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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 16, 2008 | IA | SF 2420 | Increasing Vehicle Registration Fees | Bill Passed - House (53 - 47) |
| April 15, 2008 | MS | SB 2497 | Increasing Unemployment Compensation | Conference Report Adopted - House (112 - 10) |
| April 15, 2008 | ME | LD 2247 | Alcohol and Soda Tax for Health Care Funding | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (75 - 64) |
| April 15, 2008 | AL | HB 274 | Food Sales Tax Repeal | Bill Passed - House (63 - 38) |
| April 15, 2008 | National | HR 5719 | Amending Tax Code Provisions and IRS Practices | Bill Passed - House (238 - 179) |
| April 12, 2008 | AK | SB 221 | 2008-2009 Capital Budget | Bill Passed - House (33 - 6) |
| April 10, 2008 | CO | HB 1375 | 2008-2009 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (39 - 23) |
| April 10, 2008 | MN | HF 3569 | Workers' Lung Health Study | Bill Passed - House (88 - 45) |
| April 10, 2008 | IA | SJR 2002 | Natural Resources Trust Fund | Joint Resolution Passed - House (88 - 10) |
| April 10, 2008 | FL | HB 5001 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - House (72 - 41) |
| April 10, 2008 | MO | HJR 70 | State Spending Limit | Joint Resolution Passed - House (84 - 65) |
| April 10, 2008 | MA | H 4645 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Passed - House (131 - 23) |
| April 10, 2008 | MA | Garry and D'Amico Amendment: Removal of Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Failed - House (49 - 105) | |
| April 9, 2008 | AZ | SB 1096 | English Language Education Funding | Bill Passed - House (37 - 23) |
| April 9, 2008 | NY | S 6807 | Budget Financing | Bill Passed - House (107 - 41) |
| April 9, 2008 | IA | HF 2663 | Statewide Sales Tax Increase for School Infrastructure Funding | Bill Passed - House (59 - 41) |
| April 9, 2008 | SC | H 4673 | Cost-of-Living Pension Increases for Retired Legislators and State Workers | Bill Passed - House (58 - 51) |
| April 9, 2008 | SC | H 4549 | Funding Road Repair and Maintenance | Bill Passed - House (91 - 9) |
| April 9, 2008 | NY | S 6801 | 2008-2009 Legislative and Judiciary Budget | Bill Passed - House (110 - 37) |
| April 8, 2008 | CO | SB 128 | Eliminating Sales and Use Tax Cap | Bill Passed - House (38 - 26) |
| April 8, 2008 | MI | SB 120 | Issuing Food Stamps Twice Monthly | Bill Passed - House (87 - 19) |
| April 7, 2008 | MD | SB 268 | Maryland Strategic Energy Investment Program | Bill Passed - House (113 - 25) |
| April 5, 2008 | MD | SB 90 | 2008-2009 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (109 - 31) |
| April 5, 2008 | MD | SB 46 | Computer Services Sales Tax Repeal and Other Tax Adjustments | Bill Passed - House (93 - 44) |
| April 4, 2008 | ME | LD 1932 | School Consolidation | Conference Report Adopted - House (83 - 47) |
| April 4, 2008 | GA | SR 845 | Regional Transportation Sales Tax | Conference Report Adopted - House (134 - 34) |
| April 4, 2008 | MD | SB 597 | Property Transfer Tax Exemptions for Domestic Partners | Bill Passed - House (86 - 47) |
| April 3, 2008 | AZ | SB 1167 | Off-Highway Vehicle Regulations | Bill Passed - House (42 - 13) |
| April 3, 2008 | MO | HJR 41 | Prohibiting Judges from Imposing Taxes | Joint Resolution Passed - House (82 - 68) |
| April 2, 2008 | SC | AM 1 | Expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit | Amendment Rejected - House (40 - 73) |
| April 2, 2008 | ME | LD 1932 | School Consolidation | Conference Report Rejected - House (97 - 46) |
| April 2, 2008 | KY | HB 406 | 2008-2010 Biennium Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (74 - 21) |
| April 2, 2008 | AR | SB 1 | Natural Gas Tax | Bill Passed - House (82 - 17) |
| April 2, 2008 | SC | H 4550 | Marriage Tax Cut | Bill Passed - House (100 - 14) |
| April 1, 2008 | MN | Buesgens Amnd. | Amendment Prohibiting Grants for Groups Involved in Political Activity | Amendment Rejected - House (60 - 69) |
| April 1, 2008 | MN | Seifert Amendment: Prohibiting Grants for Groups Associated with Abortion Providers | Amendment Rejected - House (64 - 66) | |
| April 1, 2008 | GA | HR 1246 | Property Tax Assessment Freeze | Resolution Passed - House (166 - 7) |
| April 1, 2008 | GA | HB 1244 | State Income Tax Reductions | Bill Passed - House (154 - 18) |
| April 1, 2008 | MO | HJR 43 | Constitutional Amendment Limiting Property Taxes | Amendment Adopted - House (133 - 19) |
| April 1, 2008 | ID | SJR 107 | City, County, and Public Hospital Debt Financing | Bill Failed - House (36 - 33) |
| April 1, 2008 | AR | HB 1004 | Natural Gas Tax | Bill Passed - House (81 - 16) |
| March 31, 2008 | ME | LD 2289 | 2008-2009 Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (84 - 55) |
| March 28, 2008 | ID | H 655 | Tax Rebate for Road Projects | Bill Passed - House (40 - 25) |
| March 27, 2008 | MO | HB 2003 | 2008-2009 Department of Higher Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (90 - 66) |
| March 27, 2008 | MO | HB 2010 | 2008-2009 Department of Mental Health and Department of Health and Senior Services Budget | Bill Passed - House (87 - 66) |
| March 27, 2008 | MO | HB 2002 | 2008-2009 Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (90 - 66) |
| March 27, 2008 | GA | SR 845 | Regional Transportation Sales Tax | Resolution Passed - House (136 - 35) |
| March 27, 2008 | MO | HB 2011 | 2008-2009 Department of Social Services Budget | Bill Passed - House (87 - 62) |
| March 27, 2008 | ID | H 680 | Community Infrastructure Districts | Bill Passed - House (50 - 18) |
| March 26, 2008 | MS | SB 2188 | Attorney General-Private Attorney Contract Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (95 - 25) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/16 | SF 2420 | Increasing Vehicle Registration Fees | Bill Passed - House (53 - 47) |
| 4/15 | SB 2497 | Increasing Unemployment Compensation | Conference Report Adopted - House (112 - 10) |
| 4/15 | LD 2247 | Alcohol and Soda Tax for Health Care Funding | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (75 - 64) |
| 4/15 | HB 274 | Food Sales Tax Repeal | Bill Passed - House (63 - 38) |
| 4/15 | HR 5719 | Amending Tax Code Provisions and IRS Practices | Bill Passed - House (238 - 179) |
| 4/12 | SB 221 | 2008-2009 Capital Budget | Bill Passed - House (33 - 6) |
| 4/10 | HB 1375 | 2008-2009 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (39 - 23) |
| 4/10 | HF 3569 | Workers' Lung Health Study | Bill Passed - House (88 - 45) |
| 4/10 | SJR 2002 | Natural Resources Trust Fund | Joint Resolution Passed - House (88 - 10) |
| 4/10 | HB 5001 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - House (72 - 41) |
| 4/10 | HJR 70 | State Spending Limit | Joint Resolution Passed - House (84 - 65) |
| 4/10 | H 4645 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Passed - House (131 - 23) |
| 4/10 | Garry and D'Amico Amendment: Removal of Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Failed - House (49 - 105) | |
| 4/09 | SB 1096 | English Language Education Funding | Bill Passed - House (37 - 23) |
| 4/09 | S 6807 | Budget Financing | Bill Passed - House (107 - 41) |
| 4/09 | HF 2663 | Statewide Sales Tax Increase for School Infrastructure Funding | Bill Passed - House (59 - 41) |
| 4/09 | H 4673 | Cost-of-Living Pension Increases for Retired Legislators and State Workers | Bill Passed - House (58 - 51) |
| 4/09 | H 4549 | Funding Road Repair and Maintenance | Bill Passed - House (91 - 9) |
| 4/09 | S 6801 | 2008-2009 Legislative and Judiciary Budget | Bill Passed - House (110 - 37) |
| 4/08 | SB 128 | Eliminating Sales and Use Tax Cap | Bill Passed - House (38 - 26) |
| 4/08 | SB 120 | Issuing Food Stamps Twice Monthly | Bill Passed - House (87 - 19) |
| 4/07 | SB 268 | Maryland Strategic Energy Investment Program | Bill Passed - House (113 - 25) |
| 4/05 | SB 90 | 2008-2009 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (109 - 31) |
| 4/05 | SB 46 | Computer Services Sales Tax Repeal and Other Tax Adjustments | Bill Passed - House (93 - 44) |
| 4/04 | LD 1932 | School Consolidation | Conference Report Adopted - House (83 - 47) |
| 4/04 | SR 845 | Regional Transportation Sales Tax | Conference Report Adopted - House (134 - 34) |
| 4/04 | SB 597 | Property Transfer Tax Exemptions for Domestic Partners | Bill Passed - House (86 - 47) |
| 4/03 | SB 1167 | Off-Highway Vehicle Regulations | Bill Passed - House (42 - 13) |
| 4/03 | HJR 41 | Prohibiting Judges from Imposing Taxes | Joint Resolution Passed - House (82 - 68) |
| 4/02 | AM 1 | Expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit | Amendment Rejected - House (40 - 73) |
| 4/02 | LD 1932 | School Consolidation | Conference Report Rejected - House (97 - 46) |
| 4/02 | HB 406 | 2008-2010 Biennium Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (74 - 21) |
| 4/02 | SB 1 | Natural Gas Tax | Bill Passed - House (82 - 17) |
| 4/02 | H 4550 | Marriage Tax Cut | Bill Passed - House (100 - 14) |
| 4/01 | Buesgens Amnd. | Amendment Prohibiting Grants for Groups Involved in Political Activity | Amendment Rejected - House (60 - 69) |
| 4/01 | Seifert Amendment: Prohibiting Grants for Groups Associated with Abortion Providers | Amendment Rejected - House (64 - 66) | |
| 4/01 | HR 1246 | Property Tax Assessment Freeze | Resolution Passed - House (166 - 7) |
| 4/01 | HB 1244 | State Income Tax Reductions | Bill Passed - House (154 - 18) |
| 4/01 | HJR 43 | Constitutional Amendment Limiting Property Taxes | Amendment Adopted - House (133 - 19) |
| 4/01 | SJR 107 | City, County, and Public Hospital Debt Financing | Bill Failed - House (36 - 33) |
| 4/01 | HB 1004 | Natural Gas Tax | Bill Passed - House (81 - 16) |
| 3/31 | LD 2289 | 2008-2009 Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (84 - 55) |
| 3/28 | H 655 | Tax Rebate for Road Projects | Bill Passed - House (40 - 25) |
| 3/27 | HB 2003 | 2008-2009 Department of Higher Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (90 - 66) |
| 3/27 | HB 2010 | 2008-2009 Department of Mental Health and Department of Health and Senior Services Budget | Bill Passed - House (87 - 66) |
| 3/27 | HB 2002 | 2008-2009 Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (90 - 66) |
| 3/27 | SR 845 | Regional Transportation Sales Tax | Resolution Passed - House (136 - 35) |
| 3/27 | HB 2011 | 2008-2009 Department of Social Services Budget | Bill Passed - House (87 - 62) |
| 3/27 | H 680 | Community Infrastructure Districts | Bill Passed - House (50 - 18) |
| 3/26 | SB 2188 | Attorney General-Private Attorney Contract Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (95 - 25) |