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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 17, 2010 | IA | Amdt 8145 | Animal Facility Regulations | Amendment Rejected - House (42 - 53) |
| Feb. 17, 2010 | IA | Amdt 8140 | Animal Abuse and Neglect Penalties | Amendment Rejected - House (44 - 52) |
| Feb. 17, 2010 | SD | HB 1178 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Failed - House (32 - 37) |
| Feb. 17, 2010 | UT | HB 113 | Child Safety Seat Law Amendments | Bill Failed - House (24 - 47) |
| 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. 15, 2010 | WA | HB 2793 | Legalizing Paid Surrogacy | Bill Passed - House (59 - 39) |
| 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 | MS | HB 232 | Novelty Lighter Ban | Bill Passed - House (94 - 25) |
| 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 | 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 | AZ | SB 1004 | Renewal of the Lottery | Bill Passed - House (40 - 17) |
| 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. 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 | MA | H 4441 | School Nutrition Standards | Bill Passed - House (152 - 4) |
| Jan. 27, 2010 | OH | SJR 8 | Casino Location Amendment | Joint Resolution Passed - House (71 - 26) |
| Jan. 26, 2010 | IA | HF 2110 | Military Spouse Relocation Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - House (56 - 44) |
| Jan. 21, 2010 | DE | HB 310 | Legalizing Table Games | Bill Passed - House (27 - 5) |
| Jan. 11, 2010 | NJ | S 119 | Legalizing Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - House (48 - 14) |
| Jan. 11, 2010 | NJ | A 4378 | Exception to the Ban on Former State Employees Working for the Casino Industry | Bill Passed - House (42 - 31) |
| 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 | A 2762 | Authorizing Reduction of Mandatory Minimum Sentences for Drug Offenses in School Zones | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (46 - 30) |
| Jan. 6, 2010 | PA | SB 711 | Legalizing Table Games | Conference Report Adopted - House (103 - 89) |
| Jan. 6, 2010 | NH | HB 569 | Expanding Coverage Requirements for Autism Disorders | Bill Passed - House (213 - 147) |
| Jan. 5, 2010 | CA | SBx5 4 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (41 - 27) |
| Jan. 5, 2010 | CA | SBx5 1 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (45 - 17) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/17 | Amdt 8145 | Animal Facility Regulations | Amendment Rejected - House (42 - 53) |
| 2/17 | Amdt 8140 | Animal Abuse and Neglect Penalties | Amendment Rejected - House (44 - 52) |
| 2/17 | HB 1178 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Failed - House (32 - 37) |
| 2/17 | HB 113 | Child Safety Seat Law Amendments | Bill Failed - House (24 - 47) |
| 2/16 | SB 216 | Repeal "Guilty but Mentally Ill" Plea | Bill Passed - House (40 - 21) |
| 2/16 | HB 178 | Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act | Bill Passed - House (34 - 31) |
| 2/16 | HB 178 | Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act | Bill Passed - House (34 - 31) |
| 2/15 | HB 2793 | Legalizing Paid Surrogacy | Bill Passed - House (59 - 39) |
| 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) |
| 2/10 | 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 232 | Novelty Lighter Ban | Bill Passed - House (94 - 25) |
| 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 | 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 | SB 1004 | Renewal of the Lottery | Bill Passed - House (40 - 17) |
| 2/08 | HB 17 | Prohibiting Domestic Violence Offenders from Being Peace Officers | Bill Passed - House (48 - 19) |
| 2/04 | H 4466 | Expanding Driving Regulations | Bill Passed - House (146 - 9) |
| 2/04 | HB 43 | Ban on Texting and Underage Cell Phone Use While Driving | Bill Passed - House (80 - 16) |
| 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 | H 4441 | School Nutrition Standards | Bill Passed - House (152 - 4) |
| 1/27 | SJR 8 | Casino Location Amendment | Joint Resolution Passed - House (71 - 26) |
| 1/26 | HF 2110 | Military Spouse Relocation Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - House (56 - 44) |
| 1/21 | HB 310 | Legalizing Table Games | Bill Passed - House (27 - 5) |
| 1/11 | S 119 | Legalizing Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - House (48 - 14) |
| 1/11 | A 4378 | Exception to the Ban on Former State Employees Working for the Casino Industry | Bill Passed - House (42 - 31) |
| 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 | A 2762 | Authorizing Reduction of Mandatory Minimum Sentences for Drug Offenses in School Zones | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (46 - 30) |
| 1/06 | SB 711 | Legalizing Table Games | Conference Report Adopted - House (103 - 89) |
| 1/06 | HB 569 | Expanding Coverage Requirements for Autism Disorders | Bill Passed - House (213 - 147) |
| 1/05 | SBx5 4 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (41 - 27) |
| 1/05 | SBx5 1 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (45 - 17) |