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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2, 2008 | CO | HB 1208 | Limitations on Direct File Juvenile Cases | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16) |
| May 2, 2008 | CO | HB 1082 | Sealing Criminal Records | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| May 1, 2008 | HI | SB 2423 | Turtle Bay Acquisition | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 11) |
| May 1, 2008 | HI | SB 2423 | Turtle Bay Acquisition | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 11) |
| May 1, 2008 | IL | SJRCA 70 | Constitutional Amendment to recall certain elected officials | Bill Failed - Senate (33 - 19) |
| May 1, 2008 | IL | SJRCA 70 | Constitutional Amendment to recall certain elected officials | Bill Failed - Senate (33 - 19) |
| May 1, 2008 | MO | HB 2393 | Mega-Project Tax Credits | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 8) |
| May 1, 2008 | RI | H 7204 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| May 1, 2008 | RI | H 7204 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| April 30, 2008 | KS | SB 148 | Electricity Generation and Conservation | Veto Override Passed - Senate (32 - 7) |
| April 30, 2008 | MN | HF 3195 | Greenhouse Gas Emissions Cap and Trade Program Report | Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 21) |
| April 29, 2008 | LA | S Amdt 2096 | Gradual Income Tax Deduction | Amendment Adopted - Senate (19 - 18) |
| April 29, 2008 | AZ | HB 2557 | Fine Arts and Physical Education in School | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 4) |
| April 29, 2008 | TN | SB 3042 | Open Container Law | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7) |
| April 24, 2008 | IA | SF 2432 | 2008-2009 Prison and Infrastructure Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 13) |
| April 23, 2008 | AZ | HB 2711 | State Control of Mismanaged Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 3) |
| April 23, 2008 | AZ | HB 2017 | Legislative Approval for Regulating Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 7) |
| April 23, 2008 | CO | HB 1329 | Voter Registration Confirmation Card | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14) |
| April 23, 2008 | AZ | HB 2017 | Legislative Approval for Regulating Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 7) |
| April 23, 2008 | AZ | HB 2359 | County Sheriff and Border Patrol Collaboration | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10) |
| April 23, 2008 | DE | SB 195 | Election Day Alcohol Sales | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 5) |
| April 22, 2008 | IA | S 5408 | Changes to School Infrastructure Sales Tax | Amendment Rejected - Senate (20 - 30) |
| April 22, 2008 | IA | S 5408 | Changes to School Infrastructure Sales Tax | Amendment Rejected - Senate (20 - 30) |
| April 22, 2008 | IA | HF 2663 | Statewide Sales Tax Increase for School Infrastructure Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 11) |
| April 22, 2008 | MI | SB 1078 | Township Annexation Requirements | Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 20) |
| April 22, 2008 | MI | SB 1198 | Changes to Michigan Business Tax Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| April 22, 2008 | IA | HF 2663 | Statewide Sales Tax Increase for School Infrastructure Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 11) |
| April 21, 2008 | MN | HF 1351 | Transportation Policy Reform | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 11) |
| April 17, 2008 | IA | S 5377 to SF 2425 | Pregnancy Counseling and Support Services | Amendment Rejected - Senate (22 - 27) |
| April 17, 2008 | IA | SF 2425 | 2008-2009 Health and Human Services Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 16) |
| April 16, 2008 | MO | SA 1 to HB 2007 | Mega-Project Fund Appropriation | Amendment Rejected - Senate (11 - 22) |
| April 16, 2008 | IL | SB 2052 | Taxes for Levee Repair | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 15) |
| April 15, 2008 | IA | S 5355 to SF 2420 | State Funding of Road Projects | Amendment Rejected - Senate (17 - 32) |
| April 15, 2008 | KY | HB 683 | DNA Collection, Parole Board, and Felony Review | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 1) |
| April 15, 2008 | OK | SB 1819 | Tax Rebates for Sports Franchises | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 21) |
| April 15, 2008 | ME | LD 2247 | Alcohol and Soda Tax for Health Care Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| April 15, 2008 | LA | SB 144 | Castration of Sex Offenders | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 3) |
| April 15, 2008 | IA | SF 2420 | Increasing Vehicle Registration Fees | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 14) |
| April 14, 2008 | MN | SF 2822 | "Good Faith" Requirement for Insurance Companies | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (47 - 15) |
| April 13, 2008 | AK | SB 221 | 2008-2009 Capital Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (15 - 5) |
| 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 - Senate (21 - 14) |
| April 10, 2008 | AZ | SB 1096 | English Language Education Funding | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
| April 9, 2008 | FL | SB 2900 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
| April 8, 2008 | CO | HB 1001 | Expanding Bioscience Research Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| April 8, 2008 | AZ | HB 2220 | Repealing the State Equalization Property Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
