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 20, 2008 | MD | SB 90 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - House (105 - 34) |
| March 20, 2008 | KS | HB 2947 | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (71 - 51) |
| March 20, 2008 | KS | HB 2936 | Capital Improvements Funding | Bill Passed - House (87 - 35) |
| March 19, 2008 | MS | SB 2149 | Election of School Board Members | Bill Passed - House (106 - 14) |
| March 19, 2008 | IA | HF 2645 | Public Employee Collective Bargaining and Teacher Termination Policy | Bill Passed - House (52 - 47) |
| March 19, 2008 | AZ | HB 2230 | College Textbook Information Disclosure | Bill Passed - House (48 - 11) |
| March 12, 2008 | KY | HB 406 | 2008-2010 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - House (84 - 14) |
| March 12, 2008 | OK | HB 2628 | Parental Consent for Sex Education | Bill Failed - House (50 - 51) |
| March 12, 2008 | AZ | HB 2711 | State Control of Mismanaged Schools | Bill Passed - House (52 - 7) |
| March 12, 2008 | WI | AB 1 | Budget Repair Plan | Bill Passed - House (51 - 46) |
| March 11, 2008 | CO | SB 73 | College Textbook Information Disclosure | Bill Passed - House (60 - 4) |
| March 11, 2008 | GA | HB 1133 | Tax Credits for Nonprofit Donations | Bill Passed - House (92 - 73) |
| March 11, 2008 | WI | AB 482 | Prohibiting Teacher Residency Requirements | Bill Passed - House (62 - 35) |
| March 6, 2008 | MN | HF 380 | Capital Improvements Budget | Bill Passed - House (99 - 34) |
| March 5, 2008 | UT | HB 15 | Sexually Transmitted Disease Education | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (50 - 17) |
| March 5, 2008 | GA | SR 796 | Property Tax Assessment Cap | Resolution Failed - House (110 - 62) |
| March 5, 2008 | WI | AB 67 | Business Education Tax Credit | Bill Passed - House (55 - 40) |
| March 5, 2008 | WI | AB 151 | Financial Aid Ineligibility for Drug Offenders | Bill Passed - House (70 - 24) |
| March 4, 2008 | KY | HB 186 | Dental Health Certificate Requirement for School Enrollment | Bill Passed - House (91 - 4) |
| March 4, 2008 | IL | HB 4180 | Allowing Teachers to Conduct a Silent Reflection | Bill Passed - House (72 - 31) |
| March 3, 2008 | UT | AM 1 | Mandating the Concealment of Firearms on Campus | Amendment Adopted - House (41 - 29) |
| March 3, 2008 | UT | HB 473 | Campus Gun Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (60 - 11) |
| Feb. 29, 2008 | KS | HB 2870 | Employment Incentive for Teachers | Bill Failed - House (59 - 63) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | KS | Ward Amnd. | Teacher Scholarship Program | Amendment Rejected - House (50 - 71) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | UT | SB 162 | State Discretion Over Federal Education Programs | Bill Passed - House (38 - 33) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | KS | HB 2605 | Changing School Finance Formula | Bill Failed - House (62 - 63) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | WI | AB 870 | Virtual Charter Schools | Bill Passed - House (53 - 44) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | KS | McKinney Amnd. A to HB 2760 | Per Student Public School Funding | Amendment Rejected - House (50 - 70) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | CO | HB 1001 | Expanding Bioscience Research Funding | Bill Passed - House (52 - 13) |
| Feb. 26, 2008 | ID | H 503 | Scholarships for Drug-Free Students | Bill Passed - House (55 - 14) |
| Feb. 25, 2008 | WV | HB 4023 | Linking Driving Privileges with Student Performance | Bill Passed - House (80 - 15) |
| Feb. 21, 2008 | VA | HB 30 | 2008-2010 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - House (93 - 5) |
| Feb. 20, 2008 | KY | HB 396 | HPV Vaccinations for Primary, Secondary and Preschool Students | Bill Passed - House (56 - 37) |
| Feb. 18, 2008 | CO | HB 1186 | Amending Public School Performance Ratings | Bill Passed - House (53 - 11) |
