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 10, 2012 | WA | SB 6378 | Amends State Employee Pension System | (56 - 42) |
| April 10, 2012 | WA | SB 6378 | Amends State Employee Pension System | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
| April 7, 2012 | WA | SB 6636 | Requires a Balanced Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 16) |
| March 5, 2012 | WA | SB 6455 | Increases Transportation Fees | Bill Passed - House (55 - 41) |
| March 3, 2012 | WA | HB 2319 | Requirements for Health Benefit Exchange | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (57 - 39) |
| March 1, 2012 | WA | HB 2319 | Requirements for Health Benefit Exchange | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
| Feb. 29, 2012 | WA | SB 5895 | Authorizes the Use of Student Test Scores in Teacher Evaluations | Bill Passed - House (82 - 16) |
| Feb. 13, 2012 | WA | HB 2330 | Requires Health Insurers to Cover Abortion | Bill Passed - House (52 - 46) |
| Feb. 8, 2012 | WA | SB 6239 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (55 - 43) |
| Feb. 1, 2012 | WA | EHCR 4409 | Congressional and State Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 4) |
| Feb. 1, 2012 | WA | SB 6239 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21) |
| May 25, 2011 | WA | SB 5942 | State Liquor Sales | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 19) |
| May 24, 2011 | WA | SB 5942 | State Liquor Sales | Bill Passed - House (52 - 42) |
| April 21, 2011 | WA | HB 1267 | Definition of Parenthood | Conference Report Adopted - House (57 - 40) |
| April 21, 2011 | WA | HB 1267 | Definition of Parenthood | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 21) |
| April 20, 2011 | WA | SB 5622 | Recreation Access on State Lands | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
| April 15, 2011 | WA | HB 1382 | Express Toll Lanes in the Eastside Corridor | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 44) |
| April 14, 2011 | WA | HB 1489 | Anti-Phosphorus Fertilizer Bill | Vetoed - Executive |
| April 11, 2011 | WA | SB 5073 | Regulations for the Use of Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - House (54 - 43) |
| April 9, 2011 | WA | HB 1382 | Express Toll Lanes in the Eastside Corridor | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 13) |
| March 29, 2011 | WA | SB 5251 | Electric Vehicle Registration Fees | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 16) |
| March 16, 2011 | WA | SB 5407 | Prohibits Drivers Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants | Motion Rejected - Senate (23 - 25) |
| March 7, 2011 | WA | HB 1166 | Preventing Alcohol Poisoning Deaths | Bill Passed - House (57 - 39) |
| March 5, 2011 | WA | SB 5769 | Coal-Fired Power Plants | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 13) |
| March 5, 2011 | WA | HB 1382 | Express Toll Lanes in the Eastside Corridor | Bill Passed - House (52 - 46) |
| March 5, 2011 | WA | SB 5039 | Tobacco Cessation Treatment | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21) |
| March 2, 2011 | WA | SB 5073 | Regulations for the Use of Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20) |
| Feb. 28, 2011 | WA | HB 1267 | Definition of Parenthood | Bill Passed - House (57 - 41) |
| Feb. 28, 2011 | WA | HB 1489 | Anti-Phosphorus Fertilizer Bill | Bill Passed - House (58 - 39) |
| Feb. 18, 2011 | WA | HB 1086 | 2011-2012 Supplemental Budget | Vetoed - Executive |
| Jan. 24, 2011 | WA | HB 1086 | 2011-2012 Supplemental Budget | Bill Passed - House (55 - 43) |
| April 12, 2010 | WA | SB 6444 | 2009-2011 Biennium Budget Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 21) |
| April 12, 2010 | WA | SB 6143 | Tax Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 21) |
| April 12, 2010 | WA | SB 6444 | 2009-2011 Biennium Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (54 - 43) |
| April 12, 2010 | WA | HB 2493 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 43) |
| April 12, 2010 | WA | HB 2836 | 2009-2011 Supplemental Biennium Capital Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (61 - 36) |
| April 12, 2010 | WA | HB 2493 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 17) |
| April 12, 2010 | WA | HB 2836 | 2009-2011 Supplemental Biennium Capital Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 13) |
| April 10, 2010 | WA | SB 6143 | Tax Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - House (52 - 44) |
| April 2, 2010 | WA | SB 6503 | State Employee Furlough Plan | Bill Passed - House (50 - 38) |
| March 22, 2010 | WA | HB 2782 | Limiting Disability Benefits | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (57 - 40) |
| March 22, 2010 | WA | HB 2782 | Limiting Disability Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 16) |
| March 10, 2010 | WA | SB 6364 | 2009 - 2011 Biennium Capital Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 16) |
| Feb. 27, 2010 | WA | SB 6444 | 2009-2011 Biennium Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 19) |
| Feb. 22, 2010 | WA | SB 6130 | Initiative 960 (Tax Increase Restrictions) Suspension | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 21) |
| Feb. 17, 2010 | WA | SB 6130 | Initiative 960 (Tax Increase Restrictions) Suspension | Bill Passed - House (51 - 47) |
| Feb. 15, 2010 | WA | HB 2793 | Legalizing Paid Surrogacy | Bill Passed - House (59 - 39) |
