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.


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Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
July 6, 2009 NC SB 870 Making General Statutes Gender Neutral Motion Agreed - House (79 - 33)
Oct. 22, 2009 National HR 2647 2009-2010 Defense Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (68 - 29)
June 3, 2009 NH HB 73 Religious Choice in Performing Marriage Ceremonies Conference Report Adopted - House (198 - 176)
Oct. 8, 2009 National HR 2647 2009-2010 Defense Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - House (281 - 146)
May 6, 2009 ME LD 1020 Same Sex Marriage Bill Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
April 13, 2009 MD SB 785 Inheritance Tax Exemption for Domestic Partners Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 18)
April 3, 2009 VT S 115 Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - House (94 - 52)
April 13, 2009 MD SB 785 Inheritance Tax Exemption for Domestic Partners Bill Passed - House (94 - 38)
May 20, 2009 NH HB 73 Religious Choice in Performing Marriage Ceremonies Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 10)
May 5, 2009 ME LD 1020 Same Sex Marriage Bill Bill Passed - House (89 - 57)
May 12, 2009 NY A 7732 Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - House (89 - 52)
Feb. 18, 2009 ND SB 2278 Prohibiting Sexual Orientation Discrimination Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 19)
March 2, 2009 CA SR 7 Statement of Opposition to Proposition 8 Resolution Passed - Senate (18 - 14)
March 2, 2009 CA HR 5 Statement of Opposition to Proposition 8 Resolution Passed - House (45 - 27)
March 10, 2009 WA SB 5688 Expanding Domestic Partnership Rights Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18)
March 13, 2009 WV SB 238 Ban on Sexual Orientation Discrimination Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10)
March 23, 2009 VT S 115 Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 4)
June 24, 2009 DE SB 121 Adding Sexual Orientation to Delaware Anti-Discriminatory Laws Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5)
April 17, 2009 MN SF 971 School Anti-Bullying Policy Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 22)
June 24, 2009 DE SB 121 Adding Sexual Orientation to Delaware Anti-Discriminatory Laws Bill Passed - House (26 - 14)
April 22, 2009 CT SB 899 Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - House (100 - 44)
April 22, 2009 CT SB 899 Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7)
April 23, 2009 AL HB 533 Hate Crime Law Expansion Bill Passed - House (46 - 41)
June 23, 2009 NC SB 526 Prevention of Bullying and Violence in Schools Bill Passed - House (58 - 57)
April 29, 2009 National HR 1913 Hate Crimes Expansion Bill Passed - House (249 - 175)
Date No. Title Outcome
7/06 SB 870 Making General Statutes Gender Neutral Motion Agreed - House (79 - 33)
10/22 HR 2647 2009-2010 Defense Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (68 - 29)
6/03 HB 73 Religious Choice in Performing Marriage Ceremonies Conference Report Adopted - House (198 - 176)
10/08 HR 2647 2009-2010 Defense Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - House (281 - 146)
5/06 LD 1020 Same Sex Marriage Bill Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
4/13 SB 785 Inheritance Tax Exemption for Domestic Partners Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 18)
4/03 S 115 Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - House (94 - 52)
4/13 SB 785 Inheritance Tax Exemption for Domestic Partners Bill Passed - House (94 - 38)
5/20 HB 73 Religious Choice in Performing Marriage Ceremonies Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 10)
5/05 LD 1020 Same Sex Marriage Bill Bill Passed - House (89 - 57)
5/12 A 7732 Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - House (89 - 52)
2/18 SB 2278 Prohibiting Sexual Orientation Discrimination Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 19)
3/02 SR 7 Statement of Opposition to Proposition 8 Resolution Passed - Senate (18 - 14)
3/02 HR 5 Statement of Opposition to Proposition 8 Resolution Passed - House (45 - 27)
3/10 SB 5688 Expanding Domestic Partnership Rights Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18)
3/13 SB 238 Ban on Sexual Orientation Discrimination Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10)
3/23 S 115 Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 4)
6/24 SB 121 Adding Sexual Orientation to Delaware Anti-Discriminatory Laws Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5)
4/17 SF 971 School Anti-Bullying Policy Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 22)
6/24 SB 121 Adding Sexual Orientation to Delaware Anti-Discriminatory Laws Bill Passed - House (26 - 14)
4/22 SB 899 Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - House (100 - 44)
4/22 SB 899 Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7)
4/23 HB 533 Hate Crime Law Expansion Bill Passed - House (46 - 41)
6/23 SB 526 Prevention of Bullying and Violence in Schools Bill Passed - House (58 - 57)
4/29 HR 1913 Hate Crimes Expansion Bill Passed - House (249 - 175)

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