| Feb. 18, 2008 | UT | HB 295 | Policies for Electronic Devices at School | Bill Failed - House (33 - 37) |
| Feb. 14, 2008 | SD | HB 1124 | Teacher Compensation and Performance | Bill Passed - House (39 - 29) |
| Feb. 13, 2008 | SD | HB 1085 | Constructing Science Facilities at Universities | Bill Passed - House (61 - 6) |
| Feb. 12, 2008 | MI | SB 415 | HPV Information for Schools | Bill Passed - House (94 - 12) |
| Feb. 12, 2008 | MI | HB 5322 | HPV Information for Schools | Bill Passed - House (90 - 17) |
| Feb. 12, 2008 | UT | HB 241 | Restricting In-State Tuition Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (40 - 35) |
| Feb. 7, 2008 | NM | HB 241 | Education Funding Reform | Bill Passed - House (52 - 16) |
| Feb. 7, 2008 | National | HR 4137 | Higher Education Act Amendments and Extensions | Bill Passed - House (354 - 58) |
| Feb. 6, 2008 | MA | H 4488 | Education Reorganization | Bill Passed - House (135 - 19) |
| Feb. 5, 2008 | UT | HB 85 | Teacher Home Loan Program | Bill Passed - House (62 - 7) |
| Feb. 4, 2008 | SD | HB 1261 | Firearm Possession on College Campuses | Bill Passed - House (63 - 3) |
| Jan. 31, 2008 | GA | HB 881 | Georgia Charter Schools Commission | Bill Passed - House (119 - 48) |
| Jan. 31, 2008 | SC | H 4400 | Immigration Bill | Bill Passed - House (80 - 13) |
| Jan. 31, 2008 | MS | HB 513 | Funding for K-12 Education and Related Activities | Bill Passed - House (95 - 26) |
| Jan. 29, 2008 | IN | HB 1210 | Teacher Certification | Bill Passed - House (67 - 29) |
| Jan. 22, 2008 | IN | Amnd. 72 | School Construction Exemption | Amendment Adopted - House (49 - 44) |
| Jan. 7, 2008 | NJ | A 500 | Education Funding Reform | Bill Passed - House (41 - 37) |
| Dec. 17, 2007 | National | HR 2764 | Appropriations for Operations in Afghanistan | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (206 - 201) |
| Dec. 13, 2007 | MI | HB 5375 | Promise Zones | Bill Passed - House (71 - 34) |
| Nov. 19, 2007 | MD | HB 1 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (100 - 33) |
| Nov. 14, 2007 | National | HR 1429 | Head Start Act of 2007 | Conference Report Adopted - House (381 - 36) |
| Nov. 13, 2007 | MD | HB 1 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (103 - 36) |
| Nov. 8, 2007 | MI | HB 5408 | Michigan Business Tax Surcharge | Bill Passed - House (58 - 48) |
| Oct. 30, 2007 | MI | S Sub for Sub HB 4359 | 2007-2008 Public School Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (104 - 5) |
| Oct. 30, 2007 | MI | S Sub for Sub HB 4346 | 2007-2008 Department of Education Funding | Conference Report Adopted - House (93 - 16) |
| Oct. 29, 2007 | MI | S Sub for Sub HB 4360 | 2007-2008 Community College and Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (95 - 14) |
| Oct. 29, 2007 | MI | SB 231 | 2007-2008 Department of Art, History, and Library Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (102 - 7) |
| Oct. 29, 2007 | MI | S Sub for Sub HB 4350 | 2007-2008 Higher Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (87 - 22) |
| Oct. 23, 2007 | WI | AS SB 40 | 2007-2009 Biennium Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (60 - 39) |
| Oct. 11, 2007 | IL | SB 1463 | Silent Reflection and Student Prayer | Veto Override Passed - House (74 - 37) |
| Oct. 1, 2007 | MI | H Sub for S Sub SB 546 | Public School Employee Retirement Benefits | Bill Passed - House (65 - 44) |
| Oct. 1, 2007 | MI | H Sub for Sub SB 547 | Public School Employee Retirement Plan | Bill Passed - House (56 - 53) |
| Sept. 18, 2007 | WI | AB 506 | 2007-2009 Biennium Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (70 - 27) |
| Sept. 7, 2007 | National | HR 2669 | Student Loan Lender Subsidy Cuts and Student Grants | Conference Report Adopted - House (292 - 97) |
| Aug. 23, 2007 | MI | Sub HB 4351 | 2007-2008 Higher Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (57 - 52) |
| Aug. 23, 2007 | MI | Sub HB 4350 | 2006-2007 Higher Education Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (59 - 50) |
