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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 25, 2010 | KY | SB 178 | Closed-Session School Superintendent Evaluations | Bill Passed - House (67 - 29) |
| March 25, 2010 | IL | SB 2494 | Funding for School Vouchers | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 20) |
| March 24, 2010 | MD | SB 778 | Prohibits Public Schools from Sending Vocational Test Scores to Military Recruiters | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 23) |
| March 24, 2010 | OH | SB 150 | County Sheriff Assistance with Federal Immigration Law Enforcement | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| March 24, 2010 | FL | SB 6 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| March 24, 2010 | OH | SB 35 | State Enforcement of Federal Immigration Law | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11) |
| March 24, 2010 | IL | SB 3267 | Elder Financial Exploitation | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
| March 23, 2010 | MD | SB 279 | Prohibits False Claims Against State Health Plans and Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 8) |
| March 23, 2010 | KY | HB 239 | School Principal Selection Process Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| March 22, 2010 | WA | HB 2782 | Limiting Disability Benefits | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (57 - 40) |
| March 22, 2010 | WA | HB 2782 | Limiting Disability Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 16) |
| March 22, 2010 | NJ | S 799 | Adopted Individuals' Access to Birth Certificates | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10) |
| March 22, 2010 | IL | HB 4886 | Authorizing 4-Day School Week | Bill Passed - House (81 - 21) |
| March 22, 2010 | AZ | SB 1309 | Expanding Parental Consent Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
| March 18, 2010 | IA | HF 2518 | Retirement Contribution Rate Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 16) |
| March 18, 2010 | IL | HB 5428 | Limiting Adoption Records Disclosure Restrictions for Adoptees | Bill Passed - House (74 - 39) |
| March 18, 2010 | IL | SB 615 | Local Food, Farms and Jobs Act | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 16) |
| March 17, 2010 | GA | HB 982 | Amending Wage Garnishment Procedures for Late Taxpayers | Bill Passed - House (95 - 68) |
| March 17, 2010 | IA | HF 2518 | Retirement Contribution Rate Amendments | Bill Passed - House (53 - 43) |
| March 17, 2010 | KS | SB 447 | Home Child Care Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13) |
| March 16, 2010 | AZ | HCR 2001 | Repealing Early Childhood Development and Health Program | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 13) |
| March 16, 2010 | CO | SB 87 | Increasing Lobbyist Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
| March 16, 2010 | NY | A 7575 | Prohibiting Domestic Violence Offenders from Possessing Firearms | Bill Passed - House (89 - 53) |
| March 11, 2010 | MN | HF 2700 | Omnibus Bonding and Budget Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - House (89 - 44) |
| March 11, 2010 | MN | HF 2700 | Omnibus Bonding and Budget Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (49 - 17) |
| March 11, 2010 | IA | SF 2357 | Prohibiting Firearm Possession by Domestic Violence Perpetrators | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (36 - 12) |
| March 11, 2010 | UT | SB 251 | Requiring Businesses Utilize Federal E-Verify Program | Bill Passed - House (46 - 24) |
| March 11, 2010 | AZ | HCR 2001 | Repealing Early Childhood Development and Health Program | Joint Resolution Passed - House (31 - 28) |
| March 10, 2010 | SC | H 3305 | Requiring Secret Ballot Elections | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (106 - 12) |
| March 10, 2010 | SC | H 3305 | Requiring Secret Ballot Elections | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 9) |
| March 10, 2010 | IA | SF 2357 | Prohibiting Firearm Possession by Domestic Violence Perpetrators | Bill Passed - House (73 - 25) |
| March 10, 2010 | National | HR 4213 | Extending Unemployment Benefits and Certain Tax Credits | Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 36) |
| March 10, 2010 | IA | Amdt 8381 | Free Self Defense Courses for Domestic Violence Victims | Amendment Rejected - House (44 - 53) |
| March 9, 2010 | VA | SB 66 | Prohibiting Sexual Orientation Discrimination in State Government Employment | Motion Agreed - House (55 - 42) |
| March 9, 2010 | VA | SB 66 | Prohibiting Sexual Orientation Discrimination in State Government Employment | Motion Agreed - House (55 - 42) |
| March 9, 2010 | OK | SB 1973 | Worker's Compensation Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 18) |
| March 8, 2010 | SD | SB 18 | Restrictions on Retirement for Rehired Public Employees | Bill Passed - House (55 - 13) |
| March 8, 2010 | UT | SB 44 | Extending CHIP and Medicaid Coverage to Children of Documented Immigrants | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 14) |
| March 8, 2010 | UT | SB 44 | Extending CHIP and Medicaid Coverage to Children of Documented Immigrants | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 14) |
| March 5, 2010 | MD | SB 248 | Increasing Civil Court Case Surcharges | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 11) |
| March 4, 2010 | SD | Cooper Nomination | John L. Cooper, Game, Fish and Parks Commission | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (22 - 12) |
| March 3, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3353 | Payment to Social Security Recipients | Motion Rejected - Senate (47 - 50) |
| March 3, 2010 | WY | SF 61 | Establishing Health Care Demonstration Project | Bill Passed - House (42 - 16) |
| March 3, 2010 | WY | SF 61 | Establishing Health Care Demonstration Project | Bill Passed - House (42 - 16) |
| March 3, 2010 | CO | HB 1147 | Requiring Bicycle Helmets for Minors | Bill Passed - House (33 - 32) |
| March 3, 2010 | IL | HB 4685 | Eliminating General Assembly Scholarship Program | Bill Passed - House (80 - 36) |