| Feb. 15, 2010 | WA | SB 6562 | Expanding State University Tuition Authority | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19) |
| Feb. 10, 2010 | WA | HB 1956 | Limiting Local Regulations of Homeless Shelters | Bill Passed - House (57 - 39) |
| Feb. 9, 2010 | WA | SB 6382 | Extending State Employee Salary Freeze | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 15) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/10 | SB 6378 | Amends State Employee Pension System | (56 - 42) |
| 4/10 | SB 6378 | Amends State Employee Pension System | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
| 4/07 | SB 6636 | Requires a Balanced Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 16) |
| 3/05 | SB 6455 | Increases Transportation Fees | Bill Passed - House (55 - 41) |
| 3/03 | HB 2319 | Requirements for Health Benefit Exchange | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (57 - 39) |
| 3/01 | HB 2319 | Requirements for Health Benefit Exchange | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
| 2/29 | SB 5895 | Authorizes the Use of Student Test Scores in Teacher Evaluations | Bill Passed - House (82 - 16) |
| 2/13 | HB 2330 | Requires Health Insurers to Cover Abortion | Bill Passed - House (52 - 46) |
| 2/08 | SB 6239 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (55 - 43) |
| 2/01 | EHCR 4409 | Congressional and State Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 4) |
| 2/01 | SB 6239 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21) |
| 5/25 | SB 5942 | State Liquor Sales | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 19) |
| 5/24 | SB 5942 | State Liquor Sales | Bill Passed - House (52 - 42) |
| 4/21 | HB 1267 | Definition of Parenthood | Conference Report Adopted - House (57 - 40) |
| 4/21 | HB 1267 | Definition of Parenthood | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 21) |
| 4/20 | SB 5622 | Recreation Access on State Lands | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
| 4/15 | HB 1382 | Express Toll Lanes in the Eastside Corridor | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 44) |
| 4/14 | HB 1489 | Anti-Phosphorus Fertilizer Bill | Vetoed - Executive |
| 4/11 | SB 5073 | Regulations for the Use of Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - House (54 - 43) |
| 4/09 | HB 1382 | Express Toll Lanes in the Eastside Corridor | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 13) |
| 3/29 | SB 5251 | Electric Vehicle Registration Fees | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 16) |
| 3/16 | SB 5407 | Prohibits Drivers Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants | Motion Rejected - Senate (23 - 25) |
| 3/07 | HB 1166 | Preventing Alcohol Poisoning Deaths | Bill Passed - House (57 - 39) |
| 3/05 | SB 5769 | Coal-Fired Power Plants | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 13) |
| 3/05 | HB 1382 | Express Toll Lanes in the Eastside Corridor | Bill Passed - House (52 - 46) |
| 3/05 | SB 5039 | Tobacco Cessation Treatment | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21) |
| 3/02 | SB 5073 | Regulations for the Use of Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20) |
| 2/28 | HB 1267 | Definition of Parenthood | Bill Passed - House (57 - 41) |
| 2/28 | HB 1489 | Anti-Phosphorus Fertilizer Bill | Bill Passed - House (58 - 39) |
| 2/18 | HB 1086 | 2011-2012 Supplemental Budget | Vetoed - Executive |
| 1/24 | HB 1086 | 2011-2012 Supplemental Budget | Bill Passed - House (55 - 43) |
| 4/12 | SB 6444 | 2009-2011 Biennium Budget Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 21) |
| 4/12 | SB 6143 | Tax Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 21) |
| 4/12 | SB 6444 | 2009-2011 Biennium Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (54 - 43) |
| 4/12 | HB 2493 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 43) |
| 4/12 | HB 2836 | 2009-2011 Supplemental Biennium Capital Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (61 - 36) |
| 4/12 | HB 2493 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 17) |
| 4/12 | HB 2836 | 2009-2011 Supplemental Biennium Capital Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 13) |
| 4/10 | SB 6143 | Tax Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - House (52 - 44) |
| 4/02 | SB 6503 | State Employee Furlough Plan | Bill Passed - House (50 - 38) |
| 3/22 | HB 2782 | Limiting Disability Benefits | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (57 - 40) |
| 3/22 | HB 2782 | Limiting Disability Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 16) |
| 3/10 | SB 6364 | 2009 - 2011 Biennium Capital Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 16) |
| 2/27 | SB 6444 | 2009-2011 Biennium Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 19) |
| 2/22 | SB 6130 | Initiative 960 (Tax Increase Restrictions) Suspension | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 21) |
| 2/17 | SB 6130 | Initiative 960 (Tax Increase Restrictions) Suspension | Bill Passed - House (51 - 47) |
| 2/15 | HB 2793 | Legalizing Paid Surrogacy | Bill Passed - House (59 - 39) |
| 2/15 | SB 6562 | Expanding State University Tuition Authority | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19) |
| 2/10 | HB 1956 | Limiting Local Regulations of Homeless Shelters | Bill Passed - House (57 - 39) |
| 2/09 | SB 6382 | Extending State Employee Salary Freeze | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 15) |