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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 2, 2010 | CA | AB 1998 | Ban of Single-Use Carryout Bags in Certain Stores | Bill Passed - House (42 - 27) |
| June 2, 2010 | CA | AB 2578 | State Approvals for Health Insurance Rates | Bill Passed - House (43 - 28) |
| June 1, 2010 | CA | AB 2244 | Prohibiting the Denial of Health Care Coverage for Children with Preexisting Conditions | Bill Passed - House (50 - 25) |
| June 1, 2010 | CA | AB 1600 | Requiring Insurers to Cover Mental Health Services | Bill Passed - House (50 - 27) |
| June 1, 2010 | CA | AB 2411 | Pet Insurance Guidelines | Bill Passed - House (52 - 22) |
| June 1, 2010 | CA | AB 1652 | Ski Resort Safety Requirement Modifications | Bill Passed - House (44 - 30) |
| June 1, 2010 | CA | AB 1934 | Amendments to the Penal Code Regarding Firearms | Bill Passed - House (46 - 30) |
| June 1, 2010 | CA | AB 1602 | Health Care Coverage Amendments | Bill Passed - House (49 - 26) |
| May 13, 2010 | CA | AB 1756 | Food Stamps for Drug Felons | Bill Passed - House (44 - 31) |
| April 22, 2010 | CA | Maldonado Nomination | Abel Maldonado, Lieutenant Governor | (53 - 21) |
| April 5, 2010 | CA | AB 1656 | Requiring Fur Product Labeling | Bill Passed - House (59 - 11) |
| March 22, 2010 | CA | SB 4 | Prohibiting Smoking at State Park Beaches | Bill Passed - House (42 - 27) |
| March 8, 2010 | CA | SBx8 32 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (47 - 29) |
| March 4, 2010 | CA | ABx8 6 | Fuel Tax Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (41 - 32) |
| March 4, 2010 | CA | ABx8 9 | Tax and Transportation Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (44 - 30) |
| Feb. 22, 2010 | CA | ABx8 2 | 2010-2011 Budget Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (44 - 20) |
| Feb. 17, 2010 | CA | AB 1998 | Ban of Single-Use Carryout Bags in Certain Stores | |
| Feb. 11, 2010 | CA | Maldonado Nomination | Abel Maldonado, Lieutenant Governor | (37 - 36) |
| 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) |
| Dec. 10, 2009 | CA | ABx5 8 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (48 - 25) |
| Nov. 4, 2009 | CA | SBx7 2 | Water Investment Bond Measure | Bill Passed - House (55 - 20) |
| Nov. 4, 2009 | CA | SBx7 8 | Water Diversion Amendments | Bill Passed - House (49 - 20) |
| Nov. 3, 2009 | CA | SBx7 7 | Statewide Water Conservation Requirements | Bill Passed - House (49 - 19) |
| Nov. 3, 2009 | CA | SBx7 1 | Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Water Management Amendments | Bill Passed - House (46 - 29) |
| Nov. 3, 2009 | CA | SBx7 6 | Statewide Groundwater Elevation Monitoring Program | Bill Passed - House (44 - 29) |
| Sept. 12, 2009 | CA | SB 14 | Renewable Energy Requirements | Bill Passed - House (49 - 28) |
| Sept. 11, 2009 | CA | SB 19 | Eliminating Prohibition on Utilizing CALTIDES Data to Evaluate Teachers | Bill Passed - House (53 - 20) |
| Sept. 10, 2009 | CA | AB 2 | Health Care Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 26) |
| Sept. 10, 2009 | CA | AB 98 | Required Maternity Services Coverage | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 27) |
| Sept. 10, 2009 | CA | AB 524 | Privacy Law Expansion | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (57 - 20) |
| Sept. 3, 2009 | CA | AB 119 | Prohibiting Gender-Based Health Insurance Pricing | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 28) |
| Sept. 3, 2009 | CA | SB 54 | Recognizing Out-of-State Same-Sex Marriages | Bill Passed - House (47 - 29) |
| Sept. 3, 2009 | CA | SB 572 | Harvey Milk Day | Bill Passed - House (46 - 28) |
| Aug. 31, 2009 | CA | SBx3 18 | Correctional Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (41 - 37) |
| July 24, 2009 | CA | ABX4 2 | Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Revisions: Education Revisions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (55 - 18) |
| July 24, 2009 | CA | ABX4 14 | 2009-2010 Budget Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 25) |
| July 24, 2009 | CA | ABX4 19 | Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Revisions: In-Home Supportive Services Fraud | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (42 - 33) |
| July 24, 2009 | CA | ABX4 15 | Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Revisions: Implementing Prop 1A Suspension | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (59 - 14) |
| July 24, 2009 | CA | ABX4 26 | Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Revisions: Shifting Redevelopment Funds | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (41 - 31) |
| July 23, 2009 | CA | ABX4 1 | 2009-2010 Budget Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (56 - 23) |
| June 28, 2009 | CA | SBX3 17 | Tax Law Amendments (2009-2010 Budget Financing) | Bill Passed - House (42 - 31) |
| June 28, 2009 | CA | SBx3 16 | 2009-2010 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (46 - 29) |
| June 28, 2009 | CA | ABx3 39 | Tax Law Amendments (2009-2010 Budget Financing) | Bill Passed - House (44 - 31) |
| June 22, 2009 | CA | AB 761 | Mobile Home Rent Control | Bill Failed - House (38 - 27) |
| June 3, 2009 | CA | AB 49 | Water Conservation Requirements | Bill Passed - House (43 - 30) |
| June 3, 2009 | CA | AB 155 | Local Government Bankruptcy Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (47 - 25) |
| June 1, 2009 | CA | AB 920 | Solar Power Energy Credit | Bill Passed - House (51 - 26) |
| April 20, 2009 | CA | AJR 3 | Statement of Opposition to Offshore Drilling | Joint Resolution Passed - House (43 - 25) |
| March 2, 2009 | CA | HR 5 | Statement of Opposition to Proposition 8 | Resolution Passed - House (45 - 27) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/02 | AB 1998 | Ban of Single-Use Carryout Bags in Certain Stores | Bill Passed - House (42 - 27) |
| 6/02 | AB 2578 | State Approvals for Health Insurance Rates | Bill Passed - House (43 - 28) |
| 6/01 | AB 2244 | Prohibiting the Denial of Health Care Coverage for Children with Preexisting Conditions | Bill Passed - House (50 - 25) |
| 6/01 | AB 1600 | Requiring Insurers to Cover Mental Health Services | Bill Passed - House (50 - 27) |
| 6/01 | AB 2411 | Pet Insurance Guidelines | Bill Passed - House (52 - 22) |
| 6/01 | AB 1652 | Ski Resort Safety Requirement Modifications | Bill Passed - House (44 - 30) |
| 6/01 | AB 1934 | Amendments to the Penal Code Regarding Firearms | Bill Passed - House (46 - 30) |
| 6/01 | AB 1602 | Health Care Coverage Amendments | Bill Passed - House (49 - 26) |
| 5/13 | AB 1756 | Food Stamps for Drug Felons | Bill Passed - House (44 - 31) |
| 4/22 | Maldonado Nomination | Abel Maldonado, Lieutenant Governor | (53 - 21) |
| 4/05 | AB 1656 | Requiring Fur Product Labeling | Bill Passed - House (59 - 11) |
| 3/22 | SB 4 | Prohibiting Smoking at State Park Beaches | Bill Passed - House (42 - 27) |
| 3/08 | SBx8 32 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (47 - 29) |
| 3/04 | ABx8 6 | Fuel Tax Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (41 - 32) |
| 3/04 | ABx8 9 | Tax and Transportation Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (44 - 30) |
| 2/22 | ABx8 2 | 2010-2011 Budget Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (44 - 20) |
| 2/17 | AB 1998 | Ban of Single-Use Carryout Bags in Certain Stores | |
| 2/11 | Maldonado Nomination | Abel Maldonado, Lieutenant Governor | (37 - 36) |
| 1/05 | SBx5 4 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (41 - 27) |
| 1/05 | SBx5 1 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (45 - 17) |
| 12/10 | ABx5 8 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (48 - 25) |
| 11/04 | SBx7 2 | Water Investment Bond Measure | Bill Passed - House (55 - 20) |
| 11/04 | SBx7 8 | Water Diversion Amendments | Bill Passed - House (49 - 20) |
| 11/03 | SBx7 7 | Statewide Water Conservation Requirements | Bill Passed - House (49 - 19) |
| 11/03 | SBx7 1 | Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Water Management Amendments | Bill Passed - House (46 - 29) |
| 11/03 | SBx7 6 | Statewide Groundwater Elevation Monitoring Program | Bill Passed - House (44 - 29) |
| 9/12 | SB 14 | Renewable Energy Requirements | Bill Passed - House (49 - 28) |
| 9/11 | SB 19 | Eliminating Prohibition on Utilizing CALTIDES Data to Evaluate Teachers | Bill Passed - House (53 - 20) |
| 9/10 | AB 2 | Health Care Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 26) |
| 9/10 | AB 98 | Required Maternity Services Coverage | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 27) |
| 9/10 | AB 524 | Privacy Law Expansion | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (57 - 20) |
| 9/03 | AB 119 | Prohibiting Gender-Based Health Insurance Pricing | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 28) |
| 9/03 | SB 54 | Recognizing Out-of-State Same-Sex Marriages | Bill Passed - House (47 - 29) |
| 9/03 | SB 572 | Harvey Milk Day | Bill Passed - House (46 - 28) |
| 8/31 | SBx3 18 | Correctional Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (41 - 37) |
| 7/24 | ABX4 2 | Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Revisions: Education Revisions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (55 - 18) |
| 7/24 | ABX4 14 | 2009-2010 Budget Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 25) |
| 7/24 | ABX4 19 | Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Revisions: In-Home Supportive Services Fraud | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (42 - 33) |
| 7/24 | ABX4 15 | Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Revisions: Implementing Prop 1A Suspension | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (59 - 14) |
| 7/24 | ABX4 26 | Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Revisions: Shifting Redevelopment Funds | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (41 - 31) |
| 7/23 | ABX4 1 | 2009-2010 Budget Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (56 - 23) |
| 6/28 | SBX3 17 | Tax Law Amendments (2009-2010 Budget Financing) | Bill Passed - House (42 - 31) |
| 6/28 | SBx3 16 | 2009-2010 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (46 - 29) |
| 6/28 | ABx3 39 | Tax Law Amendments (2009-2010 Budget Financing) | Bill Passed - House (44 - 31) |
| 6/22 | AB 761 | Mobile Home Rent Control | Bill Failed - House (38 - 27) |
| 6/03 | AB 49 | Water Conservation Requirements | Bill Passed - House (43 - 30) |
| 6/03 | AB 155 | Local Government Bankruptcy Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (47 - 25) |
| 6/01 | AB 920 | Solar Power Energy Credit | Bill Passed - House (51 - 26) |
| 4/20 | AJR 3 | Statement of Opposition to Offshore Drilling | Joint Resolution Passed - House (43 - 25) |
| 3/02 | HR 5 | Statement of Opposition to Proposition 8 | Resolution Passed - House (45 - 27) |