passed - House (84 - 29) |
| May 7, 2009 | VT | H 446 | Renewable Energy Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (91 - 49) |
| May 6, 2009 | CO | HB 1366 | Capital Gains Income Tax Reduction Modification | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (37 - 28) |
| May 6, 2009 | VT | H 436 | Nuclear Plant Decommisioning Fund | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (85 - 52) |
| May 6, 2009 | MI | HB 4786 | Part-Time Work Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - House (68 - 39) |
| May 6, 2009 | MI | HB 4785 | Job Training Program Benefits and Security | Bill Passed - House (68 - 39) |
| May 5, 2009 | MN | SF 2081 | 2010-2011 Economic Development Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (74 - 57) |
| May 5, 2009 | CO | HB 1170 | Allowing Locked-Out Employees to Collect Unemployment Benefits | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (36 - 29) |
| May 4, 2009 | CO | SB 244 | Requiring Health Insurance Plans to Cover Autism Treatments | Bill Passed - House (45 - 20) |
| May 4, 2009 | OR | HB 2821 | Employee Vacation Use Amendments | Bill Passed - House (34 - 23) |
| May 4, 2009 | CO | HB 1057 | Mandatory Unpaid Parental Work Leave for Education Activities | Conference Report Adopted - House (39 - 26) |
| May 2, 2009 | ND | SB 2162 | Child Care Background Checks | Conference Report Adopted - House (71 - 20) |
| May 1, 2009 | FL | SB 360 | Growth Management Deregulation | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (78 - 37) |
| May 1, 2009 | FL | HB 1495 | Property Insurance Law Modifications | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (80 - 35) |
| April 30, 2009 | AL | HB 175 | Permitting Elections in Smaller Municipalities on Allowing Alcohol | Veto Override Passed - House (54 - 19) |
| April 30, 2009 | MN | Ending Prohibition on New Nuclear Power Plant Construction | Amendment Rejected - House (60 - 72) | |
| April 30, 2009 | AL | SB 373 | Deregulation of Landline Phone Service Rates | Bill Passed - House (67 - 24) |
| April 29, 2009 | IN | HB 1379 | Unemployment Benefit Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - House (52 - 47) |
| April 29, 2009 | CT | HB 6636 | Clean Energy Fund and Electricity Provider Bill | Bill Passed - House (104 - 38) |
| April 29, 2009 | WI | SB 20 | Discriminatory Pay Compensation | Bill Passed - House (51 - 47) |
| April 29, 2009 | ID | S 1166 | Workers' Compensation Dividend Amendments | Bill Passed - House (50 - 16) |
| April 28, 2009 | MO | Amdt 1 | Allowing Pharmacists to Refuse to Provide "Abortifacients" | Amendment Adopted - House (115 - 43) |
| April 28, 2009 | WI | AB 100 | Restricting Health Insurance Companies' Ability to Exclude Individuals. | Bill Passed - House (61 - 38) |
| April 27, 2009 | FL | HB 1219 | Permitting Offshore Drilling | Bill Passed - House (70 - 43) |
| April 27, 2009 | MA | Sciortino Amdt | Sales Tax Increase | Amendment Adopted - House (108 - 51) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/04 | H 5336 | Coastal Resources Management Council | Bill Passed - House (60 - 8) |
| 6/03 | HB 962 | Authorizing Guns in Restaurants that Serve Alcohol | Veto Override Passed - House (69 - 27) |
| 6/02 | HB 105 | Liquor License Bidding | Bill Passed - House (71 - 27) |
| 6/01 | AB 920 | Solar Power Energy Credit | Bill Passed - House (51 - 26) |
| 6/01 | SB 1080 | Calorie Information on Menus | Bill Passed - House (89 - 60) |
| 5/31 | SB 2252 | Temporary Income Tax Increase and Tax Credit for Green Businesses | Bill Failed - House (42 - 74) |
| 5/29 | SB 786 | Workplace Religious Discrimination | Bill Passed - House (38 - 21) |
| 5/28 | HB 6187 | Requiring Paid Sick Leave | Bill Passed - House (88 - 58) |
| 5/27 | SB 1682 | Pre-need Funeral Funds Amendments | Bill Passed - House (71 - 30) |
| 5/27 | HB 2001 | Transit and Gas Tax Increase | Bill Passed - House (38 - 22) |
