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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
June 2, 2009 | CA | SB 484 | Ephedrine and Pseudoephedrine Prescription Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
May 14, 2009 | CA | SB 4 | Prohibiting Smoking at State Park Beaches | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
May 14, 2009 | CA | SB 572 | Harvey Milk Day | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
April 16, 2009 | CA | SB 242 | Prohibiting Language Discrimination | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
Dec. 18, 2008 | CA | ABx1 8 | Amending Sentencing, Parole, and Property Crime Statutes | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
Aug. 31, 2008 | CA | SB 1407 | Financing Courthouse Construction | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 10) |
Aug. 29, 2008 | CA | SB 1407 | Financing Courthouse Construction | Bill Passed - House (45 - 20) |
Aug. 21, 2008 | CA | SB 28 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 14) |
Aug. 20, 2008 | CA | AB 2233 | Ban on Holding Pets While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
Aug. 20, 2008 | CA | AB 2747 | Disclosing End-of-Life Care Options | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
Aug. 20, 2008 | CA | AB 2279 | Prohibiting Employment Discrimination Against Medical Marijuana Patients | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
Aug. 19, 2008 | CA | SB 1171 | Expanding Loaded Firearm Restrictions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
Aug. 13, 2008 | CA | SB 1171 | Expanding Loaded Firearm Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (45 - 32) |
Aug. 13, 2008 | CA | SB 28 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Passed - House (52 - 24) |
Aug. 12, 2008 | CA | SB 1589 | Uncorroborated Jailhouse Informant Testimony Ban | Bill Passed - House (41 - 37) |
Aug. 7, 2008 | CA | AB 2654 | Expanding Anti-Discrimination Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
May 29, 2008 | CA | SB 1407 | Financing Courthouse Construction | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8) |
May 29, 2008 | CA | SB 1096 | Pharmacy Prescription Refill Mailings | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
May 29, 2008 | CA | CA SB 1665 | Prison Health Care Facility Bonds | Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 15) |
May 29, 2008 | CA | AB 2062 | Regulation Of Ammunition Sales | Bill Passed - House (42 - 32) |
May 28, 2008 | CA | AB 2747 | Disclosing End-of-Life Care Options | Bill Passed - House (42 - 34) |
May 28, 2008 | CA | AB 2279 | Prohibiting Employment Discrimination Against Medical Marijuana Patients | Bill Passed - House (41 - 35) |
May 27, 2008 | CA | AB 1996 | Food Stamps for Convicted Drug Felons | Bill Passed - House (42 - 35) |
May 27, 2008 | CA | AB 2654 | Expanding Anti-Discrimination Laws | Bill Passed - House (48 - 30) |
May 15, 2008 | CA | SB 1322 | Communist Party Membership | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
May 15, 2008 | CA | SB 1589 | Uncorroborated Jailhouse Informant Testimony Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 14) |
May 5, 2008 | CA | AB 2233 | Ban on Holding Pets While Driving | Bill Passed - House (44 - 20) |
Aug. 30, 2007 | CA | SB 33 | Underage Driver Cellphone Ban | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
Aug. 27, 2007 | CA | SB 33 | Underage Driver Cellphone Ban | Bill Passed - House (67 - 7) |
June 7, 2007 | CA | SB 7 | Marco Firebaugh Memorial Childrens Health and Safety Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
June 5, 2007 | CA | AB 43 | Same Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (42 - 34) |
June 4, 2007 | CA | SB 1019 | Access to Police Misconduct Investigations | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11) |
May 29, 2007 | CA | AB 1471 | Crime Gun Identification Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (44 - 31) |
May 7, 2007 | CA | AB 102 | Name Equality Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (46 - 26) |
Aug. 31, 2006 | CA | SB 1578 | Dog Restraint Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
Aug. 31, 2006 | CA | SB 1578 | Dog Restraint Regulations | Bill Passed - House (46 - 32) |
Aug. 30, 2006 | CA | AB 352 | Microstamping of Bullets Fired from Semi-Automatic Guns | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (40 - 37) |
Aug. 30, 2006 | CA | AB 2076 | Needle Exchange Program | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
Aug. 24, 2006 | CA | AB 352 | Microstamping of Bullets Fired from Semi-Automatic Guns | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
Aug. 16, 2006 | CA | AB 1873 | Safe Child Surrender Time Limit Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9) |
June 27, 2006 | CA | SB 1137 | Sentences for Non-Violent Drug Offenders | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 2) |
June 27, 2006 | CA | SB 1137 | Sentences for Non-Violent Drug Offenders | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 2) |
June 27, 2006 | CA | SB 1137 | Sentences for Non-Violent Drug Offenders | Bill Passed - House (64 - 8) |
June 27, 2006 | CA | SB 1137 | Sentences for Non-Violent Drug Offenders | Bill Passed - House (64 - 8) |
May 31, 2006 | CA | AB 2076 | Needle Exchange Program | Bill Passed - House (45 - 34) |
April 27, 2006 | CA | SCR 113 | The Great American Boycott 2006 | Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
6/02 | SB 484 | Ephedrine and Pseudoephedrine Prescription Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
5/14 | SB 4 | Prohibiting Smoking at State Park Beaches | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
5/14 | SB 572 | Harvey Milk Day | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
4/16 | SB 242 | Prohibiting Language Discrimination | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
12/18 | ABx1 8 | Amending Sentencing, Parole, and Property Crime Statutes | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
8/31 | SB 1407 | Financing Courthouse Construction | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 10) |
8/29 | SB 1407 | Financing Courthouse Construction | Bill Passed - House (45 - 20) |
8/21 | SB 28 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 14) |
8/20 | AB 2233 | Ban on Holding Pets While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
8/20 | AB 2747 | Disclosing End-of-Life Care Options | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
8/20 | AB 2279 | Prohibiting Employment Discrimination Against Medical Marijuana Patients | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
8/19 | SB 1171 | Expanding Loaded Firearm Restrictions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
8/13 | SB 1171 | Expanding Loaded Firearm Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (45 - 32) |
8/13 | SB 28 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Passed - House (52 - 24) |
8/12 | SB 1589 | Uncorroborated Jailhouse Informant Testimony Ban | Bill Passed - House (41 - 37) |
8/07 | AB 2654 | Expanding Anti-Discrimination Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
5/29 | SB 1407 | Financing Courthouse Construction | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8) |
5/29 | SB 1096 | Pharmacy Prescription Refill Mailings | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
5/29 | CA SB 1665 | Prison Health Care Facility Bonds | Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 15) |
5/29 | AB 2062 | Regulation Of Ammunition Sales | Bill Passed - House (42 - 32) |
5/28 | AB 2747 | Disclosing End-of-Life Care Options | Bill Passed - House (42 - 34) |
5/28 | AB 2279 | Prohibiting Employment Discrimination Against Medical Marijuana Patients | Bill Passed - House (41 - 35) |
5/27 | AB 1996 | Food Stamps for Convicted Drug Felons | Bill Passed - House (42 - 35) |
5/27 | AB 2654 | Expanding Anti-Discrimination Laws | Bill Passed - House (48 - 30) |
5/15 | SB 1322 | Communist Party Membership | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
5/15 | SB 1589 | Uncorroborated Jailhouse Informant Testimony Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 14) |
5/05 | AB 2233 | Ban on Holding Pets While Driving | Bill Passed - House (44 - 20) |
8/30 | SB 33 | Underage Driver Cellphone Ban | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
8/27 | SB 33 | Underage Driver Cellphone Ban | Bill Passed - House (67 - 7) |
6/07 | SB 7 | Marco Firebaugh Memorial Childrens Health and Safety Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
6/05 | AB 43 | Same Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (42 - 34) |
6/04 | SB 1019 | Access to Police Misconduct Investigations | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11) |
5/29 | AB 1471 | Crime Gun Identification Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (44 - 31) |
5/07 | AB 102 | Name Equality Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (46 - 26) |
8/31 | SB 1578 | Dog Restraint Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
8/31 | SB 1578 | Dog Restraint Regulations | Bill Passed - House (46 - 32) |
8/30 | AB 352 | Microstamping of Bullets Fired from Semi-Automatic Guns | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (40 - 37) |
8/30 | AB 2076 | Needle Exchange Program | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
8/24 | AB 352 | Microstamping of Bullets Fired from Semi-Automatic Guns | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
8/16 | AB 1873 | Safe Child Surrender Time Limit Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9) |
6/27 | SB 1137 | Sentences for Non-Violent Drug Offenders | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 2) |
6/27 | SB 1137 | Sentences for Non-Violent Drug Offenders | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 2) |
6/27 | SB 1137 | Sentences for Non-Violent Drug Offenders | Bill Passed - House (64 - 8) |
6/27 | SB 1137 | Sentences for Non-Violent Drug Offenders | Bill Passed - House (64 - 8) |
5/31 | AB 2076 | Needle Exchange Program | Bill Passed - House (45 - 34) |
4/27 | SCR 113 | The Great American Boycott 2006 | Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |