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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
May 22, 2008 | MS | SB 2011 | Increasing Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 3) |
Aug. 20, 2008 | CA | AB 2279 | Prohibiting Employment Discrimination Against Medical Marijuana Patients | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
June 18, 2008 | DE | SB 280 | Minimum Wage Increase for Tipped Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 8) |
June 23, 2008 | NJ | S 1962 | State Worker Retirement and Health Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 8) |
June 23, 2008 | CT | HB 5105 | Minimum Wage Increase | Veto Override Passed - Senate (25 - 9) |
May 8, 2008 | NH | HB 1436 | Automatic Continuation Clause in Collective Bargaining Agreements | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 11) |
July 10, 1996 | National | S Amdt 4438 | Teamwork for Employees and Managers Act of 1995 | Amendment Adopted - Senate (61 - 38) |
Aug. 5, 2008 | CA | AB 2001 | Whistleblower Hotline | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 8) |
July 10, 1996 | National | HR 743 | Teamwork for Employees and Managers Act of 1995 | Bill Passed - Senate (53 - 46) |
July 12, 1994 | National | S 55 | Striker Replacement | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 47) |
Aug. 27, 2008 | CA | AB 2386 | Agricultural Union Election Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
Aug. 14, 2008 | CA | AB 1107 | Drought-Related Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 10) |
March 21, 2001 | National | S Amdt 134 | Campaign Reform Act - Union Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (69 - 31) |
Feb. 5, 2009 | MI | SB 93 | Prohibiting Mandatory Workplace Ergonomics Rules | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 16) |
Feb. 3, 2009 | MT | SB 253 | Allowing Employers to Count Tips as Credit Against Minimum Wage | Motion Rejected - Senate (21 - 29) |
Feb. 10, 2009 | WI | SB 1 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14) |
Feb. 6, 2009 | WY | SF 18 | Expanding Workers Compensation Coverage to Include Mental Injury | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
Feb. 16, 2009 | IA | SF 137 | Wage Discrimination Policy and Penalties | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
Feb. 24, 2009 | CO | SB 88 | Extending State Employee Health Benefits to Domestic Partners | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11) |
April 3, 2009 | ID | H 173 | Restricting Eligibility for State Retiree Health Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
March 12, 2009 | WA | SB 6035 | Retrospective Ratings Program Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 24) |
March 13, 2009 | WV | SB 238 | Ban on Sexual Orientation Discrimination | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
March 16, 2009 | NJ | S 21 | Local Government PERS/PFRS Contribution Deferral | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
Feb. 19, 2009 | KS | SB 160 | Increasing Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 7) |
March 6, 2009 | UT | HJR 8 | Mandating Secret Ballots | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
March 24, 2009 | IN | HB 1379 | Unemployment Benefit Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20) |
March 12, 2009 | TN | SB 83 | "Living" Wage Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 13) |
April 10, 2009 | MD | HB 310 | Extending Unemployment Benefits to Part-Time Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 9) |
May 1, 2009 | FL | HB 903 | Capping Attorney Fees in Workers' Compensation Lawsuits | Motion Agreed - Senate (22 - 16) |
April 13, 2009 | CO | SB 281 | Clarifying Pinnacol Assurance as a Subdivision of the State | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
April 14, 2009 | HI | HB 952 | Amending Unionization Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 4) |
April 13, 2009 | CO | SB 273 | Appropriation of Pinnacol Assurance Funds | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
April 16, 2009 | ID | S 1166 | Workers' Compensation Dividend Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7) |
April 28, 2009 | CO | HB 1170 | Allowing Locked-Out Employees to Collect Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
April 28, 2009 | WI | SB 20 | Discriminatory Pay Compensation | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
April 23, 2009 | CA | SB 789 | Amending Unionization Requirements for Agricultural Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
May 26, 2009 | CA | SB 219 | Extending Whistle-Blower Protection to UC Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
May 27, 2009 | RI | S 659 | Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
June 8, 2009 | OR | SB 519 | Mandatory Workplace Meetings | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
May 31, 2009 | NV | AB 395 | Allowing State Employee Collective Bargaining | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 8) |
June 23, 2009 | OR | HB 3300 | Promoting Green Jobs | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 7) |
July 1, 2009 | DE | HB 290 | 2009-2010 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 4) |
June 25, 2009 | NJ | A 3372 | Wages in Board of Public Utilities Construction Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
June 25, 2009 | NJ | A 4111 | State Employee Wage Increases | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
Aug. 14, 2009 | AL | HB 13 | Authorizes an Occupational Tax for Jefferson County | Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 9) |
June 18, 2009 | MA | S 2087 | Massachusetts Transportation Agency Consolidation | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 11) |
Sept. 4, 2009 | CA | AB 793 | Clarifying Statute of Limitations for Wage Discrimination Lawsuits | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
Dec. 17, 2009 | OH | HB 318 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15) |
Aug. 26, 2009 | PA | HB 1828 | Municipal Pension System Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 9) |
Dec. 3, 2009 | MI | SB 638 | "Consistent Ineffectiveness" as Grounds for Discharging or Demoting Tenured Teachers | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
5/22 | SB 2011 | Increasing Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 3) |
8/20 | AB 2279 | Prohibiting Employment Discrimination Against Medical Marijuana Patients | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
6/18 | SB 280 | Minimum Wage Increase for Tipped Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 8) |
6/23 | S 1962 | State Worker Retirement and Health Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 8) |
6/23 | HB 5105 | Minimum Wage Increase | Veto Override Passed - Senate (25 - 9) |
5/08 | HB 1436 | Automatic Continuation Clause in Collective Bargaining Agreements | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 11) |
7/10 | S Amdt 4438 | Teamwork for Employees and Managers Act of 1995 | Amendment Adopted - Senate (61 - 38) |
8/05 | AB 2001 | Whistleblower Hotline | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 8) |
7/10 | HR 743 | Teamwork for Employees and Managers Act of 1995 | Bill Passed - Senate (53 - 46) |
7/12 | S 55 | Striker Replacement | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 47) |
8/27 | AB 2386 | Agricultural Union Election Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
8/14 | AB 1107 | Drought-Related Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 10) |
3/21 | S Amdt 134 | Campaign Reform Act - Union Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (69 - 31) |
2/05 | SB 93 | Prohibiting Mandatory Workplace Ergonomics Rules | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 16) |
2/03 | SB 253 | Allowing Employers to Count Tips as Credit Against Minimum Wage | Motion Rejected - Senate (21 - 29) |
2/10 | SB 1 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14) |
2/06 | SF 18 | Expanding Workers Compensation Coverage to Include Mental Injury | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
2/16 | SF 137 | Wage Discrimination Policy and Penalties | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
2/24 | SB 88 | Extending State Employee Health Benefits to Domestic Partners | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11) |
4/03 | H 173 | Restricting Eligibility for State Retiree Health Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
3/12 | SB 6035 | Retrospective Ratings Program Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 24) |
3/13 | SB 238 | Ban on Sexual Orientation Discrimination | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
3/16 | S 21 | Local Government PERS/PFRS Contribution Deferral | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
2/19 | SB 160 | Increasing Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 7) |
3/06 | HJR 8 | Mandating Secret Ballots | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
3/24 | HB 1379 | Unemployment Benefit Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20) |
3/12 | SB 83 | "Living" Wage Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 13) |
4/10 | HB 310 | Extending Unemployment Benefits to Part-Time Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 9) |
5/01 | HB 903 | Capping Attorney Fees in Workers' Compensation Lawsuits | Motion Agreed - Senate (22 - 16) |
4/13 | SB 281 | Clarifying Pinnacol Assurance as a Subdivision of the State | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
4/14 | HB 952 | Amending Unionization Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 4) |
4/13 | SB 273 | Appropriation of Pinnacol Assurance Funds | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
4/16 | S 1166 | Workers' Compensation Dividend Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7) |
4/28 | HB 1170 | Allowing Locked-Out Employees to Collect Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
4/28 | SB 20 | Discriminatory Pay Compensation | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
4/23 | SB 789 | Amending Unionization Requirements for Agricultural Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
5/26 | SB 219 | Extending Whistle-Blower Protection to UC Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
5/27 | S 659 | Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
6/08 | SB 519 | Mandatory Workplace Meetings | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
5/31 | AB 395 | Allowing State Employee Collective Bargaining | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 8) |
6/23 | HB 3300 | Promoting Green Jobs | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 7) |
7/01 | HB 290 | 2009-2010 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 4) |
6/25 | A 3372 | Wages in Board of Public Utilities Construction Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
6/25 | A 4111 | State Employee Wage Increases | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
8/14 | HB 13 | Authorizes an Occupational Tax for Jefferson County | Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 9) |
6/18 | S 2087 | Massachusetts Transportation Agency Consolidation | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 11) |
9/04 | AB 793 | Clarifying Statute of Limitations for Wage Discrimination Lawsuits | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
12/17 | HB 318 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15) |
8/26 | HB 1828 | Municipal Pension System Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 9) |
12/03 | SB 638 | "Consistent Ineffectiveness" as Grounds for Discharging or Demoting Tenured Teachers | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |