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 15, 2008 | ME | LD 2247 | Alcohol and Soda Tax for Health Care Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| April 15, 2008 | AL | HB 274 | Food Sales Tax Repeal | Bill Passed - House (63 - 38) |
| April 14, 2008 | MN | SF 2822 | "Good Faith" Requirement for Insurance Companies | Conference Report Adopted - House (93 - 39) |
| April 14, 2008 | MN | SF 2822 | "Good Faith" Requirement for Insurance Companies | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (47 - 15) |
| April 10, 2008 | National | H Res 1092 | Postponing the Consideration of the Trade Agreement with Colombia | Resolution Passed - House (224 - 195) |
| 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 8, 2008 | IA | HF 2212 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Adopted - House (54 - 45) |
| April 8, 2008 | IA | HF 2212 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (28 - 22) |
| April 8, 2008 | AZ | HB 2220 | Repealing the State Equalization Property Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
| April 7, 2008 | MD | SB 268 | Maryland Strategic Energy Investment Program | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 16) |
| April 7, 2008 | MD | SB 268 | Maryland Strategic Energy Investment Program | Bill Passed - House (113 - 25) |
| April 7, 2008 | IA | HF 2539 | Health Care Expansion Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 6) |
| April 7, 2008 | MD | HB 375 | Increasing Renewable Energy Standards | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (103 - 24) |
| April 7, 2008 | MD | SB 1013 | Regulation of Power Plants | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (34 - 11) |
| April 7, 2008 | MD | HB 374 | Energy Efficiency Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (101 - 33) |
| April 7, 2008 | MD | HB 374 | Energy Efficiency Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 13) |
| April 7, 2008 | MD | SB 1013 | Regulation of Power Plants | Bill Passed - House (102 - 38) |
| April 7, 2008 | MD | HB 375 | Increasing Renewable Energy Standards | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 13) |
| April 5, 2008 | MD | SB 46 | Computer Services Sales Tax Repeal and Other Tax Adjustments | Bill Passed - House (93 - 44) |
| April 5, 2008 | MD | SB 646 | Allowing For-Profit Entities to Provide Credit Counseling | Bill Passed - House (124 - 12) |
| April 4, 2008 | KS | SB 148 | Electricity Generation and Conservation | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 7) |
| April 4, 2008 | CO | SB 129 | Restricting Beverage Sales at Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| April 4, 2008 | KS | SB 148 | Electricity Generation and Conservation | Bill Passed - House (83 - 41) |
| April 4, 2008 | MD | HB 1626 | Public Utilitiy Regulation | Bill Passed - House (98 - 41) |
| April 3, 2008 | MD | Amnd. 663027/2 | Power Plant Regulation | Amendment Adopted - Senate (27 - 18) |
| April 3, 2008 | MO | SB 858 | Restrictions on Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| April 3, 2008 | AZ | SB 1132 | Allowing Pistols in Restaurants | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10) |
| 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 552 | Mortgage Reform | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (86 - 7) |
| April 2, 2008 | GA | HB 257 | Limiting Concealed Weapon Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 17) |
| April 2, 2008 | AR | HB 1004 | Natural Gas Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 1) |
| April 2, 2008 | AR | SB 1 | Natural Gas Tax | Bill Passed - House (82 - 17) |
| April 1, 2008 | NE | AM 2319 to LB 1174 | Farm and Ranch Ownership Requirements | Amendment Rejected - Senate (20 - 27) |
| April 1, 2008 | CO | HB 1228 | Insurance Company Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (41 - 23) |
| April 1, 2008 | CO | SB 129 | Restricting Beverage Sales at Schools | Bill Passed - House (37 - 27) |
| April 1, 2008 | AR | SB 1 | Natural Gas Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 3) |
| April 1, 2008 | IL | SB 1997 | Interscholastic Event Image Release | Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 5) |
| April 1, 2008 | AZ | HB 2745 | Amending Undocumented Immigrant Employment Sanctions | Bill Passed - House (41 - 16) |
| April 1, 2008 | AR | HB 1004 | Natural Gas Tax | Bill Passed - House (81 - 16) |
| April 1, 2008 | MD | SB 268 | Maryland Strategic Energy Investment Program | Bill Failed - Senate (21 - 25) |
| March 31, 2008 | ME | LD 2289 | 2008-2009 Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (84 - 55) |
| March 31, 2008 | ME | LD 2289 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| March 31, 2008 | CO | HB 1270 | Prohibiting Restrictions on Energy Efficiency Measures | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| March 31, 2008 | MN | SF 3099 | Health Improvement Program | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 23) |
| March 31, 2008 | IA | HF 2145 | Mandatory HPV Vaccination Coverage | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 8) |
| March 31, 2008 | CO | HB 1123 | Funeral Registration | Bill Passed - House (41 - 24) |
