Key Votes

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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:

  1. The vote should be helpful in portraying how a member stands on a particular issue
  2. The vote should be clear for any person to understand
  3. The vote has received media attention
  4. The vote was passed or defeated by a very close margin
  5. Occasionally, if a specific bill is consistently inquired about on the Voter's Research Hotline, the vote will be added

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.


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Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Feb. 16, 2010 VA SB 334 Authorizing Concealed Handguns in Establishments that Serve Alcohol Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18)
Feb. 16, 2010 VA SB 408 Gun Regulation Modifications Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
Feb. 12, 2010 NM SB 40 Authorizing Concealed Weapons in Restaurants that Serve Alcohol Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 15)
Feb. 12, 2010 NM HB 178 Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act Bill Failed - House (33 - 37)
Feb. 12, 2010 NM HB 178 Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act Bill Failed - House (33 - 37)
Feb. 12, 2010 NM SB 254 Eliminating Criminal Conviction Disclosure on State Employment Applications Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 4)
Feb. 12, 2010 NM SB 254 Eliminating Criminal Conviction Disclosure on State Employment Applications Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 4)
Feb. 11, 2010 NM SB 216 Repeal "Guilty but Mentally Ill" Plea Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 19)
Feb. 10, 2010 UT SB 11 Federal Arms Regulation Exemption Bill Passed - House (56 - 17)
Feb. 10, 2010 KY HB 70 Voting Rights For Certain Felons Bill Passed - House (83 - 16)
Feb. 10, 2010 KY HB 70 Voting Rights For Certain Felons Bill Passed - House (83 - 16)
Feb. 10, 2010 WY HB 68 Repealing Campaign Finance Restrictions Bill Failed - House (36 - 22)
Feb. 10, 2010 VA HB 53 Ban on Required Human Microchip Implantation Bill Passed - House (88 - 9)
Feb. 9, 2010 IA HJR 6 Constitutionally Defining Marriage as Between One Man and One Woman Motion Rejected - House (45 - 54)
Feb. 9, 2010 NM HB 10 Prohibiting Hand-Held Cell Phone Use While Driving Bill Passed - House (35 - 30)
Feb. 8, 2010 NM HB 17 Prohibiting Domestic Violence Offenders from Being Peace Officers Bill Passed - House (48 - 19)
Feb. 8, 2010 VA SB 66 Prohibiting Sexual Orientation Discrimination in State Government Employment Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 17)
Feb. 4, 2010 MA H 4466 Expanding Driving Regulations Bill Passed - House (146 - 9)
Feb. 4, 2010 NM SB 26 Establishing the Domestic Violence Commission Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8)
Feb. 4, 2010 KY HB 43 Ban on Texting and Underage Cell Phone Use While Driving Bill Passed - House (80 - 16)
Feb. 4, 2010 GA SB 235 Ban on Required Human Microchip Implantation Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 2)
Feb. 3, 2010 UT SB 11 Federal Arms Regulation Exemption Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10)
Feb. 3, 2010 VA HB 502 Expanding Death Penalty Eligibility to Accomplices Bill Passed - House (74 - 24)
Feb. 3, 2010 VA HB 502 Expanding Death Penalty Eligibility to Accomplices Bill Passed - House (74 - 24)
Feb. 2, 2010 IN HB 1131 Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban Bill Passed - House (73 - 26)
Feb. 1, 2010 OK SB 1685 Regarding Gun Rights (28 - 16)
Jan. 29, 2010 UT HB 12 Abortion and Homicide Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (59 - 12)
Jan. 28, 2010 WI SB 415 Carbon Monoxide Detector Requirements Bill Passed - House (69 - 27)
Jan. 28, 2010 WI SB 263 Expanding Access to Public Defenders Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
Jan. 28, 2010 IN SJR 13 Defining Marriage as Being Between One Man and One Woman Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (38 - 10)
Jan. 27, 2010 VA SB 9 Enforcing Seat Belt Violations as Primary Offenses Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
Jan. 27, 2010 VA SB 9 Enforcing Seat Belt Violations as Primary Offenses Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
Jan. 25, 2010 KY SB 3 Omnibus Constitutional Amendment Bill Failed - Senate (21 - 0)
Jan. 25, 2010 KY SB 3 Omnibus Constitutional Amendment Bill Failed - Senate (21 - 0)
Jan. 22, 2010 HI HB 444 Legalizing Same-Sex Civil Unions Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 7)
Jan. 11, 2010 NJ S 119 Legalizing Medical Marijuana Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
