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. 9, 2010 | IA | HJR 6 | Constitutionally Defining Marriage as Between One Man and One Woman | Motion Rejected - House (45 - 54) |
| Feb. 4, 2010 | IA | SF 2062 | State Worker Retirement Incentive Program | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (41 - 6) |
| Jan. 26, 2010 | IA | HF 2110 | Military Spouse Relocation Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - House (56 - 44) |
| Jan. 26, 2010 | IA | HF 2110 | Military Spouse Relocation Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - House (56 - 44) |
| March 19, 2009 | IA | SF 389 | Health Insurance Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18) |
| March 18, 2009 | IA | HF 243 | Gender Requirements for Certain Local Government Positions | Bill Passed - House (71 - 27) |
| Feb. 19, 2009 | IA | HF 333 | Wage Standards for Public Project Workers | Bill Failed - House (49 - 49) |
| Feb. 16, 2009 | IA | SF 137 | Wage Discrimination Policy and Penalties | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
| Feb. 16, 2009 | IA | SF 137 | Wage Discrimination Policy and Penalties | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
| April 25, 2008 | IA | H 8672 | DUI Appeals | Amendment Rejected - House (45 - 50) |
| April 16, 2008 | IA | HF 2686 | Employee Identification Verification | Bill Passed - House (84 - 16) |
| April 16, 2008 | IA | HF 2686 | Employee Identification Verification | Bill Passed - House (84 - 16) |
| April 7, 2008 | IA | HF 2539 | Health Care Expansion Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 6) |
| April 7, 2008 | IA | HF 2539 | Health Care Expansion Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 6) |
| March 31, 2008 | IA | HF 2145 | Mandatory HPV Vaccination Coverage | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 8) |
| March 24, 2008 | IA | HF 2645 | Public Employee Collective Bargaining and Teacher Termination Policy | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23) |
| March 20, 2008 | IA | HF 2145 | Mandatory HPV Vaccination Coverage | Bill Passed - House (81 - 16) |
| March 19, 2008 | IA | HF 2645 | Public Employee Collective Bargaining and Teacher Termination Policy | Bill Passed - House (52 - 47) |
| March 12, 2008 | IA | SF 2355 | Time Off to Attend Presidential Precinct Caucuses | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 10) |
| March 12, 2008 | IA | SF 2355 | Time Off to Attend Presidential Precinct Caucuses | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 10) |
| March 10, 2008 | IA | HF 2359 | Veterans Trust Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 7) |
| March 5, 2008 | IA | HF 2359 | Veterans Trust Fund | Bill Passed - House (75 - 21) |
| Feb. 26, 2008 | IA | SF 2216 | State-Mandated Curriculum for Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14) |
| April 25, 2007 | IA | SF 427 | Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity Discrimination | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (34 - 16) |
| April 25, 2007 | IA | SF 427 | Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity Discrimination | Bill Passed - House (59 - 37) |
| April 18, 2007 | IA | SF 430 | Recognition of Tribal Court Decisions | Bill Passed - House (63 - 34) |
| April 18, 2007 | IA | HF 877 | Statewide Preschool Program | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14) |
| April 10, 2007 | IA | HF 611 | Research-Based Sex Education | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
| March 29, 2007 | IA | HF 611 | Research-Based Sex Education | Bill Passed - House (55 - 40) |
| March 28, 2007 | IA | HF 877 | Statewide Preschool Program | Bill Passed - House (56 - 43) |
| March 28, 2007 | IA | SF 430 | Recognition of Tribal Court Decisions | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| March 26, 2007 | IA | SF 427 | Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity Discrimination | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17) |
| March 19, 2007 | IA | HF 5 | Maximum Title Loan Finance Charge | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 16) |
| March 8, 2007 | IA | SF 413 | Fair Share Union Fees | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21) |
| Feb. 1, 2007 | IA | HF 5 | Maximum Title Loan Finance Charge | Bill Passed - House (84 - 12) |
| Jan. 24, 2007 | IA | HF 1 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 8) |
| Jan. 23, 2007 | IA | HF 1 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - House (79 - 19) |
| May 2, 2006 | IA | SF 2408 | Elderly Income Tax Reduction | Bill Passed - House (89 - 6) |
| May 2, 2006 | IA | SF 2408 | Elderly Income Tax Reduction | Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 4) |
| March 16, 2006 | IA | HF 2671 | Undocumented Immigrants Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (69 - 25) |
