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 22, 2008 | MI | SB 1078 | Township Annexation Requirements | Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 20) |
| April 17, 2008 | IL | SB 2063 | South Suburban Airport Authority | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 7) |
| April 10, 2008 | National | HR 3221 | Housing Bill with Energy Tax Credit Extensions | Bill Passed - Senate (84 - 12) |
| March 31, 2008 | CO | HB 1270 | Prohibiting Restrictions on Energy Efficiency Measures | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| March 31, 2008 | GA | HB 1158 | Motor Vehicle Trauma Care Fee | Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 7) |
| March 28, 2008 | GA | HR 1246 | Property Tax Assessment Freeze | Resolution Passed - Senate (46 - 7) |
| March 27, 2008 | CO | HB 1280 | Extending Water Rights | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 2) |
| March 24, 2008 | MD | SB 597 | Property Transfer Tax Exemptions for Domestic Partners | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21) |
| March 14, 2008 | IN | SJR 1 | Constitutional Property Tax Cap | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (40 - 7) |
| March 14, 2008 | IN | HB 1001 | Property Tax Reduction | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 6) |
| March 6, 2008 | GA | SB 449 | Limiting Agritourism Liability | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 14) |
| March 5, 2008 | WY | HB 137 | Deadly Force in Self Defense | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 1) |
| March 3, 2008 | ID | S 1400 | Real Estate Sales Price Disclosure | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 15) |
| Feb. 26, 2008 | IN | HB 1001 | Property Tax Reduction | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
| Feb. 25, 2008 | IN | Amnd. 19 | Referendum on Township Assessors | Amendment Rejected - Senate (24 - 20) |
| Feb. 25, 2008 | IN | Amnd. 17 | Elimination of Township Assessors | Amendment Rejected - Senate (23 - 23) |
| Feb. 25, 2008 | VA | HB 11 | Property Tax Exemptions | Motion Agreed - Senate (21 - 19) |
| Feb. 13, 2008 | SD | SB 174 | Railroad Eminent Domain | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
| 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. 10, 2008 | NM | HB 661 | Affordable Housing Tax Relief | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 12) |
| Feb. 7, 2008 | National | HR 5140 | Economic Stimulus Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 16) |
| Feb. 6, 2008 | WA | SB 6381 | Good Faith Duties of Mortgage Brokers | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19) |
| Feb. 6, 2008 | WA | SB 6452 | Yield Spread Premium Disclosure | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 17) |
| Jan. 30, 2008 | CA | SB 926 | Mortgage Lender Requirements | Bill Failed - Senate (26 - 14) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/22 | SB 1078 | Township Annexation Requirements | Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 20) |
| 4/17 | SB 2063 | South Suburban Airport Authority | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 7) |
| 4/10 | HR 3221 | Housing Bill with Energy Tax Credit Extensions | Bill Passed - Senate (84 - 12) |
| 3/31 | HB 1270 | Prohibiting Restrictions on Energy Efficiency Measures | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 3/31 | HB 1158 | Motor Vehicle Trauma Care Fee | Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 7) |
| 3/28 | HR 1246 | Property Tax Assessment Freeze | Resolution Passed - Senate (46 - 7) |
| 3/27 | HB 1280 | Extending Water Rights | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 2) |
| 3/24 | SB 597 | Property Transfer Tax Exemptions for Domestic Partners | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21) |
| 3/14 | SJR 1 | Constitutional Property Tax Cap | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (40 - 7) |
| 3/14 | HB 1001 | Property Tax Reduction | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 6) |
| 3/06 | SB 449 | Limiting Agritourism Liability | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 14) |
| 3/05 | HB 137 | Deadly Force in Self Defense | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 1) |
| 3/03 | S 1400 | Real Estate Sales Price Disclosure | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 15) |
| 2/26 | HB 1001 | Property Tax Reduction | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
| 2/25 | Amnd. 19 | Referendum on Township Assessors | Amendment Rejected - Senate (24 - 20) |
| 2/25 | Amnd. 17 | Elimination of Township Assessors | Amendment Rejected - Senate (23 - 23) |
| 2/25 | HB 11 | Property Tax Exemptions | Motion Agreed - Senate (21 - 19) |
| 2/13 | SB 174 | Railroad Eminent Domain | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
| 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) |
| 2/10 | HB 661 | Affordable Housing Tax Relief | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 12) |
| 2/07 | HR 5140 | Economic Stimulus Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 16) |
| 2/06 | SB 6381 | Good Faith Duties of Mortgage Brokers | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19) |
| 2/06 | SB 6452 | Yield Spread Premium Disclosure | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 17) |
| 1/30 | SB 926 | Mortgage Lender Requirements | Bill Failed - Senate (26 - 14) |