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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 19, 2008 | WA | SB 6809 | Working Family Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 16) |
| Feb. 18, 2008 | WA | SB 6305 | Use of Federal Sex Education Grants | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 11) |
| Feb. 15, 2008 | LA | Amnd. 423 to SB 1 | Persons Restricted from Doing Business with the State | Amendment Adopted - Senate (21 - 16) |
| Feb. 13, 2008 | SD | SB 174 | Railroad Eminent Domain | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
| Feb. 13, 2008 | TN | SB 3419 | Parental Consent for Sexual Abuse Prevention Education | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 6) |
| Feb. 12, 2008 | GA | SR 822 | Reassessing Georgia's Northern Border | Resolution Passed - Senate (52 - 0) |
| Feb. 11, 2008 | TN | SA 883 | Commission of Indian Affairs Extension Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (20 - 10) |
| Feb. 11, 2008 | SD | SB 189 | Accessibility of Public Records | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| Feb. 11, 2008 | OR | SB 1080 | Driver's License Residency Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7) |
| Feb. 10, 2008 | NM | HB 661 | Affordable Housing Tax Relief | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 12) |
| Feb. 7, 2008 | MA | H 4488 | Education Reorganization | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
| Feb. 7, 2008 | NH | SB 436 | Reducing the Voting Age for Primary Elections | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 6) |
| Feb. 7, 2008 | GA | SB 340 | Prohibiting Sanctuary Policies | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 8) |
| Feb. 7, 2008 | GA | SB 350 | Increasing Penalties for Driving Without a License | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 13) |
| Feb. 7, 2008 | GA | SB 350 | Increasing Penalties for Driving Without a License | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 13) |
| Feb. 6, 2008 | MI | SB 962 | Prohibiting Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9) |
| Feb. 2, 2008 | NM | SB 68 | Increasing Domestic Violence Penalties | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5) |
| Feb. 1, 2008 | MS | SB 2037 | Requirements for Public Works Laborers | Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 5) |
| Feb. 1, 2008 | MS | SB 2037 | Requirements for Public Works Laborers | Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 5) |
| Jan. 30, 2008 | KY | SB 112 | Restricting Public Employee Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
| Jan. 30, 2008 | KY | SB 112 | Restricting Public Employee Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
| Jan. 29, 2008 | IN | SB 335 | Immigration Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 11) |
| Jan. 29, 2008 | IN | SB 335 | Immigration Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 11) |
| Jan. 29, 2008 | IN | SB 143 | Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 13) |
| Jan. 29, 2008 | IN | SJR 7 | Definition of Marriage | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (39 - 9) |
| Jan. 28, 2008 | CO | SB 3 | Medicaid Funded Family Planning | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| Jan. 28, 2008 | CO | SB 3 | Medicaid Funded Family Planning | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| Jan. 25, 2008 | CO | SA Mitchell | Prohibiting State Funding of Abortion Providers | Amendment Rejected - Senate (13 - 20) |
| Jan. 25, 2008 | MS | SB 2188 | Attorney General-Private Attorney Contract Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
| Jan. 25, 2008 | MS | SB 2188 | Attorney General-Private Attorney Contract Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
| Jan. 24, 2008 | CO | GN Baker | Matt Baker to the Public Utilities Commission | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| Jan. 22, 2008 | MI | SB 776 | Late-Term/Partial-Birth Abortion Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
| Jan. 22, 2008 | National | HR 4986 | Defense Authorizations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 3) |
| Jan. 22, 2008 | SD | SB 26 | State Regulation of Preschools | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| Jan. 22, 2008 | National | HR 4986 | Defense Authorizations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 3) |
| Jan. 22, 2008 | MI | SB 776 | Late-Term/Partial-Birth Abortion Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
| Jan. 17, 2008 | IL | HB 656 | Providing Free Public Transportation for Senior Citizens | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 19) |
| Jan. 15, 2008 | WI | SB 130 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 13) |
| Jan. 10, 2008 | IL | HB 656 | Transportation Act | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 25) |
| Jan. 7, 2008 | NJ | S 176 | Expanding Damages for Wrongful Death | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11) |
| Dec. 18, 2007 | National | S Amdt 3875 | Iraq Withdrawal Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (24 - 71) |
| Dec. 18, 2007 | National | HR 2764 | Inclusion of Iraq and Afghanistan Military Operations Funding with the Consolidated Appropriations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (76 - 17) |
| Dec. 14, 2007 | National | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Bill Passed - Senate (79 - 14) |
| Dec. 11, 2007 | WI | SB 176 | Compensation for Discharged Police Officers | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 3) |
| Dec. 11, 2007 | WI | SJR 5 | Limiting Governor's Partial Veto Authority | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (33 - 0) |
| Dec. 11, 2007 | WI | SJR 5 | Limiting Governor's Partial Veto Authority | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (33 - 0) |
| Dec. 11, 2007 | WI | SB 176 | Compensation for Discharged Police Officers | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 3) |
| Dec. 10, 2007 | NJ | S 171 | Eliminating the Death Penalty | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| Nov. 29, 2007 | WA | Sub SB 6178 | Property Tax Deferral | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 21) |
| Nov. 19, 2007 | MD | HB 1 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 13) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/19 | SB 6809 | Working Family Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 16) |
| 2/18 | SB 6305 | Use of Federal Sex Education Grants | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 11) |
| 2/15 | Amnd. 423 to SB 1 | Persons Restricted from Doing Business with the State | Amendment Adopted - Senate (21 - 16) |
| 2/13 | SB 174 | Railroad Eminent Domain | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
| 2/13 | SB 3419 | Parental Consent for Sexual Abuse Prevention Education | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 6) |
| 2/12 | SR 822 | Reassessing Georgia's Northern Border | Resolution Passed - Senate (52 - 0) |
| 2/11 | SA 883 | Commission of Indian Affairs Extension Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (20 - 10) |
| 2/11 | SB 189 | Accessibility of Public Records | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| 2/11 | SB 1080 | Driver's License Residency Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7) |
| 2/10 | HB 661 | Affordable Housing Tax Relief | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 12) |
| 2/07 | H 4488 | Education Reorganization | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
| 2/07 | SB 436 | Reducing the Voting Age for Primary Elections | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 6) |
| 2/07 | SB 340 | Prohibiting Sanctuary Policies | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 8) |
| 2/07 | SB 350 | Increasing Penalties for Driving Without a License | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 13) |
| 2/07 | SB 350 | Increasing Penalties for Driving Without a License | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 13) |
| 2/06 | SB 962 | Prohibiting Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9) |
| 2/02 | SB 68 | Increasing Domestic Violence Penalties | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5) |
| 2/01 | SB 2037 | Requirements for Public Works Laborers | Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 5) |
| 2/01 | SB 2037 | Requirements for Public Works Laborers | Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 5) |
| 1/30 | SB 112 | Restricting Public Employee Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
| 1/30 | SB 112 | Restricting Public Employee Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
| 1/29 | SB 335 | Immigration Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 11) |
| 1/29 | SB 335 | Immigration Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 11) |
| 1/29 | SB 143 | Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 13) |
| 1/29 | SJR 7 | Definition of Marriage | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (39 - 9) |
| 1/28 | SB 3 | Medicaid Funded Family Planning | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| 1/28 | SB 3 | Medicaid Funded Family Planning | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| 1/25 | SA Mitchell | Prohibiting State Funding of Abortion Providers | Amendment Rejected - Senate (13 - 20) |
| 1/25 | SB 2188 | Attorney General-Private Attorney Contract Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
| 1/25 | SB 2188 | Attorney General-Private Attorney Contract Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
| 1/24 | GN Baker | Matt Baker to the Public Utilities Commission | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 1/22 | SB 776 | Late-Term/Partial-Birth Abortion Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
| 1/22 | HR 4986 | Defense Authorizations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 3) |
| 1/22 | SB 26 | State Regulation of Preschools | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| 1/22 | HR 4986 | Defense Authorizations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 3) |
| 1/22 | SB 776 | Late-Term/Partial-Birth Abortion Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
| 1/17 | HB 656 | Providing Free Public Transportation for Senior Citizens | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 19) |
| 1/15 | SB 130 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 13) |
| 1/10 | HB 656 | Transportation Act | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 25) |
| 1/07 | S 176 | Expanding Damages for Wrongful Death | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11) |
| 12/18 | S Amdt 3875 | Iraq Withdrawal Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (24 - 71) |
| 12/18 | HR 2764 | Inclusion of Iraq and Afghanistan Military Operations Funding with the Consolidated Appropriations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (76 - 17) |
| 12/14 | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Bill Passed - Senate (79 - 14) |
| 12/11 | SB 176 | Compensation for Discharged Police Officers | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 3) |
| 12/11 | SJR 5 | Limiting Governor's Partial Veto Authority | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (33 - 0) |
| 12/11 | SJR 5 | Limiting Governor's Partial Veto Authority | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (33 - 0) |
| 12/11 | SB 176 | Compensation for Discharged Police Officers | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 3) |
| 12/10 | S 171 | Eliminating the Death Penalty | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| 11/29 | Sub SB 6178 | Property Tax Deferral | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 21) |
| 11/19 | HB 1 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 13) |