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 24, 2009 | LA | SB 278 | Governor Records Disclosed | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 8) |
| June 22, 2009 | LA | Amendment # B-480 | Making Records of the Governor Public | Amendment Rejected - House (47 - 50) |
| June 22, 2009 | LA | Amendment # B-483 | Shortening the Period Before Budget Records are Public | Amendment Rejected - House (48 - 54) |
| June 22, 2009 | LA | SB 278 | Governor Records Disclosed | Bill Passed - House (62 - 41) |
| June 21, 2009 | LA | HB 866 | Publishing Legal Records | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 8) |
| June 9, 2009 | LA | HB 866 | Publishing Legal Records | Bill Passed - House (53 - 40) |
| June 8, 2009 | LA | HB 316 | Property Tax Exemption | Joint Resolution Failed - House (30 - 63) |
| June 8, 2009 | LA | HB 316 | Property Tax Exemption | Joint Resolution Failed - House (30 - 63) |
| May 28, 2009 | LA | SB 296 | Retirement Debt Payment | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| May 28, 2009 | LA | HB 834 | Education Requirements for Marriage and Family Therapists | Bill Passed - House (53 - 40) |
| May 28, 2009 | LA | HB 834 | Education Requirements for Marriage and Family Therapists | Bill Passed - House (53 - 40) |
| May 21, 2009 | LA | HB 705 | Equal Pay for Women | Bill Failed - House (33 - 59) |
| May 21, 2009 | LA | HB 705 | Equal Pay for Women | Bill Failed - House (33 - 59) |
| May 12, 2009 | LA | HB 60 | Birth Certificates for Adoption | Bill Passed - House (78 - 17) |
| May 12, 2009 | LA | HB 60 | Birth Certificates for Adoption | Bill Passed - House (78 - 17) |
| May 12, 2009 | LA | HB 60 | Birth Certificates for Adoption | Bill Passed - House (78 - 17) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/24 | SB 278 | Governor Records Disclosed | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 8) |
| 6/22 | Amendment # B-480 | Making Records of the Governor Public | Amendment Rejected - House (47 - 50) |
| 6/22 | Amendment # B-483 | Shortening the Period Before Budget Records are Public | Amendment Rejected - House (48 - 54) |
| 6/22 | SB 278 | Governor Records Disclosed | Bill Passed - House (62 - 41) |
| 6/21 | HB 866 | Publishing Legal Records | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 8) |
| 6/09 | HB 866 | Publishing Legal Records | Bill Passed - House (53 - 40) |
| 6/08 | HB 316 | Property Tax Exemption | Joint Resolution Failed - House (30 - 63) |
| 6/08 | HB 316 | Property Tax Exemption | Joint Resolution Failed - House (30 - 63) |
| 5/28 | SB 296 | Retirement Debt Payment | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| 5/28 | HB 834 | Education Requirements for Marriage and Family Therapists | Bill Passed - House (53 - 40) |
| 5/28 | HB 834 | Education Requirements for Marriage and Family Therapists | Bill Passed - House (53 - 40) |
| 5/21 | HB 705 | Equal Pay for Women | Bill Failed - House (33 - 59) |
| 5/21 | HB 705 | Equal Pay for Women | Bill Failed - House (33 - 59) |
| 5/12 | HB 60 | Birth Certificates for Adoption | Bill Passed - House (78 - 17) |
| 5/12 | HB 60 | Birth Certificates for Adoption | Bill Passed - House (78 - 17) |
| 5/12 | HB 60 | Birth Certificates for Adoption | Bill Passed - House (78 - 17) |