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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Dec. 21, 2010 | National | HR 3082 | Continuing Appropriations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (79 - 16) |
Aug. 23, 2010 | NJ | A 2740 | Requiring Review of New Drivers' Program | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
Aug. 5, 2010 | National | HR 1586 | Aid To States for Medicaid, Teacher Employment, and Other Purposes | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (61 - 39) |
June 28, 2010 | NJ | S 2090 | Car Inspection Waiver | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
June 21, 2010 | NY | A 9705 | 2010-2011 Transportation, Economic Development, and Environmental Conservation Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 29) |
June 21, 2010 | CT | HB 5455 | Changes to State Transportation Plan | Veto Override Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
June 16, 2010 | LA | HB 1339 | Increasing Driving Restrictions on Class E License Holders | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
June 3, 2010 | CA | SB 1264 | Airline Passenger Rights | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 16) |
June 3, 2010 | CA | SB 1475 | Penalties for Using a Cell Phone While Driving or Riding a Bicycle | Amendment Adopted - Senate (21 - 16) |
May 11, 2010 | LA | SB 407 | Removing Record Check Fee for Class D and E Drivers Licenses | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 7) |
May 10, 2010 | TN | SB 63 | English Only Requirement for Driver's License Examinations | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
May 10, 2010 | CO | HB 1238 | Increasing Fines for Moving Traffic Violations in Wildlife Crossing Zones | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
May 8, 2010 | KS | HB 2130 | Amending Seat Belt Laws | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 8) |
May 7, 2010 | KS | HB 2650 | Transportation Works For Kansas Program | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
May 5, 2010 | IL | SB 3695 | Streetgang-Related Crime Fund Changes | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 20) |
April 27, 2010 | VT | SR 17 | Requesting Congressional Waiver From Federal Drinking Age Requirement | Resolution Passed - Senate (14 - 13) |
April 22, 2010 | AZ | HB 2338 | Yellow Light Standardization | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 3) |
April 21, 2010 | AL | SB 121 | Highway Construction Appropriations from the Alabama Trust Fund | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 8) |
April 21, 2010 | LA | SB 9 | Classifying Text Messaging While Driving as a Primary Offense | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 9) |
April 12, 2010 | ME | LD 1826 | Bond Authorization | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
April 7, 2010 | ME | LD 1826 | Bond Authorization | Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 16) |
April 7, 2010 | MD | HB 825 | Increase in Motor Vehicle Liability Payment | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
March 30, 2010 | GA | SB 67 | English Only Requirement for Driver's License Examinations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (39 - 11) |
March 29, 2010 | ID | H 729 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 4) |
March 25, 2010 | MI | HB 4394 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
March 24, 2010 | MD | SB 321 | Prohibiting Hand-Held Cell Phone Use While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 23) |
March 23, 2010 | IA | HF 2456 | Texting While Driving Ban | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 12) |
March 22, 2010 | AZ | SB 1334 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10) |
March 17, 2010 | National | HR 2847 | Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations and Tax Credits ("Senate Jobs Bill") | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (68 - 29) |
March 16, 2010 | IA | SF 2378 | Increase in Fees for Traffic Violations | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 17) |
March 10, 2010 | VA | HB 885 | Authorizing Concealed Firearms in Vehicles | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
March 10, 2010 | ID | S 1352 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 5) |
March 4, 2010 | CA | ABx8 9 | Tax and Transportation Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10) |
March 4, 2010 | CA | ABx8 6 | Fuel Tax Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
March 2, 2010 | AZ | SB 1334 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 11) |
Feb. 24, 2010 | National | HR 2847 | Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations and Tax Credits ("Senate Jobs Bill") | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (70 - 28) |
Feb. 22, 2010 | National | HR 2847 | Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations and Tax Credits ("Senate Jobs Bill") | Cloture Invoked - Senate (62 - 30) |
Feb. 18, 2010 | WY | SF 64 | Increasing Seat Belt Violation Fine | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
Feb. 10, 2010 | CO | HB 1196 | Repealing Income Tax Credit | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
Jan. 27, 2010 | VA | SB 9 | Enforcing Seat Belt Violations as Primary Offenses | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
12/21 | HR 3082 | Continuing Appropriations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (79 - 16) |
8/23 | A 2740 | Requiring Review of New Drivers' Program | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
8/05 | HR 1586 | Aid To States for Medicaid, Teacher Employment, and Other Purposes | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (61 - 39) |
6/28 | S 2090 | Car Inspection Waiver | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
6/21 | A 9705 | 2010-2011 Transportation, Economic Development, and Environmental Conservation Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 29) |
6/21 | HB 5455 | Changes to State Transportation Plan | Veto Override Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
6/16 | HB 1339 | Increasing Driving Restrictions on Class E License Holders | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
6/03 | SB 1264 | Airline Passenger Rights | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 16) |
6/03 | SB 1475 | Penalties for Using a Cell Phone While Driving or Riding a Bicycle | Amendment Adopted - Senate (21 - 16) |
5/11 | SB 407 | Removing Record Check Fee for Class D and E Drivers Licenses | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 7) |
5/10 | SB 63 | English Only Requirement for Driver's License Examinations | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
5/10 | HB 1238 | Increasing Fines for Moving Traffic Violations in Wildlife Crossing Zones | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
5/08 | HB 2130 | Amending Seat Belt Laws | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 8) |
5/07 | HB 2650 | Transportation Works For Kansas Program | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
5/05 | SB 3695 | Streetgang-Related Crime Fund Changes | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 20) |
4/27 | SR 17 | Requesting Congressional Waiver From Federal Drinking Age Requirement | Resolution Passed - Senate (14 - 13) |
4/22 | HB 2338 | Yellow Light Standardization | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 3) |
4/21 | SB 121 | Highway Construction Appropriations from the Alabama Trust Fund | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 8) |
4/21 | SB 9 | Classifying Text Messaging While Driving as a Primary Offense | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 9) |
4/12 | LD 1826 | Bond Authorization | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
4/07 | LD 1826 | Bond Authorization | Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 16) |
4/07 | HB 825 | Increase in Motor Vehicle Liability Payment | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
3/30 | SB 67 | English Only Requirement for Driver's License Examinations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (39 - 11) |
3/29 | H 729 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 4) |
3/25 | HB 4394 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
3/24 | SB 321 | Prohibiting Hand-Held Cell Phone Use While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 23) |
3/23 | HF 2456 | Texting While Driving Ban | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 12) |
3/22 | SB 1334 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10) |
3/17 | HR 2847 | Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations and Tax Credits ("Senate Jobs Bill") | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (68 - 29) |
3/16 | SF 2378 | Increase in Fees for Traffic Violations | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 17) |
3/10 | HB 885 | Authorizing Concealed Firearms in Vehicles | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
3/10 | S 1352 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 5) |
3/04 | ABx8 9 | Tax and Transportation Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10) |
3/04 | ABx8 6 | Fuel Tax Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
3/02 | SB 1334 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 11) |
2/24 | HR 2847 | Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations and Tax Credits ("Senate Jobs Bill") | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (70 - 28) |
2/22 | HR 2847 | Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations and Tax Credits ("Senate Jobs Bill") | Cloture Invoked - Senate (62 - 30) |
2/18 | SF 64 | Increasing Seat Belt Violation Fine | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
2/10 | HB 1196 | Repealing Income Tax Credit | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
1/27 | SB 9 | Enforcing Seat Belt Violations as Primary Offenses | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |