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. 15, 2008 | LA | Amnd. 423 to SB 1 | Persons Restricted from Doing Business with the State | Amendment Adopted - Senate (21 - 16) |
| Feb. 15, 2008 | LA | Amnd. 423 to SB 1 | Persons Restricted from Doing Business with the State | Amendment Adopted - Senate (21 - 16) |
| Feb. 14, 2008 | NE | AM 1736 | Eliminating Opt-Out Provision of Smoking Ban | Amendment Adopted - Senate (33 - 13) |
| Feb. 14, 2008 | MN | HF 2285 | Funding for Natural Resources and Cultural Heritage | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (46 - 17) |
| Feb. 14, 2008 | NM | HB 24 | Removing Tax Restrictions for Counties and Municipalities | Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 21) |
| Feb. 13, 2008 | NM | HB 237 | Mandatory Election Recounts | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 17) |
| Feb. 13, 2008 | NM | HB 237 | Mandatory Election Recounts | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 17) |
| Feb. 13, 2008 | SD | SJR 1 | Eliminating Term Limits | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
| Feb. 13, 2008 | SD | SB 174 | Railroad Eminent Domain | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
| Feb. 13, 2008 | WA | SB 5278 | Public Financing of Local Campaigns | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20) |
| Feb. 13, 2008 | NY | A 9998 | New York Racing Association Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 17) |
| Feb. 12, 2008 | GA | SR 796 | Property Tax Assessment Cap | Resolution Passed - Senate (48 - 7) |
| Feb. 12, 2008 | GA | SR 686 | Property Tax Assessment Freeze | Resolution Passed - Senate (53 - 3) |
| Feb. 12, 2008 | GA | SR 822 | Reassessing Georgia's Northern Border | Resolution Passed - Senate (52 - 0) |
| Feb. 12, 2008 | GA | SR 822 | Reassessing Georgia's Northern Border | Resolution Passed - Senate (52 - 0) |
| Feb. 11, 2008 | NM | SB 225 | Health Care Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 19) |
| Feb. 11, 2008 | SD | SB 189 | Accessibility of Public Records | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| Feb. 11, 2008 | SD | SB 189 | Accessibility of Public Records | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| Feb. 10, 2008 | NM | HB 661 | Affordable Housing Tax Relief | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 12) |
| Feb. 7, 2008 | GA | SB 340 | Prohibiting Sanctuary Policies | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 8) |
| Feb. 7, 2008 | NH | SB 436 | Reducing the Voting Age for Primary Elections | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 6) |
| Feb. 7, 2008 | MA | H 4488 | Education Reorganization | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
| Feb. 7, 2008 | MA | H 4488 | Education Reorganization | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
| Feb. 7, 2008 | GA | SB 350 | Increasing Penalties for Driving Without a License | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 13) |
| Feb. 6, 2008 | NM | HB 2 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 4) |
| Feb. 6, 2008 | NE | LB 39 | Restricting Petition Circulation | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 14) |
| Feb. 5, 2008 | VA | SB 202 | Local Regulation of Smoking in Restaurants | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9) |
| Feb. 5, 2008 | UT | SB 35 | Salary Supplement for Math and Science Teachers | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 7) |
| Feb. 4, 2008 | NM | SB 34 | New Mexico School for the Arts | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 6) |
| Jan. 30, 2008 | KY | SB 3 | Primary Elections Date Change | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| Jan. 29, 2008 | IN | SB 16 | Change in Township Assessment | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
| Jan. 29, 2008 | IN | SB 143 | Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 13) |
| Jan. 29, 2008 | IN | SB 16 | Change in Township Assessment | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
| Jan. 29, 2008 | IN | SJR 1 | Constitutional Property Tax Cap | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (41 - 7) |
| Jan. 28, 2008 | CO | SB 3 | Medicaid Funded Family Planning | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| Jan. 25, 2008 | CO | SA Mitchell | Prohibiting State Funding of Abortion Providers | Amendment Rejected - Senate (13 - 20) |
| Jan. 25, 2008 | MS | SB 2188 | Attorney General-Private Attorney Contract Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
| Jan. 25, 2008 | MS | SB 2188 | Attorney General-Private Attorney Contract Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
| Jan. 25, 2008 | MS | SB 2188 | Attorney General-Private Attorney Contract Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
| Jan. 24, 2008 | CO | GN Baker | Matt Baker to the Public Utilities Commission | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| Jan. 22, 2008 | IN | SB 18 | Allowing Referendum on Public Construction Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 16) |
| Jan. 22, 2008 | MI | SB 776 | Late-Term/Partial-Birth Abortion Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
| Jan. 17, 2008 | IL | HB 656 | Providing Free Public Transportation for Senior Citizens | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 19) |
| Jan. 10, 2008 | IL | HB 656 | Transportation Act | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 25) |
| Jan. 7, 2008 | NJ | A 500 | Education Funding Reform | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| Jan. 7, 2008 | NJ | S 176 | Expanding Damages for Wrongful Death | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11) |
| Jan. 3, 2008 | NJ | A 4225 | National Popular Vote Act | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| Dec. 13, 2007 | MI | SB 981 | Mackinac Bridge Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
| Dec. 11, 2007 | WI | SJR 5 | Limiting Governor's Partial Veto Authority | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (33 - 0) |
| Dec. 11, 2007 | WI | SB 176 | Compensation for Discharged Police Officers | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 3) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/15 | Amnd. 423 to SB 1 | Persons Restricted from Doing Business with the State | Amendment Adopted - Senate (21 - 16) |
| 2/15 | Amnd. 423 to SB 1 | Persons Restricted from Doing Business with the State | Amendment Adopted - Senate (21 - 16) |
| 2/14 | AM 1736 | Eliminating Opt-Out Provision of Smoking Ban | Amendment Adopted - Senate (33 - 13) |
| 2/14 | HF 2285 | Funding for Natural Resources and Cultural Heritage | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (46 - 17) |
| 2/14 | HB 24 | Removing Tax Restrictions for Counties and Municipalities | Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 21) |
| 2/13 | HB 237 | Mandatory Election Recounts | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 17) |
| 2/13 | HB 237 | Mandatory Election Recounts | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 17) |
| 2/13 | SJR 1 | Eliminating Term Limits | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
| 2/13 | SB 174 | Railroad Eminent Domain | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
| 2/13 | SB 5278 | Public Financing of Local Campaigns | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20) |
| 2/13 | A 9998 | New York Racing Association Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 17) |
| 2/12 | SR 796 | Property Tax Assessment Cap | Resolution Passed - Senate (48 - 7) |
| 2/12 | SR 686 | Property Tax Assessment Freeze | Resolution Passed - Senate (53 - 3) |
| 2/12 | SR 822 | Reassessing Georgia's Northern Border | Resolution Passed - Senate (52 - 0) |
| 2/12 | SR 822 | Reassessing Georgia's Northern Border | Resolution Passed - Senate (52 - 0) |
| 2/11 | SB 225 | Health Care Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 19) |
| 2/11 | SB 189 | Accessibility of Public Records | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| 2/11 | SB 189 | Accessibility of Public Records | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| 2/10 | HB 661 | Affordable Housing Tax Relief | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 12) |
| 2/07 | SB 340 | Prohibiting Sanctuary Policies | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 8) |
| 2/07 | SB 436 | Reducing the Voting Age for Primary Elections | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 6) |
| 2/07 | H 4488 | Education Reorganization | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
| 2/07 | H 4488 | Education Reorganization | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
| 2/07 | SB 350 | Increasing Penalties for Driving Without a License | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 13) |
| 2/06 | HB 2 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 4) |
| 2/06 | LB 39 | Restricting Petition Circulation | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 14) |
| 2/05 | SB 202 | Local Regulation of Smoking in Restaurants | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9) |
| 2/05 | SB 35 | Salary Supplement for Math and Science Teachers | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 7) |
| 2/04 | SB 34 | New Mexico School for the Arts | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 6) |
| 1/30 | SB 3 | Primary Elections Date Change | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| 1/29 | SB 16 | Change in Township Assessment | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
| 1/29 | SB 143 | Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 13) |
| 1/29 | SB 16 | Change in Township Assessment | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
| 1/29 | SJR 1 | Constitutional Property Tax Cap | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (41 - 7) |
| 1/28 | SB 3 | Medicaid Funded Family Planning | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| 1/25 | SA Mitchell | Prohibiting State Funding of Abortion Providers | Amendment Rejected - Senate (13 - 20) |
| 1/25 | SB 2188 | Attorney General-Private Attorney Contract Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
| 1/25 | SB 2188 | Attorney General-Private Attorney Contract Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
| 1/25 | SB 2188 | Attorney General-Private Attorney Contract Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
| 1/24 | GN Baker | Matt Baker to the Public Utilities Commission | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 1/22 | SB 18 | Allowing Referendum on Public Construction Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 16) |
| 1/22 | SB 776 | Late-Term/Partial-Birth Abortion Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
| 1/17 | HB 656 | Providing Free Public Transportation for Senior Citizens | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 19) |
| 1/10 | HB 656 | Transportation Act | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 25) |
| 1/07 | A 500 | Education Funding Reform | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| 1/07 | S 176 | Expanding Damages for Wrongful Death | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11) |
| 1/03 | A 4225 | National Popular Vote Act | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| 12/13 | SB 981 | Mackinac Bridge Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
| 12/11 | SJR 5 | Limiting Governor's Partial Veto Authority | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (33 - 0) |
| 12/11 | SB 176 | Compensation for Discharged Police Officers | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 3) |