| March 7, 2006 | IA | HF 2558 | 2006-2007 Department of Justice, Corrections, Public Defense, and Public Safety Budget | Bill Passed - House (54 - 45) |
| Jan. 31, 2006 | IA | HF 2045 | Senior Citizen Tax Revision | Bill Passed - House (81 - 18) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/09 | HJR 6 | Constitutionally Defining Marriage as Between One Man and One Woman | Motion Rejected - House (45 - 54) |
| 2/04 | SF 2062 | State Worker Retirement Incentive Program | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (41 - 6) |
| 1/26 | HF 2110 | Military Spouse Relocation Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - House (56 - 44) |
| 1/26 | HF 2110 | Military Spouse Relocation Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - House (56 - 44) |
| 3/19 | SF 389 | Health Insurance Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18) |
| 3/18 | HF 243 | Gender Requirements for Certain Local Government Positions | Bill Passed - House (71 - 27) |
| 2/19 | HF 333 | Wage Standards for Public Project Workers | Bill Failed - House (49 - 49) |
| 2/16 | SF 137 | Wage Discrimination Policy and Penalties | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
| 2/16 | SF 137 | Wage Discrimination Policy and Penalties | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
| 4/25 | H 8672 | DUI Appeals | Amendment Rejected - House (45 - 50) |
| 4/16 | HF 2686 | Employee Identification Verification | Bill Passed - House (84 - 16) |
| 4/16 | HF 2686 | Employee Identification Verification | Bill Passed - House (84 - 16) |
| 4/07 | HF 2539 | Health Care Expansion Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 6) |
| 4/07 | HF 2539 | Health Care Expansion Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 6) |
| 3/31 | HF 2145 | Mandatory HPV Vaccination Coverage | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 8) |
| 3/24 | HF 2645 | Public Employee Collective Bargaining and Teacher Termination Policy | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23) |
| 3/20 | HF 2145 | Mandatory HPV Vaccination Coverage | Bill Passed - House (81 - 16) |
| 3/19 | HF 2645 | Public Employee Collective Bargaining and Teacher Termination Policy | Bill Passed - House (52 - 47) |
| 3/12 | SF 2355 | Time Off to Attend Presidential Precinct Caucuses | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 10) |
| 3/12 | SF 2355 | Time Off to Attend Presidential Precinct Caucuses | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 10) |
| 3/10 | HF 2359 | Veterans Trust Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 7) |
| 3/05 | HF 2359 | Veterans Trust Fund | Bill Passed - House (75 - 21) |
| 2/26 | SF 2216 | State-Mandated Curriculum for Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14) |
| 4/25 | SF 427 | Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity Discrimination | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (34 - 16) |
| 4/25 | SF 427 | Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity Discrimination | Bill Passed - House (59 - 37) |
| 4/18 | SF 430 | Recognition of Tribal Court Decisions | Bill Passed - House (63 - 34) |
| 4/18 | HF 877 | Statewide Preschool Program | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14) |
| 4/10 | HF 611 | Research-Based Sex Education | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
| 3/29 | HF 611 | Research-Based Sex Education | Bill Passed - House (55 - 40) |
| 3/28 | HF 877 | Statewide Preschool Program | Bill Passed - House (56 - 43) |
| 3/28 | SF 430 | Recognition of Tribal Court Decisions | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| 3/26 | SF 427 | Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity Discrimination | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17) |
| 3/19 | HF 5 | Maximum Title Loan Finance Charge | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 16) |
| 3/08 | SF 413 | Fair Share Union Fees | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21) |
| 2/01 | HF 5 | Maximum Title Loan Finance Charge | Bill Passed - House (84 - 12) |
| 1/24 | HF 1 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 8) |
| 1/23 | HF 1 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - House (79 - 19) |
| 5/02 | SF 2408 | Elderly Income Tax Reduction | Bill Passed - House (89 - 6) |
| 5/02 | SF 2408 | Elderly Income Tax Reduction | Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 4) |
| 3/16 | HF 2671 | Undocumented Immigrants Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (69 - 25) |
| 3/07 | HF 2558 | 2006-2007 Department of Justice, Corrections, Public Defense, and Public Safety Budget | Bill Passed - House (54 - 45) |
| 1/31 | HF 2045 | Senior Citizen Tax Revision | Bill Passed - House (81 - 18) |