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 10, 2008 | PA | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 9) |
| June 10, 2008 | LA | SB 672 | Legislative Pay Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 16) |
| June 10, 2008 | LA | SB 672 | Legislative Pay Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 16) |
| June 4, 2008 | PA | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (19 - 31) |
| June 4, 2008 | NH | SB 321 | Cigarette Tax Increase and Wine Discount Reduction | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (12 - 11) |
| June 4, 2008 | AZ | HB 2475 | Bonds for School Computers | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 13) |
| June 4, 2008 | NH | SSHB 1 | Education Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 9) |
| June 2, 2008 | PA | SB 1386 | Poverty Income Tax Cut | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 16) |
| May 29, 2008 | IL | SB 788 | Authorizing $16 Billion Increase in Bonds for State Pensions | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 21) |
| May 29, 2008 | LA | S Amdt 3870 | Legislator Financial Disclosures | Amendment Rejected - Senate (5 - 29) |
| May 29, 2008 | CA | CA SB 1665 | Prison Health Care Facility Bonds | Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| May 29, 2008 | CA | SB 1407 | Financing Courthouse Construction | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8) |
| May 29, 2008 | CA | SB 1764 | Certification of Local Fire Agencies | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 14) |
| 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 | MS | SB 2013 | Hospital Tax for Medicaid Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 7) |
| May 28, 2008 | LA | SB 292 | Public Fishing in Overflow Waters | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 19) |
| May 28, 2008 | LA | SB 718 | State Board Member and Commissioner Financial Disclosures | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9) |
| May 27, 2008 | IL | HB 5288 | Expand Use of Red Light Cameras | Bill Failed - Senate (26 - 24) |
| May 27, 2008 | RI | S 2081 | Allowing Sixteen- and Seventeen-Year-Olds to Pre-register to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4) |
| May 27, 2008 | RI | S 2112 | National Popular Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10) |
| May 22, 2008 | MS | SB 2004 | Voter Identification Requirement | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
| May 22, 2008 | MS | SB 2011 | Increasing Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 3) |
| May 16, 2008 | MO | HB 1549, 1771, 1395, 2366 | Undocumented Immigrants | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 7) |
| May 15, 2008 | MN | HF 3195 | Greenhouse Gas Emissions Cap and Trade Program Report | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 22) |
| May 15, 2008 | NH | HB 1509 | Allocation of Gambling/Gaming Profits | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 8) |
| May 15, 2008 | CA | SB 1589 | Uncorroborated Jailhouse Informant Testimony Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 14) |
| May 13, 2008 | MN | HF 6 | 2008 Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (55 - 10) |
| May 13, 2008 | MN | SF 2965 | Surrogate Mother Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (41 - 22) |
| May 13, 2008 | MN | HF 3807 | Real ID Prohibition | Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 16) |
| May 13, 2008 | WI | AB 1 | Budget Repair Plan | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 16) |
| May 12, 2008 | MN | HF 3391 | Health Care Reform Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (53 - 13) |
| May 12, 2008 | CA | SB 1301 | Extending Student Financial Aid Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| May 7, 2008 | SC | S Amdt P-4A | Cigarette Tax Rate Adjustment | Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (18 - 24) |
| May 7, 2008 | KS | HB 2946 | 2007-2009 Biennium Budget Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 11) |
| May 7, 2008 | SC | H 3567 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 11) |
| May 7, 2008 | OH | SB 57 | Disability Scholarship Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15) |
| May 7, 2008 | NY | S 7594 | Gasoline Tax Holiday | Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 15) |
| May 6, 2008 | SC | S Amdt P-1 | Cigarette Tax Increase for Medicaid | Amendment Tabled - Senate (31 - 13) |
| May 6, 2008 | CO | HB 1388 | Increasing Education Funding | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 13) |
| May 6, 2008 | KS | HB 2019 | Voter Identification | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 3) |
| May 6, 2008 | OK | SB 1150 | Voter Identification Requirement | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (24 - 23) |
| May 6, 2008 | AZ | HB 2677 | Real ID | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 7) |
| May 6, 2008 | MA | H 4645 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
| May 6, 2008 | CT | HB 5536 | Health Insurance Pool | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
| May 5, 2008 | CO | HB 1329 | Voter Registration Confirmation Card | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 16) |
