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. 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) |