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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 14, 2008 | IA | SF 2216 | State-Mandated Curriculum for Schools | Bill Passed - House (97 - 3) |
| April 14, 2008 | MO | HJR 49 | Appellate Judicial Commissioners | Joint Resolution Failed - House (69 - 83) |
| April 14, 2008 | MO | HJR 49 | Appellate Judicial Commissioners | Joint Resolution Failed - House (69 - 83) |
| April 14, 2008 | ME | LD 2304 | Driver's License Residency Requirement | Bill Passed - House (108 - 29) |
| April 13, 2008 | AK | SB 221 | 2008-2009 Capital Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (15 - 5) |
| April 12, 2008 | AK | SB 221 | 2008-2009 Capital Budget | Bill Passed - House (33 - 6) |
| April 10, 2008 | SC | H 3427 | Ending Common Law Marriage | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (21 - 17) |
| April 10, 2008 | NE | LB 1082 | Expanding Workers' Compensation Benefits | Motion Rejected - Senate (22 - 18) |
| April 10, 2008 | CO | HB 1375 | 2008-2009 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (39 - 23) |
| April 10, 2008 | CO | HB 1375 | 2008-2009 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 14) |
| April 10, 2008 | AZ | SB 1096 | English Language Education Funding | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
| April 10, 2008 | National | H Res 1092 | Postponing the Consideration of the Trade Agreement with Colombia | Resolution Passed - House (224 - 195) |
| April 10, 2008 | IA | SJR 2002 | Natural Resources Trust Fund | Joint Resolution Passed - House (88 - 10) |
| April 10, 2008 | MO | HJR 70 | State Spending Limit | Joint Resolution Passed - House (84 - 65) |
| April 10, 2008 | MN | HF 3569 | Workers' Lung Health Study | Bill Passed - House (88 - 45) |
| April 10, 2008 | MA | Garry and D'Amico Amendment: Removal of Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Failed - House (49 - 105) | |
| April 10, 2008 | MA | H 4645 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Passed - House (131 - 23) |
| April 10, 2008 | FL | HB 5001 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - House (72 - 41) |
| April 9, 2008 | AZ | SB 1096 | English Language Education Funding | Bill Passed - House (37 - 23) |
| April 9, 2008 | SC | H 4673 | Cost-of-Living Pension Increases for Retired Legislators and State Workers | Bill Passed - House (58 - 51) |
| April 9, 2008 | SC | H 4673 | Cost-of-Living Pension Increases for Retired Legislators and State Workers | Bill Passed - House (58 - 51) |
| April 9, 2008 | NY | S 6807 | Budget Financing | Bill Passed - House (107 - 41) |
| April 9, 2008 | SC | H 4549 | Funding Road Repair and Maintenance | Bill Passed - House (91 - 9) |
| April 9, 2008 | IA | HF 2663 | Statewide Sales Tax Increase for School Infrastructure Funding | Bill Passed - House (59 - 41) |
| April 9, 2008 | IA | HF 2663 | Statewide Sales Tax Increase for School Infrastructure Funding | Bill Passed - House (59 - 41) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/14 | SF 2216 | State-Mandated Curriculum for Schools | Bill Passed - House (97 - 3) |
| 4/14 | HJR 49 | Appellate Judicial Commissioners | Joint Resolution Failed - House (69 - 83) |
| 4/14 | HJR 49 | Appellate Judicial Commissioners | Joint Resolution Failed - House (69 - 83) |
| 4/14 | LD 2304 | Driver's License Residency Requirement | Bill Passed - House (108 - 29) |
| 4/13 | SB 221 | 2008-2009 Capital Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (15 - 5) |
| 4/12 | SB 221 | 2008-2009 Capital Budget | Bill Passed - House (33 - 6) |
| 4/10 | H 3427 | Ending Common Law Marriage | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (21 - 17) |
| 4/10 | LB 1082 | Expanding Workers' Compensation Benefits | Motion Rejected - Senate (22 - 18) |
| 4/10 | HB 1375 | 2008-2009 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (39 - 23) |
| 4/10 | HB 1375 | 2008-2009 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 14) |
| 4/10 | SB 1096 | English Language Education Funding | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
| 4/10 | H Res 1092 | Postponing the Consideration of the Trade Agreement with Colombia | Resolution Passed - House (224 - 195) |
| 4/10 | SJR 2002 | Natural Resources Trust Fund | Joint Resolution Passed - House (88 - 10) |
| 4/10 | HJR 70 | State Spending Limit | Joint Resolution Passed - House (84 - 65) |
| 4/10 | HF 3569 | Workers' Lung Health Study | Bill Passed - House (88 - 45) |
| 4/10 | Garry and D'Amico Amendment: Removal of Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Failed - House (49 - 105) | |
| 4/10 | H 4645 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Passed - House (131 - 23) |
| 4/10 | HB 5001 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - House (72 - 41) |
| 4/09 | SB 1096 | English Language Education Funding | Bill Passed - House (37 - 23) |
| 4/09 | H 4673 | Cost-of-Living Pension Increases for Retired Legislators and State Workers | Bill Passed - House (58 - 51) |
| 4/09 | H 4673 | Cost-of-Living Pension Increases for Retired Legislators and State Workers | Bill Passed - House (58 - 51) |
| 4/09 | S 6807 | Budget Financing | Bill Passed - House (107 - 41) |
| 4/09 | H 4549 | Funding Road Repair and Maintenance | Bill Passed - House (91 - 9) |
| 4/09 | HF 2663 | Statewide Sales Tax Increase for School Infrastructure Funding | Bill Passed - House (59 - 41) |
| 4/09 | HF 2663 | Statewide Sales Tax Increase for School Infrastructure Funding | Bill Passed - House (59 - 41) |