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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 1, 2010 | SD | SB 63 | Pilot Charter School | Bill Passed - House (49 - 20) |
| Jan. 27, 2010 | SD | SB 18 | Restrictions on Retirement for Rehired Public Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
| Feb. 12, 2009 | SD | SB 156 | Expansion of Hate Crime Law | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 21) |
| Feb. 9, 2009 | SD | SJR 3 | Extending Senate Terms and Legislative Term-Limits | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| March 17, 2008 | SD | HB 1233 | Government Spending Database | Veto Override Failed - Senate (22 - 12) |
| March 17, 2008 | SD | HB 1233 | Government Spending Database | Veto Override Passed - House (61 - 8) |
| Feb. 26, 2008 | SD | SB 174 | Railroad Eminent Domain | Bill Passed - House (54 - 16) |
| Feb. 26, 2008 | SD | HB 1233 | Government Spending Database | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| Feb. 21, 2008 | SD | HB 1250 | Legislative Pay Raise | Bill Tabled - Senate (29 - 4) |
| Feb. 13, 2008 | SD | SB 174 | Railroad Eminent Domain | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
| Feb. 13, 2008 | SD | HB 1233 | Government Spending Database | Bill Passed - House (47 - 22) |
| Feb. 11, 2008 | SD | SB 189 | Accessibility of Public Records | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| Feb. 5, 2008 | SD | HB 1250 | Legislative Pay Raise | Bill Passed - House (54 - 14) |
| Jan. 22, 2008 | SD | SB 26 | State Regulation of Preschools | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| March 2, 2007 | SD | SB 207 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - House (62 - 8) |
| Feb. 20, 2007 | SD | SB 208 | Tanning Restrictions | Bill Failed - Senate (10 - 24) |
| Feb. 12, 2007 | SD | SB 207 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6) |
| Feb. 6, 2007 | SD | SJR 7 | Extension of Term Limits | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (17 - 18) |
| Feb. 23, 2006 | SD | SB 1 | Mandatory Bodily Substance Samples in Drunk Driving Arrests | Bill Passed - House (52 - 17) |
| Feb. 22, 2006 | SD | S Amdt 1215cb | Exception to Abortion Ban in Cases Where the Health of the Woman is Seriously Threatened | Amendment Rejected - Senate (13 - 22) |
| Feb. 22, 2006 | SD | S Amdt 1215cb | Exception to Abortion Ban in Cases Where the Health of the Woman is Seriously Threatened | Amendment Rejected - Senate (13 - 22) |
| Feb. 22, 2006 | SD | S Amdt 1215ca | Exceptions to Abortion Ban in Cases of Rape or Incest Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (14 - 21) |
| Feb. 22, 2006 | SD | HB 1215 | Abortion Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| Feb. 9, 2006 | SD | HB 1215 | Abortion Ban | Bill Passed - House (47 - 22) |
| Feb. 9, 2006 | SD | HB 1194 | Contraceptive Distribution at Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (51 - 17) |
| Feb. 9, 2006 | SD | HB 1234 | Mandatory Kindergarten | Bill Passed - House (52 - 15) |
| Feb. 7, 2006 | SD | H Amdt 1194rf | Penalties for School Employees for Dispensing Contraceptives Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (37 - 33) |
| Feb. 7, 2006 | SD | HB 1217 | Abstinence-Only Sex Education | Bill Passed - House (46 - 24) |
| Jan. 31, 2006 | SD | SB 175 | Emergency Contraceptives for Rape Victims | Bill Failed - Senate (9 - 26) |
| Jan. 23, 2006 | SD | SB 1 | Mandatory Bodily Substance Samples in Drunk Driving Arrests | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/01 | SB 63 | Pilot Charter School | Bill Passed - House (49 - 20) |
| 1/27 | SB 18 | Restrictions on Retirement for Rehired Public Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
| 2/12 | SB 156 | Expansion of Hate Crime Law | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 21) |
| 2/09 | SJR 3 | Extending Senate Terms and Legislative Term-Limits | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| 3/17 | HB 1233 | Government Spending Database | Veto Override Failed - Senate (22 - 12) |
| 3/17 | HB 1233 | Government Spending Database | Veto Override Passed - House (61 - 8) |
| 2/26 | SB 174 | Railroad Eminent Domain | Bill Passed - House (54 - 16) |
| 2/26 | HB 1233 | Government Spending Database | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 2/21 | HB 1250 | Legislative Pay Raise | Bill Tabled - Senate (29 - 4) |
| 2/13 | SB 174 | Railroad Eminent Domain | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
| 2/13 | HB 1233 | Government Spending Database | Bill Passed - House (47 - 22) |
| 2/11 | SB 189 | Accessibility of Public Records | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| 2/05 | HB 1250 | Legislative Pay Raise | Bill Passed - House (54 - 14) |
| 1/22 | SB 26 | State Regulation of Preschools | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| 3/02 | SB 207 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - House (62 - 8) |
| 2/20 | SB 208 | Tanning Restrictions | Bill Failed - Senate (10 - 24) |
| 2/12 | SB 207 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6) |
| 2/06 | SJR 7 | Extension of Term Limits | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (17 - 18) |
| 2/23 | SB 1 | Mandatory Bodily Substance Samples in Drunk Driving Arrests | Bill Passed - House (52 - 17) |
| 2/22 | S Amdt 1215cb | Exception to Abortion Ban in Cases Where the Health of the Woman is Seriously Threatened | Amendment Rejected - Senate (13 - 22) |
| 2/22 | S Amdt 1215cb | Exception to Abortion Ban in Cases Where the Health of the Woman is Seriously Threatened | Amendment Rejected - Senate (13 - 22) |
| 2/22 | S Amdt 1215ca | Exceptions to Abortion Ban in Cases of Rape or Incest Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (14 - 21) |
| 2/22 | HB 1215 | Abortion Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 2/09 | HB 1215 | Abortion Ban | Bill Passed - House (47 - 22) |
| 2/09 | HB 1194 | Contraceptive Distribution at Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (51 - 17) |
| 2/09 | HB 1234 | Mandatory Kindergarten | Bill Passed - House (52 - 15) |
| 2/07 | H Amdt 1194rf | Penalties for School Employees for Dispensing Contraceptives Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (37 - 33) |
| 2/07 | HB 1217 | Abstinence-Only Sex Education | Bill Passed - House (46 - 24) |
| 1/31 | SB 175 | Emergency Contraceptives for Rape Victims | Bill Failed - Senate (9 - 26) |
| 1/23 | SB 1 | Mandatory Bodily Substance Samples in Drunk Driving Arrests | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |