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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 17, 2011 | TX | SB 16 | Abortion Procedures Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10) |
| Jan. 26, 2011 | TX | SB 14 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
| May 11, 2009 | TX | HB 1736 | Increasing Wrongful Conviction Compensation | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 4) |
| April 15, 2009 | TX | SB 1049 | Increasing Age Restriction on Tobacco Purchases | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5) |
| April 14, 2009 | TX | SB 855 | Authorizing County Taxes and Fees to Fund Transportation Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| April 1, 2009 | TX | SB 1 | 2009-2011 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 5) |
| March 31, 2009 | TX | SB 298 | Authorizing Sobriety Checkpoints | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 11) |
| March 25, 2009 | TX | SB 175 | Capping Automatic College Admissions | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 7) |
| March 19, 2009 | TX | SB 188 | Authorizes Needle Exchange Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 6) |
| March 11, 2009 | TX | SB 362 | Requiring Proof of Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12) |
| Jan. 14, 2009 | TX | SR 14 | Majority Vote Requirement for Voter ID Bill Consideration | Resolution Passed - Senate (18 - 13) |
| May 23, 2007 | TX | CSHB 3678 | Religious Expression at Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 3) |
| May 3, 2007 | TX | CSSB 920 | Ultrasound Required Prior to Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 8) |
| May 1, 2007 | TX | CSSB 966 | Journalist Confidentiality Protection | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 4) |
| April 30, 2007 | TX | CSSB 987 | Complex Loan Counseling | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 5) |
| April 27, 2007 | TX | CSSB 308 | Syringe Exchange Program | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 8) |
| April 26, 2007 | TX | CSSB 785 | Abortion Reporting Requirement Act | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| April 17, 2007 | TX | CSSB 1909 | Treatment for Drug Possession Offenders | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| April 12, 2007 | TX | CSHB 1 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 5) |
| May 12, 2006 | TX | CSHB 5 | Cigarette and Tobacco Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 13) |
| May 10, 2006 | TX | F 4 | Cigarette Tax Revenue Allocation Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (10 - 20) |
| May 10, 2006 | TX | F 3 | Cigarette Tax Revenue Allocation Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (12 - 18) |
| May 9, 2006 | TX | CSHB 2 | Property Tax Reduction | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| May 2, 2006 | TX | SCS HCS HB 4 | Motor Vehicle Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10) |
| May 2, 2006 | TX | HB 3 | Business Tax Revisions | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/17 | SB 16 | Abortion Procedures Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10) |
| 1/26 | SB 14 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
| 5/11 | HB 1736 | Increasing Wrongful Conviction Compensation | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 4) |
| 4/15 | SB 1049 | Increasing Age Restriction on Tobacco Purchases | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5) |
| 4/14 | SB 855 | Authorizing County Taxes and Fees to Fund Transportation Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| 4/01 | SB 1 | 2009-2011 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 5) |
| 3/31 | SB 298 | Authorizing Sobriety Checkpoints | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 11) |
| 3/25 | SB 175 | Capping Automatic College Admissions | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 7) |
| 3/19 | SB 188 | Authorizes Needle Exchange Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 6) |
| 3/11 | SB 362 | Requiring Proof of Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12) |
| 1/14 | SR 14 | Majority Vote Requirement for Voter ID Bill Consideration | Resolution Passed - Senate (18 - 13) |
| 5/23 | CSHB 3678 | Religious Expression at Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 3) |
| 5/03 | CSSB 920 | Ultrasound Required Prior to Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 8) |
| 5/01 | CSSB 966 | Journalist Confidentiality Protection | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 4) |
| 4/30 | CSSB 987 | Complex Loan Counseling | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 5) |
| 4/27 | CSSB 308 | Syringe Exchange Program | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 8) |
| 4/26 | CSSB 785 | Abortion Reporting Requirement Act | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| 4/17 | CSSB 1909 | Treatment for Drug Possession Offenders | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| 4/12 | CSHB 1 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 5) |
| 5/12 | CSHB 5 | Cigarette and Tobacco Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 13) |
| 5/10 | F 4 | Cigarette Tax Revenue Allocation Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (10 - 20) |
| 5/10 | F 3 | Cigarette Tax Revenue Allocation Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (12 - 18) |
| 5/09 | CSHB 2 | Property Tax Reduction | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| 5/02 | SCS HCS HB 4 | Motor Vehicle Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10) |
| 5/02 | HB 3 | Business Tax Revisions | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |