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. 6, 2008 | WA | SB 6272 | Financial Literacy for Homeowners | Bill Passed - House (69 - 27) |
| Feb. 5, 2008 | VA | SB 501 | Restaurant and Bar Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| Feb. 5, 2008 | VA | SB 298 | Banning Smoking Public Places | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| Feb. 5, 2008 | VA | SB 202 | Local Regulation of Smoking in Restaurants | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9) |
| Feb. 4, 2008 | UT | HR 1 | North American Union Withdrawal | Resolution Passed - House (57 - 15) |
| Feb. 1, 2008 | MS | SB 2037 | Requirements for Public Works Laborers | Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 5) |
| Jan. 31, 2008 | SD | SB 173 | Eliminating Restrictions on Corporate Dairy Farms | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| Jan. 31, 2008 | SC | H 4400 | Immigration Bill | Bill Passed - House (80 - 13) |
| Jan. 30, 2008 | WA | SB 5261 | Health Insurance Rate Oversight | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18) |
| 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. 24, 2008 | SD | SB 126 | Repealing Liquor License Cap | Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 19) |
| Jan. 18, 2008 | GA | HR 1022 | State-Wide Water Management Plan | Bill Passed - House (131 - 37) |
| Jan. 18, 2008 | GA | SR 701 | State-Wide Water Management Plan | Resolution Passed - Senate (39 - 12) |
| Jan. 16, 2008 | NH | HB 267 | Small Loans Interest Limitation | Bill Passed - House (207 - 124) |
| Jan. 15, 2008 | WI | SB 130 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 13) |
| Jan. 7, 2008 | NJ | A 4559 | Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16) |
| Jan. 7, 2008 | NJ | A 4559 | Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Bill Passed - House (43 - 31) |
| Dec. 5, 2007 | MI | HB 4163 | Workplace Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (56 - 46) |
| Dec. 4, 2007 | National | HR 3688 | United States-Peru Trade Agreement | Bill Passed - Senate (77 - 18) |
| Dec. 1, 2007 | MI | HB 5408 | Michigan Business Tax Surcharge | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 4) |
| Dec. 1, 2007 | MI | HB 5408 | Michigan Business Tax Surcharge | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (66 - 42) |
| Nov. 20, 2007 | MI | HB 5408 | Michigan Business Tax Surcharge | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 16) |
| Nov. 19, 2007 | MD | HB 5 | Sales Tax Increase | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (81 - 52) |
| Nov. 19, 2007 | MD | HB 5 | Sales Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 20) |
| Nov. 16, 2007 | AK | SCS CSHB 2001 | Oil and Gas Production Tax | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (26 - 13) |
| Nov. 16, 2007 | AK | SCS CSHB 2001 | Oil and Gas Production Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5) |
| Nov. 15, 2007 | National | HR 3915 | Mortgage Reform and Anti-Subprime Lending Act | Bill Passed - House (291 - 127) |
| Nov. 14, 2007 | National | HR 3074 | Appropriations for the Department of Transportation and the Department of Housing and Urban Development | Conference Report Adopted - House (270 - 147) |
| Nov. 11, 2007 | AK | AM 8 | Oil and Gas Production Tax Increase | Amendment Adopted - House (26 - 14) |
| Nov. 11, 2007 | AK | AM 1 | Standard Deduction Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (21 - 19) |
| Nov. 11, 2007 | AK | CSHB 2001 | Oil and Gas Production Tax | Bill Passed - House (27 - 13) |
| Nov. 11, 2007 | MD | HB 2 | Tax Reform Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (82 - 55) |
| Nov. 11, 2007 | MD | HB 5 | Sales Tax Increase | Bill Passed - House (80 - 56) |
| Nov. 8, 2007 | National | HR 3688 | United States-Peru Trade Agreement | Bill Passed - House (285 - 132) |
| Nov. 8, 2007 | MI | HB 5408 | Michigan Business Tax Surcharge | Bill Passed - House (58 - 48) |
| Nov. 7, 2007 | MI | Sub SB 838 | Amending the Use Tax Act | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| Oct. 31, 2007 | HI | SB 1 | Superferry Environmental Assessment | Bill Passed - House (39 - 11) |
| Oct. 31, 2007 | National | HR 3920 | Trade and Globalization Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (264 - 157) |
| Oct. 30, 2007 | MI | H Sub for Sub SB 222 | 2007-2008 Department of Agriculture Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (105 - 4) |
| Oct. 30, 2007 | MI | S Sub for Sub HB 4354 | 2007-2008 Department of Natural Resources Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 6) |
| Oct. 29, 2007 | MI | H Sub for Sub SB 234 | 2007-2008 Department of Labor and Economic Growth Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 1) |
| Oct. 29, 2007 | MI | H Sub for Sub SB 234 | 2007-2008 Department of Labor and Economic Growth Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (82 - 27) |
| Oct. 29, 2007 | MI | S Sub for Sub HB 4354 | 2007-2008 Department of Natural Resources Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (63 - 46) |
| Oct. 29, 2007 | HI | SB 1 | Superferry Environmental Assessment | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 5) |
| Oct. 26, 2007 | HI | HFA 1 | Expanding Superferry Environmental Restrictions | Amendment Rejected - House (11 - 35) |
| Oct. 26, 2007 | HI | HB 1 | Superferry Environmental Assessment | Bill Passed - House (37 - 9) |
| Oct. 24, 2007 | MI | Sub HB 5282 | Independent Health Benefit Plans | Bill Passed - House (89 - 17) |
| Oct. 24, 2007 | MI | HB 5284 | Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Michigan Insurance Regulation | Bill Passed - House (84 - 22) |
| Oct. 23, 2007 | WI | AS SB 40 | 2007-2009 Biennium Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 15) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/06 | SB 6272 | Financial Literacy for Homeowners | Bill Passed - House (69 - 27) |
| 2/05 | SB 501 | Restaurant and Bar Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| 2/05 | SB 298 | Banning Smoking Public Places | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| 2/05 | SB 202 | Local Regulation of Smoking in Restaurants | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9) |
| 2/04 | HR 1 | North American Union Withdrawal | Resolution Passed - House (57 - 15) |
| 2/01 | SB 2037 | Requirements for Public Works Laborers | Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 5) |
| 1/31 | SB 173 | Eliminating Restrictions on Corporate Dairy Farms | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| 1/31 | H 4400 | Immigration Bill | Bill Passed - House (80 - 13) |
| 1/30 | SB 5261 | Health Insurance Rate Oversight | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18) |
| 1/29 | SB 335 | Immigration Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 11) |
| 1/29 | SB 143 | Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 13) |
| 1/24 | SB 126 | Repealing Liquor License Cap | Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 19) |
| 1/18 | HR 1022 | State-Wide Water Management Plan | Bill Passed - House (131 - 37) |
| 1/18 | SR 701 | State-Wide Water Management Plan | Resolution Passed - Senate (39 - 12) |
| 1/16 | HB 267 | Small Loans Interest Limitation | Bill Passed - House (207 - 124) |
| 1/15 | SB 130 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 13) |
| 1/07 | A 4559 | Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16) |
| 1/07 | A 4559 | Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Bill Passed - House (43 - 31) |
| 12/05 | HB 4163 | Workplace Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (56 - 46) |
| 12/04 | HR 3688 | United States-Peru Trade Agreement | Bill Passed - Senate (77 - 18) |
| 12/01 | HB 5408 | Michigan Business Tax Surcharge | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 4) |
| 12/01 | HB 5408 | Michigan Business Tax Surcharge | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (66 - 42) |
| 11/20 | HB 5408 | Michigan Business Tax Surcharge | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 16) |
| 11/19 | HB 5 | Sales Tax Increase | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (81 - 52) |
| 11/19 | HB 5 | Sales Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 20) |
| 11/16 | SCS CSHB 2001 | Oil and Gas Production Tax | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (26 - 13) |
| 11/16 | SCS CSHB 2001 | Oil and Gas Production Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5) |
| 11/15 | HR 3915 | Mortgage Reform and Anti-Subprime Lending Act | Bill Passed - House (291 - 127) |
| 11/14 | HR 3074 | Appropriations for the Department of Transportation and the Department of Housing and Urban Development | Conference Report Adopted - House (270 - 147) |
| 11/11 | AM 8 | Oil and Gas Production Tax Increase | Amendment Adopted - House (26 - 14) |
| 11/11 | AM 1 | Standard Deduction Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (21 - 19) |
| 11/11 | CSHB 2001 | Oil and Gas Production Tax | Bill Passed - House (27 - 13) |
| 11/11 | HB 2 | Tax Reform Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (82 - 55) |
| 11/11 | HB 5 | Sales Tax Increase | Bill Passed - House (80 - 56) |
| 11/08 | HR 3688 | United States-Peru Trade Agreement | Bill Passed - House (285 - 132) |
| 11/08 | HB 5408 | Michigan Business Tax Surcharge | Bill Passed - House (58 - 48) |
| 11/07 | Sub SB 838 | Amending the Use Tax Act | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| 10/31 | SB 1 | Superferry Environmental Assessment | Bill Passed - House (39 - 11) |
| 10/31 | HR 3920 | Trade and Globalization Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (264 - 157) |
| 10/30 | H Sub for Sub SB 222 | 2007-2008 Department of Agriculture Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (105 - 4) |
| 10/30 | S Sub for Sub HB 4354 | 2007-2008 Department of Natural Resources Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 6) |
| 10/29 | H Sub for Sub SB 234 | 2007-2008 Department of Labor and Economic Growth Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 1) |
| 10/29 | H Sub for Sub SB 234 | 2007-2008 Department of Labor and Economic Growth Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (82 - 27) |
| 10/29 | S Sub for Sub HB 4354 | 2007-2008 Department of Natural Resources Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (63 - 46) |
| 10/29 | SB 1 | Superferry Environmental Assessment | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 5) |
| 10/26 | HFA 1 | Expanding Superferry Environmental Restrictions | Amendment Rejected - House (11 - 35) |
| 10/26 | HB 1 | Superferry Environmental Assessment | Bill Passed - House (37 - 9) |
| 10/24 | Sub HB 5282 | Independent Health Benefit Plans | Bill Passed - House (89 - 17) |
| 10/24 | HB 5284 | Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Michigan Insurance Regulation | Bill Passed - House (84 - 22) |
| 10/23 | AS SB 40 | 2007-2009 Biennium Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 15) |