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 23, 2008 | FL | SB 2692 | Science Curriculum Flexibility | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| April 23, 2008 | CO | HB 1385 | Health Insurance Website | Bill Passed - House (49 - 16) |
| April 21, 2008 | LA | HB 852 | Banning Cell Phones While Driving | Bill Passed - House (55 - 43) |
| April 15, 2008 | KY | HB 683 | DNA Collection, Parole Board, and Felony Review | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 1) |
| April 15, 2008 | KY | HB 683 | DNA Collection, Parole Board, and Felony Review | Conference Report Adopted - House (51 - 42) |
| April 8, 2008 | CO | HB 1001 | Expanding Bioscience Research Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| April 5, 2008 | MD | SB 46 | Computer Services Sales Tax Repeal and Other Tax Adjustments | Bill Passed - House (93 - 44) |
| April 3, 2008 | MD | SB 46 | Computer Services Sales Tax Repeal and Other Tax Adjustments | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
| April 2, 2008 | KY | HB 406 | 2008-2010 Biennium Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (74 - 21) |
| April 2, 2008 | KY | HB 406 | 2008-2010 Biennium Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 3) |
| March 31, 2008 | MD | SB 269 | Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems | Bill Passed - House (89 - 47) |
| March 28, 2008 | MD | HB 362 | Department of Information Technology | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 14) |
| March 27, 2008 | KS | Carlson Amnd. | Employment Eligibility Verification Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (86 - 36) |
| March 26, 2008 | KS | Huelskamp Amnd. 1 | Employment Verification | Amendment Rejected - Senate (11 - 27) |
| March 24, 2008 | KY | HB 406 | 2008-2010 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 2) |
| March 20, 2008 | MD | SB 90 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - House (105 - 34) |
| March 20, 2008 | MD | SB 2 | Banning Cell Phones While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21) |
| March 19, 2008 | MS | SB 2264 | Authorizing Wire-tapping Out of State | Bill Passed - House (97 - 21) |
| March 18, 2008 | CO | SB 139 | Undocumented Immigrant Hiring Ban Notification | Bill Passed - House (52 - 12) |
| March 18, 2008 | MD | SB 269 | Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21) |
| March 17, 2008 | SD | HB 1233 | Government Spending Database | Veto Override Passed - House (61 - 8) |
| March 17, 2008 | SD | HB 1233 | Government Spending Database | Veto Override Failed - Senate (22 - 12) |
| March 17, 2008 | KS | HB 2938 | Sales Tax Exemptions | Bill Passed - House (96 - 26) |
| March 17, 2008 | KS | HB 2762 | Income Tax Reduction | Bill Passed - House (109 - 13) |
| March 14, 2008 | National | HR 3773 | Electronic Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Review Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (213 - 197) |
| March 14, 2008 | MD | SB 90 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 7) |
| March 14, 2008 | MD | SB 461 | Prohibiting Cell Phone Use by Drivers Under 18 | Bill Failed - Senate (22 - 21) |
| March 12, 2008 | KY | HB 406 | 2008-2010 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - House (84 - 14) |
| March 11, 2008 | WI | AB 862 | Government Spending Database | Bill Passed - House (81 - 16) |
| March 6, 2008 | MN | HF 380 | Capital Improvements Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (57 - 9) |
| March 6, 2008 | MO | HB 1779 | Regulation of Telecommunications Services | Bill Passed - House (130 - 22) |
| March 6, 2008 | MN | HF 380 | Capital Improvements Budget | Bill Passed - House (99 - 34) |
| March 6, 2008 | MO | HB 1619 | Monitoring Prescription Drug Sales | Bill Passed - House (84 - 69) |
| March 6, 2008 | GA | SB 404 | Health Insurance Marketplace | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 12) |
| March 5, 2008 | MS | SB 2988 | Prohibiting Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (112 - 8) |
| March 4, 2008 | MD | HB 362 | Department of Information Technology | Bill Passed - House (105 - 31) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | WI | AB 870 | Virtual Charter Schools | Bill Passed - House (53 - 44) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | CO | HB 1001 | Expanding Bioscience Research Funding | Bill Passed - House (52 - 13) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | SD | HB 1085 | Constructing Science Facilities at Universities | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 3) |
| Feb. 26, 2008 | SD | HB 1233 | Government Spending Database | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| Feb. 26, 2008 | CO | SB 139 | Undocumented Immigrant Hiring Ban Notification | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 4) |
| Feb. 19, 2008 | WI | S Amnd. 1 | Virtual Charter School Enrollment Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (17 - 16) |
| Feb. 19, 2008 | WI | S Amnd. 1 | Virtual Charter School Enrollment Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (16 - 17) |
| Feb. 19, 2008 | GA | SB 379 | Automatic Calling Device Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 9) |
| Feb. 19, 2008 | WI | SB 396 | Virtual Charter Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| Feb. 18, 2008 | UT | HB 295 | Policies for Electronic Devices at School | Bill Failed - House (33 - 37) |
| Feb. 13, 2008 | SD | HB 1233 | Government Spending Database | Bill Passed - House (47 - 22) |
| Feb. 13, 2008 | SD | HB 1085 | Constructing Science Facilities at Universities | Bill Passed - House (61 - 6) |
| Feb. 12, 2008 | National | S Amdt 3910 | FISA as Exclusive Means for Conducting Electronic Surveillance | Amendment Rejected - Senate (57 - 41) |
| Feb. 12, 2008 | National | S Amdt 3907 | Striking Telecommunications Companies' Civil Immunity for Surveillance | Amendment Rejected - Senate (31 - 67) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/23 | SB 2692 | Science Curriculum Flexibility | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| 4/23 | HB 1385 | Health Insurance Website | Bill Passed - House (49 - 16) |
| 4/21 | HB 852 | Banning Cell Phones While Driving | Bill Passed - House (55 - 43) |
| 4/15 | HB 683 | DNA Collection, Parole Board, and Felony Review | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 1) |
| 4/15 | HB 683 | DNA Collection, Parole Board, and Felony Review | Conference Report Adopted - House (51 - 42) |
| 4/08 | HB 1001 | Expanding Bioscience Research Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| 4/05 | SB 46 | Computer Services Sales Tax Repeal and Other Tax Adjustments | Bill Passed - House (93 - 44) |
| 4/03 | SB 46 | Computer Services Sales Tax Repeal and Other Tax Adjustments | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
| 4/02 | HB 406 | 2008-2010 Biennium Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (74 - 21) |
| 4/02 | HB 406 | 2008-2010 Biennium Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 3) |
| 3/31 | SB 269 | Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems | Bill Passed - House (89 - 47) |
| 3/28 | HB 362 | Department of Information Technology | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 14) |
| 3/27 | Carlson Amnd. | Employment Eligibility Verification Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (86 - 36) |
| 3/26 | Huelskamp Amnd. 1 | Employment Verification | Amendment Rejected - Senate (11 - 27) |
| 3/24 | HB 406 | 2008-2010 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 2) |
| 3/20 | SB 90 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - House (105 - 34) |
| 3/20 | SB 2 | Banning Cell Phones While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21) |
| 3/19 | SB 2264 | Authorizing Wire-tapping Out of State | Bill Passed - House (97 - 21) |
| 3/18 | SB 139 | Undocumented Immigrant Hiring Ban Notification | Bill Passed - House (52 - 12) |
| 3/18 | SB 269 | Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21) |
| 3/17 | HB 1233 | Government Spending Database | Veto Override Passed - House (61 - 8) |
| 3/17 | HB 1233 | Government Spending Database | Veto Override Failed - Senate (22 - 12) |
| 3/17 | HB 2938 | Sales Tax Exemptions | Bill Passed - House (96 - 26) |
| 3/17 | HB 2762 | Income Tax Reduction | Bill Passed - House (109 - 13) |
| 3/14 | HR 3773 | Electronic Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Review Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (213 - 197) |
| 3/14 | SB 90 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 7) |
| 3/14 | SB 461 | Prohibiting Cell Phone Use by Drivers Under 18 | Bill Failed - Senate (22 - 21) |
| 3/12 | HB 406 | 2008-2010 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - House (84 - 14) |
| 3/11 | AB 862 | Government Spending Database | Bill Passed - House (81 - 16) |
| 3/06 | HF 380 | Capital Improvements Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (57 - 9) |
| 3/06 | HB 1779 | Regulation of Telecommunications Services | Bill Passed - House (130 - 22) |
| 3/06 | HF 380 | Capital Improvements Budget | Bill Passed - House (99 - 34) |
| 3/06 | HB 1619 | Monitoring Prescription Drug Sales | Bill Passed - House (84 - 69) |
| 3/06 | SB 404 | Health Insurance Marketplace | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 12) |
| 3/05 | SB 2988 | Prohibiting Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (112 - 8) |
| 3/04 | HB 362 | Department of Information Technology | Bill Passed - House (105 - 31) |
| 2/28 | AB 870 | Virtual Charter Schools | Bill Passed - House (53 - 44) |
| 2/27 | HB 1001 | Expanding Bioscience Research Funding | Bill Passed - House (52 - 13) |
| 2/27 | HB 1085 | Constructing Science Facilities at Universities | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 3) |
| 2/26 | HB 1233 | Government Spending Database | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 2/26 | SB 139 | Undocumented Immigrant Hiring Ban Notification | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 4) |
| 2/19 | S Amnd. 1 | Virtual Charter School Enrollment Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (17 - 16) |
| 2/19 | S Amnd. 1 | Virtual Charter School Enrollment Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (16 - 17) |
| 2/19 | SB 379 | Automatic Calling Device Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 9) |
| 2/19 | SB 396 | Virtual Charter Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| 2/18 | HB 295 | Policies for Electronic Devices at School | Bill Failed - House (33 - 37) |
| 2/13 | HB 1233 | Government Spending Database | Bill Passed - House (47 - 22) |
| 2/13 | HB 1085 | Constructing Science Facilities at Universities | Bill Passed - House (61 - 6) |
| 2/12 | S Amdt 3910 | FISA as Exclusive Means for Conducting Electronic Surveillance | Amendment Rejected - Senate (57 - 41) |
| 2/12 | S Amdt 3907 | Striking Telecommunications Companies' Civil Immunity for Surveillance | Amendment Rejected - Senate (31 - 67) |