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 24, 2010 | NH | HB 1693 | Prohibiting Legislative Facilities Committee From Adopting Additional Weapons Regulations | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (191 - 167) |
| March 24, 2010 | KS | HB 2685 | Authorizing Concealed Weapons on Campus | Bill Passed - House (65 - 57) |
| March 23, 2010 | IA | HF 2456 | Texting While Driving Ban | Conference Report Adopted - House (66 - 33) |
| March 22, 2010 | CA | SB 4 | Prohibiting Smoking at State Park Beaches | Bill Passed - House (42 - 27) |
| March 18, 2010 | IL | HB 5428 | Limiting Adoption Records Disclosure Restrictions for Adoptees | Bill Passed - House (74 - 39) |
| March 17, 2010 | ME | LD 821 | Prescription Drug Disposal Program | Bill Passed - House (91 - 51) |
| March 16, 2010 | NY | A 7575 | Prohibiting Domestic Violence Offenders from Possessing Firearms | Bill Passed - House (89 - 53) |
| March 16, 2010 | NY | A 7575 | Prohibiting Domestic Violence Offenders from Possessing Firearms | Bill Passed - House (89 - 53) |
| March 13, 2010 | WV | HB 4521 | Sales Tax Holiday for Purchases of Guns | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (93 - 4) |
| March 11, 2010 | VA | HB 505 | Authorizing Concealed Firearms in Establishments that Serve Alcohol | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (69 - 27) |
| March 11, 2010 | VA | HB 885 | Authorizing Concealed Firearms in Vehicles | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (69 - 28) |
| March 10, 2010 | IA | SF 2357 | Prohibiting Firearm Possession by Domestic Violence Perpetrators | Bill Passed - House (73 - 25) |
| 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 10, 2010 | IA | Amdt 8381 | Free Self Defense Courses for Domestic Violence Victims | Amendment Rejected - House (44 - 53) |
| March 10, 2010 | NH | HB 1653 | Marijuana Decriminalization | Bill Passed - House (214 - 137) |
| March 10, 2010 | NH | HB 1653 | Marijuana Decriminalization | Bill Passed - House (214 - 137) |
| March 9, 2010 | VA | SB 66 | Prohibiting Sexual Orientation Discrimination in State Government Employment | Motion Agreed - House (55 - 42) |
| March 9, 2010 | ID | H 589 | Federal Arms Regulation Exemption | Bill Passed - House (52 - 17) |
| March 4, 2010 | IN | HB 1065 | Authorizing Firearms at Workplace | Conference Report Adopted - House (75 - 20) |
| March 4, 2010 | IN | HB 1065 | Authorizing Firearms at Workplace | Conference Report Adopted - House (75 - 20) |
| March 3, 2010 | WY | HB 95 | Federal Arms Regulation Exemption | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (38 - 20) |
| March 3, 2010 | WY | SF 20 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Passed - House (32 - 26) |
| March 3, 2010 | WY | SF 64 | Increasing Seat Belt Violation Fine | Bill Failed - House (17 - 41) |
| March 2, 2010 | VA | SB 408 | Gun Regulation Modifications | Bill Passed - House (74 - 25) |
| March 2, 2010 | VA | SB 334 | Authorizing Concealed Handguns in Establishments that Serve Alcohol | Bill Passed - House (72 - 27) |
| March 2, 2010 | NY | A 5710 | Prohibiting Gender Identity Discrimination | Bill Passed - House (100 - 43) |
| March 1, 2010 | CO | HB 1201 | Requiring Police to Inform Citizens of Right to Refuse Searches | Bill Passed - House (37 - 28) |
| March 1, 2010 | CO | HB 1201 | Requiring Police to Inform Citizens of Right to Refuse Searches | Bill Passed - House (37 - 28) |
| March 1, 2010 | ID | H 496 | Requiring Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (64 - 6) |
| Feb. 26, 2010 | National | HR 2701 | Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 | Bill Passed - House (235 - 168) |
| Feb. 25, 2010 | KS | HB 2221 | Ban on Smoking in Certain Public Places | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (68 - 54) |
| Feb. 24, 2010 | SC | S 191 | Authorizing Warrantless Searches and Seizures of Probationers and Parolees | Motion Agreed - House (81 - 26) |
| Feb. 24, 2010 | SC | S 191 | Authorizing Warrantless Searches and Seizures of Probationers and Parolees | Motion Agreed - House (81 - 26) |
| Feb. 24, 2010 | AZ | HB 2307 | Federal Arms Regulation Exemption | Bill Passed - House (35 - 23) |
| Feb. 23, 2010 | IA | HF 2456 | Texting While Driving Ban | Bill Passed - House (65 - 31) |
| Feb. 22, 2010 | WY | HB 113 | Authorizing Concealed Weapons Without a Permit | Bill Passed - House (42 - 15) |
| Feb. 18, 2010 | NM | SB 40 | Authorizing Concealed Weapons in Restaurants that Serve Alcohol | Bill Passed - House (54 - 12) |
| Feb. 18, 2010 | NM | SB 254 | Eliminating Criminal Conviction Disclosure on State Employment Applications | Bill Passed - House (54 - 14) |
| Feb. 18, 2010 | NM | SB 254 | Eliminating Criminal Conviction Disclosure on State Employment Applications | Bill Passed - House (54 - 14) |
| Feb. 17, 2010 | NM | SB 26 | Establishing the Domestic Violence Commission | Bill Passed - House (33 - 22) |
| Feb. 17, 2010 | NH | HB 1590 | Repealing Same-Sex Marriage | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (210 - 109) |
| Feb. 17, 2010 | NH | HB 1644 | Expanding Homicide to Include "Unborn Child" | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Failed - House (219 - 122) |
| Feb. 17, 2010 | NH | CACR 28 | Constitutional Amendment to Define Marriage | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (201 - 135) |
| Feb. 17, 2010 | SD | HB 1178 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Failed - House (32 - 37) |
| Feb. 16, 2010 | NM | SB 216 | Repeal "Guilty but Mentally Ill" Plea | Bill Passed - House (40 - 21) |
| Feb. 16, 2010 | NM | HB 178 | Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act | Bill Passed - House (34 - 31) |
| Feb. 16, 2010 | NM | HB 178 | Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act | Bill Passed - House (34 - 31) |
| 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. 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. 4, 2010 | MA | H 4466 | Expanding Driving Regulations | Bill Passed - House (146 - 9) |
| Feb. 4, 2010 | KY | HB 43 | Ban on Texting and Underage Cell Phone Use While Driving | Bill Passed - House (80 - 16) |
| 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. 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) |