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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 10, 2010 | LA | HB 1033 | Evaluation and Assessment Programs | Bill Passed - House (68 - 26) |
| May 6, 2010 | IL | SB 3658 | Temporary Sales Tax Holiday | Bill Passed - House (65 - 51) |
| May 5, 2010 | CT | HJ 106 | Nomination of Laura Flynn Baldini to Judge of the Superior Court | Nomination Confirmed - House (110 - 40) |
| May 4, 2010 | LA | HCR 144 | Response to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Rig | Motion Agreed - House (60 - 32) |
| May 4, 2010 | CT | HB 5423 | Classroom Experiments and Dissections on Animals | Bill Passed - House (81 - 67) |
| April 30, 2010 | CO | HB 1408 | Criteria for Judicial Determinations of Congressional Districts | Bill Passed - House (35 - 28) |
| April 29, 2010 | MO | HB 2011 | 2010-2011 Department of Social Services Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (93 - 63) |
| April 29, 2010 | HI | HB 444 | Legalizing Same-Sex Civil Unions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (31 - 20) |
| April 29, 2010 | IL | SJR 121 | Redistricting Process Modifications | Bill Failed - House (69 - 47) |
| April 28, 2010 | MO | HB 2010 | 2010-2011 Department of Mental Health and Department of Health and Senior Serices Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (85 - 70) |
| April 28, 2010 | HI | HB 2377 | Board of Education Selection Advisory Council | Conference Report Adopted - House (40 - 11) |
| April 28, 2010 | MA | Sánchez Amdt | Sending Public Benefits Amendment to Study | Amendment Adopted - House (83 - 75) |
| April 28, 2010 | MA | Sánchez Amdt | Sending Public Benefits Amendment to Study | Amendment Adopted - House (83 - 75) |
| April 28, 2010 | LA | HB 617 | Expanding Drug Testing Requirements for Welfare Recipients | Bill Passed - House (61 - 27) |
| April 28, 2010 | LA | HB 1259 | Prohibiting "Cyber-Bullying" | Bill Passed - House (78 - 16) |
| April 27, 2010 | National | HR 5146 | Prohibiting 2010- 2011 Congressional Cost-of-Living Pay Increase | Bill Passed - House (402 - 15) |
| April 27, 2010 | HI | HB 2376 | Requiring Board of Education Members be Appointed | Conference Report Adopted - House (44 - 7) |
| April 27, 2010 | IL | SB 615 | Local Food, Farms and Jobs Act | Bill Passed - House (73 - 41) |
| April 27, 2010 | LA | HB 251 | Superintendent of Education Qualifications | Bill Passed - House (75 - 16) |
| April 27, 2010 | CT | HB 5246 | Domestic Violence Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (125 - 19) |
| April 22, 2010 | CA | Maldonado Nomination | Abel Maldonado, Lieutenant Governor | (53 - 21) |
| April 22, 2010 | WI | SB 437 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (50 - 47) |
| April 21, 2010 | AZ | SCR 1013 | Replacing Secretary of State with Lieutenant Governor | Bill Passed - House (51 - 9) |
| April 21, 2010 | VA | Amdt 28 | Reducing Funding for Comprehensive Services for At Risk Youth and Families | Amendment Rejected - House (25 - 69) |
| April 21, 2010 | VA | Amdt 28 | Reducing Funding for Comprehensive Services for At Risk Youth and Families | Amendment Rejected - House (25 - 69) |
| April 20, 2010 | WI | SB 484 | BadgerCare Plus Basic Health Plan | Bill Passed - House (50 - 47) |
| April 20, 2010 | WI | Amdt 1 | Expelling Representative Jeffery Wood | Amendment Tabled - House (49 - 48) |
| April 20, 2010 | WI | Amdt 6 | Censuring Representative Jeffery Wood | Amendment Adopted - House (73 - 24) |
| April 19, 2010 | FL | HB 7223 | HMO Plans for Medicaid Coverage | Bill Passed - House (80 - 34) |
