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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 8, 2008 | NM | HB 342 | Uranium Cleanup Fund | Bill Passed - House (55 - 11) |
| Feb. 8, 2008 | VA | HB 933 | "Triggerman Rule" in Capital Murder Cases | Bill Passed - House (77 - 21) |
| Feb. 7, 2008 | NM | HB 241 | Education Funding Reform | Bill Passed - House (52 - 16) |
| Feb. 7, 2008 | MA | H 4488 | Education Reorganization | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
| Feb. 7, 2008 | GA | SB 340 | Prohibiting Sanctuary Policies | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 8) |
| Feb. 7, 2008 | NH | SB 436 | Reducing the Voting Age for Primary Elections | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 6) |
| Feb. 7, 2008 | GA | SB 350 | Increasing Penalties for Driving Without a License | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 13) |
| Feb. 7, 2008 | MA | H 4488 | Education Reorganization | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
| Feb. 6, 2008 | NM | HB 2 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 4) |
| Feb. 6, 2008 | CO | HB 1130 | Removing Wiretap Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (43 - 20) |
| Feb. 6, 2008 | MA | H 4488 | Education Reorganization | Bill Passed - House (135 - 19) |
| Feb. 6, 2008 | MA | H 4488 | Education Reorganization | Bill Passed - House (135 - 19) |
| Feb. 6, 2008 | NM | HB 484 | Racetrack Tax Break | Bill Passed - House (48 - 10) |
| Feb. 6, 2008 | NM | HB 191 | Automatic Absentee Ballots | Bill Failed - House (25 - 40) |
| Feb. 6, 2008 | NE | LB 39 | Restricting Petition Circulation | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 14) |
| Feb. 6, 2008 | NM | HB 237 | Mandatory Election Recounts | Bill Passed - House (37 - 21) |
| Feb. 6, 2008 | NM | HB 237 | Mandatory Election Recounts | Bill Passed - House (37 - 21) |
| Feb. 6, 2008 | WA | SB 6272 | Financial Literacy for Homeowners | Bill Passed - House (69 - 27) |
| Feb. 5, 2008 | UT | SB 35 | Salary Supplement for Math and Science Teachers | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 7) |
| Feb. 5, 2008 | NM | HB 147 | Health Care Commission | Bill Passed - House (56 - 6) |
| Feb. 5, 2008 | SD | HB 1250 | Legislative Pay Raise | Bill Passed - House (54 - 14) |
| Feb. 5, 2008 | SD | HB 1250 | Legislative Pay Raise | Bill Passed - House (54 - 14) |
| Feb. 5, 2008 | VA | SB 202 | Local Regulation of Smoking in Restaurants | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9) |
| Feb. 5, 2008 | NM | HB 400 | Commuter Train Funding | Bill Passed - House (56 - 9) |
| Feb. 5, 2008 | UT | HB 85 | Teacher Home Loan Program | Bill Passed - House (62 - 7) |
| Feb. 4, 2008 | NM | SB 34 | New Mexico School for the Arts | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 6) |
| Jan. 31, 2008 | NM | HB 2 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - House (57 - 10) |
| 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. 31, 2008 | GA | HB 881 | Georgia Charter Schools Commission | Bill Passed - House (119 - 48) |
| Jan. 30, 2008 | CO | HB 1025 | Governor's Energy Office | Bill Passed - House (59 - 5) |
| Jan. 30, 2008 | KY | SB 3 | Primary Elections Date Change | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| Jan. 30, 2008 | CO | HB 1189 | State Employee Strike Prohibition | Bill Passed - House (53 - 12) |
| Jan. 29, 2008 | IN | SB 16 | Change in Township Assessment | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
| Jan. 29, 2008 | IN | SB 16 | Change in Township Assessment | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
| Jan. 29, 2008 | IN | SB 143 | Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 13) |
| Jan. 29, 2008 | IN | SJR 1 | Constitutional Property Tax Cap | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (41 - 7) |
| Jan. 28, 2008 | CO | SB 3 | Medicaid Funded Family Planning | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| Jan. 25, 2008 | CO | SA Mitchell | Prohibiting State Funding of Abortion Providers | Amendment Rejected - Senate (13 - 20) |
| Jan. 25, 2008 | MS | SB 2188 | Attorney General-Private Attorney Contract Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
| Jan. 25, 2008 | MS | SB 2188 | Attorney General-Private Attorney Contract Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
| Jan. 25, 2008 | WA | HB 1551 | Allowing Public Funding for Local Office Campaigns | Bill Passed - House (56 - 38) |
| Jan. 25, 2008 | WA | HB 1551 | Allowing Public Funding for Local Office Campaigns | Bill Passed - House (56 - 38) |
| Jan. 25, 2008 | MS | SB 2188 | Attorney General-Private Attorney Contract Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
| Jan. 24, 2008 | CO | GN Baker | Matt Baker to the Public Utilities Commission | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| Jan. 24, 2008 | IN | HB 1001 | Property Tax Reduction | Bill Passed - House (93 - 1) |
| Jan. 24, 2008 | CO | HR 1005 | Censuring Representative Douglas Bruce | Resolution Passed - House (62 - 1) |
| Jan. 22, 2008 | IN | Amnd. 72 | School Construction Exemption | Amendment Adopted - House (49 - 44) |
| Jan. 22, 2008 | IN | SB 18 | Allowing Referendum on Public Construction Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 16) |
| Jan. 22, 2008 | MI | SB 776 | Late-Term/Partial-Birth Abortion Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
| Jan. 17, 2008 | IL | HB 656 | Providing Free Public Transportation for Senior Citizens | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 19) |
| Jan. 17, 2008 | IL | HB 656 | Providing Free Public Transportation for Senior Citizens | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (61 - 47) |
| Jan. 15, 2008 | WI | SJR 5 | Limiting Governor's Partial Veto Authority | Joint Resolution Passed - House (94 - 1) |
| Jan. 15, 2008 | WI | SJR 5 | Limiting Governor's Partial Veto Authority | Joint Resolution Passed - House (94 - 1) |
| Jan. 15, 2008 | WI | AB 363 | Limiting the Scope of Citizen-Proposed Ordinances | Bill Passed - House (48 - 44) |
| Jan. 10, 2008 | IL | HB 656 | Transportation Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (62 - 51) |
| Jan. 10, 2008 | IL | HB 656 | Transportation Act | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 25) |
| Jan. 9, 2008 | IL | HB 1685 | National Popular Vote Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (64 - 50) |
| Jan. 7, 2008 | NJ | A 500 | Education Funding Reform | Bill Passed - House (41 - 37) |
| Jan. 7, 2008 | NJ | S 176 | Expanding Damages for Wrongful Death | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11) |
| Jan. 7, 2008 | NJ | S 176 | Expanding Damages for Wrongful Death | Bill Passed - House (41 - 32) |
| Jan. 7, 2008 | NJ | A 500 | Education Funding Reform | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| Jan. 3, 2008 | NJ | A 4225 | National Popular Vote Act | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| Dec. 13, 2007 | NJ | S 171 | Eliminating the Death Penalty | Bill Passed - House (44 - 36) |
| Dec. 13, 2007 | NJ | A 4225 | National Popular Vote Act | Bill Passed - House (43 - 32) |
| Dec. 13, 2007 | MI | SB 981 | Mackinac Bridge Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
| Dec. 13, 2007 | MI | HB 5375 | Promise Zones | Bill Passed - House (71 - 34) |
| Dec. 11, 2007 | WI | SB 176 | Compensation for Discharged Police Officers | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 3) |
| Dec. 11, 2007 | WI | SB 176 | Compensation for Discharged Police Officers | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 3) |
| Dec. 11, 2007 | WI | SJR 5 | Limiting Governor's Partial Veto Authority | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (33 - 0) |
| Dec. 11, 2007 | WI | SJR 5 | Limiting Governor's Partial Veto Authority | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (33 - 0) |
| Dec. 10, 2007 | NJ | S 171 | Eliminating the Death Penalty | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| Dec. 1, 2007 | MI | HB 5408 | Michigan Business Tax Surcharge | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (66 - 42) |
| Dec. 1, 2007 | MI | HB 5408 | Michigan Business Tax Surcharge | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 4) |
| Nov. 29, 2007 | WA | HB 2416 | Adjusting the Property Tax Cap | Bill Passed - House (86 - 8) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/08 | HB 342 | Uranium Cleanup Fund | Bill Passed - House (55 - 11) |
| 2/08 | HB 933 | "Triggerman Rule" in Capital Murder Cases | Bill Passed - House (77 - 21) |
| 2/07 | HB 241 | Education Funding Reform | Bill Passed - House (52 - 16) |
| 2/07 | H 4488 | Education Reorganization | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
| 2/07 | SB 340 | Prohibiting Sanctuary Policies | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 8) |
| 2/07 | SB 436 | Reducing the Voting Age for Primary Elections | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 6) |
| 2/07 | SB 350 | Increasing Penalties for Driving Without a License | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 13) |
| 2/07 | H 4488 | Education Reorganization | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
| 2/06 | HB 2 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 4) |
| 2/06 | HB 1130 | Removing Wiretap Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (43 - 20) |
| 2/06 | H 4488 | Education Reorganization | Bill Passed - House (135 - 19) |
| 2/06 | H 4488 | Education Reorganization | Bill Passed - House (135 - 19) |
| 2/06 | HB 484 | Racetrack Tax Break | Bill Passed - House (48 - 10) |
| 2/06 | HB 191 | Automatic Absentee Ballots | Bill Failed - House (25 - 40) |
| 2/06 | LB 39 | Restricting Petition Circulation | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 14) |
| 2/06 | HB 237 | Mandatory Election Recounts | Bill Passed - House (37 - 21) |
| 2/06 | HB 237 | Mandatory Election Recounts | Bill Passed - House (37 - 21) |
| 2/06 | SB 6272 | Financial Literacy for Homeowners | Bill Passed - House (69 - 27) |
| 2/05 | SB 35 | Salary Supplement for Math and Science Teachers | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 7) |
| 2/05 | HB 147 | Health Care Commission | Bill Passed - House (56 - 6) |
| 2/05 | HB 1250 | Legislative Pay Raise | Bill Passed - House (54 - 14) |
| 2/05 | HB 1250 | Legislative Pay Raise | Bill Passed - House (54 - 14) |
