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. 28, 2008 | KS | Ward Amnd. | Teacher Scholarship Program | Amendment Rejected - House (50 - 71) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | IN | SJR 1 | Constitutional Property Tax Cap | Bill Passed - House (64 - 35) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | UT | SB 162 | State Discretion Over Federal Education Programs | Bill Passed - House (38 - 33) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | IN | SB 143 | Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention | Bill Passed - House (51 - 48) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | KS | HB 2605 | Changing School Finance Formula | Bill Failed - House (62 - 63) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | WI | AB 770 | Corporate Research and Development Tax Credit | Bill Passed - House (84 - 13) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | UT | SB 162 | State Discretion Over Federal Education Programs | Bill Passed - House (38 - 33) |
| 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 1233 | Limited Liability Company Campaign Donation Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (39 - 26) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | CO | HB 1180 | Unemployment Benefits for Military Spouses | Bill Passed - House (60 - 5) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | CO | HB 1270 | Prohibiting Restrictions on Energy Efficiency Measures | Bill Passed - House (45 - 20) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | CO | HB 1329 | Voter Registration Confirmation Card | Bill Passed - House (48 - 17) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | CO | HB 1001 | Expanding Bioscience Research Funding | Bill Passed - House (52 - 13) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | CO | HB 1297 | Supplemental Department of Public Safety Funding | Bill Passed - House (45 - 20) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | CO | HB 1297 | Supplemental Department of Public Safety Funding | Bill Passed - House (45 - 20) |
| Feb. 26, 2008 | WI | A Amnd. 1 | Divestment Due to Genocide Amendment | Amendment Tabled - House (50 - 47) |
| Feb. 26, 2008 | IN | Amdt 1 to SJR 1 | Adjusting the Constitutional Property Tax Cap | Amendment Rejected - House (50 - 50) |
| Feb. 26, 2008 | IN | Amnd. 2 | Permitting Lawsuits for Injuries Caused by Hazardous Substances | Amendment Adopted - House (52 - 45) |
| Feb. 26, 2008 | GA | HR 413 | English as the Official Language of Georgia | Resolution Failed - House (103 - 61) |
| Feb. 26, 2008 | WI | AB 695 | John Doe Proceedings | Bill Passed - House (84 - 13) |
| Feb. 26, 2008 | ID | H 503 | Scholarships for Drug-Free Students | Bill Passed - House (55 - 14) |
| Feb. 26, 2008 | WI | AR 13 | Supporting the Individual's Right to Bear Arms | Resolution Passed - House (78 - 18) |
| Feb. 26, 2008 | WV | HB 4076 | Legislative Pay Raise | Bill Passed - House (62 - 36) |
| Feb. 26, 2008 | SD | SB 174 | Railroad Eminent Domain | Bill Passed - House (54 - 16) |
| Feb. 26, 2008 | WV | HB 4076 | Legislative Pay Raise | Bill Passed - House (62 - 36) |
| Feb. 25, 2008 | MN | HF 2800 | 2009-2010 Transportation Budget | Veto Override Passed - House (91 - 41) |
| Feb. 25, 2008 | MO | HB 1406 | Establishment of Drunk Driving Memorial Sign Program | Bill Passed - House (82 - 51) |
| Feb. 25, 2008 | WA | HB 2687 | 2007-2009 Biennium Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (62 - 33) |
