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. 1, 2010 | IL | SB 1716 | Authorizing Civil Unions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 24) |
Nov. 30, 2010 | IL | SB 1716 | Authorizing Civil Unions | Bill Passed - House (61 - 52) |
Nov. 15, 2010 | PA | HB 1926 | Amending Self-Protection Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (161 - 35) |
Oct. 14, 2010 | PA | HB 1926 | Amending Self-Protection Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 4) |
Oct. 5, 2010 | PA | HB 40 | Self Defense Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (159 - 38) |
Aug. 31, 2010 | CA | AB 2479 | Penalties for Violations Committed with the Intent to Capture Images or Recordings of a Person | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 21) |
Aug. 27, 2010 | CA | AB 2479 | Penalties for Violations Committed with the Intent to Capture Images or Recordings of a Person | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
July 10, 2010 | NC | HB 1403 | Collecting DNA Sample Upon Arrest | Conference Report Adopted - House (83 - 21) |
July 7, 2010 | NC | HB 1403 | Collecting DNA Sample Upon Arrest | Bill Passed - House (93 - 20) |
July 1, 2010 | NY | S 1523 | Allowing Unmarried Partners to Adopt a Child | Bill Passed - House (95 - 44) |
June 24, 2010 | NY | S 1523 | Allowing Unmarried Partners to Adopt a Child | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 21) |
June 3, 2010 | LA | SB 593 | Governor's Office Records | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 24) |
June 3, 2010 | CA | AB 2479 | Penalties for Violations Committed with the Intent to Capture Images or Recordings of a Person | Bill Passed - House (56 - 16) |
June 2, 2010 | LA | SB 9 | Classifying Text Messaging While Driving as a Primary Offense | Bill Passed - House (69 - 22) |
May 24, 2010 | OK | HJR 1056 | Prohibits Use of International and Sharia Law in State Courts | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 2) |
May 21, 2010 | OK | HJR 1054 | Prohibiting Federal Health Care Mandates | Veto Override Failed - Senate (29 - 16) |
May 18, 2010 | OK | HJR 1054 | Prohibiting Federal Health Care Mandates | Veto Override Passed - House (72 - 24) |
May 18, 2010 | OK | HJR 1056 | Prohibits Use of International and Sharia Law in State Courts | Conference Report Adopted - House (82 - 10) |
May 12, 2010 | LA | SB 348 | Smoking in Public Places | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
May 10, 2010 | TN | SB 63 | English Only Requirement for Driver's License Examinations | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
May 10, 2010 | TN | HB 270 | Citizenship Status for Voting and Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12) |
May 8, 2010 | KS | HB 2130 | Amending Seat Belt Laws | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 8) |
May 6, 2010 | LA | HB 863 | Prohibits Hand-Held Cell Phones while Driving | Bill Failed - House (49 - 41) |
May 3, 2010 | CT | SB 407 | Requiring Motorcycle Training Course | Bill Passed - House (117 - 31) |
April 29, 2010 | HI | HB 444 | Legalizing Same-Sex Civil Unions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (31 - 20) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
12/01 | SB 1716 | Authorizing Civil Unions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 24) |
11/30 | SB 1716 | Authorizing Civil Unions | Bill Passed - House (61 - 52) |
11/15 | HB 1926 | Amending Self-Protection Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (161 - 35) |
10/14 | HB 1926 | Amending Self-Protection Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 4) |
10/05 | HB 40 | Self Defense Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (159 - 38) |
8/31 | AB 2479 | Penalties for Violations Committed with the Intent to Capture Images or Recordings of a Person | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 21) |
8/27 | AB 2479 | Penalties for Violations Committed with the Intent to Capture Images or Recordings of a Person | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
7/10 | HB 1403 | Collecting DNA Sample Upon Arrest | Conference Report Adopted - House (83 - 21) |
7/07 | HB 1403 | Collecting DNA Sample Upon Arrest | Bill Passed - House (93 - 20) |
7/01 | S 1523 | Allowing Unmarried Partners to Adopt a Child | Bill Passed - House (95 - 44) |
6/24 | S 1523 | Allowing Unmarried Partners to Adopt a Child | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 21) |
6/03 | SB 593 | Governor's Office Records | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 24) |
6/03 | AB 2479 | Penalties for Violations Committed with the Intent to Capture Images or Recordings of a Person | Bill Passed - House (56 - 16) |
6/02 | SB 9 | Classifying Text Messaging While Driving as a Primary Offense | Bill Passed - House (69 - 22) |
5/24 | HJR 1056 | Prohibits Use of International and Sharia Law in State Courts | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 2) |
5/21 | HJR 1054 | Prohibiting Federal Health Care Mandates | Veto Override Failed - Senate (29 - 16) |
5/18 | HJR 1054 | Prohibiting Federal Health Care Mandates | Veto Override Passed - House (72 - 24) |
5/18 | HJR 1056 | Prohibits Use of International and Sharia Law in State Courts | Conference Report Adopted - House (82 - 10) |
5/12 | SB 348 | Smoking in Public Places | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
5/10 | SB 63 | English Only Requirement for Driver's License Examinations | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
5/10 | HB 270 | Citizenship Status for Voting and Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12) |
5/08 | HB 2130 | Amending Seat Belt Laws | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 8) |
5/06 | HB 863 | Prohibits Hand-Held Cell Phones while Driving | Bill Failed - House (49 - 41) |
5/03 | SB 407 | Requiring Motorcycle Training Course | Bill Passed - House (117 - 31) |
4/29 | HB 444 | Legalizing Same-Sex Civil Unions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (31 - 20) |