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
Feb. 13, 2009 UT SB 48 Amending Requirements for Obtaining Teaching Licenses Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10)
Feb. 13, 2009 ND SB 2184 Repeals Auto Rebate Tax Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 6)
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. 11, 2009 GA SB 31 Energy Rate Increases to Finance Nuclear Power Plant Construction Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 16)
Feb. 10, 2009 KY SB 3 Allowing Early High School Graduation Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12)
Feb. 9, 2009 SD SJR 1 Authorization of Legal Gaming due to Gaming in Bordering States Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
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 ND SB 2330 Prohibiting the Use of Credit Information By Insurers Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 29)
Feb. 6, 2009 WY SF 18 Expanding Workers Compensation Coverage to Include Mental Injury Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
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 MT SB 237 Primary Seatbelt Enforcement Bill Failed - Senate (25 - 25)
Feb. 5, 2009 VA SB 1161 Classifying a Seat Belt Violation as a Primary Offense Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15)
Feb. 5, 2009 CO SB 108 Increasing Vehicle Fees to Fund Transportation Projects Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16)
Feb. 3, 2009 National S Amdt 109 Hollywood Productions Tax Credit Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 45)
Feb. 3, 2009 VA SB 1105 Prohibiting Smoking in Bars and Restaurants Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13)
Feb. 3, 2009 SD SB 83 Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 18)
Feb. 3, 2009 SD SB 79 Primary Seat Belt Enforcement Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
Feb. 2, 2009 ND SB 2070 Ban on Smoking in Cars with Children Passengers Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 10)
Feb. 2, 2009 UT SB 4 2008-2009 Education Budget Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5)
Feb. 2, 2009 MT SB 81 Board of Public Education Elections Bill Failed - Senate (21 - 29)
Feb. 2, 2009 MT SB 80 Board of Regents Elections Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 30)
Jan. 30, 2009 ND SB 2087 Secrecy in Public University Hiring Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 15)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/13 SB 48 Amending Requirements for Obtaining Teaching Licenses Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10)
2/13 SB 2184 Repeals Auto Rebate Tax Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 6)
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)
2/11 SB 31 Energy Rate Increases to Finance Nuclear Power Plant Construction Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 16)
2/10 SB 3 Allowing Early High School Graduation Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12)
2/09 SJR 1 Authorization of Legal Gaming due to Gaming in Bordering States Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
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 SB 2330 Prohibiting the Use of Credit Information By Insurers Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 29)
2/06 SF 18 Expanding Workers Compensation Coverage to Include Mental Injury Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
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 237 Primary Seatbelt Enforcement Bill Failed - Senate (25 - 25)
2/05 SB 1161 Classifying a Seat Belt Violation as a Primary Offense Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15)
2/05 SB 108 Increasing Vehicle Fees to Fund Transportation Projects Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16)
2/03 S Amdt 109 Hollywood Productions Tax Credit Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 45)
2/03 SB 1105 Prohibiting Smoking in Bars and Restaurants Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13)
2/03 SB 83 Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 18)
2/03 SB 79 Primary Seat Belt Enforcement Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
2/02 SB 2070 Ban on Smoking in Cars with Children Passengers Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 10)
2/02 SB 4 2008-2009 Education Budget Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5)
2/02 SB 81 Board of Public Education Elections Bill Failed - Senate (21 - 29)
2/02 SB 80 Board of Regents Elections Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 30)
1/30 SB 2087 Secrecy in Public University Hiring Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 15)

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