| April 7, 2008 | ME | LD 1932 | School Consolidation | Veto Override Failed - Senate (12 - 23) |
| April 7, 2008 | NE | LB 959 | Gas Tax Veto Override | Veto Override Passed - Senate (34 - 15) |
| April 7, 2008 | ME | LD 1932 | School Consolidation | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 14) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/02 | HB 1208 | Limitations on Direct File Juvenile Cases | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16) |
| 5/02 | HB 1082 | Sealing Criminal Records | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| 5/01 | SB 2423 | Turtle Bay Acquisition | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 11) |
| 5/01 | SB 2423 | Turtle Bay Acquisition | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 11) |
| 5/01 | SJRCA 70 | Constitutional Amendment to recall certain elected officials | Bill Failed - Senate (33 - 19) |
| 5/01 | SJRCA 70 | Constitutional Amendment to recall certain elected officials | Bill Failed - Senate (33 - 19) |
| 5/01 | HB 2393 | Mega-Project Tax Credits | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 8) |
| 5/01 | H 7204 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| 5/01 | H 7204 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| 4/30 | SB 148 | Electricity Generation and Conservation | Veto Override Passed - Senate (32 - 7) |
| 4/30 | HF 3195 | Greenhouse Gas Emissions Cap and Trade Program Report | Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 21) |
| 4/29 | S Amdt 2096 | Gradual Income Tax Deduction | Amendment Adopted - Senate (19 - 18) |
| 4/29 | HB 2557 | Fine Arts and Physical Education in School | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 4) |
| 4/29 | SB 3042 | Open Container Law | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7) |
| 4/24 | SF 2432 | 2008-2009 Prison and Infrastructure Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 13) |
| 4/23 | HB 2711 | State Control of Mismanaged Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 3) |
| 4/23 | HB 2017 | Legislative Approval for Regulating Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 7) |
| 4/23 | HB 1329 | Voter Registration Confirmation Card | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14) |
| 4/23 | HB 2017 | Legislative Approval for Regulating Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 7) |
| 4/23 | HB 2359 | County Sheriff and Border Patrol Collaboration | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10) |
| 4/23 | SB 195 | Election Day Alcohol Sales | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 5) |
| 4/22 | S 5408 | Changes to School Infrastructure Sales Tax | Amendment Rejected - Senate (20 - 30) |
| 4/22 | S 5408 | Changes to School Infrastructure Sales Tax | Amendment Rejected - Senate (20 - 30) |
| 4/22 | HF 2663 | Statewide Sales Tax Increase for School Infrastructure Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 11) |
| 4/22 | SB 1078 | Township Annexation Requirements | Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 20) |
| 4/22 | SB 1198 | Changes to Michigan Business Tax Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| 4/22 | HF 2663 | Statewide Sales Tax Increase for School Infrastructure Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 11) |
| 4/21 | HF 1351 | Transportation Policy Reform | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 11) |
| 4/17 | S 5377 to SF 2425 | Pregnancy Counseling and Support Services | Amendment Rejected - Senate (22 - 27) |
| 4/17 | SF 2425 | 2008-2009 Health and Human Services Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 16) |
| 4/16 | SA 1 to HB 2007 | Mega-Project Fund Appropriation | Amendment Rejected - Senate (11 - 22) |
| 4/16 | SB 2052 | Taxes for Levee Repair | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 15) |
| 4/15 | S 5355 to SF 2420 | State Funding of Road Projects | Amendment Rejected - Senate (17 - 32) |
| 4/15 | HB 683 | DNA Collection, Parole Board, and Felony Review | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 1) |
| 4/15 | SB 1819 | Tax Rebates for Sports Franchises | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 21) |
| 4/15 | LD 2247 | Alcohol and Soda Tax for Health Care Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| 4/15 | SB 144 | Castration of Sex Offenders | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 3) |
| 4/15 | SF 2420 | Increasing Vehicle Registration Fees | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 14) |
| 4/14 | SF 2822 | "Good Faith" Requirement for Insurance Companies | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (47 - 15) |
| 4/13 | SB 221 | 2008-2009 Capital Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (15 - 5) |
| 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 - Senate (21 - 14) |
| 4/10 | SB 1096 | English Language Education Funding | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
| 4/09 | SB 2900 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
| 4/08 | HB 1001 | Expanding Bioscience Research Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| 4/08 | HB 2220 | Repealing the State Equalization Property Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
| 4/07 | LD 1932 | School Consolidation | Veto Override Failed - Senate (12 - 23) |
| 4/07 | LB 959 | Gas Tax Veto Override | Veto Override Passed - Senate (34 - 15) |
| 4/07 | LD 1932 | School Consolidation | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 14) |