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. 10, 2009 | NJ | S 2905 | Requiring Chain Restaurants to Post Nutrition Information | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
| Nov. 18, 2009 | WV | SB 4004 | Gasoline Tax Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 2) |
| Oct. 9, 2009 | PA | HB 1614 | Fiscal Code Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 14) |
| Oct. 6, 2009 | National | S Amdt 2588 | Prohibiting Federal Funding of Mandatory Arbitration Contracts | Amendment Adopted - Senate (68 - 30) |
| Sept. 22, 2009 | WI | AB 119 | Requiring Kindergarten for First Grade Enrollment | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15) |
| Sept. 12, 2009 | CA | SB 14 | Renewable Energy Requirements | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| Sept. 9, 2009 | CA | AB 98 | Required Maternity Services Coverage | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| Sept. 8, 2009 | CA | AB 524 | Privacy Law Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15) |
| Sept. 8, 2009 | CA | AB 2 | Health Care Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
| Sept. 1, 2009 | CA | AB 119 | Prohibiting Gender-Based Health Insurance Pricing | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
| Aug. 7, 2009 | NC | SB 943 | Expanding Production Company Tax Credit | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 18) |
| July 24, 2009 | CA | ABX4 23 | Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Revisions: Oil Drilling | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
| July 20, 2009 | CT | HB 6582 | Healthcare Partnership | Veto Override Failed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| July 20, 2009 | CT | HB 6600 | SustiNet Health Insurance Plan | Veto Override Passed - Senate (24 - 12) |
| July 20, 2009 | NC | HB 1289 | Lottery Sales Ban at Check Cashing Sites | Motion Rejected - Senate (20 - 23) |
| July 15, 2009 | NC | HB 1595 | Malt Beverage Special Permit | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 11) |
| July 13, 2009 | CA | SB 670 | Ban on Suction and Dredge Mining | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 7) |
| June 30, 2009 | DE | HB 210 | Liquor License Fee | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 3) |
| June 30, 2009 | DE | HB 211 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 6) |
| June 26, 2009 | OR | HB 2472 | Renewable Energy Tax Credit Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (28 - 2) |
| June 25, 2009 | NJ | A 3372 | Wages in Board of Public Utilities Construction Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| June 24, 2009 | NC | SB 943 | Expanding Production Company Tax Credit | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 17) |
| June 23, 2009 | LA | SB 136 | Allowing Alcohol and Live Entertainment in Restaurants | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 14) |
| June 23, 2009 | OR | HB 3300 | Promoting Green Jobs | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 7) |
| June 22, 2009 | OR | SB 76 | Klamath River Dams | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (19 - 9) |
| June 22, 2009 | LA | HB 877 | Bluebonnet-Perkins Conference Hotel Taxing District | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 17) |
| June 19, 2009 | OR | SB 676 | Legalizing the Production of Industrial Hemp | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 2) |
| June 16, 2009 | LA | HB 782 | Wireless Phone Card Fees | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6) |
| June 16, 2009 | AZ | SB 1113 | Handguns in Restaurants | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10) |
| June 15, 2009 | OR | HB 2672 | Increasing Moist Snuff Tobacco Tax and Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| June 12, 2009 | OR | HB 3298 | Creating a Water Management Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 12) |
| June 11, 2009 | ME | LD 1259 | Menu Labeling | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14) |
| June 11, 2009 | OR | HB 3405 | Corporate Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11) |
| June 11, 2009 | LA | SB 136 | Allowing Alcohol and Live Entertainment in Restaurants | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| June 9, 2009 | WI | SB 107 | Electronics Sale and Disposal Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| June 4, 2009 | TN | HB 962 | Authorizing Guns in Restaurants that Serve Alcohol | Veto Override Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| June 3, 2009 | OR | HB 2067 | Expiration Dates for Tax Credits | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 9) |
| June 3, 2009 | OR | HB 2794 | Mandatory HPV Vaccination Coverage | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 6) |
| June 3, 2009 | PA | SB 81 | Liquor Tastings and Liquor Code Updates | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 13) |
| June 3, 2009 | NY | S 2020 | SUNY Buffalo Education Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 17) |
| June 2, 2009 | CA | SB 484 | Ephedrine and Pseudoephedrine Prescription Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| June 1, 2009 | OR | HB 2726 | Nutrition Labeling on Menus | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 7) |
| May 30, 2009 | IL | HB 174 | Income Tax Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 27) |
| May 30, 2009 | CT | HB 6582 | Healthcare Partnership | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| May 30, 2009 | CT | HB 6600 | SustiNet Health Insurance Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| May 29, 2009 | OR | HB 2001 | Transit and Gas Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 6) |
