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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 24, 2009 | WA | SB 5768 | Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Project | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (39 - 9) |
| April 23, 2009 | CA | SB 789 | Amending Unionization Requirements for Agricultural Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| April 22, 2009 | NC | SB 287 | State Health Plan Changes and Appropriations | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 19) |
| April 21, 2009 | ID | H 262 | Teacher Compensation Adjustments | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| April 20, 2009 | MN | Permitting Slot Machines at Race Tracks | Amendment Rejected - Senate (25 - 41) | |
| April 17, 2009 | MN | Limit of 3 Percent on Tuition Increases | Amendment Rejected - Senate (32 - 33) | |
| April 17, 2009 | NV | SB 372 | Smoking Ban Exceptions | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5) |
| April 17, 2009 | MN | SF 971 | School Anti-Bullying Policy Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 22) |
| April 17, 2009 | MN | SF 2083 | 2009-2011 Biennium Higher Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 23) |
| April 17, 2009 | MN | SF 2083 | 2009-2011 Biennium Higher Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 23) |
| April 16, 2009 | MN | Limmer Amdt | Homosexuality in Education | Amendment Rejected - Senate (24 - 37) |
| April 16, 2009 | WA | HB 2261 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| April 16, 2009 | MO | SB 306 | State Health Care Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7) |
| April 15, 2009 | IN | HB 1607 | West Lake Commuter Rail Project | Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 7) |
| April 15, 2009 | TX | SB 1049 | Increasing Age Restriction on Tobacco Purchases | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5) |
| April 15, 2009 | IN | HB 1604 | Authorizing Local Tax Increases to Fund Sports and Convention Facilities | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17) |
| April 14, 2009 | MO | HB 10 | 2009-10 Health Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| April 14, 2009 | TX | SB 855 | Authorizing County Taxes and Fees to Fund Transportation Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| April 13, 2009 | MD | SB 278 | Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (36 - 9) |
| April 8, 2009 | ME | LD 67 | Prohibiting Smoking at State Park Beaches | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| April 7, 2009 | MN | SF 1328 | 2009-2011 Biennium Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 29) |
| April 7, 2009 | ID | S 1186 | Highway Project Financing | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 6) |
| April 6, 2009 | CO | SB 170 | Expanding In-State Tuition Eligibility | Motion Rejected - Senate (16 - 18) |
| April 6, 2009 | ND | HB 1171 | Home School Deregulation | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| April 6, 2009 | MN | SF 10 | Sharing Services For Schools Districts | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 33) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/24 | SB 5768 | Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Project | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (39 - 9) |
| 4/23 | SB 789 | Amending Unionization Requirements for Agricultural Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| 4/22 | SB 287 | State Health Plan Changes and Appropriations | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 19) |
| 4/21 | H 262 | Teacher Compensation Adjustments | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| 4/20 | Permitting Slot Machines at Race Tracks | Amendment Rejected - Senate (25 - 41) | |
| 4/17 | Limit of 3 Percent on Tuition Increases | Amendment Rejected - Senate (32 - 33) | |
| 4/17 | SB 372 | Smoking Ban Exceptions | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5) |
| 4/17 | SF 971 | School Anti-Bullying Policy Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 22) |
| 4/17 | SF 2083 | 2009-2011 Biennium Higher Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 23) |
| 4/17 | SF 2083 | 2009-2011 Biennium Higher Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 23) |
| 4/16 | Limmer Amdt | Homosexuality in Education | Amendment Rejected - Senate (24 - 37) |
| 4/16 | HB 2261 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| 4/16 | SB 306 | State Health Care Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7) |
| 4/15 | HB 1607 | West Lake Commuter Rail Project | Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 7) |
| 4/15 | SB 1049 | Increasing Age Restriction on Tobacco Purchases | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5) |
| 4/15 | HB 1604 | Authorizing Local Tax Increases to Fund Sports and Convention Facilities | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17) |
| 4/14 | HB 10 | 2009-10 Health Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| 4/14 | SB 855 | Authorizing County Taxes and Fees to Fund Transportation Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| 4/13 | SB 278 | Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (36 - 9) |
| 4/08 | LD 67 | Prohibiting Smoking at State Park Beaches | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| 4/07 | SF 1328 | 2009-2011 Biennium Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 29) |
| 4/07 | S 1186 | Highway Project Financing | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 6) |
| 4/06 | SB 170 | Expanding In-State Tuition Eligibility | Motion Rejected - Senate (16 - 18) |
| 4/06 | HB 1171 | Home School Deregulation | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| 4/06 | SF 10 | Sharing Services For Schools Districts | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 33) |