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. 22, 2009 | National | S Amdt 3276 | Senate Health Care Bill Amendments | Amendment Adopted - Senate (60 - 39) |
July 22, 2009 | National | S Amdt 1618 | Authorizing Concealed Firearms Across State Lines | Amendment Rejected - Senate (58 - 39) |
June 26, 2009 | NJ | A 339 | Handgun Purchasing Limitations | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
June 16, 2009 | AZ | SB 1113 | Handguns in Restaurants | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10) |
June 9, 2009 | WI | SB 167 | Decreasing the Minimum Hunting Age | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6) |
June 4, 2009 | TN | HB 962 | Authorizing Guns in Restaurants that Serve Alcohol | Veto Override Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
June 3, 2009 | TN | HB 962 | Authorizing Guns in Restaurants that Serve Alcohol | Veto Override Passed - House (69 - 27) |
May 20, 2009 | National | HR 627 | Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009 | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (279 - 147) |
May 12, 2009 | National | S Amdt 1067 | Allowing Loaded Guns in National Parks | Amendment Adopted - Senate (67 - 29) |
May 4, 2009 | TN | HB 959 | Close Handgun Permit Records | Bill Passed - House (83 - 12) |
April 28, 2009 | NY | A 6468 | Microstamping Requirement for Semiautomatic Pistols | Bill Passed - House (94 - 47) |
April 28, 2009 | NY | A 801 | Renewal Requirement for Pistol and Revolver Licenses | Bill Passed - House (87 - 58) |
April 16, 2009 | TN | HB 962 | Authorizing Guns in Restaurants that Serve Alcohol | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
April 16, 2009 | MO | HB 668 | Firearm Regulation Amendments | Bill Passed - House (105 - 50) |
April 9, 2009 | MT | HB 228 | Amending Concealed Weapons and Self-Defense Statutes | Conference Report Adopted - House (85 - 14) |
April 9, 2009 | MT | HB 228 | Amending Concealed Weapons and Self-Defense Statutes | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (40 - 10) |
April 6, 2009 | MD | HB 302 | Allowing Judges to Confiscate Firearms from Domestic Abuse Suspects | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 15) |
April 6, 2009 | TN | HB 962 | Authorizing Guns in Restaurants that Serve Alcohol | Bill Passed - House (70 - 26) |
March 19, 2009 | TN | HB 390 | Allowing Loaded "Long Guns" in Vehicles | Bill Passed - House (82 - 10) |
March 17, 2009 | MD | HB 359 | Handgun Permit Eligibility for Domestic Abuse Victims | Bill Failed - House (51 - 86) |
March 17, 2009 | MD | HB 302 | Allowing Judges to Confiscate Firearms from Domestic Abuse Suspects | Bill Passed - House (92 - 45) |
March 12, 2009 | TN | HB 254 | Eliminating Thumbprint Requirement for Gun Purchases | Bill Passed - House (82 - 11) |
Feb. 26, 2009 | National | S 160 | Washington DC Voting Act | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37) |
Feb. 25, 2009 | VA | SB 1035 | Allowing Guns in Alcohol-Serving Establishments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
Feb. 24, 2009 | VA | SB 1035 | Allowing Guns in Alcohol-Serving Establishments | Bill Passed - House (66 - 33) |
Feb. 18, 2009 | ND | HB 1348 | Allowing Concealed Firearms on Campuses | Bill Passed - House (48 - 46) |
Feb. 17, 2009 | SD | HB 1278 | Ban on Local Firearm Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (46 - 20) |
Feb. 11, 2009 | AR | HB 1237 | Allowing Concealed Weapons in Churches | Bill Passed - House (57 - 42) |
Feb. 10, 2009 | MT | HB 228 | Amending Concealed Weapons and Self-Defense Statutes | Bill Passed - House (60 - 40) |
Feb. 4, 2009 | VA | SB 1257 | Background Checks for Gun Show Purchases | Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 21) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
12/22 | S Amdt 3276 | Senate Health Care Bill Amendments | Amendment Adopted - Senate (60 - 39) |
7/22 | S Amdt 1618 | Authorizing Concealed Firearms Across State Lines | Amendment Rejected - Senate (58 - 39) |
6/26 | A 339 | Handgun Purchasing Limitations | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
6/16 | SB 1113 | Handguns in Restaurants | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10) |
6/09 | SB 167 | Decreasing the Minimum Hunting Age | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6) |
6/04 | HB 962 | Authorizing Guns in Restaurants that Serve Alcohol | Veto Override Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
6/03 | HB 962 | Authorizing Guns in Restaurants that Serve Alcohol | Veto Override Passed - House (69 - 27) |
5/20 | HR 627 | Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009 | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (279 - 147) |
5/12 | S Amdt 1067 | Allowing Loaded Guns in National Parks | Amendment Adopted - Senate (67 - 29) |
5/04 | HB 959 | Close Handgun Permit Records | Bill Passed - House (83 - 12) |
4/28 | A 6468 | Microstamping Requirement for Semiautomatic Pistols | Bill Passed - House (94 - 47) |
4/28 | A 801 | Renewal Requirement for Pistol and Revolver Licenses | Bill Passed - House (87 - 58) |
4/16 | HB 962 | Authorizing Guns in Restaurants that Serve Alcohol | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
4/16 | HB 668 | Firearm Regulation Amendments | Bill Passed - House (105 - 50) |
4/09 | HB 228 | Amending Concealed Weapons and Self-Defense Statutes | Conference Report Adopted - House (85 - 14) |
4/09 | HB 228 | Amending Concealed Weapons and Self-Defense Statutes | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (40 - 10) |
4/06 | HB 302 | Allowing Judges to Confiscate Firearms from Domestic Abuse Suspects | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 15) |
4/06 | HB 962 | Authorizing Guns in Restaurants that Serve Alcohol | Bill Passed - House (70 - 26) |
3/19 | HB 390 | Allowing Loaded "Long Guns" in Vehicles | Bill Passed - House (82 - 10) |
3/17 | HB 359 | Handgun Permit Eligibility for Domestic Abuse Victims | Bill Failed - House (51 - 86) |
3/17 | HB 302 | Allowing Judges to Confiscate Firearms from Domestic Abuse Suspects | Bill Passed - House (92 - 45) |
3/12 | HB 254 | Eliminating Thumbprint Requirement for Gun Purchases | Bill Passed - House (82 - 11) |
2/26 | S 160 | Washington DC Voting Act | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37) |
2/25 | SB 1035 | Allowing Guns in Alcohol-Serving Establishments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
2/24 | SB 1035 | Allowing Guns in Alcohol-Serving Establishments | Bill Passed - House (66 - 33) |
2/18 | HB 1348 | Allowing Concealed Firearms on Campuses | Bill Passed - House (48 - 46) |
2/17 | HB 1278 | Ban on Local Firearm Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (46 - 20) |
2/11 | HB 1237 | Allowing Concealed Weapons in Churches | Bill Passed - House (57 - 42) |
2/10 | HB 228 | Amending Concealed Weapons and Self-Defense Statutes | Bill Passed - House (60 - 40) |
2/04 | SB 1257 | Background Checks for Gun Show Purchases | Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 21) |