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. 20, 2009 | NE | LB 85 | Bond Revenue to Fund Streets and Bridges | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 10) |
| Feb. 19, 2009 | CA | SBx3 1 | 2009-2010 Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 12) |
| Feb. 19, 2009 | CA | ABx3 3 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 12) |
| Feb. 19, 2009 | CA | SBx3 7 | Transportation Financing Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 12) |
| Feb. 18, 2009 | SD | HB 1171 | Exemptions from School District Minimum Size Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12) |
| Feb. 18, 2009 | WY | HB 67 | Taxing Moist Snuff Tobacco Based on Weight | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| Feb. 18, 2009 | WI | SB 62 | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| Feb. 17, 2009 | SD | SB 106 | School Funding Formula Revision | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| Feb. 13, 2009 | ND | SB 2184 | Repeals Auto Rebate Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 6) |
| Feb. 13, 2009 | KY | HB 144 | Alcohol and Tobacco Sales Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12) |
| Feb. 12, 2009 | OR | HB 2157 | Severing the Federal and State Income Tax Connection | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13) |
| Feb. 12, 2009 | KS | SB 23 | 2008-2009, 2009-2010, and 2010-2011Budget Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 11) |
| Feb. 12, 2009 | AR | HB 1204 | Tobacco Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7) |
| Feb. 9, 2009 | ND | SB 2238 | Higher Education Tuition Increase Limits | Bill Failed - Senate (21 - 22) |
| Feb. 9, 2009 | IN | SJR 1 | Constitutional Property Tax Cap | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (34 - 16) |
| Feb. 6, 2009 | GA | HB 143 | Property Tax Grant Appropriation Authorization | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 24) |
| Feb. 6, 2009 | GA | SB 83 | Expanding Homestead Property Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 14) |
| Feb. 5, 2009 | CO | SB 108 | Increasing Vehicle Fees to Fund Transportation Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| Feb. 4, 2009 | VA | SB 1473 | Department of Forestry Land Use Permits | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
| Feb. 3, 2009 | NY | A 163-A | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 29) |
| Feb. 3, 2009 | NY | S 249-A | Budget Financing | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 29) |
| Feb. 2, 2009 | UT | SB 4 | 2008-2009 Education Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5) |
| Jan. 30, 2009 | AZ | SB 1001 | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 12) |
| Jan. 29, 2009 | MS | HB 364 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 7) |
| Jan. 29, 2009 | KS | SB 23 | 2008-2009, 2009-2010, and 2010-2011 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 14) |
| Jan. 28, 2009 | OR | SB 5562 | Authorizing Bonds for Public-Works Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| Jan. 28, 2009 | OR | SB 338 | Authorizing Bonds for Public-Works Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| Jan. 27, 2009 | IA | SF 44 | Expediting Local-Option Tax Approval in Disaster Areas | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
| Jan. 15, 2009 | CT | HB 5095 | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12) |
| Jan. 14, 2009 | FL | SB 2-A | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 13) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/20 | LB 85 | Bond Revenue to Fund Streets and Bridges | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 10) |
| 2/19 | SBx3 1 | 2009-2010 Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 12) |
| 2/19 | ABx3 3 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 12) |
| 2/19 | SBx3 7 | Transportation Financing Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 12) |
| 2/18 | HB 1171 | Exemptions from School District Minimum Size Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12) |
| 2/18 | HB 67 | Taxing Moist Snuff Tobacco Based on Weight | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| 2/18 | SB 62 | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| 2/17 | SB 106 | School Funding Formula Revision | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| 2/13 | SB 2184 | Repeals Auto Rebate Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 6) |
| 2/13 | HB 144 | Alcohol and Tobacco Sales Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12) |
| 2/12 | HB 2157 | Severing the Federal and State Income Tax Connection | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13) |
| 2/12 | SB 23 | 2008-2009, 2009-2010, and 2010-2011Budget Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 11) |
| 2/12 | HB 1204 | Tobacco Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7) |
| 2/09 | SB 2238 | Higher Education Tuition Increase Limits | Bill Failed - Senate (21 - 22) |
| 2/09 | SJR 1 | Constitutional Property Tax Cap | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (34 - 16) |
| 2/06 | HB 143 | Property Tax Grant Appropriation Authorization | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 24) |
| 2/06 | SB 83 | Expanding Homestead Property Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 14) |
| 2/05 | SB 108 | Increasing Vehicle Fees to Fund Transportation Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| 2/04 | SB 1473 | Department of Forestry Land Use Permits | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
| 2/03 | A 163-A | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 29) |
| 2/03 | S 249-A | Budget Financing | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 29) |
| 2/02 | SB 4 | 2008-2009 Education Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5) |
| 1/30 | SB 1001 | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 12) |
| 1/29 | HB 364 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 7) |
| 1/29 | SB 23 | 2008-2009, 2009-2010, and 2010-2011 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 14) |
| 1/28 | SB 5562 | Authorizing Bonds for Public-Works Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| 1/28 | SB 338 | Authorizing Bonds for Public-Works Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| 1/27 | SF 44 | Expediting Local-Option Tax Approval in Disaster Areas | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
| 1/15 | HB 5095 | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12) |
| 1/14 | SB 2-A | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 13) |