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
May 20, 2009 ME LD 290 Out-of-State Health Insurance "Ought Not to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 16)
May 13, 2009 ME LD 290 Out-of-State Health Insurance "Ought Not to Pass" Report Adopted - House (82 - 63)
Feb. 15, 2006 NH HB 1704 Health Care Requirements for Large Companies "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (212 - 128)
April 6, 2006 NH HB 1177 Smoking Ban "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - Senate (12 - 11)
March 9, 2006 NH HB 1492 Emergency Contraceptives and Pharmacists "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (215 - 106)
March 22, 2006 NH HB 1496 Association with Labor Unions "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (255 - 85)
March 27, 2007 NH HB 923 Dog Racing Prohibition "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (198 - 138)
Feb. 22, 2006 SC H 3381 Outdoor Advertising Veto Override Passed - House (78 - 25)
Feb. 22, 2006 SC H 3381 Outdoor Advertising Veto Override Passed - Senate (28 - 13)
May 14, 2009 AL HB 175 Permitting Elections in Smaller Municipalities on Allowing Alcohol Veto Override Passed - Senate (18 - 11)
May 8, 2009 HI SB 1111 Transient Accommodations Tax Increase Veto Override Passed - Senate (19 - 6)
April 30, 2009 AL HB 175 Permitting Elections in Smaller Municipalities on Allowing Alcohol Veto Override Passed - House (54 - 19)
June 3, 2009 TN HB 962 Authorizing Guns in Restaurants that Serve Alcohol Veto Override Passed - House (69 - 27)
June 4, 2009 TN HB 962 Authorizing Guns in Restaurants that Serve Alcohol Veto Override Passed - Senate (21 - 9)
July 20, 2009 CT HB 6582 Healthcare Partnership Veto Override Passed - House (105 - 37)
July 20, 2009 CT HB 6600 SustiNet Health Insurance Plan Veto Override Passed - House (102 - 40)
July 20, 2009 CT HB 6600 SustiNet Health Insurance Plan Veto Override Passed - Senate (24 - 12)
Jan. 12, 2006 MD SB 790 Health Care for Large Companies Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 17)
Jan. 12, 2006 MD SB 790 Health Care for Large Companies Veto Override Passed - House (88 - 50)
June 23, 2006 MD SB 1 Electricity Rates Veto Override Passed - House (87 - 37)
April 25, 2006 MA H 4479 Health Care Access & Affordability Bill Section 112 Veto Override Passed - House (137 - 20)
July 14, 2006 IA HF 2351 Eminent Domain Veto Override Passed - House (90 - 8)
July 14, 2006 IA HF 2351 Eminent Domain Veto Override Passed - Senate (41 - 8)
April 30, 2008 KS SB 148 Electricity Generation and Conservation Veto Override Passed - Senate (32 - 7)
June 22, 2006 MA S 2258 Massage Therapist Licensing Veto Override Passed - Senate (29 - 8)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/20 LD 290 Out-of-State Health Insurance "Ought Not to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 16)
5/13 LD 290 Out-of-State Health Insurance "Ought Not to Pass" Report Adopted - House (82 - 63)
2/15 HB 1704 Health Care Requirements for Large Companies "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (212 - 128)
4/06 HB 1177 Smoking Ban "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - Senate (12 - 11)
3/09 HB 1492 Emergency Contraceptives and Pharmacists "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (215 - 106)
3/22 HB 1496 Association with Labor Unions "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (255 - 85)
3/27 HB 923 Dog Racing Prohibition "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (198 - 138)
2/22 H 3381 Outdoor Advertising Veto Override Passed - House (78 - 25)
2/22 H 3381 Outdoor Advertising Veto Override Passed - Senate (28 - 13)
5/14 HB 175 Permitting Elections in Smaller Municipalities on Allowing Alcohol Veto Override Passed - Senate (18 - 11)
5/08 SB 1111 Transient Accommodations Tax Increase Veto Override Passed - Senate (19 - 6)
4/30 HB 175 Permitting Elections in Smaller Municipalities on Allowing Alcohol Veto Override Passed - House (54 - 19)
6/03 HB 962 Authorizing Guns in Restaurants that Serve Alcohol Veto Override Passed - House (69 - 27)
6/04 HB 962 Authorizing Guns in Restaurants that Serve Alcohol Veto Override Passed - Senate (21 - 9)
7/20 HB 6582 Healthcare Partnership Veto Override Passed - House (105 - 37)
7/20 HB 6600 SustiNet Health Insurance Plan Veto Override Passed - House (102 - 40)
7/20 HB 6600 SustiNet Health Insurance Plan Veto Override Passed - Senate (24 - 12)
1/12 SB 790 Health Care for Large Companies Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 17)
1/12 SB 790 Health Care for Large Companies Veto Override Passed - House (88 - 50)
6/23 SB 1 Electricity Rates Veto Override Passed - House (87 - 37)
4/25 H 4479 Health Care Access & Affordability Bill Section 112 Veto Override Passed - House (137 - 20)
7/14 HF 2351 Eminent Domain Veto Override Passed - House (90 - 8)
7/14 HF 2351 Eminent Domain Veto Override Passed - Senate (41 - 8)
4/30 SB 148 Electricity Generation and Conservation Veto Override Passed - Senate (32 - 7)
6/22 S 2258 Massage Therapist Licensing Veto Override Passed - Senate (29 - 8)

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