| 5/26 | HB 4377 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (73 - 31) |
| 5/21 | A 1645 | Requiring Qualified Purchasing Agents | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 26) |
| 5/21 | HB 705 | Equal Pay for Women | Bill Failed - House (33 - 59) |
| 5/21 | A 3372 | Wages in Board of Public Utilities Construction Projects | Bill Passed - House (54 - 22) |
| 5/20 | HB 6600 | SustiNet Health Insurance Plan | Bill Passed - House (107 - 35) |
| 5/20 | HB 6582 | Healthcare Partnership | Bill Passed - House (109 - 36) |
| 5/20 | HB 3 | Moratorium on Foreclosures | Bill Passed - House (54 - 43) |
| 5/19 | HB 782 | Wireless Phone Card Fees | Bill Passed - House (79 - 13) |
| 5/19 | H 5769 | Boxing Rule Changes | Bill Passed - House (53 - 13) |
| 5/19 | HB 517 | Health Care Protection | Bill Passed - House (82 - 13) |
| 5/15 | HB 2726 | Nutrition Labeling on Menus | Bill Passed - House (43 - 15) |
| 5/14 | HB 1657 | Contractor Worker's Compensation | Bill Passed - House (73 - 71) |
| 5/13 | LD 290 | Out-of-State Health Insurance | "Ought Not to Pass" Report Adopted - House (82 - 63) |
| 5/13 | SB 181 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (61 - 38) |
| 5/12 | H 5143 | E-Verify Bill | Bill Passed - House (38 - 33) |
| 5/12 | HB 1289 | Lottery Sales Ban at Check Cashing Sites | Bill Passed - House (84 - 29) |
| 5/07 | H 446 | Renewable Energy Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (91 - 49) |
| 5/06 | HB 1366 | Capital Gains Income Tax Reduction Modification | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (37 - 28) |
| 5/06 | H 436 | Nuclear Plant Decommisioning Fund | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (85 - 52) |
| 5/06 | HB 4786 | Part-Time Work Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - House (68 - 39) |
| 5/06 | HB 4785 | Job Training Program Benefits and Security | Bill Passed - House (68 - 39) |
| 5/05 | SF 2081 | 2010-2011 Economic Development Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (74 - 57) |
| 5/05 | HB 1170 | Allowing Locked-Out Employees to Collect Unemployment Benefits | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (36 - 29) |
| 5/04 | SB 244 | Requiring Health Insurance Plans to Cover Autism Treatments | Bill Passed - House (45 - 20) |
| 5/04 | HB 2821 | Employee Vacation Use Amendments | Bill Passed - House (34 - 23) |
| 5/04 | HB 1057 | Mandatory Unpaid Parental Work Leave for Education Activities | Conference Report Adopted - House (39 - 26) |
| 5/02 | SB 2162 | Child Care Background Checks | Conference Report Adopted - House (71 - 20) |
| 5/01 | SB 360 | Growth Management Deregulation | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (78 - 37) |
| 5/01 | HB 1495 | Property Insurance Law Modifications | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (80 - 35) |
| 4/30 | HB 175 | Permitting Elections in Smaller Municipalities on Allowing Alcohol | Veto Override Passed - House (54 - 19) |
| 4/30 | Ending Prohibition on New Nuclear Power Plant Construction | Amendment Rejected - House (60 - 72) | |
| 4/30 | SB 373 | Deregulation of Landline Phone Service Rates | Bill Passed - House (67 - 24) |
| 4/29 | HB 1379 | Unemployment Benefit Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - House (52 - 47) |
| 4/29 | HB 6636 | Clean Energy Fund and Electricity Provider Bill | Bill Passed - House (104 - 38) |
| 4/29 | SB 20 | Discriminatory Pay Compensation | Bill Passed - House (51 - 47) |
| 4/29 | S 1166 | Workers' Compensation Dividend Amendments | Bill Passed - House (50 - 16) |
| 4/28 | Amdt 1 | Allowing Pharmacists to Refuse to Provide "Abortifacients" | Amendment Adopted - House (115 - 43) |
| 4/28 | AB 100 | Restricting Health Insurance Companies' Ability to Exclude Individuals. | Bill Passed - House (61 - 38) |
| 4/27 | HB 1219 | Permitting Offshore Drilling | Bill Passed - House (70 - 43) |
| 4/27 | Sciortino Amdt | Sales Tax Increase | Amendment Adopted - House (108 - 51) |