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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 3, 2008 | WY | HB 73 | Increasing DUI Penalties | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 16) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | WI | AB 581 | Gun Possession During Emergencies | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 5) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | WI | AB 581 | Gun Possession During Emergencies | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 5) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | WI | AB 377 | Emergency Contraception for Sexual Assault Victims | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 6) |
| 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 | UT | SB 297 | Increasing Penalties for Animal Cruelty | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 6) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | WV | SB 248 | Non-Participation in the Real ID Act | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 3) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | MS | SB 2206 | Radar Speed Detection | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19) |
| 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. 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 | MS | SB 2468 | Voter Identification | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18) |
| Feb. 21, 2008 | MD | SB 111 | Expanding Hate Crimes Classification to Homeless | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 4) |
| Feb. 14, 2008 | NE | AM 1736 | Eliminating Opt-Out Provision of Smoking Ban | Amendment Adopted - Senate (33 - 13) |
| Feb. 13, 2008 | National | HR 2082 | Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 45) |
| Feb. 13, 2008 | TN | SB 3419 | Parental Consent for Sexual Abuse Prevention Education | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 6) |
| Feb. 13, 2008 | SD | SB 174 | Railroad Eminent Domain | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
| 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 Amdt 3907 | Striking Telecommunications Companies' Civil Immunity for Surveillance | Amendment Rejected - Senate (31 - 67) |
| 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) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/03 | HB 73 | Increasing DUI Penalties | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 16) |
| 2/28 | AB 581 | Gun Possession During Emergencies | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 5) |
| 2/28 | AB 581 | Gun Possession During Emergencies | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 5) |
| 2/28 | AB 377 | Emergency Contraception for Sexual Assault Victims | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 6) |
| 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 297 | Increasing Penalties for Animal Cruelty | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 6) |
| 2/27 | SB 248 | Non-Participation in the Real ID Act | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 3) |
| 2/27 | SB 2206 | Radar Speed Detection | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19) |
| 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) |
| 2/22 | 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 2468 | Voter Identification | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18) |
| 2/21 | SB 111 | Expanding Hate Crimes Classification to Homeless | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 4) |
| 2/14 | AM 1736 | Eliminating Opt-Out Provision of Smoking Ban | Amendment Adopted - Senate (33 - 13) |
| 2/13 | HR 2082 | Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 45) |
| 2/13 | SB 3419 | Parental Consent for Sexual Abuse Prevention Education | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 6) |
| 2/13 | SB 174 | Railroad Eminent Domain | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
| 2/12 | S Amdt 3910 | FISA as Exclusive Means for Conducting Electronic Surveillance | Amendment Rejected - Senate (57 - 41) |
| 2/12 | S Amdt 3907 | Striking Telecommunications Companies' Civil Immunity for Surveillance | Amendment Rejected - Senate (31 - 67) |
| 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) |