Jan. 11, 2010 NJ S 119 Legalizing Medical Marijuana Bill Passed - House (48 - 14)
Jan. 7, 2010 NJ A 2762 Authorizing Reduction of Mandatory Minimum Sentences for Drug Offenses in School Zones Concurrence Vote Passed - House (46 - 30)
Jan. 7, 2010 NJ A 2762 Authorizing Reduction of Mandatory Minimum Sentences for Drug Offenses in School Zones Concurrence Vote Passed - House (46 - 30)
Jan. 7, 2010 NJ S 1967 Legalizing Same Sex Marriage Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 20)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/16 SB 334 Authorizing Concealed Handguns in Establishments that Serve Alcohol Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18)
2/16 SB 408 Gun Regulation Modifications Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
2/12 SB 40 Authorizing Concealed Weapons in Restaurants that Serve Alcohol Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 15)
2/12 HB 178 Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act Bill Failed - House (33 - 37)
2/12 HB 178 Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act Bill Failed - House (33 - 37)
2/12 SB 254 Eliminating Criminal Conviction Disclosure on State Employment Applications Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 4)
2/12 SB 254 Eliminating Criminal Conviction Disclosure on State Employment Applications Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 4)
2/11 SB 216 Repeal "Guilty but Mentally Ill" Plea Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 19)
2/10 SB 11 Federal Arms Regulation Exemption Bill Passed - House (56 - 17)
2/10 HB 70 Voting Rights For Certain Felons Bill Passed - House (83 - 16)
2/10 HB 70 Voting Rights For Certain Felons Bill Passed - House (83 - 16)
2/10 HB 68 Repealing Campaign Finance Restrictions Bill Failed - House (36 - 22)
2/10 HB 53 Ban on Required Human Microchip Implantation Bill Passed - House (88 - 9)
2/09 HJR 6 Constitutionally Defining Marriage as Between One Man and One Woman Motion Rejected - House (45 - 54)
2/09 HB 10 Prohibiting Hand-Held Cell Phone Use While Driving Bill Passed - House (35 - 30)
2/08 HB 17 Prohibiting Domestic Violence Offenders from Being Peace Officers Bill Passed - House (48 - 19)
2/08 SB 66 Prohibiting Sexual Orientation Discrimination in State Government Employment Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 17)
2/04 H 4466 Expanding Driving Regulations Bill Passed - House (146 - 9)
2/04 SB 26 Establishing the Domestic Violence Commission Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8)
2/04 HB 43 Ban on Texting and Underage Cell Phone Use While Driving Bill Passed - House (80 - 16)
2/04 SB 235 Ban on Required Human Microchip Implantation Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 2)
2/03 SB 11 Federal Arms Regulation Exemption Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10)
2/03 HB 502 Expanding Death Penalty Eligibility to Accomplices Bill Passed - House (74 - 24)
2/03 HB 502 Expanding Death Penalty Eligibility to Accomplices Bill Passed - House (74 - 24)
2/02 HB 1131 Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban Bill Passed - House (73 - 26)
2/01 SB 1685 Regarding Gun Rights (28 - 16)
1/29 HB 12 Abortion and Homicide Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (59 - 12)
1/28 SB 415 Carbon Monoxide Detector Requirements Bill Passed - House (69 - 27)
1/28 SB 263 Expanding Access to Public Defenders Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
1/28 SJR 13 Defining Marriage as Being Between One Man and One Woman Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (38 - 10)
1/27 SB 9 Enforcing Seat Belt Violations as Primary Offenses Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
1/27 SB 9 Enforcing Seat Belt Violations as Primary Offenses Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
1/25 SB 3 Omnibus Constitutional Amendment Bill Failed - Senate (21 - 0)
1/25 SB 3 Omnibus Constitutional Amendment Bill Failed - Senate (21 - 0)
1/22 HB 444 Legalizing Same-Sex Civil Unions Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 7)
1/11 S 119 Legalizing Medical Marijuana Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
1/11 S 119 Legalizing Medical Marijuana Bill Passed - House (48 - 14)
1/07 A 2762 Authorizing Reduction of Mandatory Minimum Sentences for Drug Offenses in School Zones Concurrence Vote Passed - House (46 - 30)
1/07 A 2762 Authorizing Reduction of Mandatory Minimum Sentences for Drug Offenses in School Zones Concurrence Vote Passed - House (46 - 30)
1/07 S 1967 Legalizing Same Sex Marriage Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 20)

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