| March 2, 2010 | WY | HB 93 | Increasing Penalties for Workplace Safety Violations | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 15) |
| March 2, 2010 | NY | A 5710 | Prohibiting Gender Identity Discrimination | Bill Passed - House (100 - 43) |
| March 1, 2010 | UT | SB 43 | Retirement System Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 8) |
| March 1, 2010 | UT | SB 43 | Retirement System Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 8) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/25 | SB 178 | Closed-Session School Superintendent Evaluations | Bill Passed - House (67 - 29) |
| 3/25 | SB 2494 | Funding for School Vouchers | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 20) |
| 3/24 | SB 778 | Prohibits Public Schools from Sending Vocational Test Scores to Military Recruiters | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 23) |
| 3/24 | SB 150 | County Sheriff Assistance with Federal Immigration Law Enforcement | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| 3/24 | SB 6 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| 3/24 | SB 35 | State Enforcement of Federal Immigration Law | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11) |
| 3/24 | SB 3267 | Elder Financial Exploitation | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
| 3/23 | SB 279 | Prohibits False Claims Against State Health Plans and Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 8) |
| 3/23 | HB 239 | School Principal Selection Process Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| 3/22 | HB 2782 | Limiting Disability Benefits | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (57 - 40) |
| 3/22 | HB 2782 | Limiting Disability Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 16) |
| 3/22 | S 799 | Adopted Individuals' Access to Birth Certificates | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10) |
| 3/22 | HB 4886 | Authorizing 4-Day School Week | Bill Passed - House (81 - 21) |
| 3/22 | SB 1309 | Expanding Parental Consent Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
| 3/18 | HF 2518 | Retirement Contribution Rate Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 16) |
| 3/18 | HB 5428 | Limiting Adoption Records Disclosure Restrictions for Adoptees | Bill Passed - House (74 - 39) |
| 3/18 | SB 615 | Local Food, Farms and Jobs Act | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 16) |
| 3/17 | HB 982 | Amending Wage Garnishment Procedures for Late Taxpayers | Bill Passed - House (95 - 68) |
| 3/17 | HF 2518 | Retirement Contribution Rate Amendments | Bill Passed - House (53 - 43) |
| 3/17 | SB 447 | Home Child Care Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13) |
| 3/16 | HCR 2001 | Repealing Early Childhood Development and Health Program | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 13) |
| 3/16 | SB 87 | Increasing Lobbyist Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
| 3/16 | A 7575 | Prohibiting Domestic Violence Offenders from Possessing Firearms | Bill Passed - House (89 - 53) |
| 3/11 | HF 2700 | Omnibus Bonding and Budget Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - House (89 - 44) |
| 3/11 | HF 2700 | Omnibus Bonding and Budget Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (49 - 17) |
| 3/11 | SF 2357 | Prohibiting Firearm Possession by Domestic Violence Perpetrators | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (36 - 12) |
| 3/11 | SB 251 | Requiring Businesses Utilize Federal E-Verify Program | Bill Passed - House (46 - 24) |
| 3/11 | HCR 2001 | Repealing Early Childhood Development and Health Program | Joint Resolution Passed - House (31 - 28) |
| 3/10 | H 3305 | Requiring Secret Ballot Elections | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (106 - 12) |
| 3/10 | H 3305 | Requiring Secret Ballot Elections | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 9) |
| 3/10 | SF 2357 | Prohibiting Firearm Possession by Domestic Violence Perpetrators | Bill Passed - House (73 - 25) |
| 3/10 | HR 4213 | Extending Unemployment Benefits and Certain Tax Credits | Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 36) |
| 3/10 | Amdt 8381 | Free Self Defense Courses for Domestic Violence Victims | Amendment Rejected - House (44 - 53) |
| 3/09 | SB 66 | Prohibiting Sexual Orientation Discrimination in State Government Employment | Motion Agreed - House (55 - 42) |
| 3/09 | SB 66 | Prohibiting Sexual Orientation Discrimination in State Government Employment | Motion Agreed - House (55 - 42) |
| 3/09 | SB 1973 | Worker's Compensation Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 18) |
| 3/08 | SB 18 | Restrictions on Retirement for Rehired Public Employees | Bill Passed - House (55 - 13) |
| 3/08 | SB 44 | Extending CHIP and Medicaid Coverage to Children of Documented Immigrants | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 14) |
| 3/08 | SB 44 | Extending CHIP and Medicaid Coverage to Children of Documented Immigrants | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 14) |
| 3/05 | SB 248 | Increasing Civil Court Case Surcharges | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 11) |
| 3/04 | Cooper Nomination | John L. Cooper, Game, Fish and Parks Commission | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (22 - 12) |
| 3/03 | S Amdt 3353 | Payment to Social Security Recipients | Motion Rejected - Senate (47 - 50) |
| 3/03 | SF 61 | Establishing Health Care Demonstration Project | Bill Passed - House (42 - 16) |
| 3/03 | SF 61 | Establishing Health Care Demonstration Project | Bill Passed - House (42 - 16) |
| 3/03 | HB 1147 | Requiring Bicycle Helmets for Minors | Bill Passed - House (33 - 32) |
| 3/03 | HB 4685 | Eliminating General Assembly Scholarship Program | Bill Passed - House (80 - 36) |
| 3/02 | HB 93 | Increasing Penalties for Workplace Safety Violations | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 15) |
| 3/02 | A 5710 | Prohibiting Gender Identity Discrimination | Bill Passed - House (100 - 43) |
| 3/01 | SB 43 | Retirement System Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 8) |
| 3/01 | SB 43 | Retirement System Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 8) |