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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 5, 2008 | WI | AB 901 | Austism Treatment Funding | Bill Passed - House (55 - 39) |
| March 5, 2008 | IA | HF 2359 | Veterans Trust Fund | Bill Passed - House (75 - 21) |
| March 5, 2008 | ID | HCR 49 | State Employee Pay Raise | Resolution Passed - House (51 - 19) |
| March 5, 2008 | ID | H 561 | Tax Exemptions for the Processing of Fuel for Energy Production | Bill Passed - House (60 - 10) |
| March 5, 2008 | GA | SR 796 | Property Tax Assessment Cap | Resolution Failed - House (110 - 62) |
| March 4, 2008 | MD | HB 362 | Department of Information Technology | Bill Passed - House (105 - 31) |
| March 4, 2008 | AK | HB 310 | 2008-2009 Operating Budget | Bill Passed - House (29 - 10) |
| March 4, 2008 | GA | HB 1245 | Public Defender Funding Amendments | Bill Passed - House (141 - 21) |
| March 3, 2008 | MN | Seifert Amendment: Restriction of State Aid Based on Compliance with Immigration Laws | Amendment Rejected - House (66 - 67) | |
| March 3, 2008 | MN | HF 3201 | Omnibus Tax Bill | Bill Passed - House (81 - 51) |
| Feb. 29, 2008 | KS | HB 2870 | Employment Incentive for Teachers | Bill Failed - House (59 - 63) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | KS | Ward Amnd. | Teacher Scholarship Program | Amendment Rejected - House (50 - 71) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | IN | SJR 1 | Constitutional Property Tax Cap | Bill Passed - House (64 - 35) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | KS | HB 2605 | Changing School Finance Formula | Bill Failed - House (62 - 63) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | UT | SB 162 | State Discretion Over Federal Education Programs | Bill Passed - House (38 - 33) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | WI | AB 770 | Corporate Research and Development Tax Credit | Bill Passed - House (84 - 13) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | KS | McKinney Amnd. A to HB 2760 | Per Student Public School Funding | Amendment Rejected - House (50 - 70) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | CO | HB 1001 | Expanding Bioscience Research Funding | Bill Passed - House (52 - 13) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | CO | HB 1297 | Supplemental Department of Public Safety Funding | Bill Passed - House (45 - 20) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | CO | HB 1180 | Unemployment Benefits for Military Spouses | Bill Passed - House (60 - 5) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | National | HR 5351 | Energy Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (236 - 182) |
| Feb. 26, 2008 | WI | A Amnd. 1 | Divestment Due to Genocide Amendment | Amendment Tabled - House (50 - 47) |
| Feb. 26, 2008 | IN | Amdt 1 to SJR 1 | Adjusting the Constitutional Property Tax Cap | Amendment Rejected - House (50 - 50) |
| Feb. 26, 2008 | WV | HB 4076 | Legislative Pay Raise | Bill Passed - House (62 - 36) |
| Feb. 26, 2008 | ID | H 503 | Scholarships for Drug-Free Students | Bill Passed - House (55 - 14) |
| Feb. 25, 2008 | MN | HF 2800 | 2009-2010 Transportation Budget | Veto Override Passed - House (91 - 41) |
| Feb. 25, 2008 | MO | HB 1406 | Establishment of Drunk Driving Memorial Sign Program | Bill Passed - House (82 - 51) |
| Feb. 25, 2008 | WY | HB 145 | Restricting Benefits for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (40 - 18) |
| Feb. 25, 2008 | WA | HB 2687 | 2007-2009 Biennium Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (62 - 33) |
| Feb. 21, 2008 | MN | HF 2800 | 2009-2010 Transportation Budget | Bill Passed - House (89 - 44) |
| Feb. 21, 2008 | MS | HB 1013 | Altering Medicaid and Medicare Eligibility and Increasing Cigarette Tax | Bill Passed - House (75 - 41) |
| Feb. 21, 2008 | VA | HB 30 | 2008-2010 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - House (93 - 5) |
| Feb. 20, 2008 | AZ | HB 2043 | State Government Hiring Freeze | Bill Passed - House (40 - 15) |
| Feb. 18, 2008 | CO | SB 3 | Medicaid Funded Family Planning | Bill Passed - House (41 - 23) |
| Feb. 15, 2008 | OR | HB 3618 | Inheritance Tax Credit | Bill Passed - House (41 - 18) |
| Feb. 14, 2008 | MN | HF 2285 | Funding for Natural Resources and Cultural Heritage | Conference Report Adopted - House (85 - 46) |
| Feb. 14, 2008 | SD | HB 1124 | Teacher Compensation and Performance | Bill Passed - House (39 - 29) |
| Feb. 14, 2008 | MS | HB 859 | Salary Adjustments for State Officials | Bill Passed - House (61 - 60) |
| Feb. 13, 2008 | SD | HB 1085 | Constructing Science Facilities at Universities | Bill Passed - House (61 - 6) |
| Feb. 13, 2008 | SD | HB 1233 | Government Spending Database | Bill Passed - House (47 - 22) |
| Feb. 13, 2008 | NY | A 9998 | New York Racing Association Funding | Bill Passed - House (92 - 40) |
| Feb. 11, 2008 | NM | HB 618 | Income Tax Overhaul | Bill Passed - House (54 - 12) |
| Feb. 10, 2008 | NM | HB 634 | Filmmakers Production Fund | Bill Passed - House (42 - 25) |
| Feb. 8, 2008 | NM | HB 342 | Uranium Cleanup Fund | Bill Passed - House (55 - 11) |
| Feb. 7, 2008 | National | HR 5140 | Economic Stimulus Plan | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (380 - 34) |
| Feb. 7, 2008 | National | HR 5140 | Economic Stimulus Plan | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (380 - 34) |
| Feb. 7, 2008 | NM | HB 241 | Education Funding Reform | Bill Passed - House (52 - 16) |
| Feb. 6, 2008 | NM | HB 484 | Racetrack Tax Break | Bill Passed - House (48 - 10) |
| Feb. 6, 2008 | WA | SB 6272 | Financial Literacy for Homeowners | Bill Passed - House (69 - 27) |
| Feb. 6, 2008 | NM | HB 237 | Mandatory Election Recounts | Bill Passed - House (37 - 21) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/05 | AB 901 | Austism Treatment Funding | Bill Passed - House (55 - 39) |
| 3/05 | HF 2359 | Veterans Trust Fund | Bill Passed - House (75 - 21) |
| 3/05 | HCR 49 | State Employee Pay Raise | Resolution Passed - House (51 - 19) |
| 3/05 | H 561 | Tax Exemptions for the Processing of Fuel for Energy Production | Bill Passed - House (60 - 10) |
| 3/05 | SR 796 | Property Tax Assessment Cap | Resolution Failed - House (110 - 62) |
| 3/04 | HB 362 | Department of Information Technology | Bill Passed - House (105 - 31) |
| 3/04 | HB 310 | 2008-2009 Operating Budget | Bill Passed - House (29 - 10) |
| 3/04 | HB 1245 | Public Defender Funding Amendments | Bill Passed - House (141 - 21) |
| 3/03 | Seifert Amendment: Restriction of State Aid Based on Compliance with Immigration Laws | Amendment Rejected - House (66 - 67) | |
| 3/03 | HF 3201 | Omnibus Tax Bill | Bill Passed - House (81 - 51) |
| 2/29 | HB 2870 | Employment Incentive for Teachers | Bill Failed - House (59 - 63) |
| 2/28 | Ward Amnd. | Teacher Scholarship Program | Amendment Rejected - House (50 - 71) |
| 2/28 | SJR 1 | Constitutional Property Tax Cap | Bill Passed - House (64 - 35) |