| 2/05 | SB 202 | Local Regulation of Smoking in Restaurants | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9) |
| 2/05 | HB 400 | Commuter Train Funding | Bill Passed - House (56 - 9) |
| 2/05 | HB 85 | Teacher Home Loan Program | Bill Passed - House (62 - 7) |
| 2/04 | SB 34 | New Mexico School for the Arts | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 6) |
| 1/31 | HB 2 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - House (57 - 10) |
| 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) |
| 1/31 | HB 881 | Georgia Charter Schools Commission | Bill Passed - House (119 - 48) |
| 1/30 | HB 1025 | Governor's Energy Office | Bill Passed - House (59 - 5) |
| 1/30 | SB 3 | Primary Elections Date Change | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| 1/30 | HB 1189 | State Employee Strike Prohibition | Bill Passed - House (53 - 12) |
| 1/29 | SB 16 | Change in Township Assessment | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
| 1/29 | SB 16 | Change in Township Assessment | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
| 1/29 | SB 143 | Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 13) |
| 1/29 | SJR 1 | Constitutional Property Tax Cap | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (41 - 7) |
| 1/28 | SB 3 | Medicaid Funded Family Planning | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| 1/25 | SA Mitchell | Prohibiting State Funding of Abortion Providers | Amendment Rejected - Senate (13 - 20) |
| 1/25 | SB 2188 | Attorney General-Private Attorney Contract Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
| 1/25 | SB 2188 | Attorney General-Private Attorney Contract Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
| 1/25 | HB 1551 | Allowing Public Funding for Local Office Campaigns | Bill Passed - House (56 - 38) |
| 1/25 | HB 1551 | Allowing Public Funding for Local Office Campaigns | Bill Passed - House (56 - 38) |
| 1/25 | SB 2188 | Attorney General-Private Attorney Contract Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
| 1/24 | GN Baker | Matt Baker to the Public Utilities Commission | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 1/24 | HB 1001 | Property Tax Reduction | Bill Passed - House (93 - 1) |
| 1/24 | HR 1005 | Censuring Representative Douglas Bruce | Resolution Passed - House (62 - 1) |
| 1/22 | Amnd. 72 | School Construction Exemption | Amendment Adopted - House (49 - 44) |
| 1/22 | SB 18 | Allowing Referendum on Public Construction Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 16) |
| 1/22 | SB 776 | Late-Term/Partial-Birth Abortion Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
| 1/17 | HB 656 | Providing Free Public Transportation for Senior Citizens | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 19) |
| 1/17 | HB 656 | Providing Free Public Transportation for Senior Citizens | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (61 - 47) |
| 1/15 | SJR 5 | Limiting Governor's Partial Veto Authority | Joint Resolution Passed - House (94 - 1) |
| 1/15 | SJR 5 | Limiting Governor's Partial Veto Authority | Joint Resolution Passed - House (94 - 1) |
| 1/15 | AB 363 | Limiting the Scope of Citizen-Proposed Ordinances | Bill Passed - House (48 - 44) |
| 1/10 | HB 656 | Transportation Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (62 - 51) |
| 1/10 | HB 656 | Transportation Act | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 25) |
| 1/09 | HB 1685 | National Popular Vote Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (64 - 50) |
| 1/07 | A 500 | Education Funding Reform | Bill Passed - House (41 - 37) |
| 1/07 | S 176 | Expanding Damages for Wrongful Death | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11) |
| 1/07 | S 176 | Expanding Damages for Wrongful Death | Bill Passed - House (41 - 32) |
| 1/07 | A 500 | Education Funding Reform | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| 1/03 | A 4225 | National Popular Vote Act | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| 12/13 | S 171 | Eliminating the Death Penalty | Bill Passed - House (44 - 36) |
| 12/13 | A 4225 | National Popular Vote Act | Bill Passed - House (43 - 32) |
| 12/13 | SB 981 | Mackinac Bridge Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
| 12/13 | HB 5375 | Promise Zones | Bill Passed - House (71 - 34) |
| 12/11 | SB 176 | Compensation for Discharged Police Officers | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 3) |
| 12/11 | SB 176 | Compensation for Discharged Police Officers | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 3) |
| 12/11 | SJR 5 | Limiting Governor's Partial Veto Authority | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (33 - 0) |
| 12/11 | SJR 5 | Limiting Governor's Partial Veto Authority | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (33 - 0) |
| 12/10 | S 171 | Eliminating the Death Penalty | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| 12/01 | HB 5408 | Michigan Business Tax Surcharge | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (66 - 42) |
| 12/01 | HB 5408 | Michigan Business Tax Surcharge | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 4) |
| 11/29 | HB 2416 | Adjusting the Property Tax Cap | Bill Passed - House (86 - 8) |