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. 26, 2008 WI AB 695 John Doe Proceedings Bill Passed - House (84 - 13)
Feb. 26, 2008 SD SB 174 Railroad Eminent Domain Bill Passed - House (54 - 16)
Feb. 26, 2008 GA SB 454 Permitting Public Venue Alcohol Sales on Sundays Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20)
Feb. 25, 2008 National S Amdt 4070 Prohibiting Funds in the Bill S 1200 from Being Used to Decrease Gun Ownership Amendment Adopted - Senate (78 - 11)
Feb. 25, 2008 VA HB 933 "Triggerman Rule" in Capital Murder Cases Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
Feb. 25, 2008 VA HB 933 "Triggerman Rule" in Capital Murder Cases Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
Feb. 25, 2008 WY HB 137 Deadly Force in Self Defense Bill Passed - House (54 - 4)
Feb. 25, 2008 WY HB 137 Deadly Force in Self Defense Bill Passed - House (54 - 4)
Feb. 25, 2008 MO HB 1406 Establishment of Drunk Driving Memorial Sign Program Bill Passed - House (82 - 51)
Feb. 25, 2008 WV HB 4023 Linking Driving Privileges with Student Performance Bill Passed - House (80 - 15)
Feb. 25, 2008 WV HB 4132 Prohibiting Mandatory Employee Participation in Political Events Bill Passed - House (64 - 33)
Feb. 25, 2008 MS HB 729 Parole Eligibility for Non-Violent Offenders Bill Passed - House (69 - 52)
Feb. 25, 2008 MS HB 729 Parole Eligibility for Non-Violent Offenders Bill Passed - House (69 - 52)
Feb. 22, 2008 MD SB 243 Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 10)
Feb. 22, 2008 NE LB 395 Statewide Smoking Ban Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 14)
Feb. 21, 2008 VA SB 476 Prohibiting Drinking with a Concealed Weapon Bill Passed - House (62 - 36)
Feb. 21, 2008 VA SB 436 Concealed Weapons in Vehicles Bill Passed - House (69 - 29)
Feb. 21, 2008 WY HB 46 Animal Abuse and Cruelty Bill Passed - House (56 - 2)
Feb. 21, 2008 MI HB 4675 Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association Open Meetings and Public Access Requirements Bill Passed - House (66 - 38)
Feb. 21, 2008 MS HB 1089 Legalizing Deer Baiting Bill Passed - House (74 - 47)
Feb. 21, 2008 MD SB 111 Expanding Hate Crimes Classification to Homeless Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 4)
Feb. 21, 2008 MS SB 2468 Voter Identification Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18)
Feb. 19, 2008 IA HF 2212 Smoking Ban Bill Passed - House (56 - 44)
Feb. 19, 2008 MI HB 4092 DNA Testing for Violent Felonies Bill Passed - House (104 - 4)
Feb. 19, 2008 MI HB 4092 DNA Testing for Violent Felonies Bill Passed - House (104 - 4)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/26 AB 695 John Doe Proceedings Bill Passed - House (84 - 13)
2/26 SB 174 Railroad Eminent Domain Bill Passed - House (54 - 16)
2/26 SB 454 Permitting Public Venue Alcohol Sales on Sundays Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20)
2/25 S Amdt 4070 Prohibiting Funds in the Bill S 1200 from Being Used to Decrease Gun Ownership Amendment Adopted - Senate (78 - 11)
2/25 HB 933 "Triggerman Rule" in Capital Murder Cases Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
2/25 HB 933 "Triggerman Rule" in Capital Murder Cases Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
2/25 HB 137 Deadly Force in Self Defense Bill Passed - House (54 - 4)
2/25 HB 137 Deadly Force in Self Defense Bill Passed - House (54 - 4)
2/25 HB 1406 Establishment of Drunk Driving Memorial Sign Program Bill Passed - House (82 - 51)
2/25 HB 4023 Linking Driving Privileges with Student Performance Bill Passed - House (80 - 15)
2/25 HB 4132 Prohibiting Mandatory Employee Participation in Political Events Bill Passed - House (64 - 33)
2/25 HB 729 Parole Eligibility for Non-Violent Offenders Bill Passed - House (69 - 52)
2/25 HB 729 Parole Eligibility for Non-Violent Offenders Bill Passed - House (69 - 52)
2/22 SB 243 Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 10)
2/22 LB 395 Statewide Smoking Ban Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 14)
2/21 SB 476 Prohibiting Drinking with a Concealed Weapon Bill Passed - House (62 - 36)
2/21 SB 436 Concealed Weapons in Vehicles Bill Passed - House (69 - 29)
2/21 HB 46 Animal Abuse and Cruelty Bill Passed - House (56 - 2)
2/21 HB 4675 Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association Open Meetings and Public Access Requirements Bill Passed - House (66 - 38)
2/21 HB 1089 Legalizing Deer Baiting Bill Passed - House (74 - 47)
2/21 SB 111 Expanding Hate Crimes Classification to Homeless Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 4)
2/21 SB 2468 Voter Identification Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18)
2/19 HF 2212 Smoking Ban Bill Passed - House (56 - 44)
2/19 HB 4092 DNA Testing for Violent Felonies Bill Passed - House (104 - 4)
2/19 HB 4092 DNA Testing for Violent Felonies Bill Passed - House (104 - 4)

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