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 18, 2010 | IL | SB 615 | Local Food, Farms and Jobs Act | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 16) |
| March 17, 2010 | IA | SF 2380 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
| March 17, 2010 | KS | SB 447 | Home Child Care Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13) |
| March 10, 2010 | SD | SB 169 | Insurance Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| March 10, 2010 | SC | H 3305 | Requiring Secret Ballot Elections | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 9) |
| March 10, 2010 | OK | SB 1891 | Allowing Health Services Employees to Refuse Participation in Abortion and Other Procedures | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 11) |
| March 9, 2010 | SD | HB 1231 | Prescription Drug Registry | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 5) |
| March 9, 2010 | OK | SB 1973 | Worker's Compensation Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 18) |
| March 9, 2010 | UT | SB 47 | Energy Management Program | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 7) |
| March 8, 2010 | IA | HF 788 | Prohibiting Liquor Licensees from Permitting Criminal Activity Adjacent to Their Premises | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17) |
| March 5, 2010 | CO | HB 1001 | Increases Renewable Energy Standards | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| March 4, 2010 | IN | HB 1065 | Authorizing Firearms at Workplace | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 9) |
| March 3, 2010 | WY | SF 27 | Establishing a Process for Citizen Complaints Relating to Government Competition | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 5) |
| March 2, 2010 | WY | HB 93 | Increasing Penalties for Workplace Safety Violations | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 15) |
| March 1, 2010 | IN | SB 75 | Legalizing Alcohol Sales on Election Day | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 17) |
| Feb. 24, 2010 | National | HR 2847 | Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations and Tax Credits ("Senate Jobs Bill") | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (70 - 28) |
| Feb. 18, 2010 | CA | ABx8 8 | Internet Sales Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| Feb. 17, 2010 | NM | HB 12 | Health Insurer Service Reimbursement | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 16) |
| Feb. 16, 2010 | VA | SB 464 | Requiring Insurance Coverage of Autism Disorder | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 13) |
| Feb. 16, 2010 | VA | SB 660 | Internet Sales Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12) |
| Feb. 16, 2010 | VA | SB 334 | Authorizing Concealed Handguns in Establishments that Serve Alcohol | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| Feb. 12, 2010 | NM | SB 40 | Authorizing Concealed Weapons in Restaurants that Serve Alcohol | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 15) |
| Feb. 10, 2010 | SC | H 3272 | Property Tax Law Amendments | Bill Failed - Senate (28 - 13) |
| Feb. 10, 2010 | CO | HB 1199 | Temporary Limit on Income Tax Reduction for Net Operating Loss | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| Feb. 10, 2010 | CO | HB 1189 | Repealing Sales Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 15) |
| Feb. 10, 2010 | CO | HB 1191 | Repealing Sales Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| Feb. 10, 2010 | CO | HB 1193 | Internet Sales Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| Feb. 10, 2010 | CO | HB 1192 | Repealing Sales Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| Feb. 10, 2010 | CO | HB 1194 | Repealing Sales Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| Feb. 10, 2010 | CO | HB 1190 | Suspending Sales Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16) |
| Jan. 28, 2010 | National | PN 959 | Ben S. Bernanke, Federal Reserve Chairman | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (70 - 30) |
| Jan. 28, 2010 | TN | SB 1092 | Prohibiting Non-Elected Boards from Requiring Nutrition Information on Menus | Veto Override Passed - Senate (24 - 7) |
| Jan. 12, 2010 | IL | HB 1188 | Increasing Cemetery Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 24) |
| Jan. 12, 2010 | IN | SB 23 | Unemployment Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17) |
| Jan. 11, 2010 | NJ | S 2905 | Requiring Chain Restaurants to Post Nutrition Information | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/18 | SB 615 | Local Food, Farms and Jobs Act | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 16) |
| 3/17 | SF 2380 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
| 3/17 | SB 447 | Home Child Care Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13) |
| 3/10 | SB 169 | Insurance Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| 3/10 | H 3305 | Requiring Secret Ballot Elections | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 9) |
| 3/10 | SB 1891 | Allowing Health Services Employees to Refuse Participation in Abortion and Other Procedures | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 11) |
| 3/09 | HB 1231 | Prescription Drug Registry | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 5) |
| 3/09 | SB 1973 | Worker's Compensation Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 18) |
| 3/09 | SB 47 | Energy Management Program | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 7) |
| 3/08 | HF 788 | Prohibiting Liquor Licensees from Permitting Criminal Activity Adjacent to Their Premises | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17) |
| 3/05 | HB 1001 | Increases Renewable Energy Standards | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 3/04 | HB 1065 | Authorizing Firearms at Workplace | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 9) |
| 3/03 | SF 27 | Establishing a Process for Citizen Complaints Relating to Government Competition | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 5) |
| 3/02 | HB 93 | Increasing Penalties for Workplace Safety Violations | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 15) |
| 3/01 | SB 75 | Legalizing Alcohol Sales on Election Day | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 17) |
| 2/24 | HR 2847 | Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations and Tax Credits ("Senate Jobs Bill") | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (70 - 28) |
| 2/18 | ABx8 8 | Internet Sales Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| 2/17 | HB 12 | Health Insurer Service Reimbursement | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 16) |
| 2/16 | SB 464 | Requiring Insurance Coverage of Autism Disorder | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 13) |
| 2/16 | SB 660 | Internet Sales Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12) |
| 2/16 | SB 334 | Authorizing Concealed Handguns in Establishments that Serve Alcohol | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| 2/12 | SB 40 | Authorizing Concealed Weapons in Restaurants that Serve Alcohol | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 15) |
| 2/10 | H 3272 | Property Tax Law Amendments | Bill Failed - Senate (28 - 13) |
| 2/10 | HB 1199 | Temporary Limit on Income Tax Reduction for Net Operating Loss | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| 2/10 | HB 1189 | Repealing Sales Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 15) |
| 2/10 | HB 1191 | Repealing Sales Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| 2/10 | HB 1193 | Internet Sales Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| 2/10 | HB 1192 | Repealing Sales Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| 2/10 | HB 1194 | Repealing Sales Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| 2/10 | HB 1190 | Suspending Sales Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16) |
| 1/28 | PN 959 | Ben S. Bernanke, Federal Reserve Chairman | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (70 - 30) |
| 1/28 | SB 1092 | Prohibiting Non-Elected Boards from Requiring Nutrition Information on Menus | Veto Override Passed - Senate (24 - 7) |
| 1/12 | HB 1188 | Increasing Cemetery Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 24) |
| 1/12 | SB 23 | Unemployment Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17) |
| 1/11 | S 2905 | Requiring Chain Restaurants to Post Nutrition Information | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |