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
Aug. 29, 2008 CA AB 2321 Metro Sales Tax Increase Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
April 11, 2007 WA Sub SB 5037 Cell Phone Driving Ban Bill Passed - House (59 - 38)
Aug. 13, 2008 CA SB 28 Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving Bill Passed - House (52 - 24)
April 27, 2009 TN SB 393 Prohibiting Texting While Driving Bill Passed - House (67 - 24)
April 2, 2008 GA HB 257 Limiting Concealed Weapon Restrictions Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 17)
July 21, 1994 National HR 4556 Transportation FY95 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 9)
Feb. 17, 2011 VA HB 2527 Virginia Transportation Infrastructure Fund and Bank Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 7)
April 15, 2009 IN HB 1607 West Lake Commuter Rail Project Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 7)
Aug. 7, 2008 CA AB 3034 High-Speed Rail Bond Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10)
June 11, 2007 TN SB 1152 Tennessee Tollway Act Bill Passed - House (72 - 21)
Aug. 20, 2008 CA AB 2233 Ban on Holding Pets While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17)
April 11, 2007 AZ HB 2033 Teen Drivers License Restrictions Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 6)
May 5, 2008 CO SB 226 Zebra Mussels Ban Bill Passed - House (54 - 11)
May 13, 2008 MN HF 3807 Real ID Prohibition Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 16)
April 9, 2007 AZ SB 1552 Air Pollution Control Bill Passed - House (35 - 21)
Oct. 20, 2005 National HR 3058 Transportation, Treasury, HUD and Judiciary Appropriation Bill Passed - Senate (93 - 1)
June 23, 2008 AZ HB 2156 Reviews for Potential Railroad Sites Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 6)
April 3, 2008 AZ SB 1167 Off-Highway Vehicle Regulations Bill Passed - House (42 - 13)
June 3, 2007 NV AB 595 Highway Funding Act Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 3)
July 17, 2008 NC HB 2340 Prohibiting Children from Riding in Pickup Truck Beds Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 20)
July 15, 2008 NC SB 1695 Tractor Trailer Length Bill Passed - House (101 - 10)
May 17, 2005 National HR 3 Transportation Authorization Bill Bill Passed - Senate (89 - 11)
June 22, 2007 LA SB 223 Required Liability Insurance Increase Bill Passed - House (77 - 23)
April 21, 2008 LA HB 852 Banning Cell Phones While Driving Bill Passed - House (55 - 43)
April 17, 2008 IL SB 2063 South Suburban Airport Authority Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 7)
April 29, 2008 TN SB 3042 Open Container Law Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7)
April 21, 2008 AZ HB 2395 Driving and Boating Under the Influence Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 6)
May 7, 2008 NY S 7594 Gasoline Tax Holiday Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 15)
May 5, 2008 CA AB 2233 Ban on Holding Pets While Driving Bill Passed - House (44 - 20)
May 19, 2008 LA HB 1312 Drivers Insurance Increase Bill Passed - House (57 - 35)
May 6, 2008 LA SB 137 Young Drivers Using Cell Phones While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
May 13, 2008 LA HB 1358 Transporting Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (70 - 17)
May 1, 2008 CA AB 1943 Passenger Rights on Commercial Airlines Bill Passed - House (57 - 17)
June 11, 2008 National HR 6003 Amtrak Reauthorization Bill Passed - House (311 - 104)
June 12, 2008 RI H 7222 page 5, re: Sec. 3-8-9: Transportation of Alcohol by Minors Bill Passed - House (52 - 14)
June 25, 2008 VA SB 6009 Transportation Taxes Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16)
June 26, 2008 National HR 6052 Public Transportation and Alternative Fuel Grants Bill Passed - House (322 - 98)
May 28, 2008 CA AB 2368 CalWORKs Eligibility Bill Passed - House (46 - 33)
March 10, 2005 National HR 3 Transportation Authorization Bill Bill Passed - House (417 - 9)
March 23, 2007 MN SF 1986 Transportation Taxes and Appropriations Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 24)
Feb. 2, 2006 IN HB 1006 Allocation of School Resources for Homeless Students Bill Passed - House (56 - 40)
March 28, 2006 MI HB 5638 Midwest interstate Passenger Rail Compact Bill Passed - House (56 - 51)
Feb. 22, 2006 WY SF 36 Open Containers of Alcohol in Vehicles Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5)
Jan. 12, 2006 MS HB 409 Seat Belt Law Bill Passed - House (95 - 25)
Jan. 27, 2006 MS HB 409 Seat Belt Law Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 4)
March 8, 2006 KY HB 334 Helmet Requirement for ATV Drivers Under 16 Bill Passed - House (56 - 34)
Jan. 24, 2006 IN SB 88 Seat Belt Requirement Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21)
Feb. 22, 2006 ID H 582 Breathalyzer Refusal Penalty Bill Passed - House (47 - 19)
Feb. 10, 2006 WA Sub HB 2738 Minimum Renewable Fuel Content Requirements Bill Passed - House (70 - 28)
April 19, 2006 TN SB 303 Driver's License Examination English Language Requirement Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14)
Date No. Title Outcome
8/29 AB 2321 Metro Sales Tax Increase Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
4/11 Sub SB 5037 Cell Phone Driving Ban Bill Passed - House (59 - 38)
8/13 SB 28 Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving Bill Passed - House (52 - 24)
4/27 SB 393 Prohibiting Texting While Driving Bill Passed - House (67 - 24)
4/02 HB 257 Limiting Concealed Weapon Restrictions Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 17)
7/21 HR 4556 Transportation FY95 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 9)
2/17 HB 2527 Virginia Transportation Infrastructure Fund and Bank Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 7)
4/15 HB 1607 West Lake Commuter Rail Project Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 7)
8/07 AB 3034 High-Speed Rail Bond Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10)
6/11 SB 1152 Tennessee Tollway Act Bill Passed - House (72 - 21)
8/20 AB 2233 Ban on Holding Pets While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17)
4/11 HB 2033 Teen Drivers License Restrictions Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 6)
5/05 SB 226 Zebra Mussels Ban Bill Passed - House (54 - 11)
5/13 HF 3807 Real ID Prohibition Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 16)
4/09 SB 1552 Air Pollution Control Bill Passed - House (35 - 21)
10/20 HR 3058 Transportation, Treasury, HUD and Judiciary Appropriation Bill Passed - Senate (93 - 1)
6/23 HB 2156 Reviews for Potential Railroad Sites Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 6)
4/03 SB 1167 Off-Highway Vehicle Regulations Bill Passed - House (42 - 13)
6/03 AB 595 Highway Funding Act Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 3)
7/17 HB 2340 Prohibiting Children from Riding in Pickup Truck Beds Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 20)
7/15 SB 1695 Tractor Trailer Length Bill Passed - House (101 - 10)
5/17 HR 3 Transportation Authorization Bill Bill Passed - Senate (89 - 11)
6/22 SB 223 Required Liability Insurance Increase Bill Passed - House (77 - 23)
4/21 HB 852 Banning Cell Phones While Driving Bill Passed - House (55 - 43)
4/17 SB 2063 South Suburban Airport Authority Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 7)
4/29 SB 3042 Open Container Law Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7)
4/21 HB 2395 Driving and Boating Under the Influence Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 6)
5/07 S 7594 Gasoline Tax Holiday Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 15)
5/05 AB 2233 Ban on Holding Pets While Driving Bill Passed - House (44 - 20)
5/19 HB 1312 Drivers Insurance Increase Bill Passed - House (57 - 35)
5/06 SB 137 Young Drivers Using Cell Phones While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
5/13 HB 1358 Transporting Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (70 - 17)
5/01 AB 1943 Passenger Rights on Commercial Airlines Bill Passed - House (57 - 17)
6/11 HR 6003 Amtrak Reauthorization Bill Passed - House (311 - 104)
6/12 H 7222 page 5, re: Sec. 3-8-9: Transportation of Alcohol by Minors Bill Passed - House (52 - 14)
6/25 SB 6009 Transportation Taxes Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16)
6/26 HR 6052 Public Transportation and Alternative Fuel Grants Bill Passed - House (322 - 98)
5/28 AB 2368 CalWORKs Eligibility Bill Passed - House (46 - 33)
3/10 HR 3 Transportation Authorization Bill Bill Passed - House (417 - 9)
3/23 SF 1986 Transportation Taxes and Appropriations Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 24)
2/02 HB 1006 Allocation of School Resources for Homeless Students Bill Passed - House (56 - 40)
3/28 HB 5638 Midwest interstate Passenger Rail Compact Bill Passed - House (56 - 51)
2/22 SF 36 Open Containers of Alcohol in Vehicles Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5)
1/12 HB 409 Seat Belt Law Bill Passed - House (95 - 25)
1/27 HB 409 Seat Belt Law Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 4)
3/08 HB 334 Helmet Requirement for ATV Drivers Under 16 Bill Passed - House (56 - 34)
1/24 SB 88 Seat Belt Requirement Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21)
2/22 H 582 Breathalyzer Refusal Penalty Bill Passed - House (47 - 19)
2/10 Sub HB 2738 Minimum Renewable Fuel Content Requirements Bill Passed - House (70 - 28)
4/19 SB 303 Driver's License Examination English Language Requirement Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14)

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