Key Votes

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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:

  1. The vote should be helpful in portraying how a member stands on a particular issue
  2. The vote should be clear for any person to understand
  3. The vote has received media attention
  4. The vote was passed or defeated by a very close margin
  5. Occasionally, if a specific bill is consistently inquired about on the Voter's Research Hotline, the vote will be added

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.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
May 27, 2010 LA HB 1033 Evaluation and Assessment Programs Concurrence Vote Passed - House (68 - 23)
May 26, 2010 MA H 4703 Sentencing Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (139 - 17)
May 25, 2010 IL SB 3514 Amending State Pension Laws and Limiting Pension Appropriations Bill Passed - House (71 - 44)
May 17, 2010 NY S 7846 Emergency Appropriations Bill Passed - House (92 - 50)
May 17, 2010 LA HB 1478 Unpaid holidays for state employees Bill Failed - House (23 - 68)
May 12, 2010 CO HB 1409 State Employee Compensation Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (35 - 27)
May 12, 2010 CO SB 191 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (36 - 29)
May 10, 2010 CO SB 12 Increasing Penalties for Worker's Compensation Violations Bill Passed - House (37 - 27)
May 10, 2010 NY S 7777 Emergency Appropriations Bill Passed - House (83 - 56)
May 10, 2010 LA HB 1033 Evaluation and Assessment Programs Bill Passed - House (68 - 26)
April 22, 2010 WI SB 437 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (50 - 47)
April 19, 2010 LA HB 224 Withholding Pension Benefits from Incarcerated Public Employees Bill Failed - House (42 - 56)
April 12, 2010 MD HB 465 Establishes Collective Bargaining Procedures for Certain Child Care Providers Conference Report Adopted - House (100 - 39)
April 12, 2010 MD SB 789 Requires Shift Breaks for Certain Employees Bill Passed - House (94 - 45)
April 9, 2010 MD SB 590 Establishes a Public School Labor Relations Board Bill Passed - House (103 - 35)
April 9, 2010 FL SB 6 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (64 - 55)
April 2, 2010 WA SB 6503 State Employee Furlough Plan Bill Passed - House (50 - 38)
March 29, 2010 IA SF 2389 Iowa Jobs II Program and Budget Amendments Bill Passed - House (52 - 47)
March 26, 2010 ME LD 1552 Repealing Maine Tree Growth Program Eligibility for Use of "Bonded Laborers" Concurrence Vote Passed - House (70 - 68)
March 25, 2010 KY SB 178 Closed-Session School Superintendent Evaluations Bill Passed - House (67 - 29)
March 17, 2010 IA HF 2518 Retirement Contribution Rate Amendments Bill Passed - House (53 - 43)
March 11, 2010 MN HF 2700 Omnibus Bonding and Budget Amendments Conference Report Adopted - House (89 - 44)
March 10, 2010 SC H 3305 Requiring Secret Ballot Elections Concurrence Vote Passed - House (106 - 12)
March 9, 2010 VA SB 66 Prohibiting Sexual Orientation Discrimination in State Government Employment Motion Agreed - House (55 - 42)
March 8, 2010 SD SB 18 Restrictions on Retirement for Rehired Public Employees Bill Passed - House (55 - 13)
March 1, 2010 MN SF 2168 General Assistance Medical Care Program Modifications Veto Override Failed - House (86 - 47)
Feb. 26, 2010 WY SF 72 Increasing State Employee Contribution to State Retirement System Bill Passed - House (37 - 21)
Feb. 26, 2010 UT SB 43 Retirement System Amendments Bill Passed - House (55 - 20)
Feb. 26, 2010 UT SB 63 Retirement System Amendments Bill Passed - House (46 - 26)
Feb. 24, 2010 IN SB 23 Unemployment Tax Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (82 - 17)
Feb. 22, 2010 WY HB 93 Increasing Penalties for Workplace Safety Violations Bill Passed - House (54 - 3)
Feb. 18, 2010 NM SB 112 Authorizing Severance Tax Bonds and Allocating Proceeds Bill Passed - House (37 - 31)
Feb. 16, 2010 CO SB 1 Public Employee Retirement Association Amendments Bill Passed - House (36 - 29)
Feb. 8, 2010 NM HB 17 Prohibiting Domestic Violence Offenders from Being Peace Officers Bill Passed - House (48 - 19)
Feb. 8, 2010 UT HB 18 Expanding Unemployment Insurance Eligibility Bill Passed - House (46 - 28)
Jan. 20, 2010 WA HB 2561 Energy Efficiency Improvement Bonds Bill Passed - House (57 - 41)
Jan. 12, 2010 IL SB 315 Teacher Evaluation Amendments Bill Passed - House (74 - 37)
Dec. 17, 2009 OH HB 318 Tax Law Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 42)
Sept. 11, 2009 PA HB 1828 Municipal Pension System Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (113 - 76)
Aug. 12, 2009 AL HB 13 Authorizes an Occupational Tax for Jefferson County Bill Passed - House (17 - 15)
Aug. 5, 2009 PA HB 1828 Municipal Pension System Amendments Bill Passed - House (112 - 85)
July 20, 2009 CT HB 6502 Concerning Standard Wage for Certain Workers Veto Override Passed - House (106 - 35)
June 30, 2009 DE HB 290 2009-2010 Budget Bill Passed - House (27 - 14)
June 25, 2009 NJ A 4111 State Employee Wage Increases Bill Passed - House (47 - 29)
June 19, 2009 CT SB 2001 Employment and Training Funds for Disadvantaged Workers Bill Passed - House (97 - 32)
June 19, 2009 OR SB 519 Mandatory Workplace Meetings Bill Passed - House (34 - 24)
June 18, 2009 MA S 2087 Massachusetts Transportation Agency Consolidation Conference Report Adopted - House (130 - 25)
June 18, 2009 MI SB 293 Hire Michigan First Plan Bill Passed - House (74 - 35)
June 17, 2009 OR HB 3300 Promoting Green Jobs Bill Passed - House (42 - 16)
June 8, 2009 NY A 1867 Amending Labor Laws for Farm Workers Bill Passed - House (86 - 58)
May 28, 2009 CT HB 6187 Requiring Paid Sick Leave Bill Passed - House (88 - 58)
May 21, 2009 NJ A 3372 Wages in Board of Public Utilities Construction Projects Bill Passed - House (54 - 22)
May 21, 2009 LA HB 705 Equal Pay for Women Bill Failed - House (33 - 59)
May 14, 2009 TX HB 1657 Contractor Worker's Compensation Bill Passed - House (73 - 71)
May 6, 2009 MI HB 4786 Part-Time Work Unemployment Benefits Bill Passed - House (68 - 39)
May 6, 2009 MI HB 4785 Job Training Program Benefits and Security Bill Passed - House (68 - 39)
May 5, 2009 CO HB 1170 Allowing Locked-Out Employees to Collect Unemployment Benefits Concurrence Vote Passed - House (36 - 29)
May 4, 2009 OR HB 2821 Employee Vacation Use Amendments Bill Passed - House (34 - 23)
May 1, 2009 NV AB 395 Allowing State Employee Collective Bargaining Bill Passed - House (28 - 14)
April 29, 2009 FL Amdt 337171 Expanding Unemployment Benefits Eligibility Amendment Rejected - House (45 - 71)
April 29, 2009 IN HB 1379 Unemployment Benefit Amendments Conference Report Adopted - House (52 - 47)
April 29, 2009 WI SB 20 Discriminatory Pay Compensation Bill Passed - House (51 - 47)
April 29, 2009 ID S 1166 Workers' Compensation Dividend Amendments Bill Passed - House (50 - 16)
April 28, 2009 CO SB 88 Extending Health Benefits to Domestic Partners of State Employees Bill Passed - House (34 - 30)
April 16, 2009 MO HB 258 Excluding Tipped Employees from Mandatory Minimum Wage Increases Bill Passed - House (86 - 74)
April 16, 2009 MO HB 795 Minimum Wage and Sales Tax Modifications for Businesses Bill Passed - House (87 - 70)
April 11, 2009 WV SB 246 Temporary Unemployment Compensation Tax Increase for Employers Bill Passed - House (71 - 29)
March 31, 2009 FL HB 903 Capping Attorney Fees in Workers' Compensation Lawsuits Bill Passed - House (84 - 35)
March 26, 2009 FL Amdt 677495 Amendments to Attorney Fee Cap in Workers Compensation Lawsuits Amendment Rejected - House (45 - 69)
March 26, 2009 MD HB 310 Extending Unemployment Benefits to Part-Time Employees Bill Passed - House (94 - 43)
March 25, 2009 KS SB 160 Increasing Minimum Wage Bill Passed - House (104 - 21)
