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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 15, 2008 | National | HR 6331 | Medicare Bill | Veto Override Passed - House (383 - 41) |
| July 9, 2008 | National | HR 6331 | Medicare Bill | Cloture Invoked - Senate (69 - 30) |
| June 24, 2008 | National | HR 6331 | Medicare Bill | Bill Passed - House (355 - 59) |
| June 5, 2008 | CA | SB 153 | Property Transfer | Bill Passed - House (45 - 29) |
| May 29, 2008 | CA | SB 1096 | Pharmacy Prescription Refill Mailings | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| May 29, 2008 | IL | SB 788 | Authorizing $16 Billion Increase in Bonds for State Pensions | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 21) |
| May 28, 2008 | CA | AB 2747 | Disclosing End-of-Life Care Options | Bill Passed - House (42 - 34) |
| May 6, 2008 | MO | HB 2010 | 2008-2009 Department of Mental Health and Department of Health and Senior Services Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (87 - 63) |
| May 5, 2008 | MN | Severson Amendment: Income Tax Refund | Amendment Adopted - House (75 - 54) | |
| May 1, 2008 | RI | H 7204 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| April 25, 2008 | RI | H 7204 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (60 - 12) |
| April 9, 2008 | SC | H 4673 | Cost-of-Living Pension Increases for Retired Legislators and State Workers | Bill Passed - House (58 - 51) |
| March 27, 2008 | MO | HB 2010 | 2008-2009 Department of Mental Health and Department of Health and Senior Services Budget | Bill Passed - House (87 - 66) |
| March 19, 2008 | ID | S 1447 | Capping Medical Benefits for State Government Retirees | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| March 18, 2008 | NH | HB 1645 | State Retirement System Amendments | Bill Passed - House (259 - 60) |
| March 12, 2008 | KY | HB 600 | State Retirement System | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 3) |
| March 11, 2008 | KY | HB 130 | Requiring Licenses for Denturists | Bill Passed - House (66 - 27) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | MS | SB 2998 | Immunity for Physicians Treating Medicaid Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 18) |
| Jan. 17, 2008 | IL | HB 656 | Providing Free Public Transportation for Senior Citizens | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (61 - 47) |
| 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 | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (62 - 51) |
| Jan. 10, 2008 | IL | HB 656 | Transportation Act | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 25) |
| Nov. 15, 2007 | National | HR 3043 | Appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies | Veto Override Failed - House (277 - 141) |
| Nov. 8, 2007 | National | HR 3043 | Appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (274 - 141) |
| Nov. 7, 2007 | National | HR 3043 | Appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies | Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 37) |
| Oct. 31, 2007 | MI | SB 229 | 2007-2008 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 8) |
| Oct. 31, 2007 | MI | SB 229 | 2007-2008 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (83 - 25) |
| Oct. 23, 2007 | National | HR 3043 | Appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies | Bill Passed - Senate (75 - 19) |
| 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 S Sub SB 546 | Public School Employee Retirement Benefits | Bill Passed - House (65 - 44) |
| Sept. 27, 2007 | MA | Jones Amendment | Expanding Pension Fund Divestments to Any State Sponsor of Terrorism | Amendment Rejected - House (32 - 124) |
| Sept. 27, 2007 | MA | Koutoujian Amendment | Expanding Pension Fund Divestment to Any State with a History of Genocide | Amendment Rejected - House (53 - 101) |
| Sept. 27, 2007 | MI | Sub SB 374 | Estate Recovery for Medicaid Recipients in Michigan | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| Sept. 27, 2007 | MA | S 2255 | State Pension Fund Divestment from Sudan | Bill Passed - House (154 - 2) |
| Sept. 26, 2007 | MI | Sub SB 374 | Estate Recovery for Medicaid Recipients in Michigan | Bill Passed - House (57 - 52) |
| Aug. 30, 2007 | MI | Sub SB 689 | State Employees' Retirement Act | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| July 11, 2007 | National | S 1701 | Extension of Funding for Transitional Medical Assistance and Abstinence Education | Bill Passed - House (291 - 126) |
| June 26, 2007 | AK | HCS CS SB 4 | Senior Benefits Payment Program | Bill Passed - House (34 - 3) |
| May 17, 2007 | National | S Con Res 21 | 2008 Budget Resolution | Conference Report Adopted - House (214 - 209) |
| May 17, 2007 | National | S Con Res 21 | 2008 Budget Resolution | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (52 - 40) |
