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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 27, 2010 | CT | HB 5246 | Domestic Violence Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (125 - 19) |
| April 27, 2010 | VT | SR 17 | Requesting Congressional Waiver From Federal Drinking Age Requirement | Resolution Passed - Senate (14 - 13) |
| April 23, 2010 | WI | AB 720 | Statewide Smoking Ban Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (60 - 34) |
| April 22, 2010 | CO | HB 1284 | Increasing Medical Marijuana Regulations | Bill Passed - House (39 - 23) |
| April 21, 2010 | NH | SB 500 | Corrections Amendments | Bill Passed - House (256 - 57) |
| April 21, 2010 | IL | HB 5428 | Limiting Adoption Records Disclosure Restrictions for Adoptees | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 16) |
| April 21, 2010 | OK | HB 3354 | Concealed and Unconcealed Weapons Guidelines | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 15) |
| April 21, 2010 | LA | SB 9 | Classifying Text Messaging While Driving as a Primary Offense | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 9) |
| April 20, 2010 | MI | HB 4394 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (74 - 33) |
| April 19, 2010 | LA | HB 224 | Withholding Pension Benefits from Incarcerated Public Employees | Bill Failed - House (42 - 56) |
| April 15, 2010 | WI | AB 612 | Limiting Access to 9-1-1 Recordings | Bill Passed - House (67 - 30) |
| April 15, 2010 | WI | AB 612 | Limiting Access to 9-1-1 Recordings | Bill Passed - House (67 - 30) |
| April 15, 2010 | CA | SB 4 | Prohibiting Smoking at State Park Beaches | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 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 15, 2010 | MO | SB 1014 | Limiting Prison Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 13) |
| April 10, 2010 | MD | SB 627 | Establishes Medical Marijuana Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 12) |
| April 9, 2010 | MD | SB 321 | Prohibiting Hand-Held Cell Phone Use While Driving | Bill Passed - House (125 - 14) |
| April 8, 2010 | AZ | HB 2650 | Authorizing Extension of Divorce Waiting Period | Bill Failed - House (27 - 28) |
| April 8, 2010 | NE | LB 842 | Repealing Special Prosecutor Requirement for In-Custody Deaths | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 4) |
| April 6, 2010 | ME | LD 1611 | State Prison Solitary Confinement Review | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (78 - 67) |
| April 6, 2010 | ME | LD 1611 | State Prison Solitary Confinement Review | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (78 - 67) |
| April 5, 2010 | ME | LD 1611 | State Prison Solitary Confinement Review | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| April 5, 2010 | ME | LD 1611 | State Prison Solitary Confinement Review | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| April 1, 2010 | CO | HB 1201 | Requiring Police to Inform Citizens of Right to Refuse Searches | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (42 - 22) |
| April 1, 2010 | CO | HB 1201 | Requiring Police to Inform Citizens of Right to Refuse Searches | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (42 - 22) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/27 | HB 5246 | Domestic Violence Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (125 - 19) |
| 4/27 | SR 17 | Requesting Congressional Waiver From Federal Drinking Age Requirement | Resolution Passed - Senate (14 - 13) |
| 4/23 | AB 720 | Statewide Smoking Ban Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (60 - 34) |
| 4/22 | HB 1284 | Increasing Medical Marijuana Regulations | Bill Passed - House (39 - 23) |
| 4/21 | SB 500 | Corrections Amendments | Bill Passed - House (256 - 57) |
| 4/21 | HB 5428 | Limiting Adoption Records Disclosure Restrictions for Adoptees | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 16) |
| 4/21 | HB 3354 | Concealed and Unconcealed Weapons Guidelines | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 15) |
| 4/21 | SB 9 | Classifying Text Messaging While Driving as a Primary Offense | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 9) |
| 4/20 | HB 4394 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (74 - 33) |
| 4/19 | HB 224 | Withholding Pension Benefits from Incarcerated Public Employees | Bill Failed - House (42 - 56) |
| 4/15 | AB 612 | Limiting Access to 9-1-1 Recordings | Bill Passed - House (67 - 30) |
| 4/15 | AB 612 | Limiting Access to 9-1-1 Recordings | Bill Passed - House (67 - 30) |
| 4/15 | SB 4 | Prohibiting Smoking at State Park Beaches | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 4/15 | AB 106 | Authorizing Sale of Alcohol to 18-20 Year-Olds Under Parental or Spousal Supervision | Bill Passed - House (56 - 41) |
| 4/15 | SB 1014 | Limiting Prison Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 13) |
| 4/10 | SB 627 | Establishes Medical Marijuana Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 12) |
| 4/09 | SB 321 | Prohibiting Hand-Held Cell Phone Use While Driving | Bill Passed - House (125 - 14) |
| 4/08 | HB 2650 | Authorizing Extension of Divorce Waiting Period | Bill Failed - House (27 - 28) |
| 4/08 | LB 842 | Repealing Special Prosecutor Requirement for In-Custody Deaths | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 4) |
| 4/06 | LD 1611 | State Prison Solitary Confinement Review | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (78 - 67) |
| 4/06 | LD 1611 | State Prison Solitary Confinement Review | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (78 - 67) |
| 4/05 | LD 1611 | State Prison Solitary Confinement Review | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| 4/05 | LD 1611 | State Prison Solitary Confinement Review | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| 4/01 | HB 1201 | Requiring Police to Inform Citizens of Right to Refuse Searches | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (42 - 22) |
| 4/01 | HB 1201 | Requiring Police to Inform Citizens of Right to Refuse Searches | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (42 - 22) |