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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Jan. 28, 2010 | MA | H 4441 | School Nutrition Standards | Bill Passed - House (152 - 4) |
Feb. 4, 2010 | NM | SB 26 | Establishing the Domestic Violence Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8) |
Feb. 4, 2010 | NM | SB 26 | Establishing the Domestic Violence Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8) |
Feb. 8, 2010 | NM | HB 17 | Prohibiting Domestic Violence Offenders from Being Peace Officers | Bill Passed - House (48 - 19) |
Feb. 11, 2010 | NM | SB 216 | Repeal "Guilty but Mentally Ill" Plea | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 19) |
Feb. 9, 2010 | NM | HB 10 | Prohibiting Hand-Held Cell Phone Use While Driving | Bill Passed - House (35 - 30) |
May 27, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4214 | National Guard Deployment on Southern U.S. Land Border | Motion Rejected - Senate (51 - 46) |
June 3, 2010 | LA | SB 593 | Governor's Office Records | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 24) |
May 21, 2010 | OK | HJR 1054 | Prohibiting Federal Health Care Mandates | Veto Override Failed - Senate (29 - 16) |
Sept. 20, 2010 | NJ | S 2139 | 2010-2011 Supplemental Health Services Budget | Veto Override Failed - Senate (23 - 17) |
Aug. 24, 2010 | CA | SB 399 | Authorizing Youth Offenders to Appeal a Sentence of Life Without Parole | Bill Failed - House (34 - 38) |
May 5, 2010 | OK | SB 1685 | Oklahoma Firearms Freedom Act | Veto Override Failed - Senate (28 - 16) |
March 3, 2010 | WY | SF 64 | Increasing Seat Belt Violation Fine | Bill Failed - House (17 - 41) |
May 7, 2010 | KS | HB 2180 | Expansion of Gambling Operations Industry | Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 20) |
Feb. 17, 2010 | NH | HB 1644 | Expanding Homicide to Include "Unborn Child" | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Failed - House (219 - 122) |
Feb. 17, 2010 | NH | HB 1644 | Expanding Homicide to Include "Unborn Child" | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Failed - House (219 - 122) |
Dec. 8, 2010 | National | S 3991 | Allowing Collective Bargaining for Public Safety Officers | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (55 - 43) |
March 30, 2010 | NE | LB 1102 | Legalizing "Horse Racing Machines" | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (30 - 13) |
March 10, 2010 | IA | Amdt 8381 | Free Self Defense Courses for Domestic Violence Victims | Amendment Rejected - House (44 - 53) |
March 10, 2010 | IA | Amdt 8381 | Free Self Defense Courses for Domestic Violence Victims | Amendment Rejected - House (44 - 53) |
March 27, 2010 | IA | Amdt 5371 | Authorizing Qualified Individuals to Conceal Weapons Without a Permit | Amendment Rejected - Senate (20 - 28) |
Feb. 9, 2010 | IA | HJR 6 | Constitutionally Defining Marriage as Between One Man and One Woman | Motion Rejected - House (45 - 54) |
April 22, 2010 | LA | Amdt 89 | Rape and Incest Exemption From Prohibition on Insurance Coverage of Elective Abortion | Amendment Rejected - House (21 - 65) |
April 21, 2010 | VA | Amdt 28 | Reducing Funding for Comprehensive Services for At Risk Youth and Families | Amendment Rejected - House (25 - 69) |
March 31, 2010 | MO | HB 1601 | St. Louis Police Department Governance Modifications | Motion Rejected - House (66 - 86) |
Feb. 17, 2010 | IA | Amdt 8140 | Animal Abuse and Neglect Penalties | Amendment Rejected - House (44 - 52) |
April 22, 2010 | LA | Amdt 88 | Health Risk Exemption from Prohibition on Insurance Coverage of Elective Abortion | Amendment Rejected - House (17 - 67) |
Feb. 9, 2010 | IA | HJR 6 | Constitutionally Defining Marriage as Between One Man and One Woman | Motion Rejected - House (45 - 54) |
March 10, 2010 | IA | Amdt 8381 | Free Self Defense Courses for Domestic Violence Victims | Amendment Rejected - House (44 - 53) |
April 22, 2010 | LA | Amdt 87A | Non-Viability Exemption From Prohibition on Insurance Coverage of Elective Abortion | Amendment Rejected - House (19 - 66) |
Feb. 17, 2010 | IA | Amdt 8145 | Animal Facility Regulations | Amendment Rejected - House (42 - 53) |
July 1, 2010 | PA | HB 67 | Driving Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (71 - 126) |
April 19, 2010 | LA | HB 224 | Withholding Pension Benefits from Incarcerated Public Employees | Bill Failed - House (42 - 56) |
Jan. 7, 2010 | NJ | S 1967 | Legalizing Same Sex Marriage | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 20) |
Jan. 7, 2010 | NJ | S 1967 | Legalizing Same Sex Marriage | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 20) |
Feb. 17, 2010 | UT | HB 113 | Child Safety Seat Law Amendments | Bill Failed - House (24 - 47) |
March 8, 2010 | UT | SB 44 | Extending CHIP and Medicaid Coverage to Children of Documented Immigrants | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 14) |
Feb. 12, 2010 | NM | HB 178 | Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act | Bill Failed - House (33 - 37) |
Feb. 12, 2010 | NM | HB 178 | Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act | Bill Failed - House (33 - 37) |
Feb. 17, 2010 | SD | HB 1178 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Failed - House (32 - 37) |
May 6, 2010 | LA | HB 68 | Authorizing Concealed Handguns in Places of Worship | Bill Failed - House (45 - 39) |
Feb. 10, 2010 | WY | HB 68 | Repealing Campaign Finance Restrictions | Bill Failed - House (36 - 22) |
Jan. 25, 2010 | KY | SB 3 | Omnibus Constitutional Amendment | Bill Failed - Senate (21 - 0) |
March 8, 2010 | UT | SB 44 | Extending CHIP and Medicaid Coverage to Children of Documented Immigrants | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 14) |
May 6, 2010 | LA | HB 863 | Prohibits Hand-Held Cell Phones while Driving | Bill Failed - House (49 - 41) |
Jan. 25, 2010 | KY | SB 3 | Omnibus Constitutional Amendment | Bill Failed - Senate (21 - 0) |
May 10, 2010 | LA | HB 219 | Illegal Dog Restraining | Bill Failed - House (46 - 40) |
Feb. 1, 2010 | OK | SB 1685 | Regarding Gun Rights | (28 - 16) |
Jan. 12, 2010 | CA | SB 880 | Requiring Snow Sport Helmets for Minors |