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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2010 | ME | LD 1826 | Bond Authorization | Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| April 6, 2010 | ME | LD 1830 | Suspending Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| April 5, 2010 | ME | LD 1611 | State Prison Solitary Confinement Review | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| March 26, 2010 | ME | LD 1552 | Repealing Maine Tree Growth Program Eligibility for Use of "Bonded Laborers" | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 13) |
| March 26, 2010 | ME | LD 1706 | Requiring Cell Phone Radiation Warning Label | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 20) |
| June 11, 2009 | ME | LD 1259 | Menu Labeling | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14) |
| June 8, 2009 | ME | LD 1438 | Allowing Charter Schools | "Ought Not to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 14) |
| June 8, 2009 | ME | LD 1264 | Expand and Fund DirigoChoice Health Insurance | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| June 5, 2009 | ME | LD 1088 | Income and Sales Tax Reform Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 15) |
| June 4, 2009 | ME | LD 977 | Repealing School District Consolidation | "Ought Not to Pass" Report Rejected - Senate (16 - 19) |
| June 3, 2009 | ME | LD 1329 | Resort Casino in Oxford County | "Ought Not to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 7) |
| June 3, 2009 | ME | LD 1357 | Relating to Driver's License and Identification Card Regulations | Veto Override Failed - Senate (7 - 28) |
| June 3, 2009 | ME | LD 1357 | Relating to Driver's License and Identification Card Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| May 20, 2009 | ME | LD 290 | Out-of-State Health Insurance | "Ought Not to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 16) |
| May 6, 2009 | ME | LD 1020 | Same Sex Marriage Bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| April 30, 2009 | ME | LD 1020 | Same Sex Marriage Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| April 8, 2009 | ME | LD 67 | Prohibiting Smoking at State Park Beaches | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| April 15, 2008 | ME | LD 2247 | Alcohol and Soda Tax for Health Care Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| April 10, 2008 | ME | LD 701 | Slot Machine Authorization | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| April 7, 2008 | ME | LD 1932 | School Consolidation | Veto Override Failed - Senate (12 - 23) |
| April 7, 2008 | ME | LD 1932 | School Consolidation | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 14) |
| March 31, 2008 | ME | LD 2289 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| March 27, 2008 | ME | LD 2012 | Prohibiting Smoking in Vehicles with Children | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| March 20, 2008 | ME | LD 1932 | School Consolidation | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 8) |
| June 21, 2007 | ME | LD 1925 | Tax Cuts | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (7 - 28) |
| June 15, 2007 | ME | LD 701 | Slot Machine Authorization | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| April 11, 2007 | ME | LD 805 | Washington County Indian Casino Authorization Act | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
| May 24, 2006 | ME | HCA A to LD 1845 | Dirigo Health Insurance Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (16 - 17) |
| May 24, 2006 | ME | LD 1021 | Police and Firefighter Insurance | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
| May 22, 2006 | ME | LD 1481 | Procedures for Citizen Proposed Initiatives | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| April 28, 2006 | ME | LD 1974 | Supplemental Transportation Budget Bill | Nonconcurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| April 28, 2006 | ME | LD 1381 | Teacher Minimum Salary Increase | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 16) |
| April 28, 2006 | ME | HCA C to LD 1717 | Sentencing Requirements for Certain Sex Offenses | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 3) |
| April 28, 2006 | ME | SCA A to LD 1935 | Dirigo Health Insurance | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| April 11, 2006 | ME | LD 235 | Minimum Wage Increase | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (19 - 15) |
| March 27, 2006 | ME | LD 1640 | Charter School Pilot Program | "Ought Not to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 16) |
| March 27, 2006 | ME | LD 1926 | Amending Work Place Smoking Laws | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 21) |
| Feb. 8, 2006 | ME | LD 1798 | Standardized Testing | "Ought Not to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 16) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/07 | LD 1826 | Bond Authorization | Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| 4/06 | LD 1830 | Suspending Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| 4/05 | LD 1611 | State Prison Solitary Confinement Review | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| 3/26 | LD 1552 | Repealing Maine Tree Growth Program Eligibility for Use of "Bonded Laborers" | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 13) |
| 3/26 | LD 1706 | Requiring Cell Phone Radiation Warning Label | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 20) |
| 6/11 | LD 1259 | Menu Labeling | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14) |
| 6/08 | LD 1438 | Allowing Charter Schools | "Ought Not to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 14) |
| 6/08 | LD 1264 | Expand and Fund DirigoChoice Health Insurance | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| 6/05 | LD 1088 | Income and Sales Tax Reform Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 15) |
| 6/04 | LD 977 | Repealing School District Consolidation | "Ought Not to Pass" Report Rejected - Senate (16 - 19) |
| 6/03 | LD 1329 | Resort Casino in Oxford County | "Ought Not to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 7) |
| 6/03 | LD 1357 | Relating to Driver's License and Identification Card Regulations | Veto Override Failed - Senate (7 - 28) |
| 6/03 | LD 1357 | Relating to Driver's License and Identification Card Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| 5/20 | LD 290 | Out-of-State Health Insurance | "Ought Not to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 16) |
| 5/06 | LD 1020 | Same Sex Marriage Bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 4/30 | LD 1020 | Same Sex Marriage Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| 4/08 | LD 67 | Prohibiting Smoking at State Park Beaches | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| 4/15 | LD 2247 | Alcohol and Soda Tax for Health Care Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| 4/10 | LD 701 | Slot Machine Authorization | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 4/07 | LD 1932 | School Consolidation | Veto Override Failed - Senate (12 - 23) |
| 4/07 | LD 1932 | School Consolidation | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 14) |
| 3/31 | LD 2289 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| 3/27 | LD 2012 | Prohibiting Smoking in Vehicles with Children | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 3/20 | LD 1932 | School Consolidation | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 8) |
| 6/21 | LD 1925 | Tax Cuts | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (7 - 28) |
| 6/15 | LD 701 | Slot Machine Authorization | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| 4/11 | LD 805 | Washington County Indian Casino Authorization Act | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
| 5/24 | HCA A to LD 1845 | Dirigo Health Insurance Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (16 - 17) |
| 5/24 | LD 1021 | Police and Firefighter Insurance | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
| 5/22 | LD 1481 | Procedures for Citizen Proposed Initiatives | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| 4/28 | LD 1974 | Supplemental Transportation Budget Bill | Nonconcurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| 4/28 | LD 1381 | Teacher Minimum Salary Increase | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 16) |
| 4/28 | HCA C to LD 1717 | Sentencing Requirements for Certain Sex Offenses | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 3) |
| 4/28 | SCA A to LD 1935 | Dirigo Health Insurance | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| 4/11 | LD 235 | Minimum Wage Increase | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (19 - 15) |
| 3/27 | LD 1640 | Charter School Pilot Program | "Ought Not to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 16) |
| 3/27 | LD 1926 | Amending Work Place Smoking Laws | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 21) |
| 2/08 | LD 1798 | Standardized Testing | "Ought Not to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 16) |