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. 16, 2009 | OH | HB 60 | Restrictions on Snack and Beverage Sales in Schools | Bill Passed - House (60 - 37) |
Dec. 10, 2009 | NJ | A 2762 | Authorizing Reduction of Mandatory Minimum Sentences for Drug Offenses in School Zones | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
Dec. 3, 2009 | National | S Amdt 2791 | Preventive Services Coverage Requirements | Amendment Adopted - Senate (61 - 39) |
Nov. 5, 2009 | WI | AB 458 | Sex Education Curriculum Requirements | Bill Passed - House (48 - 43) |
Nov. 3, 2009 | CA | SBx5 1 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
Sept. 2, 2009 | CA | AB 1422 | Medi-Cal and Healthy Families Program Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
Aug. 12, 2009 | AZ | HB 2013 | Budget Reconciliation (Health and Welfare) | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 8) |
July 31, 2009 | AZ | HB 2013 | Budget Reconciliation (Health and Welfare) | Bill Passed - House (35 - 11) |
June 29, 2009 | PA | HB 746 | Children's Health Care Insurance | Bill Passed - House (106 - 94) |
June 25, 2009 | NJ | S 1175 | Requiring an After School Activity Plan for School Districts with At-Risk Pupils | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (56 - 18) |
June 24, 2009 | NC | HB 442 | Regulating the Use of Corporal Punishment in Schools | Bill Failed - Senate (21 - 25) |
June 24, 2009 | MI | HB 4183 | Health Insurance for Autism | Bill Passed - House (84 - 25) |
June 24, 2009 | MI | HB 4476 | Health Insurance for Autism | Bill Passed - House (83 - 25) |
June 23, 2009 | NC | SB 526 | Prevention of Bullying and Violence in Schools | Bill Passed - House (58 - 57) |
June 22, 2009 | AZ | SB 1440 | Smoking in Cars with Minors | Bill Failed - Senate (9 - 20) |
June 19, 2009 | CT | SB 2001 | Employment and Training Funds for Disadvantaged Workers | Bill Passed - House (97 - 32) |
June 15, 2009 | OR | HB 2672 | Increasing Moist Snuff Tobacco Tax and Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
June 9, 2009 | WI | SB 167 | Decreasing the Minimum Hunting Age | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6) |
June 4, 2009 | OR | HB 2794 | Mandatory HPV Vaccination Coverage | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (40 - 17) |
June 3, 2009 | OR | HB 2794 | Mandatory HPV Vaccination Coverage | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 6) |
June 1, 2009 | TN | HJR 369 | Opposing the Adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child | Bill Passed - House (70 - 20) |
May 28, 2009 | LA | HB 834 | Education Requirements for Marriage and Family Therapists | Bill Passed - House (53 - 40) |
May 27, 2009 | OR | HB 2599 | Expanding School Bullying Law | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 2) |
May 18, 2009 | OR | HB 2509 | Sexual Education | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9) |
May 18, 2009 | MN | SF 971 | School Anti-Bullying Policy Requirements | Bill Passed - House (95 - 39) |
May 15, 2009 | TX | HB 2962 | Childrens' Health Care | Bill Passed - House (87 - 55) |
May 12, 2009 | LA | HB 60 | Birth Certificates for Adoption | Bill Passed - House (78 - 17) |
May 6, 2009 | NC | SB 526 | Prevention of Bullying and Violence in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22) |
May 4, 2009 | OR | HB 2821 | Employee Vacation Use Amendments | Bill Passed - House (34 - 23) |
May 4, 2009 | CO | HB 1057 | Mandatory Unpaid Parental Work Leave for Education Activities | Conference Report Adopted - House (39 - 26) |
May 2, 2009 | ND | SB 2162 | Child Care Background Checks | Conference Report Adopted - House (71 - 20) |
April 27, 2009 | CO | HB 1057 | Mandatory Unpaid Parental Work Leave for Education Activities | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 13) |
April 24, 2009 | ND | HB 1478 | Children's Health Insurance Program Eligibility Expansion | Conference Report Rejected - House (41 - 47) |
April 23, 2009 | WI | SB 27 | Requires Insurance Coverage for Children's Hearing Aid Treatments | Bill Passed - House (80 - 16) |
April 17, 2009 | MN | SF 971 | School Anti-Bullying Policy Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 22) |
April 16, 2009 | MN | Limmer Amdt | Homosexuality in Education | Amendment Rejected - Senate (24 - 37) |
April 16, 2009 | NC | HB 88 | Parental Choice Between Abstinence-Only or Comprehensive Sex Education | Bill Passed - House (62 - 52) |
April 15, 2009 | TX | SB 1049 | Increasing Age Restriction on Tobacco Purchases | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5) |
April 10, 2009 | ND | HB 1171 | Home School Deregulation | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 38) |
April 6, 2009 | ND | HB 1171 | Home School Deregulation | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
April 2, 2009 | AK | HB 35 | Parental Consent for Underage Abortions | Bill Passed - House (22 - 14) |
April 2, 2009 | MI | HB 4455 | Mortgage Payment Modifications | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7) |
April 1, 2009 | ND | SB 2070 | Ban on Smoking in Cars with Children Passengers | Bill Failed - House (31 - 58) |
March 31, 2009 | National | HR 1388 | National Volunteer Program Expansion | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (275 - 149) |
March 26, 2009 | National | HR 1388 | National Volunteer Program Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (79 - 19) |
March 25, 2009 | OR | HB 2599 | Expanding School Bullying Law | Bill Passed - House (50 - 9) |
March 24, 2009 | NH | HB 531 | Parental Notification for Underage Abortion | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (216 - 160) |
March 19, 2009 | IA | SF 389 | Health Insurance Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18) |
March 18, 2009 | National | HR 1388 | National Volunteer Program Expansion | Bill Passed - House (321 - 105) |
March 16, 2009 | ID | S 1089 | Eliminating Child Safety Seat Exemptions | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 15) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
12/16 | HB 60 | Restrictions on Snack and Beverage Sales in Schools | Bill Passed - House (60 - 37) |
12/10 | A 2762 | Authorizing Reduction of Mandatory Minimum Sentences for Drug Offenses in School Zones | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
12/03 | S Amdt 2791 | Preventive Services Coverage Requirements | Amendment Adopted - Senate (61 - 39) |
11/05 | AB 458 | Sex Education Curriculum Requirements | Bill Passed - House (48 - 43) |
11/03 | SBx5 1 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
9/02 | AB 1422 | Medi-Cal and Healthy Families Program Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
8/12 | HB 2013 | Budget Reconciliation (Health and Welfare) | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 8) |
7/31 | HB 2013 | Budget Reconciliation (Health and Welfare) | Bill Passed - House (35 - 11) |
6/29 | HB 746 | Children's Health Care Insurance | Bill Passed - House (106 - 94) |
6/25 | S 1175 | Requiring an After School Activity Plan for School Districts with At-Risk Pupils | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (56 - 18) |
6/24 | HB 442 | Regulating the Use of Corporal Punishment in Schools | Bill Failed - Senate (21 - 25) |
6/24 | HB 4183 | Health Insurance for Autism | Bill Passed - House (84 - 25) |
6/24 | HB 4476 | Health Insurance for Autism | Bill Passed - House (83 - 25) |
6/23 | SB 526 | Prevention of Bullying and Violence in Schools | Bill Passed - House (58 - 57) |
6/22 | SB 1440 | Smoking in Cars with Minors | Bill Failed - Senate (9 - 20) |
6/19 | SB 2001 | Employment and Training Funds for Disadvantaged Workers | Bill Passed - House (97 - 32) |
6/15 | HB 2672 | Increasing Moist Snuff Tobacco Tax and Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
6/09 | SB 167 | Decreasing the Minimum Hunting Age | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6) |
6/04 | HB 2794 | Mandatory HPV Vaccination Coverage | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (40 - 17) |
6/03 | HB 2794 | Mandatory HPV Vaccination Coverage | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 6) |
6/01 | HJR 369 | Opposing the Adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child | Bill Passed - House (70 - 20) |
5/28 | HB 834 | Education Requirements for Marriage and Family Therapists | Bill Passed - House (53 - 40) |
5/27 | HB 2599 | Expanding School Bullying Law | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 2) |
5/18 | HB 2509 | Sexual Education | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9) |
5/18 | SF 971 | School Anti-Bullying Policy Requirements | Bill Passed - House (95 - 39) |
5/15 | HB 2962 | Childrens' Health Care | Bill Passed - House (87 - 55) |
5/12 | HB 60 | Birth Certificates for Adoption | Bill Passed - House (78 - 17) |
5/06 | SB 526 | Prevention of Bullying and Violence in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22) |
5/04 | HB 2821 | Employee Vacation Use Amendments | Bill Passed - House (34 - 23) |
5/04 | HB 1057 | Mandatory Unpaid Parental Work Leave for Education Activities | Conference Report Adopted - House (39 - 26) |
5/02 | SB 2162 | Child Care Background Checks | Conference Report Adopted - House (71 - 20) |
4/27 | HB 1057 | Mandatory Unpaid Parental Work Leave for Education Activities | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 13) |
4/24 | HB 1478 | Children's Health Insurance Program Eligibility Expansion | Conference Report Rejected - House (41 - 47) |
4/23 | SB 27 | Requires Insurance Coverage for Children's Hearing Aid Treatments | Bill Passed - House (80 - 16) |
4/17 | SF 971 | School Anti-Bullying Policy Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 22) |
4/16 | Limmer Amdt | Homosexuality in Education | Amendment Rejected - Senate (24 - 37) |
4/16 | HB 88 | Parental Choice Between Abstinence-Only or Comprehensive Sex Education | Bill Passed - House (62 - 52) |
4/15 | SB 1049 | Increasing Age Restriction on Tobacco Purchases | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5) |
4/10 | HB 1171 | Home School Deregulation | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 38) |
4/06 | HB 1171 | Home School Deregulation | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
4/02 | HB 35 | Parental Consent for Underage Abortions | Bill Passed - House (22 - 14) |
4/02 | HB 4455 | Mortgage Payment Modifications | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7) |
4/01 | SB 2070 | Ban on Smoking in Cars with Children Passengers | Bill Failed - House (31 - 58) |
3/31 | HR 1388 | National Volunteer Program Expansion | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (275 - 149) |
3/26 | HR 1388 | National Volunteer Program Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (79 - 19) |
3/25 | HB 2599 | Expanding School Bullying Law | Bill Passed - House (50 - 9) |
3/24 | HB 531 | Parental Notification for Underage Abortion | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (216 - 160) |
3/19 | SF 389 | Health Insurance Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18) |
3/18 | HR 1388 | National Volunteer Program Expansion | Bill Passed - House (321 - 105) |
3/16 | S 1089 | Eliminating Child Safety Seat Exemptions | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 15) |