March 16, 2009 NJ S 21 Local Government PERS/PFRS Contribution Deferral Bill Passed - House (42 - 36)
March 16, 2009 NJ A 3569 Stop-Work Orders and Workers' Compensation Requirements Bill Passed - House (46 - 24)
March 10, 2009 HI HB 952 Amending Unionization Requirements Bill Passed - House (37 - 9)
March 5, 2009 NM HB 616 State Employee Return-to-Work Restrictions Bill Passed - House (49 - 13)
March 4, 2009 UT HJR 8 Mandating Secret Ballots Bill Passed - House (53 - 22)
March 4, 2009 WA HB 1329 Child Care Center Unionization Bill Passed - House (65 - 31)
Feb. 25, 2009 AR HB 1464 Minimum Wage Increase Bill Passed - House (67 - 27)
Feb. 25, 2009 CO HB 1001 Tax Credit for Job Creation Bill Passed - House (52 - 13)
Feb. 24, 2009 IN HB 1379 Unemployment Benefit Amendments Bill Passed - House (55 - 41)
Feb. 24, 2009 ID H 173 Restricting Eligibility for State Retiree Health Benefits Bill Passed - House (59 - 11)
Feb. 19, 2009 IA HF 333 Wage Standards for Public Project Workers Bill Failed - House (49 - 49)
Feb. 18, 2009 NH HB 103 Laid Off Employees Payment Time-Frame Bill Passed - House (194 - 164)
Jan. 13, 2009 ND HB 1036 Workforce Safety and Insurance Premium Rate Regulation Bill Passed - House (62 - 32)
Aug. 29, 2008 CA AB 2386 Agricultural Union Election Law Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (45 - 31)
Aug. 29, 2008 CA AB 1107 Drought-Related Unemployment Benefits Concurrence Vote Passed - House (60 - 18)
June 23, 2008 CT HB 5105 Minimum Wage Increase Veto Override Passed - House (102 - 39)
June 23, 2008 NJ S 1962 State Worker Retirement and Health Benefits Bill Passed - House (52 - 13)
May 29, 2008 CA AB 2076 Prohibiting E-verify Bill Passed - House (43 - 31)
May 28, 2008 CA AB 2279 Prohibiting Employment Discrimination Against Medical Marijuana Patients Bill Passed - House (41 - 35)
May 28, 2008 MS SB 2011 Increasing Unemployment Benefits Bill Passed - House (87 - 33)
May 28, 2008 CA AB 2716 Paid Sick Leave Bill Passed - House (45 - 33)
May 21, 2008 NH HB 1436 Automatic Continuation Clause in Collective Bargaining Agreements Concurrence Vote Passed - House (186 - 128)
May 8, 2008 MN SF 875 Minimum Wage Increase Conference Report Adopted - House (89 - 45)
May 7, 2008 SC Amendment No. 8A Requiring Employers to Verify Immigration the Status of Their Employees Amendment Adopted - House (80 - 33)
May 5, 2008 CO HB 1325 Seasonal Foreign Worker Pilot Program Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 17)
May 2, 2008 CO SB 200 Sexual Orientation Nondiscrimination Bill Passed - House (38 - 26)
May 1, 2008 MN SF 875 Minimum Wage Increase Bill Passed - House (82 - 45)
April 29, 2008 RI H 7107 Employment Verification Program Bill Passed - House (52 - 17)
April 24, 2008 MO HB 1851 Minimum Wage and Overtime Pay Changes Bill Failed - House (68 - 82)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/27 HB 1033 Evaluation and Assessment Programs Concurrence Vote Passed - House (68 - 23)
5/26 H 4703 Sentencing Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (139 - 17)
5/25 SB 3514 Amending State Pension Laws and Limiting Pension Appropriations Bill Passed - House (71 - 44)
5/17 S 7846 Emergency Appropriations Bill Passed - House (92 - 50)
5/17 HB 1478 Unpaid holidays for state employees Bill Failed - House (23 - 68)
5/12 HB 1409 State Employee Compensation Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (35 - 27)
5/12 SB 191 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (36 - 29)
5/10 SB 12 Increasing Penalties for Worker's Compensation Violations Bill Passed - House (37 - 27)
5/10 S 7777 Emergency Appropriations Bill Passed - House (83 - 56)
5/10 HB 1033 Evaluation and Assessment Programs Bill Passed - House (68 - 26)
4/22 SB 437 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (50 - 47)
4/19 HB 224 Withholding Pension Benefits from Incarcerated Public Employees Bill Failed - House (42 - 56)
