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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 20, 2010 | LA | HB 519 | Limiting "Retire-Rehire" Benefits in Public Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (71 - 19) |
| June 20, 2010 | LA | HB 519 | Limiting "Retire-Rehire" Benefits in Public Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (71 - 19) |
| June 17, 2010 | MI | SJR V | Expanding Prohibitions Against Felons Holding Public Office | Joint Resolution Passed - House (91 - 13) |
| June 17, 2010 | MI | SJR V | Expanding Prohibitions Against Felons Holding Public Office | Joint Resolution Passed - House (91 - 13) |
| June 16, 2010 | LA | HB 303 | Authorizing Home School Student Athletic Participation | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (82 - 13) |
| June 16, 2010 | LA | HB 1339 | Increasing Driving Restrictions on Class E License Holders | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| June 16, 2010 | PA | HB 2497 | Amends State Employee Pension System | Bill Passed - House (192 - 6) |
| June 16, 2010 | PA | HB 2497 | Amends State Employee Pension System | Bill Passed - House (192 - 6) |
| June 15, 2010 | NY | S 3890 | Divorce Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 29) |
| June 14, 2010 | LA | HB 303 | Authorizing Home School Student Athletic Participation | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| June 9, 2010 | TN | HB 670 | Requiring Correctional Facilities to Determine Immigration Status of Inmates | Conference Report Adopted - House (57 - 30) |
| June 9, 2010 | TN | HB 670 | Requiring Correctional Facilities to Determine Immigration Status of Inmates | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (24 - 7) |
| June 9, 2010 | NH | Amdt 2408 | Insurance Premium Amendments | Amendment Rejected - House (130 - 220) |
| June 9, 2010 | NH | Amdt 2408 | Insurance Premium Amendments | Amendment Rejected - House (130 - 220) |
| June 9, 2010 | LA | HCR 57 | Requesting Constitutional Convention for Presidential Line-Item Veto | Resolution Passed - House (77 - 12) |
| June 9, 2010 | LA | HCR 65 | Requesting Constitutional Convention for Debt Reduction Requirements | Resolution Passed - House (74 - 19) |
| June 9, 2010 | LA | HCR 67 | Requesting Constitutional Convention for Limiting Congressional Authority | Resolution Passed - House (59 - 32) |
| June 9, 2010 | LA | HCR 69 | Requesting Constitutional Convention for Limiting Congressional Authority | Resolution Passed - House (57 - 29) |
| June 9, 2010 | LA | HCR 62 | Requesting Constitutional Convention for Congressional Taxation Requirements | Resolution Passed - House (68 - 21) |
| June 9, 2010 | LA | HCR 68 | Requesting Constitutional Convention for a Balanced Budget Amendment | Resolution Passed - House (69 - 21) |
| June 9, 2010 | LA | HCR 59 | Requesting Constitutional Convention for Congressional Legislation Restrictions | Resolution Passed - House (76 - 13) |
| June 9, 2010 | LA | HCR 64 | Requesting Constitutional Convention for Limiting Congressional Authority | Resolution Passed - House (52 - 32) |
| June 9, 2010 | LA | HCR 66 | Requesting Constitutional Convention for Federal Budget Restrictions | Resolution Passed - House (74 - 21) |
| June 9, 2010 | LA | HCR 63 | Requesting Constitutional Convention for Congressional Term Limits | Resolution Passed - House (56 - 29) |
| June 8, 2010 | PA | HB 1502 | Verification of Employee Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (188 - 6) |
| June 8, 2010 | PA | HB 1502 | Verification of Employee Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (188 - 6) |
| June 7, 2010 | LA | SB 731 | Authorizing Attorney General Contingency Fee Contracts. | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| June 7, 2010 | LA | SB 731 | Authorizing Attorney General Contingency Fee Contracts. | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| June 4, 2010 | TN | HJR 1253 | Resolution Recognizing Arizona Statehood and New Immigration Policy | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (18 - 7) |
| June 3, 2010 | OH | Wachtmann Amdt | Authorizes Funding for the Workers' Compensation Council | Amendment Tabled - House (53 - 44) |
| June 3, 2010 | LA | SB 593 | Governor's Office Records | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 24) |
| June 3, 2010 | CA | SB 1121 | Overtime Wages for Agricultural Workers | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| June 2, 2010 | OH | SB 210 | Establishing Health and Nutrition Standards in Schools | Bill Passed - House (77 - 21) |
| June 2, 2010 | CA | AB 1825 | Requiring Inclusion of Maternity Services in Health Coverage | Bill Passed - House (48 - 25) |
| June 1, 2010 | NY | S 2311D | Labor Standards for Domestic Workers | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 28) |
| May 28, 2010 | National | HR 5136 | 2010-2011 Defense Appropriation Authorizations | Bill Passed - House (229 - 186) |
| May 28, 2010 | National | HR 5136 | 2010-2011 Defense Appropriation Authorizations | Bill Passed - House (229 - 186) |
| May 28, 2010 | National | HR 4213 | Unemployment Benefits Extension and Tax Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (215 - 204) |
| May 27, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4204 | Requiring Afghanistan Troop Redeployment Plan and Timetable | Amendment Rejected - Senate (18 - 80) |
| May 27, 2010 | National | H Amdt 672 | Repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" After Military Review and Certification | Amendment Adopted - House (234 - 194) |
| May 27, 2010 | National | H Amdt 672 | Repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" After Military Review and Certification | Amendment Adopted - House (234 - 194) |
| May 27, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4214 | National Guard Deployment on Southern U.S. Land Border | Motion Rejected - Senate (51 - 46) |
| May 27, 2010 | IL | SB 3658 | Temporary Sales Tax Holiday | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (42 - 8) |
| May 27, 2010 | National | HR 4899 | Fiscal Year 2009-2010 Supplemental Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (67 - 28) |
| May 27, 2010 | LA | HB 1033 | Evaluation and Assessment Programs | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (68 - 23) |
| May 27, 2010 | IL | SB 3660 | Emergency Budget Act of Fiscal Year 2011 | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 23) |
| May 27, 2010 | CA | SB 1255 | Restrictions on Beverages Sold In Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11) |
| May 27, 2010 | OH | HJR 15 | Apportionment of State Legislative Districts | Bill Passed - House (69 - 28) |
| May 26, 2010 | LA | HB 1033 | Evaluation and Assessment Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 17) |
| May 26, 2010 | LA | Amdt 4002 | Requires Department of Education Employees Evaluation | Amendment Adopted - Senate (20 - 19) |
| May 26, 2010 | LA | Amdt 4002 | Requires Department of Education Employees Evaluation | Amendment Adopted - Senate (20 - 19) |
| May 26, 2010 | MA | H 4703 | Sentencing Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (139 - 17) |
| May 26, 2010 | OH | HB 473 | Prohibits Inappropriate Pictures of Minors | Bill Passed - House (86 - 12) |
| May 25, 2010 | OH | Collins-Taylor | Nomination of Cathy Collin-Taylor as Director of the Department of Public Safety | Nomination Rejected - Senate (15 - 18) |
| May 25, 2010 | IL | SB 3514 | Amending State Pension Laws and Limiting Pension Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (71 - 44) |
| May 25, 2010 | IL | SB 3514 | Amending State Pension Laws and Limiting Pension Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (71 - 44) |
| May 25, 2010 | IL | SB 3660 | Emergency Budget Act of Fiscal Year 2011 | Bill Passed - House (67 - 50) |
| May 25, 2010 | LA | SB 293 | Establishes and Implements an Agency Attrition Analysis Process | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| May 24, 2010 | TN | HJR 1253 | Resolution Recognizing Arizona Statehood and New Immigration Policy | Joint Resolution Passed - House (67 - 27) |
| May 24, 2010 | OK | HJR 1056 | Prohibits Use of International and Sharia Law in State Courts | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 2) |
| May 24, 2010 | LA | HB 1390 | Limiting Legislative Per Diem Pay | Bill Failed - House (51 - 31) |
| May 20, 2010 | LA | HB 1443 | Establishing Requirements for Contracts entered into by the Department of Health and Hospitals | Bill Passed - House (64 - 27) |
| May 18, 2010 | OK | HJR 1056 | Prohibits Use of International and Sharia Law in State Courts | Conference Report Adopted - House (82 - 10) |
| May 18, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4072 | Inspector General Appointment Modification | Amendment Adopted - Senate (75 - 21) |
| May 18, 2010 | OH | SB 210 | Establishing Health and Nutrition Standards in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 7) |
| May 17, 2010 | NY | S 7846 | Emergency Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (92 - 50) |
| May 17, 2010 | LA | HB 1478 | Unpaid holidays for state employees | Bill Failed - House (23 - 68) |
| May 17, 2010 | NY | S 7846 | Emergency Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 29) |
| May 13, 2010 | LA | HB 554 | Prohibiting Release on Own Recognizance for Domestic Abuse Suspects | Bill Passed - House (63 - 20) |
| May 13, 2010 | CA | AB 1756 | Food Stamps for Drug Felons | Bill Passed - House (44 - 31) |
| May 12, 2010 | CO | HB 1409 | State Employee Compensation Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (35 - 27) |
| May 12, 2010 | CO | HB 1360 | Parole Violation Punishment Reduction | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (43 - 18) |
| May 12, 2010 | MN | SF 341 | Domestic Partner Death Rights | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (41 - 24) |
| May 12, 2010 | MN | SF 341 | Domestic Partner Death Rights | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (41 - 24) |
| May 12, 2010 | CO | SB 191 | Education Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |