Key Votes

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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:

  1. The vote should be helpful in portraying how a member stands on a particular issue
  2. The vote should be clear for any person to understand
  3. The vote has received media attention
  4. The vote was passed or defeated by a very close margin
  5. Occasionally, if a specific bill is consistently inquired about on the Voter's Research Hotline, the vote will be added

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.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
April 24, 2008 MO HB 1851 Minimum Wage and Overtime Pay Changes Bill Failed - House (68 - 82)
April 24, 2008 MO HB 2059 Establishes the Professional Relationships Between Teachers and School Districts Act. Bill Passed - House (83 - 67)
April 22, 2008 CT HB 5105 Minimum Wage Increase Bill Passed - House (106 - 45)
April 22, 2008 CO HB 1325 Seasonal Foreign Worker Pilot Program Bill Passed - House (46 - 18)
April 16, 2008 IA HF 2686 Employee Identification Verification Bill Passed - House (84 - 16)
April 16, 2008 NH SB 502 Expanding Unemployment Compensation Eligibility Bill Passed - House (219 - 113)
April 10, 2008 NE LB 1082 Expanding Workers' Compensation Benefits Motion Rejected - Senate (22 - 18)
April 10, 2008 MN HF 3569 Workers' Lung Health Study Bill Passed - House (88 - 45)
April 1, 2008 AZ HB 2745 Amending Undocumented Immigrant Employment Sanctions Bill Passed - House (41 - 16)
March 28, 2008 CO SB 122 Wage Transparency Act Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
March 27, 2008 KS Carlson Amnd. Employment Eligibility Verification Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (86 - 36)
March 26, 2008 KS Barnett Amnd. Immigration Reform Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (12 - 27)
March 26, 2008 KS Brownlee Amnd. Prohibits Union from collecting dues from Undocumented Workers Amendment Adopted - Senate (19 - 18)
March 26, 2008 KS Huelskamp Amnd. 1 Employment Verification Amendment Rejected - Senate (11 - 27)
March 24, 2008 IA HF 2645 Public Employee Collective Bargaining and Teacher Termination Policy Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23)
March 20, 2008 KS SB 461 Electronic Wage Reports and Reimbursement Payments Motion Agreed - House (63 - 58)
March 20, 2008 NH SB 502 Expanding Unemployment Compensation Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 8)
March 20, 2008 KS HB 2947 2008-2009 Budget Amendments Bill Passed - House (71 - 51)
March 19, 2008 CO HB 1189 State Employee Strike Prohibition Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 2)
March 19, 2008 ID S 1447 Capping Medical Benefits for State Government Retirees Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10)
March 19, 2008 IA HF 2645 Public Employee Collective Bargaining and Teacher Termination Policy Bill Passed - House (52 - 47)
March 18, 2008 CO SB 139 Undocumented Immigrant Hiring Ban Notification Bill Passed - House (52 - 12)
March 18, 2008 NH HB 1436 Automatic Continuation Clause in Collective Bargaining Agreements Bill Passed - House (180 - 126)
March 18, 2008 NH HB 1645 State Retirement System Amendments Bill Passed - House (259 - 60)
March 18, 2008 ID S 1393 Non-Compete Agreements Bill Passed - House (43 - 27)
March 17, 2008 CO SB 122 Wage Transparency Act Bill Passed - House (37 - 26)
March 12, 2008 IA SF 2355 Time Off to Attend Presidential Precinct Caucuses Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 10)
March 5, 2008 WA HB 2815 Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19)
March 5, 2008 MS SB 2988 Prohibiting Employment of Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (112 - 8)
March 4, 2008 UT SB 81 Expanding Immigration Enforcement Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 4)
March 3, 2008 UT SB 81 Expanding Immigration Enforcement Bill Passed - House (56 - 15)
Feb. 29, 2008 KS HB 2870 Employment Incentive for Teachers Bill Failed - House (59 - 63)
Feb. 29, 2008 ID S 1393 Non-Compete Agreements Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
Feb. 27, 2008 CO SB 122 Wage Transparency Act Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 13)
Feb. 26, 2008 CO SB 139 Undocumented Immigrant Hiring Ban Notification Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 4)
Feb. 25, 2008 WV HB 4132 Prohibiting Mandatory Employee Participation in Political Events Bill Passed - House (64 - 33)
Feb. 21, 2008 UT SB 81 Expanding Immigration Enforcement Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5)
Feb. 19, 2008 WA HB 2815 Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions Bill Passed - House (64 - 31)
Feb. 1, 2008 MS SB 2037 Requirements for Public Works Laborers Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 5)
Jan. 30, 2008 CO HB 1189 State Employee Strike Prohibition Bill Passed - House (53 - 12)
Jan. 30, 2008 KY SB 112 Restricting Public Employee Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5)
Jan. 29, 2008 IN SB 335 Immigration Bill Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 11)
Jan. 24, 2008 VA HB 852 Collective Bargaining for Governmental Employees Motion Rejected - House (43 - 55)
Jan. 15, 2008 WI SB 130 Minimum Wage Increase Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 13)
Dec. 11, 2007 WI SB 176 Compensation for Discharged Police Officers Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 3)
Nov. 19, 2007 MD HB 1 2007-2008 Budget Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (100 - 33)
Nov. 19, 2007 MD HB 1 2007-2008 Budget Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 13)
Nov. 13, 2007 MD HB 1 2007-2008 Budget Amendments Bill Passed - House (103 - 36)
Oct. 11, 2007 MA H 4282 2007-2008 Budget Amendments Bill Passed - House (126 - 18)
Oct. 1, 2007 MI H Sub for S Sub SB 546 Public School Employee Retirement Benefits Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
Oct. 1, 2007 MI H Sub for Sub SB 547 Public School Employee Retirement Plan Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 17)
Oct. 1, 2007 MI H Sub for Sub SB 547 Public School Employee Retirement Plan Bill Passed - House (56 - 53)
Oct. 1, 2007 MI H Sub for S Sub SB 546 Public School Employee Retirement Benefits Bill Passed - House (65 - 44)
Aug. 30, 2007 MI Sub SB 689 State Employees' Retirement Act Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16)
July 17, 2007 National HR 980 Collective Bargaining for Public Safety Officers Bill Passed - House (314 - 97)
July 16, 2007 PA SB 246 Smoking Ban Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (13 - 36)
July 16, 2007 PA SB 246 Smoking Ban Bill Passed - House (141 - 62)
July 12, 2007 CA SB 180 Collective Bargaining Representation for Agricultural Workers Bill Passed - House (46 - 33)
July 6, 2007 IL HB 2055 State Lottery Privatization Bill Failed - House (6 - 78)
July 3, 2007 NC SCS HB 973 Mental Health Insurance Coverage Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 12)
June 29, 2007 DE SB 36 State Employee Collective Bargaining Bill Passed - House (26 - 10)
June 28, 2007 DE HA 1 Employee Paycheck Consent Amendment Rejected - House (15 - 23)
June 26, 2007 National HR 800 Union Organization Bill Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 48)
June 26, 2007 LA HB 489 Salary Increase for Statewide Elected Officials Concurrence Vote Passed - House (73 - 28)
June 26, 2007 PA SB 246 Smoking Ban Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17)
June 26, 2007 MI Sub for SB 547 Public School Employee Retirement Plan Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 17)
June 25, 2007 LA HB 489 Salary Increase for Statewide Elected Officials Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
June 20, 2007 AZ HB 2779 Employment of Undocumented Immigrants Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 4)
June 20, 2007 AZ HB 2779 Employment of Undocumented Immigrants Conference Report Adopted - House (47 - 11)
June 19, 2007 RI LCO # 2572/2 to H5300A Privatization of State Services Repeal Amendment Rejected - Senate (9 - 24)
June 18, 2007 OR SB 571 Smoking Ban Expansion Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 12)
June 15, 2007 RI LCO # 1305/22 to H5300A Privatization of State Services Amendment Adopted - House (61 - 13)
June 15, 2007 OR SB 571 Smoking Ban Expansion Bill Passed - House (38 - 21)
June 14, 2007 DE SB 36 State Employee Collective Bargaining Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 6)
June 7, 2007 CA SB 456 Diacetyl Toxic Substance Ban Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18)
June 6, 2007 LA HB 489 Salary Increase for Statewide Elected Officials Bill Passed - House (57 - 42)
June 4, 2007 CA AB 514 Diacetyl Toxic Substance Ban Bill Passed - House (43 - 33)
June 1, 2007 CT HB 7032 State Job Retention Bill Passed - House (125 - 25)
May 31, 2007 CT Sub SB 847 Workers' Compensation Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15)
May 24, 2007 TN SB 1325 Indoor Smoking Ban Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 5)
May 23, 2007 AZ HB 2779 Employment of Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 4)
May 21, 2007 CA SB 180 Collective Bargaining Representation for Agricultural Workers Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15)
May 19, 2007 MN HF 464 School District Health Insurance Pool Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 16)
May 17, 2007 MN HF 464 School District Health Insurance Pool Bill Passed - House (81 - 52)
May 16, 2007 WI AB 30 Felon Employment in Educational Agencies Bill Passed - House (64 - 29)
May 11, 2007 MN SF 238 Smoking Ban Conference Report Adopted - Senate (43 - 21)
May 11, 2007 MN SF 238 Smoking Ban Conference Report Adopted - House (81 - 48)
May 9, 2007 WI AB 260 Employment Discrimination Exception for Sexual or Violent Offenders Bill Passed - House (61 - 33)
May 2, 2007 TN HB 625 Tennessee Minimum Wage Act Bill Passed - House (59 - 37)
May 2, 2007 NC HB 259 Smoking Ban Bill Failed - House (55 - 61)
May 1, 2007 IL SB 500 Smoke Free Illinois Act Bill Passed - House (73 - 42)
April 29, 2007 IN HB 1678 Employer Health Insurance Plans Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 13)
April 29, 2007 IN HB 1678 Employer Health Insurance Plans Conference Report Adopted - House (70 - 29)
April 26, 2007 MN SF 238 Smoking Ban Bill Passed - House (85 - 45)
April 26, 2007 NH HB 514 Minimum Wage Increase Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 5)
April 24, 2007 NV AB 248 Regulation of Tip Sharing Agreements Bill Passed - House (32 - 10)
April 24, 2007 AZ HB 2589 Labor Solicitation and Criminal Trespass Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13)
April 23, 2007 MN SF 875 Minimum Wage Increase Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 23)
April 23, 2007 NV AB 494 Unemployment Compensation for Workers in a Lockout Bill Passed - House (28 - 14)
April 20, 2007 ND SB 2046 Teachers’ Retirement Fund Conference Report Adopted - House (57 - 27)
Date No. Title Outcome
4/24 HB 1851 Minimum Wage and Overtime Pay Changes Bill Failed - House (68 - 82)
4/24 HB 2059 Establishes the Professional Relationships Between Teachers and School Districts Act. Bill Passed - House (83 - 67)
4/22 HB 5105 Minimum Wage Increase Bill Passed - House (106 - 45)
4/22 HB 1325 Seasonal Foreign Worker Pilot Program Bill Passed - House (46 - 18)
4/16 HF 2686 Employee Identification Verification Bill Passed - House (84 - 16)
4/16 SB 502 Expanding Unemployment Compensation Eligibility Bill Passed - House (219 - 113)
4/10 LB 1082 Expanding Workers' Compensation Benefits Motion Rejected - Senate (22 - 18)
4/10 HF 3569 Workers' Lung Health Study Bill Passed - House (88 - 45)
4/01 HB 2745 Amending Undocumented Immigrant Employment Sanctions Bill Passed - House (41 - 16)
3/28 SB 122 Wage Transparency Act Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
3/27 Carlson Amnd. Employment Eligibility Verification Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (86 - 36)
3/26 Barnett Amnd. Immigration Reform Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (12 - 27)