| July 23, 2007 | NC | HB 1269 | North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics Grant Repeal | Bill Passed - House (80 - 28) |
| July 19, 2007 | National | HR 3043 | Appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies | Bill Passed - House (276 - 140) |
| July 19, 2007 | National | HR 3043 | Appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies | Bill Passed - House (276 - 140) |
| July 11, 2007 | National | HR 2669 | Student Loan Lender Subsidy Cuts and Student Grants | Bill Passed - House (273 - 149) |
| July 10, 2007 | WI | AS SB 40 | 2007-2009 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - House (51 - 44) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/20 | SB 90 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - House (105 - 34) |
| 3/20 | HB 2947 | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (71 - 51) |
| 3/20 | HB 2936 | Capital Improvements Funding | Bill Passed - House (87 - 35) |
| 3/19 | SB 2149 | Election of School Board Members | Bill Passed - House (106 - 14) |
| 3/19 | HF 2645 | Public Employee Collective Bargaining and Teacher Termination Policy | Bill Passed - House (52 - 47) |
| 3/19 | HB 2230 | College Textbook Information Disclosure | Bill Passed - House (48 - 11) |
| 3/12 | HB 406 | 2008-2010 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - House (84 - 14) |
| 3/12 | HB 2628 | Parental Consent for Sex Education | Bill Failed - House (50 - 51) |
| 3/12 | HB 2711 | State Control of Mismanaged Schools | Bill Passed - House (52 - 7) |
| 3/12 | AB 1 | Budget Repair Plan | Bill Passed - House (51 - 46) |
| 3/11 | SB 73 | College Textbook Information Disclosure | Bill Passed - House (60 - 4) |
| 3/11 | HB 1133 | Tax Credits for Nonprofit Donations | Bill Passed - House (92 - 73) |
| 3/11 | AB 482 | Prohibiting Teacher Residency Requirements | Bill Passed - House (62 - 35) |
| 3/06 | HF 380 | Capital Improvements Budget | Bill Passed - House (99 - 34) |
| 3/05 | HB 15 | Sexually Transmitted Disease Education | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (50 - 17) |
| 3/05 | SR 796 | Property Tax Assessment Cap | Resolution Failed - House (110 - 62) |
| 3/05 | AB 67 | Business Education Tax Credit | Bill Passed - House (55 - 40) |
| 3/05 | AB 151 | Financial Aid Ineligibility for Drug Offenders | Bill Passed - House (70 - 24) |
| 3/04 | HB 186 | Dental Health Certificate Requirement for School Enrollment | Bill Passed - House (91 - 4) |
| 3/04 | HB 4180 | Allowing Teachers to Conduct a Silent Reflection | Bill Passed - House (72 - 31) |
| 3/03 | AM 1 | Mandating the Concealment of Firearms on Campus | Amendment Adopted - House (41 - 29) |
| 3/03 | HB 473 | Campus Gun Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (60 - 11) |
| 2/29 | HB 2870 | Employment Incentive for Teachers | Bill Failed - House (59 - 63) |
| 2/28 | Ward Amnd. | Teacher Scholarship Program | Amendment Rejected - House (50 - 71) |
| 2/28 | SB 162 | State Discretion Over Federal Education Programs | Bill Passed - House (38 - 33) |
| 2/28 | HB 2605 | Changing School Finance Formula | Bill Failed - House (62 - 63) |
| 2/28 | AB 870 | Virtual Charter Schools | Bill Passed - House (53 - 44) |
| 2/27 | McKinney Amnd. A to HB 2760 | Per Student Public School Funding | Amendment Rejected - House (50 - 70) |
| 2/27 | HB 1001 | Expanding Bioscience Research Funding | Bill Passed - House (52 - 13) |
| 2/26 | H 503 | Scholarships for Drug-Free Students | Bill Passed - House (55 - 14) |
| 2/25 | HB 4023 | Linking Driving Privileges with Student Performance | Bill Passed - House (80 - 15) |
| 2/21 | HB 30 | 2008-2010 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - House (93 - 5) |
| 2/20 | HB 396 | HPV Vaccinations for Primary, Secondary and Preschool Students | Bill Passed - House (56 - 37) |
| 2/18 | HB 1186 | Amending Public School Performance Ratings | Bill Passed - House (53 - 11) |
| 2/18 | HB 295 | Policies for Electronic Devices at School | Bill Failed - House (33 - 37) |
