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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct. 26, 2011 | IL | SB 965 | Authorizing Speed Cameras in Certain Cities | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 24) |
| May 31, 2011 | IL | SB 744 | Authorizes Gambling | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 27) |
| May 31, 2011 | IL | SB 1652 | Smart Grid Technology | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 24) |
| May 31, 2011 | IL | SB 145 | Nursing Home Infection Control | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 24) |
| May 26, 2011 | IL | HB 1600 | Limits Artificial Trans Fats | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 40) |
| May 26, 2011 | IL | HB 1490 | Regulates Full-Contact Martial Arts Events | Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 8) |
| May 20, 2011 | IL | HB 1091 | Public-Private Transportation Partnership | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 12) |
| Jan. 11, 2011 | IL | SB 2505 | Amends Property Tax Code | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 29) |
| May 6, 2010 | IL | SB 642 | Public University Borrowing | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (43 - 11) |
| May 5, 2010 | IL | SB 3695 | Streetgang-Related Crime Fund Changes | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 20) |
| May 5, 2010 | IL | HB 4927 | Video Gaming Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 11) |
| May 4, 2010 | IL | HB 2360 | Homeowner's Emergency Assistance Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 15) |
| March 25, 2010 | IL | SB 2494 | Funding for School Vouchers | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 20) |
| March 18, 2010 | IL | SB 615 | Local Food, Farms and Jobs Act | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 16) |
| Jan. 13, 2010 | IL | SB 315 | Teacher Evaluation Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (48 - 4) |
| May 31, 2009 | IL | SB 1918 | Low-Income Energy Assistance | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (47 - 11) |
| May 31, 2009 | IL | SB 612 | Raising the Cap on Charter Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (45 - 10) |
| May 30, 2009 | IL | SB 744 | New Casino Authorization | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 28) |
| May 20, 2009 | IL | HB 255 | Video Gambling in Various Establishments | Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 12) |
| May 19, 2009 | IL | HB 72 | Cell Phone Ban in School Speed Zones and Construction Zones | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 16) |
| Aug. 19, 2008 | IL | HB 4201 | Property Tax Exemption for Disabled Veterans | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (27 - 11) |
| Aug. 19, 2008 | IL | HB 5285 | Extending Parental Health Insurance to Unmarried Dependents | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 17) |
| May 27, 2008 | IL | HB 5288 | Expand Use of Red Light Cameras | Bill Failed - Senate (26 - 24) |
| April 17, 2008 | IL | SB 2858 | Public School Trans Fat Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 19) |
| April 17, 2008 | IL | SB 2063 | South Suburban Airport Authority | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 7) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10/26 | SB 965 | Authorizing Speed Cameras in Certain Cities | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 24) |
| 5/31 | SB 744 | Authorizes Gambling | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 27) |
| 5/31 | SB 1652 | Smart Grid Technology | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 24) |
| 5/31 | SB 145 | Nursing Home Infection Control | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 24) |
| 5/26 | HB 1600 | Limits Artificial Trans Fats | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 40) |
| 5/26 | HB 1490 | Regulates Full-Contact Martial Arts Events | Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 8) |
| 5/20 | HB 1091 | Public-Private Transportation Partnership | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 12) |
| 1/11 | SB 2505 | Amends Property Tax Code | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 29) |
| 5/06 | SB 642 | Public University Borrowing | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (43 - 11) |
| 5/05 | SB 3695 | Streetgang-Related Crime Fund Changes | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 20) |
| 5/05 | HB 4927 | Video Gaming Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 11) |
| 5/04 | HB 2360 | Homeowner's Emergency Assistance Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 15) |
| 3/25 | SB 2494 | Funding for School Vouchers | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 20) |
| 3/18 | SB 615 | Local Food, Farms and Jobs Act | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 16) |
| 1/13 | SB 315 | Teacher Evaluation Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (48 - 4) |
| 5/31 | SB 1918 | Low-Income Energy Assistance | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (47 - 11) |
| 5/31 | SB 612 | Raising the Cap on Charter Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (45 - 10) |
| 5/30 | SB 744 | New Casino Authorization | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 28) |
| 5/20 | HB 255 | Video Gambling in Various Establishments | Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 12) |
| 5/19 | HB 72 | Cell Phone Ban in School Speed Zones and Construction Zones | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 16) |
| 8/19 | HB 4201 | Property Tax Exemption for Disabled Veterans | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (27 - 11) |
| 8/19 | HB 5285 | Extending Parental Health Insurance to Unmarried Dependents | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 17) |
| 5/27 | HB 5288 | Expand Use of Red Light Cameras | Bill Failed - Senate (26 - 24) |
| 4/17 | SB 2858 | Public School Trans Fat Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 19) |
| 4/17 | SB 2063 | South Suburban Airport Authority | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 7) |