3/26 Brownlee Amnd. Prohibits Union from collecting dues from Undocumented Workers Amendment Adopted - Senate (19 - 18)
3/26 Huelskamp Amnd. 1 Employment Verification Amendment Rejected - Senate (11 - 27)
3/24 HF 2645 Public Employee Collective Bargaining and Teacher Termination Policy Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23)
3/20 SB 461 Electronic Wage Reports and Reimbursement Payments Motion Agreed - House (63 - 58)
3/20 SB 502 Expanding Unemployment Compensation Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 8)
3/20 HB 2947 2008-2009 Budget Amendments Bill Passed - House (71 - 51)
3/19 HB 1189 State Employee Strike Prohibition Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 2)
3/19 S 1447 Capping Medical Benefits for State Government Retirees Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10)
3/19 HF 2645 Public Employee Collective Bargaining and Teacher Termination Policy Bill Passed - House (52 - 47)
3/18 SB 139 Undocumented Immigrant Hiring Ban Notification Bill Passed - House (52 - 12)
3/18 HB 1436 Automatic Continuation Clause in Collective Bargaining Agreements Bill Passed - House (180 - 126)
3/18 HB 1645 State Retirement System Amendments Bill Passed - House (259 - 60)
3/18 S 1393 Non-Compete Agreements Bill Passed - House (43 - 27)
3/17 SB 122 Wage Transparency Act Bill Passed - House (37 - 26)
3/12 SF 2355 Time Off to Attend Presidential Precinct Caucuses Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 10)
3/05 HB 2815 Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19)
3/05 SB 2988 Prohibiting Employment of Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (112 - 8)
3/04 SB 81 Expanding Immigration Enforcement Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 4)
3/03 SB 81 Expanding Immigration Enforcement Bill Passed - House (56 - 15)
2/29 HB 2870 Employment Incentive for Teachers Bill Failed - House (59 - 63)
2/29 S 1393 Non-Compete Agreements Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
2/27 SB 122 Wage Transparency Act Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 13)
2/26 SB 139 Undocumented Immigrant Hiring Ban Notification Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 4)
2/25 HB 4132 Prohibiting Mandatory Employee Participation in Political Events Bill Passed - House (64 - 33)
2/21 SB 81 Expanding Immigration Enforcement Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5)
2/19 HB 2815 Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions Bill Passed - House (64 - 31)
2/01 SB 2037 Requirements for Public Works Laborers Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 5)
1/30 HB 1189 State Employee Strike Prohibition Bill Passed - House (53 - 12)
1/30 SB 112 Restricting Public Employee Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5)
1/29 SB 335 Immigration Bill Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 11)
1/24 HB 852 Collective Bargaining for Governmental Employees Motion Rejected - House (43 - 55)
1/15 SB 130 Minimum Wage Increase Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 13)
12/11 SB 176 Compensation for Discharged Police Officers Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 3)
11/19 HB 1 2007-2008 Budget Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (100 - 33)
11/19 HB 1 2007-2008 Budget Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 13)
11/13 HB 1 2007-2008 Budget Amendments Bill Passed - House (103 - 36)
10/11 H 4282 2007-2008 Budget Amendments Bill Passed - House (126 - 18)
10/01 H Sub for S Sub SB 546 Public School Employee Retirement Benefits Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
10/01 H Sub for Sub SB 547 Public School Employee Retirement Plan Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 17)
10/01 H Sub for Sub SB 547 Public School Employee Retirement Plan Bill Passed - House (56 - 53)
10/01 H Sub for S Sub SB 546 Public School Employee Retirement Benefits Bill Passed - House (65 - 44)
8/30 Sub SB 689 State Employees' Retirement Act Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16)
7/17 HR 980 Collective Bargaining for Public Safety Officers Bill Passed - House (314 - 97)
