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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 12, 2008 | RI | H 7222 page 5, re: Sec. 3-8-9: Transportation of Alcohol by Minors | Bill Passed - House (52 - 14) | |
| June 12, 2008 | NY | S 2375 | DNA Database Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 9) |
| June 12, 2008 | NY | S 2375 | DNA Database Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 9) |
| June 12, 2008 | RI | H 7222 page 5, re: Sec. 3-8-9: Transportation of Alcohol by Minors | Bill Passed - House (52 - 14) | |
| June 11, 2008 | LA | SB 144 | Castration of Sex Offenders | Bill Passed - House (69 - 15) |
| June 10, 2008 | PA | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 9) |
| June 10, 2008 | National | HR 6028 | Assistance for Mexico and Central America for Anti-Drug Programs (Merida Program) | Bill Passed - House (311 - 106) |
| June 10, 2008 | National | HR 6028 | Assistance for Mexico and Central America for Anti-Drug Programs (Merida Program) | Bill Passed - House (311 - 106) |
| June 4, 2008 | PA | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (19 - 31) |
| June 4, 2008 | PA | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Adopted - House (163 - 38) |
| May 29, 2008 | OH | SB 184 | Lethal Force Against Intruders | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 7) |
| May 29, 2008 | SC | H 4400 | Immigration Bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (94 - 16) |
| May 29, 2008 | CA | SB 1407 | Financing Courthouse Construction | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8) |
| May 29, 2008 | CA | SB 1096 | Pharmacy Prescription Refill Mailings | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| May 29, 2008 | CA | AB 2062 | Regulation Of Ammunition Sales | Bill Passed - House (42 - 32) |
| May 29, 2008 | CA | CA SB 1665 | Prison Health Care Facility Bonds | Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| May 29, 2008 | LA | S Amdt 3870 | Legislator Financial Disclosures | Amendment Rejected - Senate (5 - 29) |
| May 28, 2008 | OH | SB 184 | Lethal Force Against Intruders | Bill Passed - House (73 - 23) |
| May 28, 2008 | CA | AB 2279 | Prohibiting Employment Discrimination Against Medical Marijuana Patients | Bill Passed - House (41 - 35) |
| May 28, 2008 | MI | HB 5074 | Ban Smoking in Places of Employment and Public Places with Exceptions for Casinos, Cigar Bars, and Specialty Tobacco Stores | Bill Passed - House (65 - 39) |
| May 28, 2008 | LA | SB 718 | State Board Member and Commissioner Financial Disclosures | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9) |
| May 28, 2008 | CA | AB 2747 | Disclosing End-of-Life Care Options | Bill Passed - House (42 - 34) |
| May 27, 2008 | IL | HB 5288 | Expand Use of Red Light Cameras | Bill Failed - Senate (26 - 24) |
| May 27, 2008 | CA | AB 1996 | Food Stamps for Convicted Drug Felons | Bill Passed - House (42 - 35) |
| May 27, 2008 | MI | SB 776 | Late-Term/Partial-Birth Abortion Ban | Bill Passed - House (74 - 32) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/12 | H 7222 page 5, re: Sec. 3-8-9: Transportation of Alcohol by Minors | Bill Passed - House (52 - 14) | |
| 6/12 | S 2375 | DNA Database Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 9) |
| 6/12 | S 2375 | DNA Database Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 9) |
| 6/12 | H 7222 page 5, re: Sec. 3-8-9: Transportation of Alcohol by Minors | Bill Passed - House (52 - 14) | |
| 6/11 | SB 144 | Castration of Sex Offenders | Bill Passed - House (69 - 15) |
| 6/10 | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 9) |
| 6/10 | HR 6028 | Assistance for Mexico and Central America for Anti-Drug Programs (Merida Program) | Bill Passed - House (311 - 106) |
| 6/10 | HR 6028 | Assistance for Mexico and Central America for Anti-Drug Programs (Merida Program) | Bill Passed - House (311 - 106) |
| 6/04 | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (19 - 31) |
| 6/04 | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Adopted - House (163 - 38) |
| 5/29 | SB 184 | Lethal Force Against Intruders | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 7) |
| 5/29 | H 4400 | Immigration Bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (94 - 16) |
| 5/29 | SB 1407 | Financing Courthouse Construction | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8) |
| 5/29 | SB 1096 | Pharmacy Prescription Refill Mailings | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| 5/29 | AB 2062 | Regulation Of Ammunition Sales | Bill Passed - House (42 - 32) |
| 5/29 | CA SB 1665 | Prison Health Care Facility Bonds | Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| 5/29 | S Amdt 3870 | Legislator Financial Disclosures | Amendment Rejected - Senate (5 - 29) |
| 5/28 | SB 184 | Lethal Force Against Intruders | Bill Passed - House (73 - 23) |
| 5/28 | AB 2279 | Prohibiting Employment Discrimination Against Medical Marijuana Patients | Bill Passed - House (41 - 35) |
| 5/28 | HB 5074 | Ban Smoking in Places of Employment and Public Places with Exceptions for Casinos, Cigar Bars, and Specialty Tobacco Stores | Bill Passed - House (65 - 39) |
| 5/28 | SB 718 | State Board Member and Commissioner Financial Disclosures | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9) |
| 5/28 | AB 2747 | Disclosing End-of-Life Care Options | Bill Passed - House (42 - 34) |
| 5/27 | HB 5288 | Expand Use of Red Light Cameras | Bill Failed - Senate (26 - 24) |
| 5/27 | AB 1996 | Food Stamps for Convicted Drug Felons | Bill Passed - House (42 - 35) |
| 5/27 | SB 776 | Late-Term/Partial-Birth Abortion Ban | Bill Passed - House (74 - 32) |