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.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
June 4, 2010 TN SB 3012 Guns in Bars Veto Override Passed - House (61 - 30)
June 3, 2010 LA SB 593 Governor's Office Records Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 24)
June 3, 2010 CA AB 2479 Penalties for Violations Committed with the Intent to Capture Images or Recordings of a Person Bill Passed - House (56 - 16)
June 3, 2010 CA AB 2479 Penalties for Violations Committed with the Intent to Capture Images or Recordings of a Person Bill Passed - House (56 - 16)
June 3, 2010 CA SB 1113 Income Tax Appeal Modifications Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 20)
June 3, 2010 CA AB 1810 Expanded Firearm Registration Bill Passed - House (42 - 29)
June 2, 2010 LA SB 9 Classifying Text Messaging While Driving as a Primary Offense Bill Passed - House (69 - 22)
June 2, 2010 CA SB 399 Authorizing Youth Offenders to Appeal Life Without Parole Sentences Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
June 2, 2010 CA SB 399 Authorizing Youth Offenders to Appeal Life Without Parole Sentences Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
June 2, 2010 CA SB 1399 Expanding Medical Parole Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
June 1, 2010 CA SB 1168 Grand Juries for Misdemeanors in the County of Los Angeles Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
June 1, 2010 CA SB 1168 Grand Juries for Misdemeanors in the County of Los Angeles Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
June 1, 2010 CA AB 1934 Amendments to the Penal Code Regarding Firearms Bill Passed - House (46 - 30)
May 27, 2010 National S Amdt 4214 National Guard Deployment on Southern U.S. Land Border Motion Rejected - Senate (51 - 46)
May 27, 2010 TN SB 3012 Guns in Bars Veto Override Passed - Senate (23 - 10)
May 27, 2010 OH SB 239 Allowing Concealed Firearms in Establishments that Serve Alcohol Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10)
May 26, 2010 LA SB 38 Criminalization of Participation in Cockfighting Bill Passed - House (73 - 13)
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 24, 2010 OK HJR 1056 Prohibits Use of International and Sharia Law in State Courts Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 2)
May 21, 2010 OK HJR 1054 Prohibiting Federal Health Care Mandates Veto Override Failed - Senate (29 - 16)
May 18, 2010 OK HJR 1054 Prohibiting Federal Health Care Mandates Veto Override Passed - House (72 - 24)
May 18, 2010 OK HJR 1056 Prohibits Use of International and Sharia Law in State Courts Conference Report Adopted - House (82 - 10)
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)
Date No. Title Outcome
6/04 SB 3012 Guns in Bars Veto Override Passed - House (61 - 30)
6/03 SB 593 Governor's Office Records Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 24)
6/03 AB 2479 Penalties for Violations Committed with the Intent to Capture Images or Recordings of a Person Bill Passed - House (56 - 16)
6/03 AB 2479 Penalties for Violations Committed with the Intent to Capture Images or Recordings of a Person Bill Passed - House (56 - 16)
6/03 SB 1113 Income Tax Appeal Modifications Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 20)
6/03 AB 1810 Expanded Firearm Registration Bill Passed - House (42 - 29)
6/02 SB 9 Classifying Text Messaging While Driving as a Primary Offense Bill Passed - House (69 - 22)
6/02 SB 399 Authorizing Youth Offenders to Appeal Life Without Parole Sentences Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
6/02 SB 399 Authorizing Youth Offenders to Appeal Life Without Parole Sentences Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
6/02 SB 1399 Expanding Medical Parole Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
6/01 SB 1168 Grand Juries for Misdemeanors in the County of Los Angeles Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
6/01 SB 1168 Grand Juries for Misdemeanors in the County of Los Angeles Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
6/01 AB 1934 Amendments to the Penal Code Regarding Firearms Bill Passed - House (46 - 30)
5/27 S Amdt 4214 National Guard Deployment on Southern U.S. Land Border Motion Rejected - Senate (51 - 46)
5/27 SB 3012 Guns in Bars Veto Override Passed - Senate (23 - 10)
5/27 SB 239 Allowing Concealed Firearms in Establishments that Serve Alcohol Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10)
5/26 SB 38 Criminalization of Participation in Cockfighting Bill Passed - House (73 - 13)
5/26 H 4703 Sentencing Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (139 - 17)
5/26 HB 473 Prohibits Inappropriate Pictures of Minors Bill Passed - House (86 - 12)
5/24 HJR 1056 Prohibits Use of International and Sharia Law in State Courts Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 2)
5/21 HJR 1054 Prohibiting Federal Health Care Mandates Veto Override Failed - Senate (29 - 16)
5/18 HJR 1054 Prohibiting Federal Health Care Mandates Veto Override Passed - House (72 - 24)
5/18 HJR 1056 Prohibits Use of International and Sharia Law in State Courts Conference Report Adopted - House (82 - 10)
5/13 HB 554 Prohibiting Release on Own Recognizance for Domestic Abuse Suspects Bill Passed - House (63 - 20)
5/13 AB 1756 Food Stamps for Drug Felons Bill Passed - House (44 - 31)

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