7/16 SB 246 Smoking Ban Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (13 - 36)
7/16 SB 246 Smoking Ban Bill Passed - House (141 - 62)
7/12 SB 180 Collective Bargaining Representation for Agricultural Workers Bill Passed - House (46 - 33)
7/06 HB 2055 State Lottery Privatization Bill Failed - House (6 - 78)
7/03 SCS HB 973 Mental Health Insurance Coverage Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 12)
6/29 SB 36 State Employee Collective Bargaining Bill Passed - House (26 - 10)
6/28 HA 1 Employee Paycheck Consent Amendment Rejected - House (15 - 23)
6/26 HR 800 Union Organization Bill Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 48)
6/26 HB 489 Salary Increase for Statewide Elected Officials Concurrence Vote Passed - House (73 - 28)
6/26 SB 246 Smoking Ban Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17)
6/26 Sub for SB 547 Public School Employee Retirement Plan Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 17)
6/25 HB 489 Salary Increase for Statewide Elected Officials Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
6/20 HB 2779 Employment of Undocumented Immigrants Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 4)
6/20 HB 2779 Employment of Undocumented Immigrants Conference Report Adopted - House (47 - 11)
6/19 LCO # 2572/2 to H5300A Privatization of State Services Repeal Amendment Rejected - Senate (9 - 24)
6/18 SB 571 Smoking Ban Expansion Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 12)
6/15 LCO # 1305/22 to H5300A Privatization of State Services Amendment Adopted - House (61 - 13)
6/15 SB 571 Smoking Ban Expansion Bill Passed - House (38 - 21)
6/14 SB 36 State Employee Collective Bargaining Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 6)
6/07 SB 456 Diacetyl Toxic Substance Ban Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18)
6/06 HB 489 Salary Increase for Statewide Elected Officials Bill Passed - House (57 - 42)
6/04 AB 514 Diacetyl Toxic Substance Ban Bill Passed - House (43 - 33)
6/01 HB 7032 State Job Retention Bill Passed - House (125 - 25)
5/31 Sub SB 847 Workers' Compensation Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15)
5/24 SB 1325 Indoor Smoking Ban Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 5)
5/23 HB 2779 Employment of Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 4)
5/21 SB 180 Collective Bargaining Representation for Agricultural Workers Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15)
5/19 HF 464 School District Health Insurance Pool Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 16)
5/17 HF 464 School District Health Insurance Pool Bill Passed - House (81 - 52)
5/16 AB 30 Felon Employment in Educational Agencies Bill Passed - House (64 - 29)
5/11 SF 238 Smoking Ban Conference Report Adopted - Senate (43 - 21)
5/11 SF 238 Smoking Ban Conference Report Adopted - House (81 - 48)
5/09 AB 260 Employment Discrimination Exception for Sexual or Violent Offenders Bill Passed - House (61 - 33)
5/02 HB 625 Tennessee Minimum Wage Act Bill Passed - House (59 - 37)
5/02 HB 259 Smoking Ban Bill Failed - House (55 - 61)
5/01 SB 500 Smoke Free Illinois Act Bill Passed - House (73 - 42)
4/29 HB 1678 Employer Health Insurance Plans Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 13)
4/29 HB 1678 Employer Health Insurance Plans Conference Report Adopted - House (70 - 29)
4/26 SF 238 Smoking Ban Bill Passed - House (85 - 45)
4/26 HB 514 Minimum Wage Increase Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 5)
4/24 AB 248 Regulation of Tip Sharing Agreements Bill Passed - House (32 - 10)
4/24 HB 2589 Labor Solicitation and Criminal Trespass Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13)
4/23 SF 875 Minimum Wage Increase Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 23)
4/23 AB 494 Unemployment Compensation for Workers in a Lockout Bill Passed - House (28 - 14)
4/20 SB 2046 Teachers’ Retirement Fund Conference Report Adopted - House (57 - 27)

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