Key Votes

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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:

  1. The vote should be helpful in portraying how a member stands on a particular issue
  2. The vote should be clear for any person to understand
  3. The vote has received media attention
  4. The vote was passed or defeated by a very close margin
  5. Occasionally, if a specific bill is consistently inquired about on the Voter's Research Hotline, the vote will be added

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.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Oct. 28, 2009 NH HB 648 Medical Marijuana Legalization Veto Override Failed - Senate (14 - 10)
Oct. 28, 2009 NH HB 648 Medical Marijuana Legalization Veto Override Passed - House (240 - 115)
Oct. 22, 2009 National HR 2647 2009-2010 Defense Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (68 - 29)
Oct. 20, 2009 National HR 2892 2009-2010 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Authorizations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (79 - 19)
Oct. 15, 2009 National HR 2892 2009-2010 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Authorizations Conference Report Adopted - House (307 - 114)
Oct. 8, 2009 National HR 2647 2009-2010 Defense Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - House (281 - 146)
Oct. 8, 2009 MI HB 4447 2009-2010 Education Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 13)
Oct. 8, 2009 MI HB 4447 2009-2010 Education Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (66 - 42)
Oct. 8, 2009 National HR 2997 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agency Appropriations Fiscal Year 2009-2010 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (76 - 22)
Oct. 8, 2009 MA SB 2028 Pandemic and Disaster Preparedness Plan Bill Passed - House (114 - 36)
Oct. 7, 2009 PA HB 1531 Tax Law Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (102 - 96)
Oct. 7, 2009 National HR 2997 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agency Appropriations Fiscal Year 2009-2010 Conference Report Adopted - House (263 - 162)
Oct. 6, 2009 PA HB 1531 Tax Law Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 14)
Oct. 6, 2009 MI HB 5386 Physician Services Tax Bill Passed - House (56 - 52)
Oct. 2, 2009 PA HB 1531 Tax Law Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (103 - 98)
Oct. 1, 2009 National S Amdt 2575 U.S. Military Commanders to Testify Before Congress Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 59)
Sept. 24, 2009 CT HB 7002 2009-2011 Biennium Budget Financing Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
Sept. 24, 2009 CT HB 7002 2009-2011 Biennium Budget Financing Bill Passed - House (106 - 34)
Sept. 22, 2009 WI AB 119 Requiring Kindergarten for First Grade Enrollment Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15)
Sept. 16, 2009 WI SB 185 State Regulation of Wind Energy Systems Bill Passed - House (65 - 31)
Sept. 16, 2009 WI AB 119 Requiring Kindergarten for First Grade Enrollment Bill Passed - House (53 - 44)
Sept. 12, 2009 CA SB 14 Renewable Energy Requirements Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
Sept. 12, 2009 CA SB 14 Renewable Energy Requirements Bill Passed - House (49 - 28)
Sept. 11, 2009 CA SB 19 Eliminating Prohibition on Utilizing CALTIDES Data to Evaluate Teachers Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 7)
Sept. 11, 2009 CA SB 19 Eliminating Prohibition on Utilizing CALTIDES Data to Evaluate Teachers Bill Passed - House (53 - 20)
Date No. Title Outcome
10/28 HB 648 Medical Marijuana Legalization Veto Override Failed - Senate (14 - 10)
10/28 HB 648 Medical Marijuana Legalization Veto Override Passed - House (240 - 115)
10/22 HR 2647 2009-2010 Defense Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (68 - 29)
10/20 HR 2892 2009-2010 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Authorizations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (79 - 19)
10/15 HR 2892 2009-2010 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Authorizations Conference Report Adopted - House (307 - 114)
10/08 HR 2647 2009-2010 Defense Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - House (281 - 146)
10/08 HB 4447 2009-2010 Education Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 13)
10/08 HB 4447 2009-2010 Education Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (66 - 42)
10/08 HR 2997 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agency Appropriations Fiscal Year 2009-2010 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (76 - 22)
10/08 SB 2028 Pandemic and Disaster Preparedness Plan Bill Passed - House (114 - 36)
10/07 HB 1531 Tax Law Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (102 - 96)
10/07 HR 2997 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agency Appropriations Fiscal Year 2009-2010 Conference Report Adopted - House (263 - 162)
10/06 HB 1531 Tax Law Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 14)
10/06 HB 5386 Physician Services Tax Bill Passed - House (56 - 52)
10/02 HB 1531 Tax Law Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (103 - 98)
10/01 S Amdt 2575 U.S. Military Commanders to Testify Before Congress Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 59)
9/24 HB 7002 2009-2011 Biennium Budget Financing Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
9/24 HB 7002 2009-2011 Biennium Budget Financing Bill Passed - House (106 - 34)
9/22 AB 119 Requiring Kindergarten for First Grade Enrollment Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15)
9/16 SB 185 State Regulation of Wind Energy Systems Bill Passed - House (65 - 31)
9/16 AB 119 Requiring Kindergarten for First Grade Enrollment Bill Passed - House (53 - 44)
9/12 SB 14 Renewable Energy Requirements Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
9/12 SB 14 Renewable Energy Requirements Bill Passed - House (49 - 28)
9/11 SB 19 Eliminating Prohibition on Utilizing CALTIDES Data to Evaluate Teachers Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 7)
9/11 SB 19 Eliminating Prohibition on Utilizing CALTIDES Data to Evaluate Teachers Bill Passed - House (53 - 20)

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