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 28, 2011 | PA | HB 1485 | 2011-2012 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20) |
| June 21, 2011 | PA | SB 1131 | Tort Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
| May 11, 2011 | PA | SB 612 | Guidelines for Teacher Suspension | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 12) |
| Nov. 17, 2010 | PA | HB 101 | Education Law Amendments | Veto Override Passed - Senate (42 - 7) |
| Oct. 14, 2010 | PA | HB 2497 | Amends State Employee Pension System | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 8) |
| Oct. 14, 2010 | PA | HB 1926 | Amending Self-Protection Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 4) |
| July 3, 2010 | PA | SB 1042 | 2010-2011 Budget Implementation and Fiscal Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (39 - 11) |
| June 30, 2010 | PA | HB 2279 | 2010-2011 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 13) |
| June 29, 2010 | PA | SR 348 | Audit of Methadone Treatment Programs & Medical Assistance Transportation Program | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17) |
| June 8, 2010 | PA | SB 1161 | Authorizing Qualified Inmate Transfer to Pre-Release Centers | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21) |
| Jan. 5, 2010 | PA | SB 711 | Legalizing Table Games | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (28 - 22) |
| Dec. 16, 2009 | PA | SB 711 | Legalizing Table Games | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
| Oct. 9, 2009 | PA | HB 1416 | 2009-2010 Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (42 - 7) |
| Oct. 9, 2009 | PA | SB 1033 | Gaming Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20) |
| Oct. 9, 2009 | PA | HB 1614 | Fiscal Code Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 14) |
| Oct. 6, 2009 | PA | HB 1531 | Tax Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 14) |
| Aug. 26, 2009 | PA | HB 1828 | Municipal Pension System Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 9) |
| July 20, 2009 | PA | HB 1416 | 2009-2010 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19) |
| June 3, 2009 | PA | SB 81 | Liquor Tastings and Liquor Code Updates | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 13) |
| May 6, 2009 | PA | SB 850 | 2009-2010 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20) |
| March 25, 2009 | PA | SB 490 | Oil and Gas Lease Fund Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17) |
| June 16, 2008 | PA | SB 1387 | Business Property Tax Deduction | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 15) |
| June 16, 2008 | PA | SB 1388 | Change Formula for Calculating Corporate Net Income Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19) |
| June 16, 2008 | PA | SB 1385 | Increase Tax Credit for Business Net Losses | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19) |
| June 10, 2008 | PA | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 9) |
| June 4, 2008 | PA | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (19 - 31) |
| June 2, 2008 | PA | SB 1386 | Poverty Income Tax Cut | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 16) |
| July 16, 2007 | PA | HB 1286 | 2007-2008 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (46 - 2) |
| July 16, 2007 | PA | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (13 - 36) |
| July 16, 2007 | PA | HB 1590 | Public Transportation and Interstate 80 Toll Road | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
| June 26, 2007 | PA | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17) |
| June 25, 2007 | PA | A 2062 | Exceptions to Clean Indoor Air Act | Amendment Adopted - Senate (29 - 21) |
| July 1, 2006 | PA | HB 2499 | 2006-2007 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (28 - 21) |
| June 28, 2006 | PA | HB 804 | Handheld Cell Phone Ban While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 7) |
| June 27, 2006 | PA | SB 1230 | Slot Supplier Elimination | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21) |
| June 22, 2006 | PA | SB 1090 | Minimum Wage Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14) |
| June 21, 2006 | PA | HB 2381 | Marriage Definition Constitutional Amendment | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (38 - 12) |
| May 3, 2006 | PA | SB 999 | Voting Standards | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (36 - 13) |
| May 2, 2006 | PA | HB 39 | Property Taxes (Special Session) | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (40 - 9) |
| March 20, 2006 | PA | HB 213 | Ecoterrorism Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 10) |
| Feb. 15, 2006 | PA | HB 1318 | Voter Identification Requirements | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 20) |
| Feb. 15, 2006 | PA | SB 1025 | PA Clean Vehicles Program | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/28 | HB 1485 | 2011-2012 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20) |
| 6/21 | SB 1131 | Tort Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
| 5/11 | SB 612 | Guidelines for Teacher Suspension | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 12) |
| 11/17 | HB 101 | Education Law Amendments | Veto Override Passed - Senate (42 - 7) |
| 10/14 | HB 2497 | Amends State Employee Pension System | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 8) |
| 10/14 | HB 1926 | Amending Self-Protection Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 4) |
| 7/03 | SB 1042 | 2010-2011 Budget Implementation and Fiscal Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (39 - 11) |
| 6/30 | HB 2279 | 2010-2011 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 13) |
| 6/29 | SR 348 | Audit of Methadone Treatment Programs & Medical Assistance Transportation Program | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17) |
| 6/08 | SB 1161 | Authorizing Qualified Inmate Transfer to Pre-Release Centers | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21) |
| 1/05 | SB 711 | Legalizing Table Games | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (28 - 22) |
| 12/16 | SB 711 | Legalizing Table Games | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
| 10/09 | HB 1416 | 2009-2010 Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (42 - 7) |
| 10/09 | SB 1033 | Gaming Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20) |
| 10/09 | HB 1614 | Fiscal Code Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 14) |
| 10/06 | HB 1531 | Tax Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 14) |
| 8/26 | HB 1828 | Municipal Pension System Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 9) |
| 7/20 | HB 1416 | 2009-2010 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19) |
| 6/03 | SB 81 | Liquor Tastings and Liquor Code Updates | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 13) |
| 5/06 | SB 850 | 2009-2010 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20) |
| 3/25 | SB 490 | Oil and Gas Lease Fund Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17) |
| 6/16 | SB 1387 | Business Property Tax Deduction | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 15) |
| 6/16 | SB 1388 | Change Formula for Calculating Corporate Net Income Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19) |
| 6/16 | SB 1385 | Increase Tax Credit for Business Net Losses | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19) |
| 6/10 | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 9) |
| 6/04 | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (19 - 31) |
| 6/02 | SB 1386 | Poverty Income Tax Cut | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 16) |
| 7/16 | HB 1286 | 2007-2008 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (46 - 2) |
| 7/16 | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (13 - 36) |
| 7/16 | HB 1590 | Public Transportation and Interstate 80 Toll Road | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
| 6/26 | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17) |
| 6/25 | A 2062 | Exceptions to Clean Indoor Air Act | Amendment Adopted - Senate (29 - 21) |
| 7/01 | HB 2499 | 2006-2007 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (28 - 21) |
| 6/28 | HB 804 | Handheld Cell Phone Ban While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 7) |
| 6/27 | SB 1230 | Slot Supplier Elimination | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21) |
| 6/22 | SB 1090 | Minimum Wage Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14) |
| 6/21 | HB 2381 | Marriage Definition Constitutional Amendment | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (38 - 12) |
| 5/03 | SB 999 | Voting Standards | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (36 - 13) |
| 5/02 | HB 39 | Property Taxes (Special Session) | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (40 - 9) |
| 3/20 | HB 213 | Ecoterrorism Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 10) |
| 2/15 | HB 1318 | Voter Identification Requirements | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 20) |
| 2/15 | SB 1025 | PA Clean Vehicles Program | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |