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 7, 2008 | ME | LD 1932 | School Consolidation | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 14) |
| April 7, 2008 | MD | SB 268 | Maryland Strategic Energy Investment Program | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 16) |
| April 7, 2008 | IA | HF 2539 | Health Care Expansion Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 6) |
| April 7, 2008 | NE | LB 1157 | Uniform School Testing | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 15) |
| April 5, 2008 | MD | SB 90 | 2008-2009 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (38 - 7) |
| April 4, 2008 | GA | SR 845 | Regional Transportation Sales Tax | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (35 - 18) |
| April 4, 2008 | GA | SR 845 | Regional Transportation Sales Tax | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (35 - 18) |
| April 4, 2008 | KS | SB 148 | Electricity Generation and Conservation | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 7) |
| April 3, 2008 | MN | SF 960 | Modification of the Definition of Dependents for Local Government Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 22) |
| April 3, 2008 | MN | SF 960 | Modification of the Definition of Dependents for Local Government Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 22) |
| April 3, 2008 | MD | SB 46 | Computer Services Sales Tax Repeal and Other Tax Adjustments | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
| April 2, 2008 | MN | Hann Amnd. | Prohibiting Funding for Cities that Prevent Immigration Status Checks | Amendment Rejected - Senate (24 - 33) |
| April 2, 2008 | MN | Marty Amnd. | Removing Funding for Stadium Study | Amendment Adopted - Senate (41 - 22) |
| April 2, 2008 | KY | HB 406 | 2008-2010 Biennium Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 3) |
| April 2, 2008 | AK | SB 221 | 2008-2009 Capital Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 5) |
| April 2, 2008 | GA | HB 881 | Georgia Charter Schools Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
| April 2, 2008 | AR | HB 1004 | Natural Gas Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 1) |
| April 1, 2008 | GA | HB 1281 | Restricting Local Outdoor Water Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 13) |
| April 1, 2008 | GA | HB 1244 | State Income Tax Reductions | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 10) |
| April 1, 2008 | GA | HB 1133 | Tax Credits for Nonprofit Donations | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 20) |
| April 1, 2008 | AR | SB 1 | Natural Gas Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 3) |
| April 1, 2008 | MD | SB 268 | Maryland Strategic Energy Investment Program | Bill Failed - Senate (21 - 25) |
| March 31, 2008 | CO | HB 1270 | Prohibiting Restrictions on Energy Efficiency Measures | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| March 31, 2008 | ME | LD 2289 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| March 31, 2008 | CO | HB 1233 | Limited Liability Company Campaign Donation Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/07 | LD 1932 | School Consolidation | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 14) |
| 4/07 | SB 268 | Maryland Strategic Energy Investment Program | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 16) |
| 4/07 | HF 2539 | Health Care Expansion Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 6) |
| 4/07 | LB 1157 | Uniform School Testing | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 15) |
| 4/05 | SB 90 | 2008-2009 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (38 - 7) |
| 4/04 | SR 845 | Regional Transportation Sales Tax | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (35 - 18) |
| 4/04 | SR 845 | Regional Transportation Sales Tax | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (35 - 18) |
| 4/04 | SB 148 | Electricity Generation and Conservation | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 7) |
| 4/03 | SF 960 | Modification of the Definition of Dependents for Local Government Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 22) |
| 4/03 | SF 960 | Modification of the Definition of Dependents for Local Government Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 22) |
| 4/03 | SB 46 | Computer Services Sales Tax Repeal and Other Tax Adjustments | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
| 4/02 | Hann Amnd. | Prohibiting Funding for Cities that Prevent Immigration Status Checks | Amendment Rejected - Senate (24 - 33) |
| 4/02 | Marty Amnd. | Removing Funding for Stadium Study | Amendment Adopted - Senate (41 - 22) |
| 4/02 | HB 406 | 2008-2010 Biennium Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 3) |
| 4/02 | SB 221 | 2008-2009 Capital Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 5) |
| 4/02 | HB 881 | Georgia Charter Schools Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
| 4/02 | HB 1004 | Natural Gas Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 1) |
| 4/01 | HB 1281 | Restricting Local Outdoor Water Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 13) |
| 4/01 | HB 1244 | State Income Tax Reductions | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 10) |
| 4/01 | HB 1133 | Tax Credits for Nonprofit Donations | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 20) |
| 4/01 | SB 1 | Natural Gas Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 3) |
| 4/01 | SB 268 | Maryland Strategic Energy Investment Program | Bill Failed - Senate (21 - 25) |
| 3/31 | HB 1270 | Prohibiting Restrictions on Energy Efficiency Measures | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 3/31 | LD 2289 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| 3/31 | HB 1233 | Limited Liability Company Campaign Donation Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |