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 KS SB 409 Three-Strikes Sentencing for Theft Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 6)
March 19, 2008 ID S 1441 Prohibiting Local Gun Ordinances Bill Passed - House (60 - 9)
March 18, 2008 KS SB 389 Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (84 - 40)
March 18, 2008 CO HB 1297 Supplemental Department of Public Safety Funding Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9)
March 18, 2008 NH HB 1623 Marijuana Decriminalization Bill Passed - House (193 - 141)
March 18, 2008 NH HB 1623 Marijuana Decriminalization Bill Passed - House (193 - 141)
March 18, 2008 MD SB 269 Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21)
March 18, 2008 MD SB 269 Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21)
March 17, 2008 ID H 348 Legalizing Alcohol Sales on Election Day Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16)
March 14, 2008 National HR 3773 Electronic Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Review Act Concurrence Vote Passed - House (213 - 197)
March 14, 2008 National HR 3773 Electronic Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Review Act Concurrence Vote Passed - House (213 - 197)
March 14, 2008 MD SB 461 Prohibiting Cell Phone Use by Drivers Under 18 Bill Failed - Senate (22 - 21)
March 14, 2008 KS HB 2873 Department of Corrections Bonds Bill Passed - House (104 - 18)
March 13, 2008 National S Amdt 4309 Restriction of Federal Assistance Based on Compliance with Federal Immigration Laws Amendment Tabled - Senate (58 - 40)
March 13, 2008 National S Amdt 4231 Immigration Enforcement and Border Fence Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (61 - 37)
March 13, 2008 VA HB 30 2008-2010 Biennium Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 14)
March 13, 2008 IA HF 2212 Smoking Ban Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (23 - 27)
March 12, 2008 IA HF 2212 Smoking Ban Concurrence Vote Passed - House (59 - 40)
March 12, 2008 KY SB 120 Booster Seat Requirement Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5)
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 MD SB 42 Temporary Confiscation of Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 17)
March 11, 2008 National HR 2082 Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 Veto Override Failed - House (225 - 188)
March 11, 2008 AZ HB 2389 Involving Gun Owners' Rights Bill Passed - House (37 - 22)
March 10, 2008 WA HB 2476 Tribal Police Jurisdiction Concurrence Vote Passed - House (62 - 32)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/19 SB 409 Three-Strikes Sentencing for Theft Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 6)
3/19 S 1441 Prohibiting Local Gun Ordinances Bill Passed - House (60 - 9)
3/18 SB 389 Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (84 - 40)
3/18 HB 1297 Supplemental Department of Public Safety Funding Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9)
3/18 HB 1623 Marijuana Decriminalization Bill Passed - House (193 - 141)
3/18 HB 1623 Marijuana Decriminalization Bill Passed - House (193 - 141)
3/18 SB 269 Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21)
3/18 SB 269 Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21)
3/17 H 348 Legalizing Alcohol Sales on Election Day Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16)
3/14 HR 3773 Electronic Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Review Act Concurrence Vote Passed - House (213 - 197)
3/14 HR 3773 Electronic Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Review Act Concurrence Vote Passed - House (213 - 197)
3/14 SB 461 Prohibiting Cell Phone Use by Drivers Under 18 Bill Failed - Senate (22 - 21)
3/14 HB 2873 Department of Corrections Bonds Bill Passed - House (104 - 18)
3/13 S Amdt 4309 Restriction of Federal Assistance Based on Compliance with Federal Immigration Laws Amendment Tabled - Senate (58 - 40)
3/13 S Amdt 4231 Immigration Enforcement and Border Fence Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (61 - 37)
3/13 HB 30 2008-2010 Biennium Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 14)
3/13 HF 2212 Smoking Ban Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (23 - 27)
3/12 HF 2212 Smoking Ban Concurrence Vote Passed - House (59 - 40)
3/12 SB 120 Booster Seat Requirement Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5)
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 42 Temporary Confiscation of Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 17)
3/11 HR 2082 Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 Veto Override Failed - House (225 - 188)
3/11 HB 2389 Involving Gun Owners' Rights Bill Passed - House (37 - 22)
3/10 HB 2476 Tribal Police Jurisdiction Concurrence Vote Passed - House (62 - 32)

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