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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 5, 2008 | MI | SB 1094 | 2008-2009 Department of Community Health Budget | Bill Passed - House (60 - 47) |
| June 4, 2008 | NH | SB 321 | Cigarette Tax Increase and Wine Discount Reduction | Conference Report Adopted - House (205 - 137) |
| June 4, 2008 | PA | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (19 - 31) |
| June 4, 2008 | PA | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Adopted - House (163 - 38) |
| June 4, 2008 | NH | SB 321 | Cigarette Tax Increase and Wine Discount Reduction | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (12 - 11) |
| June 4, 2008 | NH | SSHB 1 | Education Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 9) |
| June 4, 2008 | AZ | HB 2475 | Bonds for School Computers | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 13) |
| June 2, 2008 | PA | SB 1386 | Poverty Income Tax Cut | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 16) |
| May 31, 2008 | AL | SB 51 | 2008-2009 Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (98 - 4) |
| May 29, 2008 | CA | AB 1819 | Voter Registration Age Minimum Changes | Bill Passed - House (45 - 31) |
| May 29, 2008 | CA | CA SB 1665 | Prison Health Care Facility Bonds | Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| May 29, 2008 | MS | HB 17 | Medicaid Funds Bill | Bill Failed - House (55 - 53) |
| May 29, 2008 | CA | SB 1764 | Certification of Local Fire Agencies | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 14) |
| May 29, 2008 | IL | SB 788 | Authorizing $16 Billion Increase in Bonds for State Pensions | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 21) |
| May 29, 2008 | CA | AB 3034 | High-Speed Rail Bond Amendments | Bill Passed - House (60 - 3) |
| May 29, 2008 | CA | SB 1407 | Financing Courthouse Construction | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8) |
| May 29, 2008 | LA | S Amdt 3870 | Legislator Financial Disclosures | Amendment Rejected - Senate (5 - 29) |
| May 29, 2008 | AL | SB 51 | 2008-2009 Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 1) |
| May 28, 2008 | MI | Anderson Amendment: Increase Revenue Sharing Grants | Amendment Rejected - Senate (19 - 18) | |
| May 28, 2008 | MI | Anderson Amendment: Increase Revenue Sharing Grants | Amendment Rejected - Senate (19 - 18) | |
| May 28, 2008 | LA | SB 718 | State Board Member and Commissioner Financial Disclosures | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9) |
| May 28, 2008 | CA | AB 2058 | Paper and Plastic Bag Tax | Bill Passed - House (44 - 33) |
| May 28, 2008 | LA | SB 292 | Public Fishing in Overflow Waters | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 19) |
| May 28, 2008 | MS | SB 2011 | Increasing Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - House (87 - 33) |
| May 28, 2008 | CA | AB 1991 | Development on Half Moon Bay | Bill Passed - House (46 - 18) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/05 | SB 1094 | 2008-2009 Department of Community Health Budget | Bill Passed - House (60 - 47) |
| 6/04 | SB 321 | Cigarette Tax Increase and Wine Discount Reduction | Conference Report Adopted - House (205 - 137) |
| 6/04 | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (19 - 31) |
| 6/04 | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Adopted - House (163 - 38) |
| 6/04 | SB 321 | Cigarette Tax Increase and Wine Discount Reduction | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (12 - 11) |
| 6/04 | SSHB 1 | Education Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 9) |
| 6/04 | HB 2475 | Bonds for School Computers | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 13) |
| 6/02 | SB 1386 | Poverty Income Tax Cut | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 16) |
| 5/31 | SB 51 | 2008-2009 Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (98 - 4) |
| 5/29 | AB 1819 | Voter Registration Age Minimum Changes | Bill Passed - House (45 - 31) |
| 5/29 | CA SB 1665 | Prison Health Care Facility Bonds | Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| 5/29 | HB 17 | Medicaid Funds Bill | Bill Failed - House (55 - 53) |
| 5/29 | SB 1764 | Certification of Local Fire Agencies | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 14) |
| 5/29 | SB 788 | Authorizing $16 Billion Increase in Bonds for State Pensions | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 21) |
| 5/29 | AB 3034 | High-Speed Rail Bond Amendments | Bill Passed - House (60 - 3) |
| 5/29 | SB 1407 | Financing Courthouse Construction | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8) |
| 5/29 | S Amdt 3870 | Legislator Financial Disclosures | Amendment Rejected - Senate (5 - 29) |
| 5/29 | SB 51 | 2008-2009 Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 1) |
| 5/28 | Anderson Amendment: Increase Revenue Sharing Grants | Amendment Rejected - Senate (19 - 18) | |
| 5/28 | Anderson Amendment: Increase Revenue Sharing Grants | Amendment Rejected - Senate (19 - 18) | |
| 5/28 | SB 718 | State Board Member and Commissioner Financial Disclosures | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9) |
| 5/28 | AB 2058 | Paper and Plastic Bag Tax | Bill Passed - House (44 - 33) |
| 5/28 | SB 292 | Public Fishing in Overflow Waters | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 19) |
| 5/28 | SB 2011 | Increasing Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - House (87 - 33) |
| 5/28 | AB 1991 | Development on Half Moon Bay | Bill Passed - House (46 - 18) |