| April 19, 2010 | LA | HB 224 | Withholding Pension Benefits from Incarcerated Public Employees | Bill Failed - House (42 - 56) |
| April 17, 2010 | AK | SJR 21 | State Legislature Expansion | Bill Passed - House (31 - 8) |
| April 15, 2010 | National | HR 4851 | Unemployment Benefits Extension | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (289 - 112) |
| April 15, 2010 | WI | AB 106 | Authorizing Sale of Alcohol to 18-20 Year-Olds Under Parental or Spousal Supervision | Bill Passed - House (56 - 41) |
| April 14, 2010 | GA | HB 1055 | Tax Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (107 - 63) |
| April 14, 2010 | LA | HB 292 | Open Primaries for Congressional Elections | Bill Passed - House (71 - 27) |
| April 13, 2010 | AZ | SB 1070 | Expanding Undocumented Immigration Enforcement | Bill Passed - House (35 - 21) |
| April 12, 2010 | MD | HB 465 | Establishes Collective Bargaining Procedures for Certain Child Care Providers | Conference Report Adopted - House (100 - 39) |
| April 12, 2010 | MD | SB 789 | Requires Shift Breaks for Certain Employees | Bill Passed - House (94 - 45) |
| April 10, 2010 | MD | SB 778 | Prohibits Public Schools from Sending Vocational Test Scores to Military Recruiters | Bill Passed - House (95 - 42) |
| April 9, 2010 | MD | SB 279 | Prohibits False Claims Against State Health Plans and Programs | Bill Passed - House (105 - 33) |
| April 9, 2010 | MD | SB 590 | Establishes a Public School Labor Relations Board | Bill Passed - House (103 - 35) |
| April 9, 2010 | FL | SB 6 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (64 - 55) |
| April 2, 2010 | WA | SB 6503 | State Employee Furlough Plan | Bill Passed - House (50 - 38) |
| March 30, 2010 | KS | HB 2115 | Late-Term/Partial Birth Abortion Reporting Requirements | Conference Report Adopted - House (83 - 36) |
| March 30, 2010 | AZ | HCR 2038 | Limiting Governor's Line Item Veto Authority | Joint Resolution Passed - House (34 - 24) |
| March 29, 2010 | IA | SF 2389 | Iowa Jobs II Program and Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (52 - 47) |
| March 27, 2010 | MS | SB 2293 | Allowing "Under-Performing" Schools to Become Charter Schools | Conference Report Adopted - House (85 - 31) |
| March 26, 2010 | ME | LD 1552 | Repealing Maine Tree Growth Program Eligibility for Use of "Bonded Laborers" | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (70 - 68) |
| March 26, 2010 | IL | HB 5109 | Prohibiting Public Funding of Portraits of Governors Removed From Office | Bill Passed - House (85 - 23) |
| March 26, 2010 | GA | HB 236 | Review Process for the Operations of State Entities | Bill Failed - House (77 - 81) |
| March 25, 2010 | KY | SB 178 | Closed-Session School Superintendent Evaluations | Bill Passed - House (67 - 29) |
| March 22, 2010 | WA | HB 2782 | Limiting Disability Benefits | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (57 - 40) |
| March 22, 2010 | IL | HB 4886 | Authorizing 4-Day School Week | Bill Passed - House (81 - 21) |
| March 18, 2010 | IL | HB 5428 | Limiting Adoption Records Disclosure Restrictions for Adoptees | Bill Passed - House (74 - 39) |
| March 17, 2010 | IA | HF 2518 | Retirement Contribution Rate Amendments | Bill Passed - House (53 - 43) |
| March 17, 2010 | GA | HB 982 | Amending Wage Garnishment Procedures for Late Taxpayers | Bill Passed - House (95 - 68) |
| 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 | 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 | IA | SF 2357 | Prohibiting Firearm Possession by Domestic Violence Perpetrators | Bill Passed - House (73 - 25) |