| May 5, 2008 | CO | HB 1378 | Allowing Ranked Voting Methods | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| May 3, 2008 | KS | SB 81 | Health Care Reform | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 1) |
| May 2, 2008 | FL | HB 5001 | 2008-2009 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 8) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/10 | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 9) |
| 6/10 | SB 672 | Legislative Pay Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 16) |
| 6/10 | SB 672 | Legislative Pay Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 16) |
| 6/04 | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (19 - 31) |
| 6/04 | SB 321 | Cigarette Tax Increase and Wine Discount Reduction | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (12 - 11) |
| 6/04 | HB 2475 | Bonds for School Computers | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 13) |
| 6/04 | SSHB 1 | Education Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 9) |
| 6/02 | SB 1386 | Poverty Income Tax Cut | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 16) |
| 5/29 | SB 788 | Authorizing $16 Billion Increase in Bonds for State Pensions | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 21) |
| 5/29 | S Amdt 3870 | Legislator Financial Disclosures | Amendment Rejected - Senate (5 - 29) |
| 5/29 | CA SB 1665 | Prison Health Care Facility Bonds | Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| 5/29 | SB 1407 | Financing Courthouse Construction | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8) |
| 5/29 | SB 1764 | Certification of Local Fire Agencies | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 14) |
| 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 2013 | Hospital Tax for Medicaid Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 7) |
| 5/28 | SB 292 | Public Fishing in Overflow Waters | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 19) |
| 5/28 | SB 718 | State Board Member and Commissioner Financial Disclosures | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9) |
| 5/27 | HB 5288 | Expand Use of Red Light Cameras | Bill Failed - Senate (26 - 24) |
| 5/27 | S 2081 | Allowing Sixteen- and Seventeen-Year-Olds to Pre-register to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4) |
| 5/27 | S 2112 | National Popular Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10) |
| 5/22 | SB 2004 | Voter Identification Requirement | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
| 5/22 | SB 2011 | Increasing Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 3) |
| 5/16 | HB 1549, 1771, 1395, 2366 | Undocumented Immigrants | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 7) |
| 5/15 | HF 3195 | Greenhouse Gas Emissions Cap and Trade Program Report | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 22) |
| 5/15 | HB 1509 | Allocation of Gambling/Gaming Profits | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 8) |
| 5/15 | SB 1589 | Uncorroborated Jailhouse Informant Testimony Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 14) |
| 5/13 | HF 6 | 2008 Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (55 - 10) |
| 5/13 | SF 2965 | Surrogate Mother Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (41 - 22) |
| 5/13 | HF 3807 | Real ID Prohibition | Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 16) |
| 5/13 | AB 1 | Budget Repair Plan | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 16) |
| 5/12 | HF 3391 | Health Care Reform Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (53 - 13) |
| 5/12 | SB 1301 | Extending Student Financial Aid Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| 5/07 | S Amdt P-4A | Cigarette Tax Rate Adjustment | Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (18 - 24) |
| 5/07 | HB 2946 | 2007-2009 Biennium Budget Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 11) |
| 5/07 | H 3567 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 11) |
| 5/07 | SB 57 | Disability Scholarship Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15) |
| 5/07 | S 7594 | Gasoline Tax Holiday | Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 15) |
| 5/06 | S Amdt P-1 | Cigarette Tax Increase for Medicaid | Amendment Tabled - Senate (31 - 13) |
| 5/06 | HB 1388 | Increasing Education Funding | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 13) |
| 5/06 | HB 2019 | Voter Identification | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 3) |
| 5/06 | SB 1150 | Voter Identification Requirement | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (24 - 23) |
| 5/06 | HB 2677 | Real ID | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 7) |
| 5/06 | H 4645 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
| 5/06 | HB 5536 | Health Insurance Pool | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
| 5/05 | HB 1329 | Voter Registration Confirmation Card | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 16) |
| 5/05 | HB 1378 | Allowing Ranked Voting Methods | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| 5/03 | SB 81 | Health Care Reform | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 1) |
| 5/02 | HB 5001 | 2008-2009 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 8) |