| May 28, 2009 | LA | SB 186 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| May 27, 2009 | MI | SB 585 | Cobo Convention Center | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 16) |
| May 27, 2009 | MI | SB 587 | Cobo Convention Center | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 16) |
| May 27, 2009 | RI | S 659 | Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12/10 | S 2905 | Requiring Chain Restaurants to Post Nutrition Information | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
| 11/18 | SB 4004 | Gasoline Tax Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 2) |
| 10/09 | HB 1614 | Fiscal Code Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 14) |
| 10/06 | S Amdt 2588 | Prohibiting Federal Funding of Mandatory Arbitration Contracts | Amendment Adopted - Senate (68 - 30) |
| 9/22 | AB 119 | Requiring Kindergarten for First Grade Enrollment | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15) |
| 9/12 | SB 14 | Renewable Energy Requirements | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| 9/09 | AB 98 | Required Maternity Services Coverage | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| 9/08 | AB 524 | Privacy Law Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15) |
| 9/08 | AB 2 | Health Care Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
| 9/01 | AB 119 | Prohibiting Gender-Based Health Insurance Pricing | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
| 8/07 | SB 943 | Expanding Production Company Tax Credit | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 18) |
| 7/24 | ABX4 23 | Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Revisions: Oil Drilling | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
| 7/20 | HB 6582 | Healthcare Partnership | Veto Override Failed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 7/20 | HB 6600 | SustiNet Health Insurance Plan | Veto Override Passed - Senate (24 - 12) |
| 7/20 | HB 1289 | Lottery Sales Ban at Check Cashing Sites | Motion Rejected - Senate (20 - 23) |
| 7/15 | HB 1595 | Malt Beverage Special Permit | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 11) |
| 7/13 | SB 670 | Ban on Suction and Dredge Mining | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 7) |
| 6/30 | HB 210 | Liquor License Fee | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 3) |
| 6/30 | HB 211 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 6) |
| 6/26 | HB 2472 | Renewable Energy Tax Credit Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (28 - 2) |
| 6/25 | A 3372 | Wages in Board of Public Utilities Construction Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| 6/24 | SB 943 | Expanding Production Company Tax Credit | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 17) |
| 6/23 | SB 136 | Allowing Alcohol and Live Entertainment in Restaurants | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 14) |
| 6/23 | HB 3300 | Promoting Green Jobs | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 7) |
| 6/22 | SB 76 | Klamath River Dams | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (19 - 9) |
| 6/22 | HB 877 | Bluebonnet-Perkins Conference Hotel Taxing District | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 17) |
| 6/19 | SB 676 | Legalizing the Production of Industrial Hemp | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 2) |
| 6/16 | HB 782 | Wireless Phone Card Fees | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6) |
| 6/16 | SB 1113 | Handguns in Restaurants | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10) |
| 6/15 | HB 2672 | Increasing Moist Snuff Tobacco Tax and Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| 6/12 | HB 3298 | Creating a Water Management Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 12) |
| 6/11 | LD 1259 | Menu Labeling | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14) |
| 6/11 | HB 3405 | Corporate Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11) |
| 6/11 | SB 136 | Allowing Alcohol and Live Entertainment in Restaurants | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 6/09 | SB 107 | Electronics Sale and Disposal Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| 6/04 | HB 962 | Authorizing Guns in Restaurants that Serve Alcohol | Veto Override Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| 6/03 | HB 2067 | Expiration Dates for Tax Credits | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 9) |
| 6/03 | HB 2794 | Mandatory HPV Vaccination Coverage | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 6) |
| 6/03 | SB 81 | Liquor Tastings and Liquor Code Updates | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 13) |
| 6/03 | S 2020 | SUNY Buffalo Education Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 17) |
| 6/02 | SB 484 | Ephedrine and Pseudoephedrine Prescription Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| 6/01 | HB 2726 | Nutrition Labeling on Menus | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 7) |
| 5/30 | HB 174 | Income Tax Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 27) |
| 5/30 | HB 6582 | Healthcare Partnership | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| 5/30 | HB 6600 | SustiNet Health Insurance Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 5/29 | HB 2001 | Transit and Gas Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 6) |
| 5/28 | SB 186 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| 5/27 | SB 585 | Cobo Convention Center | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 16) |
| 5/27 | SB 587 | Cobo Convention Center | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 16) |
| 5/27 | S 659 | Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |