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.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Feb. 25, 2009 VA SB 1035 Allowing Guns in Alcohol-Serving Establishments Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 16)
Feb. 25, 2009 VA SB 1167 Increasing the Fees for Personalized License Plates Bill Failed - House (41 - 57)
Feb. 25, 2009 VA SB 961 Expanding Death Penalty Eligibility to Accomplices Bill Passed - House (74 - 26)
Feb. 24, 2009 VA SB 1035 Allowing Guns in Alcohol-Serving Establishments Bill Passed - House (66 - 33)
Feb. 24, 2009 VA HB 1671 "Derelict Building" Plan Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 3)
Feb. 24, 2009 VA HB 1826 Driver's License Suspension for Unexcused School Absences Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 3)
Feb. 19, 2009 VA SB 1105 Prohibiting Smoking in Restaurants Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 13)
Feb. 19, 2009 VA SB 1105 Prohibiting Smoking in Restaurants Conference Report Adopted - House (60 - 39)
Feb. 9, 2009 VA SB 1105 Prohibiting Smoking in Restaurants Bill Passed - House (59 - 39)
Feb. 9, 2009 VA SJ 273 Legislative Restoration of Voting Rights for Nonviolent Felons Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 13)
Feb. 9, 2009 VA SJ 354 Civil Rights for Nonviolent Felons Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (19 - 19)
Feb. 5, 2009 VA HB 1826 Driver's License Suspension for Unexcused School Absences Bill Passed - House (68 - 28)
Feb. 5, 2009 VA SB 1161 Classifying a Seat Belt Violation as a Primary Offense Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15)
Feb. 4, 2009 VA SB 1257 Background Checks for Gun Show Purchases Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 21)
Feb. 4, 2009 VA SB 1473 Department of Forestry Land Use Permits Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9)
Feb. 4, 2009 VA HB 2314 Allowing Police Chaplains to Conduct Sectarian Prayer Bill Passed - House (66 - 30)
Feb. 4, 2009 VA HB 1671 "Derelict Building" Plan Requirements Bill Passed - House (80 - 17)
Feb. 3, 2009 VA SB 1105 Prohibiting Smoking in Bars and Restaurants Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13)
Jan. 27, 2009 VA SB 961 Expanding Death Penalty Eligibility to Accomplices Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
Jan. 26, 2009 VA SB 810 Authorizing No-Excuse, In-Person Absentee Voting Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/25 SB 1035 Allowing Guns in Alcohol-Serving Establishments Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 16)
2/25 SB 1167 Increasing the Fees for Personalized License Plates Bill Failed - House (41 - 57)
2/25 SB 961 Expanding Death Penalty Eligibility to Accomplices Bill Passed - House (74 - 26)
2/24 SB 1035 Allowing Guns in Alcohol-Serving Establishments Bill Passed - House (66 - 33)
2/24 HB 1671 "Derelict Building" Plan Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 3)
2/24 HB 1826 Driver's License Suspension for Unexcused School Absences Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 3)
2/19 SB 1105 Prohibiting Smoking in Restaurants Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 13)
2/19 SB 1105 Prohibiting Smoking in Restaurants Conference Report Adopted - House (60 - 39)
2/09 SB 1105 Prohibiting Smoking in Restaurants Bill Passed - House (59 - 39)
2/09 SJ 273 Legislative Restoration of Voting Rights for Nonviolent Felons Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 13)
2/09 SJ 354 Civil Rights for Nonviolent Felons Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (19 - 19)
2/05 HB 1826 Driver's License Suspension for Unexcused School Absences Bill Passed - House (68 - 28)
2/05 SB 1161 Classifying a Seat Belt Violation as a Primary Offense Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15)
2/04 SB 1257 Background Checks for Gun Show Purchases Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 21)
2/04 SB 1473 Department of Forestry Land Use Permits Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9)
2/04 HB 2314 Allowing Police Chaplains to Conduct Sectarian Prayer Bill Passed - House (66 - 30)
2/04 HB 1671 "Derelict Building" Plan Requirements Bill Passed - House (80 - 17)
2/03 SB 1105 Prohibiting Smoking in Bars and Restaurants Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13)
1/27 SB 961 Expanding Death Penalty Eligibility to Accomplices Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
1/26 SB 810 Authorizing No-Excuse, In-Person Absentee Voting Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)

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