Key Votes

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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:

  1. The vote should be helpful in portraying how a member stands on a particular issue
  2. The vote should be clear for any person to understand
  3. The vote has received media attention
  4. The vote was passed or defeated by a very close margin
  5. Occasionally, if a specific bill is consistently inquired about on the Voter's Research Hotline, the vote will be added

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.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Feb. 25, 2008 WY SF 46 Water Discharge from Methane Gas Wells Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 15)
Feb. 22, 2008 NE LB 395 Statewide Smoking Ban Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 14)
Feb. 21, 2008 MS SB 2793 Utility Rate Increases During Planning or Construction of Plants Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 11)
Feb. 21, 2008 UT SB 81 Expanding Immigration Enforcement Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5)
Feb. 21, 2008 SD HB 1151 Adult-Oriented Business Restrictions Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10)
Feb. 19, 2008 SC AM 4 to S 398 Prohibiting Payday Lending Amendment Bill Tabled - Senate (23 - 18)
Feb. 18, 2008 WA SB 6777 Halting Mining on Maury Island Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 23)
Feb. 14, 2008 NE AM 1736 Eliminating Opt-Out Provision of Smoking Ban Amendment Adopted - Senate (33 - 13)
Feb. 14, 2008 NH HB 267 Small Loans Interest Limitation Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 9)
Feb. 14, 2008 KS HB 2066 Restricting the Secretary of Health and Environment's Enforcement Powers Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 7)
Feb. 14, 2008 NM HB 24 Removing Tax Restrictions for Counties and Municipalities Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 21)
Feb. 14, 2008 UT SB 149 Expanding Minimum Automotive Insurance Coverage Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
Feb. 13, 2008 KS Steineger Amnd. Limiting Carbon Dioxide Emissions Amendment Rejected - Senate (3 - 32)
Feb. 12, 2008 NM HB 305 Energy Efficiency Requirements for Public Utilities Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15)
Feb. 12, 2008 WA SB 5751 Beer and Wine Tasting in Grocery Stores Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 15)
Feb. 10, 2008 NM SB 487 Uranium Cleanup Fund Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11)
Feb. 6, 2008 SD SB 126 Repealing Liquor License Cap Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14)
Feb. 6, 2008 WA SB 6452 Yield Spread Premium Disclosure Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 17)
Feb. 6, 2008 WA SB 6381 Good Faith Duties of Mortgage Brokers Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19)
Feb. 5, 2008 VA SB 202 Local Regulation of Smoking in Restaurants Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9)
Feb. 5, 2008 VA SB 298 Banning Smoking Public Places Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
Feb. 5, 2008 VA SB 501 Restaurant and Bar Smoking Ban Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10)
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. 30, 2008 WA SB 5261 Health Insurance Rate Oversight Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/25 SF 46 Water Discharge from Methane Gas Wells Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 15)
2/22 LB 395 Statewide Smoking Ban Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 14)
2/21 SB 2793 Utility Rate Increases During Planning or Construction of Plants Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 11)
2/21 SB 81 Expanding Immigration Enforcement Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5)
2/21 HB 1151 Adult-Oriented Business Restrictions Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10)
2/19 AM 4 to S 398 Prohibiting Payday Lending Amendment Bill Tabled - Senate (23 - 18)
2/18 SB 6777 Halting Mining on Maury Island Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 23)
2/14 AM 1736 Eliminating Opt-Out Provision of Smoking Ban Amendment Adopted - Senate (33 - 13)
2/14 HB 267 Small Loans Interest Limitation Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 9)
2/14 HB 2066 Restricting the Secretary of Health and Environment's Enforcement Powers Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 7)
2/14 HB 24 Removing Tax Restrictions for Counties and Municipalities Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 21)
2/14 SB 149 Expanding Minimum Automotive Insurance Coverage Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
2/13 Steineger Amnd. Limiting Carbon Dioxide Emissions Amendment Rejected - Senate (3 - 32)
2/12 HB 305 Energy Efficiency Requirements for Public Utilities Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15)
2/12 SB 5751 Beer and Wine Tasting in Grocery Stores Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 15)
2/10 SB 487 Uranium Cleanup Fund Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11)
2/06 SB 126 Repealing Liquor License Cap Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14)
2/06 SB 6452 Yield Spread Premium Disclosure Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 17)
2/06 SB 6381 Good Faith Duties of Mortgage Brokers Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19)
2/05 SB 202 Local Regulation of Smoking in Restaurants Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9)
2/05 SB 298 Banning Smoking Public Places Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
2/05 SB 501 Restaurant and Bar Smoking Ban Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10)
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)
1/30 SB 5261 Health Insurance Rate Oversight Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18)

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