| 2/14 | HB 1124 | Teacher Compensation and Performance | Bill Passed - House (39 - 29) |
| 2/13 | HB 1085 | Constructing Science Facilities at Universities | Bill Passed - House (61 - 6) |
| 2/12 | SB 415 | HPV Information for Schools | Bill Passed - House (94 - 12) |
| 2/12 | HB 5322 | HPV Information for Schools | Bill Passed - House (90 - 17) |
| 2/12 | HB 241 | Restricting In-State Tuition Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (40 - 35) |
| 2/07 | HB 241 | Education Funding Reform | Bill Passed - House (52 - 16) |
| 2/07 | HR 4137 | Higher Education Act Amendments and Extensions | Bill Passed - House (354 - 58) |
| 2/06 | H 4488 | Education Reorganization | Bill Passed - House (135 - 19) |
| 2/05 | HB 85 | Teacher Home Loan Program | Bill Passed - House (62 - 7) |
| 2/04 | HB 1261 | Firearm Possession on College Campuses | Bill Passed - House (63 - 3) |
| 1/31 | HB 881 | Georgia Charter Schools Commission | Bill Passed - House (119 - 48) |
| 1/31 | H 4400 | Immigration Bill | Bill Passed - House (80 - 13) |
| 1/31 | HB 513 | Funding for K-12 Education and Related Activities | Bill Passed - House (95 - 26) |
| 1/29 | HB 1210 | Teacher Certification | Bill Passed - House (67 - 29) |
| 1/22 | Amnd. 72 | School Construction Exemption | Amendment Adopted - House (49 - 44) |
| 1/07 | A 500 | Education Funding Reform | Bill Passed - House (41 - 37) |
| 12/17 | HR 2764 | Appropriations for Operations in Afghanistan | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (206 - 201) |
| 12/13 | HB 5375 | Promise Zones | Bill Passed - House (71 - 34) |
| 11/19 | HB 1 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (100 - 33) |
| 11/14 | HR 1429 | Head Start Act of 2007 | Conference Report Adopted - House (381 - 36) |
| 11/13 | HB 1 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (103 - 36) |
| 11/08 | HB 5408 | Michigan Business Tax Surcharge | Bill Passed - House (58 - 48) |
| 10/30 | S Sub for Sub HB 4359 | 2007-2008 Public School Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (104 - 5) |
| 10/30 | S Sub for Sub HB 4346 | 2007-2008 Department of Education Funding | Conference Report Adopted - House (93 - 16) |
| 10/29 | S Sub for Sub HB 4360 | 2007-2008 Community College and Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (95 - 14) |
| 10/29 | SB 231 | 2007-2008 Department of Art, History, and Library Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (102 - 7) |
| 10/29 | S Sub for Sub HB 4350 | 2007-2008 Higher Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (87 - 22) |
| 10/23 | AS SB 40 | 2007-2009 Biennium Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (60 - 39) |
| 10/11 | SB 1463 | Silent Reflection and Student Prayer | Veto Override Passed - House (74 - 37) |
| 10/01 | H Sub for S Sub SB 546 | Public School Employee Retirement Benefits | Bill Passed - House (65 - 44) |
| 10/01 | H Sub for Sub SB 547 | Public School Employee Retirement Plan | Bill Passed - House (56 - 53) |
| 9/18 | AB 506 | 2007-2009 Biennium Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (70 - 27) |
| 9/07 | HR 2669 | Student Loan Lender Subsidy Cuts and Student Grants | Conference Report Adopted - House (292 - 97) |
| 8/23 | Sub HB 4351 | 2007-2008 Higher Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (57 - 52) |
| 8/23 | Sub HB 4350 | 2006-2007 Higher Education Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (59 - 50) |
| 7/23 | HB 1269 | North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics Grant Repeal | Bill Passed - House (80 - 28) |
| 7/19 | HR 3043 | Appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies | Bill Passed - House (276 - 140) |
| 7/19 | HR 3043 | Appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies | Bill Passed - House (276 - 140) |
| 7/11 | HR 2669 | Student Loan Lender Subsidy Cuts and Student Grants | Bill Passed - House (273 - 149) |
| 7/10 | AS SB 40 | 2007-2009 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - House (51 - 44) |