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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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) |
| 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 | HB 1614 | Fiscal Code Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 14) |
| 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) |
| 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 1385 | Increase Tax Credit for Business Net Losses | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19) |
| June 16, 2008 | PA | SB 1388 | Change Formula for Calculating Corporate Net Income Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19) |
| June 16, 2008 | PA | SB 1387 | Business Property Tax Deduction | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 15) |
| 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) |
| 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) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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) |
| 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 | HB 1614 | Fiscal Code Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 14) |
| 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) |
| 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 1385 | Increase Tax Credit for Business Net Losses | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19) |
| 6/16 | SB 1388 | Change Formula for Calculating Corporate Net Income Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19) |
| 6/16 | SB 1387 | Business Property Tax Deduction | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 15) |
| 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) |
| 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) |