4/12 HB 465 Establishes Collective Bargaining Procedures for Certain Child Care Providers Conference Report Adopted - House (100 - 39)
4/12 SB 789 Requires Shift Breaks for Certain Employees Bill Passed - House (94 - 45)
4/09 SB 590 Establishes a Public School Labor Relations Board Bill Passed - House (103 - 35)
4/09 SB 6 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (64 - 55)
4/02 SB 6503 State Employee Furlough Plan Bill Passed - House (50 - 38)
3/29 SF 2389 Iowa Jobs II Program and Budget Amendments Bill Passed - House (52 - 47)
3/26 LD 1552 Repealing Maine Tree Growth Program Eligibility for Use of "Bonded Laborers" Concurrence Vote Passed - House (70 - 68)
3/25 SB 178 Closed-Session School Superintendent Evaluations Bill Passed - House (67 - 29)
3/17 HF 2518 Retirement Contribution Rate Amendments Bill Passed - House (53 - 43)
3/11 HF 2700 Omnibus Bonding and Budget Amendments Conference Report Adopted - House (89 - 44)
3/10 H 3305 Requiring Secret Ballot Elections Concurrence Vote Passed - House (106 - 12)
3/09 SB 66 Prohibiting Sexual Orientation Discrimination in State Government Employment Motion Agreed - House (55 - 42)
3/08 SB 18 Restrictions on Retirement for Rehired Public Employees Bill Passed - House (55 - 13)
3/01 SF 2168 General Assistance Medical Care Program Modifications Veto Override Failed - House (86 - 47)
2/26 SF 72 Increasing State Employee Contribution to State Retirement System Bill Passed - House (37 - 21)
2/26 SB 43 Retirement System Amendments Bill Passed - House (55 - 20)
2/26 SB 63 Retirement System Amendments Bill Passed - House (46 - 26)
2/24 SB 23 Unemployment Tax Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (82 - 17)
2/22 HB 93 Increasing Penalties for Workplace Safety Violations Bill Passed - House (54 - 3)
2/18 SB 112 Authorizing Severance Tax Bonds and Allocating Proceeds Bill Passed - House (37 - 31)
2/16 SB 1 Public Employee Retirement Association Amendments Bill Passed - House (36 - 29)
2/08 HB 17 Prohibiting Domestic Violence Offenders from Being Peace Officers Bill Passed - House (48 - 19)
2/08 HB 18 Expanding Unemployment Insurance Eligibility Bill Passed - House (46 - 28)
1/20 HB 2561 Energy Efficiency Improvement Bonds Bill Passed - House (57 - 41)
1/12 SB 315 Teacher Evaluation Amendments Bill Passed - House (74 - 37)
12/17 HB 318 Tax Law Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 42)
9/11 HB 1828 Municipal Pension System Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (113 - 76)
8/12 HB 13 Authorizes an Occupational Tax for Jefferson County Bill Passed - House (17 - 15)
8/05 HB 1828 Municipal Pension System Amendments Bill Passed - House (112 - 85)
7/20 HB 6502 Concerning Standard Wage for Certain Workers Veto Override Passed - House (106 - 35)
6/30 HB 290 2009-2010 Budget Bill Passed - House (27 - 14)
6/25 A 4111 State Employee Wage Increases Bill Passed - House (47 - 29)
6/19 SB 2001 Employment and Training Funds for Disadvantaged Workers Bill Passed - House (97 - 32)
6/19 SB 519 Mandatory Workplace Meetings Bill Passed - House (34 - 24)
6/18 S 2087 Massachusetts Transportation Agency Consolidation Conference Report Adopted - House (130 - 25)
6/18 SB 293 Hire Michigan First Plan Bill Passed - House (74 - 35)
6/17 HB 3300 Promoting Green Jobs Bill Passed - House (42 - 16)
6/08 A 1867 Amending Labor Laws for Farm Workers Bill Passed - House (86 - 58)
5/28 HB 6187 Requiring Paid Sick Leave Bill Passed - House (88 - 58)
5/21 A 3372 Wages in Board of Public Utilities Construction Projects Bill Passed - House (54 - 22)
5/21 HB 705 Equal Pay for Women Bill Failed - House (33 - 59)
5/14 HB 1657 Contractor Worker's Compensation Bill Passed - House (73 - 71)
5/06 HB 4786 Part-Time Work Unemployment Benefits Bill Passed - House (68 - 39)
5/06 HB 4785 Job Training Program Benefits and Security Bill Passed - House (68 - 39)
