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 27, 2008 | MO | HB 2003 | 2008-2009 Department of Higher Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (90 - 66) |
| March 27, 2008 | MO | HB 2011 | 2008-2009 Department of Social Services Budget | Bill Passed - House (87 - 62) |
| March 27, 2008 | MO | HB 2002 | 2008-2009 Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (90 - 66) |
| March 26, 2008 | MS | SB 2188 | Attorney General-Private Attorney Contract Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (95 - 25) |
| March 26, 2008 | MS | SB 2188 | Attorney General-Private Attorney Contract Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (95 - 25) |
| March 26, 2008 | MS | SB 2188 | Attorney General-Private Attorney Contract Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (95 - 25) |
| March 25, 2008 | KS | SB 81 | Health Care Reform | Bill Passed - House (103 - 20) |
| March 21, 2008 | ID | HJR 4 | Local Tax Authority | Joint Resolution Passed - House (51 - 19) |
| March 21, 2008 | ID | HJR 4 | Local Tax Authority | Joint Resolution Passed - House (51 - 19) |
| March 21, 2008 | ID | H 599 | Eliminating the Personal Property Tax | Bill Passed - House (39 - 31) |
| March 21, 2008 | ID | H 599 | Eliminating the Personal Property Tax | Bill Passed - House (39 - 31) |
| March 20, 2008 | MA | H 4920 to 4307 | Establishing and Regulating Casinos | Amendment Adopted - House (106 - 48) |
| March 20, 2008 | KS | SB 461 | Electronic Wage Reports and Reimbursement Payments | Motion Agreed - House (63 - 58) |
| 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 20, 2008 | GA | SB 350 | Increasing Penalties for Driving Without a License | Bill Passed - House (99 - 68) |
| March 19, 2008 | GA | Fleming AM 29 0700 | Amending Capital Punishment Sentencing Procedures | Amendment Adopted - House (100 - 66) |
| March 19, 2008 | MS | SB 2264 | Authorizing Wire-tapping Out of State | Bill Passed - House (97 - 21) |
| March 19, 2008 | GA | SB 145 | Amending Sentencing Guidelines for Murder | Bill Passed - House (112 - 55) |
| March 19, 2008 | IA | HF 2645 | Public Employee Collective Bargaining and Teacher Termination Policy | Bill Passed - House (52 - 47) |
| March 19, 2008 | AZ | HB 2677 | Real ID | Bill Passed - House (51 - 8) |
| March 19, 2008 | ID | S 1441 | Prohibiting Local Gun Ordinances | Bill Passed - House (60 - 9) |
| March 18, 2008 | MS | SB 2497 | Increasing Unemployment Compensation | Bill Passed - House (71 - 48) |
| March 18, 2008 | NH | HB 1645 | State Retirement System Amendments | Bill Passed - House (259 - 60) |
| March 18, 2008 | NH | HB 1623 | Marijuana Decriminalization | Bill Passed - House (193 - 141) |
| March 18, 2008 | ID | H 657 | Highway Project Financing | Bill Passed - House (47 - 23) |
| March 17, 2008 | SD | HB 1233 | Government Spending Database | Veto Override Passed - House (61 - 8) |
| March 17, 2008 | SD | HB 1233 | Government Spending Database | Veto Override Passed - House (61 - 8) |
| March 17, 2008 | PA | SB 1137 | Expanding Subsidized Health Care | Bill Passed - House (118 - 81) |
| March 17, 2008 | KS | HB 2938 | Sales Tax Exemptions | Bill Passed - House (96 - 26) |
| March 17, 2008 | KS | HB 2762 | Income Tax Reduction | Bill Passed - House (109 - 13) |
| March 17, 2008 | ID | H 594 | Amending Property Tax Formula | Bill Passed - House (41 - 27) |
| March 16, 2008 | WV | SB 150 | 2008-2009 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (89 - 5) |
| March 14, 2008 | IN | HB 1001 | Property Tax Reduction | Conference Report Adopted - House (82 - 17) |
| March 14, 2008 | IN | SJR 1 | Constitutional Property Tax Cap | Conference Report Adopted - House (79 - 20) |
| March 14, 2008 | KS | HB 2873 | Department of Corrections Bonds | Bill Passed - House (104 - 18) |
| March 13, 2008 | WA | HB 2687 | 2007-2009 Biennium Budget Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - House (64 - 32) |
| March 13, 2008 | NJ | A 873 | Extending Family Leave Benefits | Bill Passed - House (46 - 30) |
| March 12, 2008 | MA | DeLeo Amdt | Legislative Committee Chair Pay Raises | Amendment Adopted - House (126 - 20) |
| March 12, 2008 | MA | DeLeo Amdt | Legislative Committee Chair Pay Raises | Amendment Adopted - House (126 - 20) |
| March 12, 2008 | FL | HB 7009 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - House (77 - 41) |
| March 12, 2008 | KY | HB 262 | Taxation Changes | Bill Passed - House (50 - 45) |
| March 12, 2008 | OK | HB 2196 | Campaign Finance Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (92 - 8) |
| March 12, 2008 | OK | HB 2196 | Campaign Finance Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (92 - 8) |
| March 12, 2008 | CA | ABx3 9 | Oil Tax | Bill Failed - House (45 - 30) |
| March 12, 2008 | AZ | HB 2711 | State Control of Mismanaged Schools | Bill Passed - House (52 - 7) |
| March 12, 2008 | KY | HB 406 | 2008-2010 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - House (84 - 14) |
| March 12, 2008 | WI | AB 1 | Budget Repair Plan | Bill Passed - House (51 - 46) |
| March 11, 2008 | GA | HB 1158 | Motor Vehicle Trauma Care Fee | Bill Passed - House (164 - 7) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/27 | HB 2003 | 2008-2009 Department of Higher Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (90 - 66) |
| 3/27 | HB 2011 | 2008-2009 Department of Social Services Budget | Bill Passed - House (87 - 62) |
| 3/27 | HB 2002 | 2008-2009 Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (90 - 66) |
| 3/26 | SB 2188 | Attorney General-Private Attorney Contract Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (95 - 25) |
| 3/26 | SB 2188 | Attorney General-Private Attorney Contract Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (95 - 25) |
| 3/26 | SB 2188 | Attorney General-Private Attorney Contract Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (95 - 25) |
| 3/25 | SB 81 | Health Care Reform | Bill Passed - House (103 - 20) |
| 3/21 | HJR 4 | Local Tax Authority | Joint Resolution Passed - House (51 - 19) |
| 3/21 | HJR 4 | Local Tax Authority | Joint Resolution Passed - House (51 - 19) |
| 3/21 | H 599 | Eliminating the Personal Property Tax | Bill Passed - House (39 - 31) |
| 3/21 | H 599 | Eliminating the Personal Property Tax | Bill Passed - House (39 - 31) |
| 3/20 | H 4920 to 4307 | Establishing and Regulating Casinos | Amendment Adopted - House (106 - 48) |
| 3/20 | SB 461 | Electronic Wage Reports and Reimbursement Payments | Motion Agreed - House (63 - 58) |
| 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) |
| 3/20 | SB 350 | Increasing Penalties for Driving Without a License | Bill Passed - House (99 - 68) |
| 3/19 | Fleming AM 29 0700 | Amending Capital Punishment Sentencing Procedures | Amendment Adopted - House (100 - 66) |
| 3/19 | SB 2264 | Authorizing Wire-tapping Out of State | Bill Passed - House (97 - 21) |
| 3/19 | SB 145 | Amending Sentencing Guidelines for Murder | Bill Passed - House (112 - 55) |
| 3/19 | HF 2645 | Public Employee Collective Bargaining and Teacher Termination Policy | Bill Passed - House (52 - 47) |
| 3/19 | HB 2677 | Real ID | Bill Passed - House (51 - 8) |
| 3/19 | S 1441 | Prohibiting Local Gun Ordinances | Bill Passed - House (60 - 9) |
| 3/18 | SB 2497 | Increasing Unemployment Compensation | Bill Passed - House (71 - 48) |
| 3/18 | HB 1645 | State Retirement System Amendments | Bill Passed - House (259 - 60) |
| 3/18 | HB 1623 | Marijuana Decriminalization | Bill Passed - House (193 - 141) |
| 3/18 | H 657 | Highway Project Financing | Bill Passed - House (47 - 23) |
| 3/17 | HB 1233 | Government Spending Database | Veto Override Passed - House (61 - 8) |
| 3/17 | HB 1233 | Government Spending Database | Veto Override Passed - House (61 - 8) |
| 3/17 | SB 1137 | Expanding Subsidized Health Care | Bill Passed - House (118 - 81) |
| 3/17 | HB 2938 | Sales Tax Exemptions | Bill Passed - House (96 - 26) |
| 3/17 | HB 2762 | Income Tax Reduction | Bill Passed - House (109 - 13) |
| 3/17 | H 594 | Amending Property Tax Formula | Bill Passed - House (41 - 27) |
| 3/16 | SB 150 | 2008-2009 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (89 - 5) |
| 3/14 | HB 1001 | Property Tax Reduction | Conference Report Adopted - House (82 - 17) |
| 3/14 | SJR 1 | Constitutional Property Tax Cap | Conference Report Adopted - House (79 - 20) |
| 3/14 | HB 2873 | Department of Corrections Bonds | Bill Passed - House (104 - 18) |
| 3/13 | HB 2687 | 2007-2009 Biennium Budget Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - House (64 - 32) |
| 3/13 | A 873 | Extending Family Leave Benefits | Bill Passed - House (46 - 30) |
| 3/12 | DeLeo Amdt | Legislative Committee Chair Pay Raises | Amendment Adopted - House (126 - 20) |
| 3/12 | DeLeo Amdt | Legislative Committee Chair Pay Raises | Amendment Adopted - House (126 - 20) |
| 3/12 | HB 7009 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - House (77 - 41) |
| 3/12 | HB 262 | Taxation Changes | Bill Passed - House (50 - 45) |
| 3/12 | HB 2196 | Campaign Finance Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (92 - 8) |
| 3/12 | HB 2196 | Campaign Finance Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (92 - 8) |
| 3/12 | ABx3 9 | Oil Tax | Bill Failed - House (45 - 30) |
| 3/12 | HB 2711 | State Control of Mismanaged Schools | Bill Passed - House (52 - 7) |
| 3/12 | HB 406 | 2008-2010 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - House (84 - 14) |
| 3/12 | AB 1 | Budget Repair Plan | Bill Passed - House (51 - 46) |
| 3/11 | HB 1158 | Motor Vehicle Trauma Care Fee | Bill Passed - House (164 - 7) |