| 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 8, 2010 | SD | SB 18 | Restrictions on Retirement for Rehired Public Employees | Bill Passed - House (55 - 13) |
| 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 | NY | A 5710 | Prohibiting Gender Identity Discrimination | Bill Passed - House (100 - 43) |
| March 1, 2010 | MN | SF 2168 | General Assistance Medical Care Program Modifications | Veto Override Failed - House (86 - 47) |
| March 1, 2010 | SD | SB 63 | Pilot Charter School | Bill Passed - House (49 - 20) |
| Feb. 26, 2010 | UT | SB 43 | Retirement System Amendments | Bill Passed - House (55 - 20) |
| Feb. 26, 2010 | UT | SB 43 | Retirement System Amendments | Bill Passed - House (55 - 20) |
| Feb. 26, 2010 | UT | SB 63 | Retirement System Amendments | Bill Passed - House (46 - 26) |
| Feb. 26, 2010 | UT | SB 63 | Retirement System Amendments | Bill Passed - House (46 - 26) |
| Feb. 26, 2010 | WY | SF 72 | Increasing State Employee Contribution to State Retirement System | Bill Passed - House (37 - 21) |
| Feb. 26, 2010 | WY | SF 72 | Increasing State Employee Contribution to State Retirement System | Bill Passed - House (37 - 21) |
| Feb. 25, 2010 | WI | AB 35 | Complaint Process for Race-Based Names, Logos and Mascots of Schools | Bill Passed - House (51 - 42) |
| Feb. 24, 2010 | IN | SB 23 | Unemployment Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (82 - 17) |
| Feb. 24, 2010 | UT | SB 55 | Authorizing Higher Education Institutions to Authorize Charter Schools | Bill Passed - House (43 - 27) |
| Feb. 24, 2010 | UT | HB 227 | Lawful Presence Documentation Requirement for Business Licensing | Bill Passed - House (38 - 36) |
| Feb. 24, 2010 | IL | HB 4654 | Limiting Free Mass Transit for Seniors | Bill Passed - House (83 - 27) |
| Feb. 24, 2010 | IL | HB 4654 | Limiting Free Mass Transit for Seniors | Bill Passed - House (83 - 27) |
| Feb. 24, 2010 | WV | HB 4292 | Changes in Required Magistrate Qualifications | Bill Passed - House (61 - 37) |
| Feb. 22, 2010 | WY | HB 93 | Increasing Penalties for Workplace Safety Violations | Bill Passed - House (54 - 3) |
| Feb. 18, 2010 | NM | SB 112 | Authorizing Severance Tax Bonds and Allocating Proceeds | Bill Passed - House (37 - 31) |
| Feb. 17, 2010 | NM | SB 148 | Excluding Gender for Health Insurance Deliberation | Bill Passed - House (50 - 17) |
| Feb. 17, 2010 | NM | SB 26 | Establishing the Domestic Violence Commission | Bill Passed - House (33 - 22) |
| Feb. 17, 2010 | NH | CACR 28 | Constitutional Amendment to Define Marriage | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (201 - 135) |
| Feb. 17, 2010 | NH | HB 1590 | Repealing Same-Sex Marriage | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (210 - 109) |
| Feb. 17, 2010 | UT | HB 113 | Child Safety Seat Law Amendments | Bill Failed - House (24 - 47) |
| Feb. 16, 2010 | NM | SB 216 | Repeal "Guilty but Mentally Ill" Plea | Bill Passed - House (40 - 21) |
| Feb. 16, 2010 | CO | SB 1 | Public Employee Retirement Association Amendments | Bill Passed - House (36 - 29) |
| Feb. 16, 2010 | CO | SB 1 | Public Employee Retirement Association Amendments | Bill Passed - House (36 - 29) |
| Feb. 16, 2010 | CO | SB 1 | Public Employee Retirement Association Amendments | Bill Passed - House (36 - 29) |
| Feb. 15, 2010 | WA | HB 2793 | Legalizing Paid Surrogacy | Bill Passed - House (59 - 39) |
| Feb. 15, 2010 | WA | HB 2793 | Legalizing Paid Surrogacy | Bill Passed - House (59 - 39) |
| Feb. 11, 2010 | CA | Maldonado Nomination | Abel Maldonado, Lieutenant Governor | (37 - 36) |