5/05 HB 1170 Allowing Locked-Out Employees to Collect Unemployment Benefits Concurrence Vote Passed - House (36 - 29)
5/04 HB 2821 Employee Vacation Use Amendments Bill Passed - House (34 - 23)
5/01 AB 395 Allowing State Employee Collective Bargaining Bill Passed - House (28 - 14)
4/29 Amdt 337171 Expanding Unemployment Benefits Eligibility Amendment Rejected - House (45 - 71)
4/29 HB 1379 Unemployment Benefit Amendments Conference Report Adopted - House (52 - 47)
4/29 SB 20 Discriminatory Pay Compensation Bill Passed - House (51 - 47)
4/29 S 1166 Workers' Compensation Dividend Amendments Bill Passed - House (50 - 16)
4/28 SB 88 Extending Health Benefits to Domestic Partners of State Employees Bill Passed - House (34 - 30)
4/16 HB 258 Excluding Tipped Employees from Mandatory Minimum Wage Increases Bill Passed - House (86 - 74)
4/16 HB 795 Minimum Wage and Sales Tax Modifications for Businesses Bill Passed - House (87 - 70)
4/11 SB 246 Temporary Unemployment Compensation Tax Increase for Employers Bill Passed - House (71 - 29)
3/31 HB 903 Capping Attorney Fees in Workers' Compensation Lawsuits Bill Passed - House (84 - 35)
3/26 Amdt 677495 Amendments to Attorney Fee Cap in Workers Compensation Lawsuits Amendment Rejected - House (45 - 69)
3/26 HB 310 Extending Unemployment Benefits to Part-Time Employees Bill Passed - House (94 - 43)
3/25 SB 160 Increasing Minimum Wage Bill Passed - House (104 - 21)
3/16 S 21 Local Government PERS/PFRS Contribution Deferral Bill Passed - House (42 - 36)
3/16 A 3569 Stop-Work Orders and Workers' Compensation Requirements Bill Passed - House (46 - 24)
3/10 HB 952 Amending Unionization Requirements Bill Passed - House (37 - 9)
3/05 HB 616 State Employee Return-to-Work Restrictions Bill Passed - House (49 - 13)
3/04 HJR 8 Mandating Secret Ballots Bill Passed - House (53 - 22)
3/04 HB 1329 Child Care Center Unionization Bill Passed - House (65 - 31)
2/25 HB 1464 Minimum Wage Increase Bill Passed - House (67 - 27)
2/25 HB 1001 Tax Credit for Job Creation Bill Passed - House (52 - 13)
2/24 HB 1379 Unemployment Benefit Amendments Bill Passed - House (55 - 41)
2/24 H 173 Restricting Eligibility for State Retiree Health Benefits Bill Passed - House (59 - 11)
2/19 HF 333 Wage Standards for Public Project Workers Bill Failed - House (49 - 49)
2/18 HB 103 Laid Off Employees Payment Time-Frame Bill Passed - House (194 - 164)
1/13 HB 1036 Workforce Safety and Insurance Premium Rate Regulation Bill Passed - House (62 - 32)
8/29 AB 2386 Agricultural Union Election Law Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (45 - 31)
8/29 AB 1107 Drought-Related Unemployment Benefits Concurrence Vote Passed - House (60 - 18)
6/23 HB 5105 Minimum Wage Increase Veto Override Passed - House (102 - 39)
6/23 S 1962 State Worker Retirement and Health Benefits Bill Passed - House (52 - 13)
5/29 AB 2076 Prohibiting E-verify Bill Passed - House (43 - 31)
5/28 AB 2279 Prohibiting Employment Discrimination Against Medical Marijuana Patients Bill Passed - House (41 - 35)
5/28 SB 2011 Increasing Unemployment Benefits Bill Passed - House (87 - 33)
5/28 AB 2716 Paid Sick Leave Bill Passed - House (45 - 33)
5/21 HB 1436 Automatic Continuation Clause in Collective Bargaining Agreements Concurrence Vote Passed - House (186 - 128)
5/08 SF 875 Minimum Wage Increase Conference Report Adopted - House (89 - 45)
5/07 Amendment No. 8A Requiring Employers to Verify Immigration the Status of Their Employees Amendment Adopted - House (80 - 33)
5/05 HB 1325 Seasonal Foreign Worker Pilot Program Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 17)
5/02 SB 200 Sexual Orientation Nondiscrimination Bill Passed - House (38 - 26)
5/01 SF 875 Minimum Wage Increase Bill Passed - House (82 - 45)
4/29 H 7107 Employment Verification Program Bill Passed - House (52 - 17)
4/24 HB 1851 Minimum Wage and Overtime Pay Changes Bill Failed - House (68 - 82)

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