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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 7, 2008 | IL | HB 4139 | Peace Officer Firearms | Bill Passed - House (91 - 18) |
| May 6, 2008 | KS | HB 2019 | Voter Identification | Conference Report Adopted - House (67 - 56) |
| May 6, 2008 | AL | HB 829 | Hate Crime Legislation Regarding Victim's Sexual Orientation | Bill Passed - House (46 - 44) |
| May 5, 2008 | CO | HB 1082 | Sealing Criminal Records | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (36 - 28) |
| May 5, 2008 | CO | HB 1208 | Limitations on Direct File Juvenile Cases | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (34 - 30) |
| May 5, 2008 | CO | HB 1082 | Sealing Criminal Records | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (36 - 28) |
| May 5, 2008 | CO | SB 226 | Zebra Mussels Ban | Bill Passed - House (54 - 11) |
| May 5, 2008 | CA | AB 2233 | Ban on Holding Pets While Driving | Bill Passed - House (44 - 20) |
| May 1, 2008 | MN | SF 2369 | Background Checks for Coaches | Conference Report Adopted - House (112 - 15) |
| April 30, 2008 | IL | HB 5191 | Parental Responsibility for Gun Accessibility | Bill Passed - House (74 - 36) |
| April 25, 2008 | RI | H 7204 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (60 - 12) |
| April 25, 2008 | IA | SF 2432 | Prison and Infrastructure Funding | Bill Passed - House (53 - 43) |
| April 25, 2008 | IA | H 8672 | DUI Appeals | Amendment Rejected - House (45 - 50) |
| April 25, 2008 | IA | H 8672 | DUI Appeals | Amendment Rejected - House (45 - 50) |
| April 24, 2008 | AZ | HB 2395 | Driving and Boating Under the Influence | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (35 - 15) |
| April 22, 2008 | CO | HB 1082 | Sealing Criminal Records | Bill Passed - House (36 - 28) |
| April 22, 2008 | CO | HB 1082 | Sealing Criminal Records | Bill Passed - House (36 - 28) |
| April 21, 2008 | LA | HB 852 | Banning Cell Phones While Driving | Bill Passed - House (55 - 43) |
| April 15, 2008 | KY | HB 683 | DNA Collection, Parole Board, and Felony Review | Conference Report Adopted - House (51 - 42) |
| April 14, 2008 | MN | HF 1351 | Transportation Policy Reform | Conference Report Adopted - House (88 - 44) |
| April 8, 2008 | IA | HF 2212 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Adopted - House (54 - 45) |
| April 7, 2008 | MN | Emmer Amnd. | Voter Identification Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (59 - 70) |
| April 4, 2008 | GA | HB 978 | Vehicle Seizures for Unlicensed Drivers | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (115 - 44) |
| April 2, 2008 | OK | SB 1878 | Abortion Regulations | Bill Passed - House (80 - 12) |
| April 2, 2008 | KY | SB 120 | Booster Seat Requirement | Bill Passed - House (88 - 8) |
| April 2, 2008 | GA | SB 174 | Physical Fitness Standards for State Employees | Bill Failed - House (55 - 107) |
| April 1, 2008 | PA | A 6178 to HB 1845 | Reporting Missing Firearms | Amendment Rejected - House (75 - 128) |
| April 1, 2008 | MN | SF 2369 | Background Checks for Coaches | Bill Passed - House (118 - 11) |
| April 1, 2008 | KY | HB 70 | Restoring Voting Rights to Former Felons | Bill Passed - House (80 - 14) |
| April 1, 2008 | KY | HB 70 | Restoring Voting Rights to Former Felons | Bill Passed - House (80 - 14) |
| March 31, 2008 | MS | HB 1089 | Legalizing Deer Baiting | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (68 - 51) |
| March 31, 2008 | MD | SB 269 | Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems | Bill Passed - House (89 - 47) |
| March 31, 2008 | MD | SB 269 | Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems | Bill Passed - House (89 - 47) |
| March 27, 2008 | MS | HB 520 | Reporting Sexual Activity of Minors | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 41) |
| March 27, 2008 | AZ | HB 2788 | Relaxing Concealed Weapon Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (51 - 5) |
| March 26, 2008 | FL | HB 503 | Firearms in Vehicles | Bill Passed - House (72 - 42) |
| March 25, 2008 | ME | LD 2012 | Prohibiting Smoking in Vehicles with Children | Bill Passed - House (92 - 46) |
| March 24, 2008 | AZ | HB 2713 | Student's Religious Liberties Act | Bill Passed - House (36 - 23) |
| March 20, 2008 | GA | SB 350 | Increasing Penalties for Driving Without a License | Bill Passed - House (99 - 68) |
| March 19, 2008 | GA | Fleming AM 29 0700 | Amending Capital Punishment Sentencing Procedures | Amendment Adopted - House (100 - 66) |
| March 19, 2008 | GA | Fleming AM 29 0700 | Amending Capital Punishment Sentencing Procedures | Amendment Adopted - House (100 - 66) |
| March 19, 2008 | MS | SB 2264 | Authorizing Wire-tapping Out of State | Bill Passed - House (97 - 21) |
| March 19, 2008 | GA | SB 145 | Amending Sentencing Guidelines for Murder | Bill Passed - House (112 - 55) |
| March 19, 2008 | GA | SB 145 | Amending Sentencing Guidelines for Murder | Bill Passed - House (112 - 55) |
| March 19, 2008 | AZ | HB 2677 | Real ID | Bill Passed - House (51 - 8) |
| March 19, 2008 | AZ | HB 2454 | Child Protective Services Information Disclosure | Bill Passed - House (47 - 12) |
| March 19, 2008 | ID | S 1441 | Prohibiting Local Gun Ordinances | Bill Passed - House (60 - 9) |
| March 18, 2008 | NH | HB 1623 | Marijuana Decriminalization | Bill Passed - House (193 - 141) |
| March 18, 2008 | KS | SB 389 | Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (84 - 40) |
| March 18, 2008 | NH | HB 1623 | Marijuana Decriminalization | Bill Passed - House (193 - 141) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/07 | HB 4139 | Peace Officer Firearms | Bill Passed - House (91 - 18) |
| 5/06 | HB 2019 | Voter Identification | Conference Report Adopted - House (67 - 56) |
| 5/06 | HB 829 | Hate Crime Legislation Regarding Victim's Sexual Orientation | Bill Passed - House (46 - 44) |
| 5/05 | HB 1082 | Sealing Criminal Records | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (36 - 28) |
| 5/05 | HB 1208 | Limitations on Direct File Juvenile Cases | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (34 - 30) |
| 5/05 | HB 1082 | Sealing Criminal Records | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (36 - 28) |
| 5/05 | SB 226 | Zebra Mussels Ban | Bill Passed - House (54 - 11) |
| 5/05 | AB 2233 | Ban on Holding Pets While Driving | Bill Passed - House (44 - 20) |
| 5/01 | SF 2369 | Background Checks for Coaches | Conference Report Adopted - House (112 - 15) |
| 4/30 | HB 5191 | Parental Responsibility for Gun Accessibility | Bill Passed - House (74 - 36) |
| 4/25 | H 7204 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (60 - 12) |
| 4/25 | SF 2432 | Prison and Infrastructure Funding | Bill Passed - House (53 - 43) |
| 4/25 | H 8672 | DUI Appeals | Amendment Rejected - House (45 - 50) |
| 4/25 | H 8672 | DUI Appeals | Amendment Rejected - House (45 - 50) |
| 4/24 | HB 2395 | Driving and Boating Under the Influence | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (35 - 15) |
| 4/22 | HB 1082 | Sealing Criminal Records | Bill Passed - House (36 - 28) |
| 4/22 | HB 1082 | Sealing Criminal Records | Bill Passed - House (36 - 28) |
| 4/21 | HB 852 | Banning Cell Phones While Driving | Bill Passed - House (55 - 43) |
| 4/15 | HB 683 | DNA Collection, Parole Board, and Felony Review | Conference Report Adopted - House (51 - 42) |
| 4/14 | HF 1351 | Transportation Policy Reform | Conference Report Adopted - House (88 - 44) |
| 4/08 | HF 2212 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Adopted - House (54 - 45) |
| 4/07 | Emmer Amnd. | Voter Identification Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (59 - 70) |
| 4/04 | HB 978 | Vehicle Seizures for Unlicensed Drivers | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (115 - 44) |
| 4/02 | SB 1878 | Abortion Regulations | Bill Passed - House (80 - 12) |
| 4/02 | SB 120 | Booster Seat Requirement | Bill Passed - House (88 - 8) |
| 4/02 | SB 174 | Physical Fitness Standards for State Employees | Bill Failed - House (55 - 107) |
| 4/01 | A 6178 to HB 1845 | Reporting Missing Firearms | Amendment Rejected - House (75 - 128) |
| 4/01 | SF 2369 | Background Checks for Coaches | Bill Passed - House (118 - 11) |
| 4/01 | HB 70 | Restoring Voting Rights to Former Felons | Bill Passed - House (80 - 14) |
| 4/01 | HB 70 | Restoring Voting Rights to Former Felons | Bill Passed - House (80 - 14) |
| 3/31 | HB 1089 | Legalizing Deer Baiting | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (68 - 51) |
| 3/31 | SB 269 | Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems | Bill Passed - House (89 - 47) |
| 3/31 | SB 269 | Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems | Bill Passed - House (89 - 47) |
| 3/27 | HB 520 | Reporting Sexual Activity of Minors | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 41) |
| 3/27 | HB 2788 | Relaxing Concealed Weapon Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (51 - 5) |
| 3/26 | HB 503 | Firearms in Vehicles | Bill Passed - House (72 - 42) |
| 3/25 | LD 2012 | Prohibiting Smoking in Vehicles with Children | Bill Passed - House (92 - 46) |
| 3/24 | HB 2713 | Student's Religious Liberties Act | Bill Passed - House (36 - 23) |
| 3/20 | SB 350 | Increasing Penalties for Driving Without a License | Bill Passed - House (99 - 68) |
| 3/19 | Fleming AM 29 0700 | Amending Capital Punishment Sentencing Procedures | Amendment Adopted - House (100 - 66) |
| 3/19 | Fleming AM 29 0700 | Amending Capital Punishment Sentencing Procedures | Amendment Adopted - House (100 - 66) |
| 3/19 | SB 2264 | Authorizing Wire-tapping Out of State | Bill Passed - House (97 - 21) |
| 3/19 | SB 145 | Amending Sentencing Guidelines for Murder | Bill Passed - House (112 - 55) |
| 3/19 | SB 145 | Amending Sentencing Guidelines for Murder | Bill Passed - House (112 - 55) |
| 3/19 | HB 2677 | Real ID | Bill Passed - House (51 - 8) |
| 3/19 | HB 2454 | Child Protective Services Information Disclosure | Bill Passed - House (47 - 12) |
| 3/19 | S 1441 | Prohibiting Local Gun Ordinances | Bill Passed - House (60 - 9) |
| 3/18 | HB 1623 | Marijuana Decriminalization | Bill Passed - House (193 - 141) |
| 3/18 | SB 389 | Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (84 - 40) |
| 3/18 | HB 1623 | Marijuana Decriminalization | Bill Passed - House (193 - 141) |