| Feb. 25, 2008 | WY | HB 137 | Deadly Force in Self Defense | Bill Passed - House (54 - 4) |
| Feb. 25, 2008 | WY | HB 145 | Restricting Benefits for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (40 - 18) |
| Feb. 22, 2008 | LA | SB 3 | Restrictions on Gifts to Elected Officials | Bill Passed - House (95 - 5) |
| Feb. 21, 2008 | MS | HB 1013 | Altering Medicaid and Medicare Eligibility and Increasing Cigarette Tax | Bill Passed - House (75 - 41) |
| Feb. 21, 2008 | MN | HF 2800 | 2009-2010 Transportation Budget | Bill Passed - House (89 - 44) |
| Feb. 21, 2008 | VA | HB 30 | 2008-2010 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - House (93 - 5) |
| Feb. 20, 2008 | GA | HR 1206 | Reassessing Georgia's Northern Border | Resolution Passed - House (136 - 26) |
| Feb. 20, 2008 | AZ | HB 2043 | State Government Hiring Freeze | Bill Passed - House (40 - 15) |
| Feb. 20, 2008 | AZ | HB 2043 | State Government Hiring Freeze | Bill Passed - House (40 - 15) |
| Feb. 20, 2008 | WY | HB 3 | Campaign Finance Reporting | Bill Passed - House (44 - 16) |
| Feb. 20, 2008 | GA | HR 1206 | Reassessing Georgia's Northern Border | Resolution Passed - House (136 - 26) |
| Feb. 18, 2008 | WY | HB 9 | Limitations on Campaign Contributions | Bill Passed - House (58 - 2) |
| Feb. 18, 2008 | CO | SB 3 | Medicaid Funded Family Planning | Bill Passed - House (41 - 23) |
| Feb. 15, 2008 | UT | HB 75 | State Inventory of Government Activities | Bill Passed - House (54 - 17) |
| Feb. 15, 2008 | OR | HB 3618 | Inheritance Tax Credit | Bill Passed - House (41 - 18) |
| Feb. 14, 2008 | MN | HF 2285 | Funding for Natural Resources and Cultural Heritage | Conference Report Adopted - House (85 - 46) |
| Feb. 14, 2008 | MS | HB 859 | Salary Adjustments for State Officials | Bill Passed - House (61 - 60) |
| Feb. 14, 2008 | National | H Res 982 | Contempt Charges | Resolution Passed - House (223 - 32) |
| Feb. 14, 2008 | SD | HB 1124 | Teacher Compensation and Performance | Bill Passed - House (39 - 29) |
| Feb. 14, 2008 | MS | HB 859 | Salary Adjustments for State Officials | Bill Passed - House (61 - 60) |
| Feb. 14, 2008 | LA | HB 64 | Campaign Disclosures | Bill Passed - House (65 - 35) |
| Feb. 14, 2008 | MS | HB 859 | Salary Adjustments for State Officials | Bill Passed - House (61 - 60) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/28 | Ward Amnd. | Teacher Scholarship Program | Amendment Rejected - House (50 - 71) |
| 2/28 | SJR 1 | Constitutional Property Tax Cap | Bill Passed - House (64 - 35) |
| 2/28 | SB 162 | State Discretion Over Federal Education Programs | Bill Passed - House (38 - 33) |
| 2/28 | SB 143 | Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention | Bill Passed - House (51 - 48) |
| 2/28 | HB 2605 | Changing School Finance Formula | Bill Failed - House (62 - 63) |
| 2/28 | AB 770 | Corporate Research and Development Tax Credit | Bill Passed - House (84 - 13) |
| 2/28 | SB 162 | State Discretion Over Federal Education Programs | Bill Passed - House (38 - 33) |
| 2/27 | McKinney Amnd. A to HB 2760 | Per Student Public School Funding | Amendment Rejected - House (50 - 70) |
| 2/27 | HB 1233 | Limited Liability Company Campaign Donation Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (39 - 26) |
| 2/27 | HB 1180 | Unemployment Benefits for Military Spouses | Bill Passed - House (60 - 5) |
| 2/27 | HB 1270 | Prohibiting Restrictions on Energy Efficiency Measures | Bill Passed - House (45 - 20) |
| 2/27 | HB 1329 | Voter Registration Confirmation Card | Bill Passed - House (48 - 17) |
| 2/27 | HB 1001 | Expanding Bioscience Research Funding | Bill Passed - House (52 - 13) |
| 2/27 | HB 1297 | Supplemental Department of Public Safety Funding | Bill Passed - House (45 - 20) |
| 2/27 | HB 1297 | Supplemental Department of Public Safety Funding | Bill Passed - House (45 - 20) |
| 2/26 | A Amnd. 1 | Divestment Due to Genocide Amendment | Amendment Tabled - House (50 - 47) |
| 2/26 | Amdt 1 to SJR 1 | Adjusting the Constitutional Property Tax Cap | Amendment Rejected - House (50 - 50) |
| 2/26 | Amnd. 2 | Permitting Lawsuits for Injuries Caused by Hazardous Substances | Amendment Adopted - House (52 - 45) |
| 2/26 | HR 413 | English as the Official Language of Georgia | Resolution Failed - House (103 - 61) |
| 2/26 | AB 695 | John Doe Proceedings | Bill Passed - House (84 - 13) |
| 2/26 | H 503 | Scholarships for Drug-Free Students | Bill Passed - House (55 - 14) |
| 2/26 | AR 13 | Supporting the Individual's Right to Bear Arms | Resolution Passed - House (78 - 18) |
| 2/26 | HB 4076 | Legislative Pay Raise | Bill Passed - House (62 - 36) |
| 2/26 | SB 174 | Railroad Eminent Domain | Bill Passed - House (54 - 16) |
| 2/26 | HB 4076 | Legislative Pay Raise | Bill Passed - House (62 - 36) |
| 2/25 | HF 2800 | 2009-2010 Transportation Budget | Veto Override Passed - House (91 - 41) |
| 2/25 | HB 1406 | Establishment of Drunk Driving Memorial Sign Program | Bill Passed - House (82 - 51) |
| 2/25 | HB 2687 | 2007-2009 Biennium Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (62 - 33) |
| 2/25 | HB 137 | Deadly Force in Self Defense | Bill Passed - House (54 - 4) |
| 2/25 | HB 145 | Restricting Benefits for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (40 - 18) |
| 2/22 | SB 3 | Restrictions on Gifts to Elected Officials | Bill Passed - House (95 - 5) |
| 2/21 | HB 1013 | Altering Medicaid and Medicare Eligibility and Increasing Cigarette Tax | Bill Passed - House (75 - 41) |
| 2/21 | HF 2800 | 2009-2010 Transportation Budget | Bill Passed - House (89 - 44) |
| 2/21 | HB 30 | 2008-2010 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - House (93 - 5) |
| 2/20 | HR 1206 | Reassessing Georgia's Northern Border | Resolution Passed - House (136 - 26) |
| 2/20 | HB 2043 | State Government Hiring Freeze | Bill Passed - House (40 - 15) |
| 2/20 | HB 2043 | State Government Hiring Freeze | Bill Passed - House (40 - 15) |
| 2/20 | HB 3 | Campaign Finance Reporting | Bill Passed - House (44 - 16) |
| 2/20 | HR 1206 | Reassessing Georgia's Northern Border | Resolution Passed - House (136 - 26) |
| 2/18 | HB 9 | Limitations on Campaign Contributions | Bill Passed - House (58 - 2) |
| 2/18 | SB 3 | Medicaid Funded Family Planning | Bill Passed - House (41 - 23) |
| 2/15 | HB 75 | State Inventory of Government Activities | Bill Passed - House (54 - 17) |
| 2/15 | HB 3618 | Inheritance Tax Credit | Bill Passed - House (41 - 18) |
| 2/14 | HF 2285 | Funding for Natural Resources and Cultural Heritage | Conference Report Adopted - House (85 - 46) |
| 2/14 | HB 859 | Salary Adjustments for State Officials | Bill Passed - House (61 - 60) |
| 2/14 | H Res 982 | Contempt Charges | Resolution Passed - House (223 - 32) |
| 2/14 | HB 1124 | Teacher Compensation and Performance | Bill Passed - House (39 - 29) |
| 2/14 | HB 859 | Salary Adjustments for State Officials | Bill Passed - House (61 - 60) |
| 2/14 | HB 64 | Campaign Disclosures | Bill Passed - House (65 - 35) |
| 2/14 | HB 859 | Salary Adjustments for State Officials | Bill Passed - House (61 - 60) |