| 2/28 | HB 2605 | Changing School Finance Formula | Bill Failed - House (62 - 63) |
| 2/28 | SB 162 | State Discretion Over Federal Education Programs | Bill Passed - House (38 - 33) |
| 2/28 | AB 770 | Corporate Research and Development Tax Credit | Bill Passed - House (84 - 13) |
| 2/27 | McKinney Amnd. A to HB 2760 | Per Student Public School Funding | Amendment Rejected - House (50 - 70) |
| 2/27 | HB 1001 | Expanding Bioscience Research Funding | Bill Passed - House (52 - 13) |
| 2/27 | HB 1297 | Supplemental Department of Public Safety Funding | Bill Passed - House (45 - 20) |
| 2/27 | HB 1180 | Unemployment Benefits for Military Spouses | Bill Passed - House (60 - 5) |
| 2/27 | HR 5351 | Energy Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (236 - 182) |
| 2/26 | A Amnd. 1 | Divestment Due to Genocide Amendment | Amendment Tabled - House (50 - 47) |
| 2/26 | Amdt 1 to SJR 1 | Adjusting the Constitutional Property Tax Cap | Amendment Rejected - House (50 - 50) |
| 2/26 | HB 4076 | Legislative Pay Raise | Bill Passed - House (62 - 36) |
| 2/26 | H 503 | Scholarships for Drug-Free Students | Bill Passed - House (55 - 14) |
| 2/25 | HF 2800 | 2009-2010 Transportation Budget | Veto Override Passed - House (91 - 41) |
| 2/25 | HB 1406 | Establishment of Drunk Driving Memorial Sign Program | Bill Passed - House (82 - 51) |
| 2/25 | HB 145 | Restricting Benefits for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (40 - 18) |
| 2/25 | HB 2687 | 2007-2009 Biennium Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (62 - 33) |
| 2/21 | HF 2800 | 2009-2010 Transportation Budget | Bill Passed - House (89 - 44) |
| 2/21 | HB 1013 | Altering Medicaid and Medicare Eligibility and Increasing Cigarette Tax | Bill Passed - House (75 - 41) |
| 2/21 | HB 30 | 2008-2010 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - House (93 - 5) |
| 2/20 | HB 2043 | State Government Hiring Freeze | Bill Passed - House (40 - 15) |
| 2/18 | SB 3 | Medicaid Funded Family Planning | Bill Passed - House (41 - 23) |
| 2/15 | HB 3618 | Inheritance Tax Credit | Bill Passed - House (41 - 18) |
| 2/14 | HF 2285 | Funding for Natural Resources and Cultural Heritage | Conference Report Adopted - House (85 - 46) |
| 2/14 | HB 1124 | Teacher Compensation and Performance | Bill Passed - House (39 - 29) |
| 2/14 | HB 859 | Salary Adjustments for State Officials | Bill Passed - House (61 - 60) |
| 2/13 | HB 1085 | Constructing Science Facilities at Universities | Bill Passed - House (61 - 6) |
| 2/13 | HB 1233 | Government Spending Database | Bill Passed - House (47 - 22) |
| 2/13 | A 9998 | New York Racing Association Funding | Bill Passed - House (92 - 40) |
| 2/11 | HB 618 | Income Tax Overhaul | Bill Passed - House (54 - 12) |
| 2/10 | HB 634 | Filmmakers Production Fund | Bill Passed - House (42 - 25) |
| 2/08 | HB 342 | Uranium Cleanup Fund | Bill Passed - House (55 - 11) |
| 2/07 | HR 5140 | Economic Stimulus Plan | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (380 - 34) |
| 2/07 | HR 5140 | Economic Stimulus Plan | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (380 - 34) |
| 2/07 | HB 241 | Education Funding Reform | Bill Passed - House (52 - 16) |
| 2/06 | HB 484 | Racetrack Tax Break | Bill Passed - House (48 - 10) |
| 2/06 | SB 6272 | Financial Literacy for Homeowners | Bill Passed - House (69 - 27) |
| 2/06 | HB 237 | Mandatory Election Recounts | Bill Passed - House (37 - 21) |