| March 31, 2008 | CO | HB 1161 | Mining Regulation | Bill Passed - House (49 - 16) |
| March 28, 2008 | CO | SB 122 | Wage Transparency Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| March 28, 2008 | KS | SB 586 | Incentives to Develop Nuclear Power Facilities | Bill Passed - House (104 - 19) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/15 | LD 2247 | Alcohol and Soda Tax for Health Care Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| 4/15 | HB 274 | Food Sales Tax Repeal | Bill Passed - House (63 - 38) |
| 4/14 | SF 2822 | "Good Faith" Requirement for Insurance Companies | Conference Report Adopted - House (93 - 39) |
| 4/14 | SF 2822 | "Good Faith" Requirement for Insurance Companies | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (47 - 15) |
| 4/10 | H Res 1092 | Postponing the Consideration of the Trade Agreement with Colombia | Resolution Passed - House (224 - 195) |
| 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) | |
| 4/08 | HF 2212 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Adopted - House (54 - 45) |
| 4/08 | HF 2212 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (28 - 22) |
| 4/08 | HB 2220 | Repealing the State Equalization Property Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
| 4/07 | SB 268 | Maryland Strategic Energy Investment Program | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 16) |
| 4/07 | SB 268 | Maryland Strategic Energy Investment Program | Bill Passed - House (113 - 25) |
| 4/07 | HF 2539 | Health Care Expansion Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 6) |
| 4/07 | HB 375 | Increasing Renewable Energy Standards | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (103 - 24) |
| 4/07 | SB 1013 | Regulation of Power Plants | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (34 - 11) |
| 4/07 | HB 374 | Energy Efficiency Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (101 - 33) |
| 4/07 | HB 374 | Energy Efficiency Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 13) |
| 4/07 | SB 1013 | Regulation of Power Plants | Bill Passed - House (102 - 38) |
| 4/07 | HB 375 | Increasing Renewable Energy Standards | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 13) |
| 4/05 | SB 46 | Computer Services Sales Tax Repeal and Other Tax Adjustments | Bill Passed - House (93 - 44) |
| 4/05 | SB 646 | Allowing For-Profit Entities to Provide Credit Counseling | Bill Passed - House (124 - 12) |
| 4/04 | SB 148 | Electricity Generation and Conservation | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 7) |
| 4/04 | SB 129 | Restricting Beverage Sales at Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| 4/04 | SB 148 | Electricity Generation and Conservation | Bill Passed - House (83 - 41) |
| 4/04 | HB 1626 | Public Utilitiy Regulation | Bill Passed - House (98 - 41) |
| 4/03 | Amnd. 663027/2 | Power Plant Regulation | Amendment Adopted - Senate (27 - 18) |
| 4/03 | SB 858 | Restrictions on Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| 4/03 | SB 1132 | Allowing Pistols in Restaurants | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10) |
| 4/03 | SB 46 | Computer Services Sales Tax Repeal and Other Tax Adjustments | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
| 4/02 | HB 552 | Mortgage Reform | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (86 - 7) |
| 4/02 | HB 257 | Limiting Concealed Weapon Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 17) |
| 4/02 | HB 1004 | Natural Gas Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 1) |
| 4/02 | SB 1 | Natural Gas Tax | Bill Passed - House (82 - 17) |
| 4/01 | AM 2319 to LB 1174 | Farm and Ranch Ownership Requirements | Amendment Rejected - Senate (20 - 27) |
| 4/01 | HB 1228 | Insurance Company Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (41 - 23) |
| 4/01 | SB 129 | Restricting Beverage Sales at Schools | Bill Passed - House (37 - 27) |
| 4/01 | SB 1 | Natural Gas Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 3) |
| 4/01 | SB 1997 | Interscholastic Event Image Release | Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 5) |
| 4/01 | HB 2745 | Amending Undocumented Immigrant Employment Sanctions | Bill Passed - House (41 - 16) |
| 4/01 | HB 1004 | Natural Gas Tax | Bill Passed - House (81 - 16) |
| 4/01 | SB 268 | Maryland Strategic Energy Investment Program | Bill Failed - Senate (21 - 25) |
| 3/31 | LD 2289 | 2008-2009 Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (84 - 55) |
| 3/31 | LD 2289 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| 3/31 | HB 1270 | Prohibiting Restrictions on Energy Efficiency Measures | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 3/31 | SF 3099 | Health Improvement Program | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 23) |
| 3/31 | HF 2145 | Mandatory HPV Vaccination Coverage | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 8) |
| 3/31 | HB 1123 | Funeral Registration | Bill Passed - House (41 - 24) |
| 3/31 | HB 1161 | Mining Regulation | Bill Passed - House (49 - 16) |
| 3/28 | SB 122 | Wage Transparency Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| 3/28 | SB 586 | Incentives to Develop Nuclear Power Facilities | Bill Passed - House (104 - 19) |