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
March 19, 2008 ID S 1484 Disclosing Fiscal Impacts of Citizens Initiatives Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9)
March 18, 2008 MD SB 269 Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21)
March 18, 2008 CO HB 1297 Supplemental Department of Public Safety Funding Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9)
March 17, 2008 ID H 348 Legalizing Alcohol Sales on Election Day Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16)
March 13, 2008 IA HF 2212 Smoking Ban Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (23 - 27)
March 12, 2008 MD SB 42 Temporary Confiscation of Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 17)
March 12, 2008 IA SF 2355 Time Off to Attend Presidential Precinct Caucuses Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 10)
March 12, 2008 KY SB 120 Booster Seat Requirement Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5)
March 10, 2008 CO HJR 1009 Ratification of the UN Convention Against the Discrimination of Women Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
March 3, 2008 UT SB 299 Domestic Partnership Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 7)
Feb. 28, 2008 WI AB 377 Emergency Contraception for Sexual Assault Victims Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 6)
Feb. 27, 2008 IA HF 2212 Smoking Ban Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
Feb. 27, 2008 WV SB 248 Non-Participation in the Real ID Act Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 3)
Feb. 26, 2008 GA SB 454 Permitting Public Venue Alcohol Sales on Sundays Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20)
Feb. 22, 2008 NE LB 395 Statewide Smoking Ban Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 14)
Feb. 21, 2008 MS SB 2468 Voter Identification Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18)
Feb. 14, 2008 NE AM 1736 Eliminating Opt-Out Provision of Smoking Ban Amendment Adopted - Senate (33 - 13)
Feb. 13, 2008 SD SB 174 Railroad Eminent Domain Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13)
Feb. 12, 2008 National S Amdt 3907 Striking Telecommunications Companies' Civil Immunity for Surveillance Amendment Rejected - Senate (31 - 67)
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 2248 FISA Amendments Act of 2007 Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 29)
Feb. 11, 2008 OR SB 1080 Driver's License Residency Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7)
Feb. 7, 2008 KY SB 40 Abortion Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4)
Feb. 6, 2008 SD SB 164 Right to Obtain Contraception Bill Failed - Senate (12 - 22)
Feb. 6, 2008 MI SB 962 Prohibiting Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/19 S 1484 Disclosing Fiscal Impacts of Citizens Initiatives Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9)
3/18 SB 269 Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21)
3/18 HB 1297 Supplemental Department of Public Safety Funding Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9)
3/17 H 348 Legalizing Alcohol Sales on Election Day Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16)
3/13 HF 2212 Smoking Ban Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (23 - 27)
3/12 SB 42 Temporary Confiscation of Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 17)
3/12 SF 2355 Time Off to Attend Presidential Precinct Caucuses Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 10)
3/12 SB 120 Booster Seat Requirement Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5)
3/10 HJR 1009 Ratification of the UN Convention Against the Discrimination of Women Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
3/03 SB 299 Domestic Partnership Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 7)
2/28 AB 377 Emergency Contraception for Sexual Assault Victims Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 6)
2/27 HF 2212 Smoking Ban Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
2/27 SB 248 Non-Participation in the Real ID Act Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 3)
2/26 SB 454 Permitting Public Venue Alcohol Sales on Sundays Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20)
2/22 LB 395 Statewide Smoking Ban Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 14)
2/21 SB 2468 Voter Identification Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18)
2/14 AM 1736 Eliminating Opt-Out Provision of Smoking Ban Amendment Adopted - Senate (33 - 13)
2/13 SB 174 Railroad Eminent Domain Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13)
2/12 S Amdt 3907 Striking Telecommunications Companies' Civil Immunity for Surveillance Amendment Rejected - Senate (31 - 67)
2/12 S Amdt 3910 FISA as Exclusive Means for Conducting Electronic Surveillance Amendment Rejected - Senate (57 - 41)
2/12 S 2248 FISA Amendments Act of 2007 Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 29)
2/11 SB 1080 Driver's License Residency Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7)
2/07 SB 40 Abortion Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4)
2/06 SB 164 Right to Obtain Contraception Bill Failed - Senate (12 - 22)
2/06 SB 962 Prohibiting Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9)

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