| May 7, 2007 | MN | SF 2171 | 2008-2009 Health and Human Services Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (47 - 19) |
| May 7, 2007 | MN | SF 2171 | 2008-2009 Health and Human Services Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (82 - 44) |
| April 20, 2007 | MN | SF 2171 | 2008-2009 Health and Human Services Budget | Bill Passed - House (86 - 45) |
| April 10, 2007 | AK | CSSB 4 | Senior Benefits Payment Program | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 2) |
| March 29, 2007 | MN | SF 2171 | 2008-2009 Health and Human Services Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 23) |
| March 23, 2007 | National | S Con Res 21 | 2008 Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (52 - 47) |
| Jan. 12, 2007 | National | HR 4 | Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act | Bill Passed - House (255 - 170) |
| Aug. 22, 2006 | CA | SB 1248 | Long-Term Health Care Facilities | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11) |
| Aug. 17, 2006 | CA | SB 1248 | Long-Term Health Care Facilities | Bill Passed - House (49 - 28) |
| May 24, 2006 | ME | LD 1021 | Police and Firefighter Insurance | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7/15 | HR 6331 | Medicare Bill | Veto Override Passed - House (383 - 41) |
| 7/09 | HR 6331 | Medicare Bill | Cloture Invoked - Senate (69 - 30) |
| 6/24 | HR 6331 | Medicare Bill | Bill Passed - House (355 - 59) |
| 6/05 | SB 153 | Property Transfer | Bill Passed - House (45 - 29) |
| 5/29 | SB 1096 | Pharmacy Prescription Refill Mailings | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| 5/29 | SB 788 | Authorizing $16 Billion Increase in Bonds for State Pensions | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 21) |
| 5/28 | AB 2747 | Disclosing End-of-Life Care Options | Bill Passed - House (42 - 34) |
| 5/06 | HB 2010 | 2008-2009 Department of Mental Health and Department of Health and Senior Services Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (87 - 63) |
| 5/05 | Severson Amendment: Income Tax Refund | Amendment Adopted - House (75 - 54) | |
| 5/01 | H 7204 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| 4/25 | H 7204 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (60 - 12) |
| 4/09 | H 4673 | Cost-of-Living Pension Increases for Retired Legislators and State Workers | Bill Passed - House (58 - 51) |
| 3/27 | HB 2010 | 2008-2009 Department of Mental Health and Department of Health and Senior Services Budget | Bill Passed - House (87 - 66) |
| 3/19 | S 1447 | Capping Medical Benefits for State Government Retirees | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| 3/18 | HB 1645 | State Retirement System Amendments | Bill Passed - House (259 - 60) |
| 3/12 | HB 600 | State Retirement System | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 3) |
| 3/11 | HB 130 | Requiring Licenses for Denturists | Bill Passed - House (66 - 27) |
| 2/27 | SB 2998 | Immunity for Physicians Treating Medicaid Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 18) |
| 1/17 | HB 656 | Providing Free Public Transportation for Senior Citizens | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (61 - 47) |
| 1/17 | HB 656 | Providing Free Public Transportation for Senior Citizens | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 19) |
| 1/10 | HB 656 | Transportation Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (62 - 51) |
| 1/10 | HB 656 | Transportation Act | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 25) |
| 11/15 | HR 3043 | Appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies | Veto Override Failed - House (277 - 141) |
| 11/08 | HR 3043 | Appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (274 - 141) |
| 11/07 | HR 3043 | Appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies | Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 37) |
| 10/31 | SB 229 | 2007-2008 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 8) |
| 10/31 | SB 229 | 2007-2008 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (83 - 25) |
| 10/23 | HR 3043 | Appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies | Bill Passed - Senate (75 - 19) |
| 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 S Sub SB 546 | Public School Employee Retirement Benefits | Bill Passed - House (65 - 44) |
| 9/27 | Jones Amendment | Expanding Pension Fund Divestments to Any State Sponsor of Terrorism | Amendment Rejected - House (32 - 124) |
| 9/27 | Koutoujian Amendment | Expanding Pension Fund Divestment to Any State with a History of Genocide | Amendment Rejected - House (53 - 101) |
| 9/27 | Sub SB 374 | Estate Recovery for Medicaid Recipients in Michigan | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| 9/27 | S 2255 | State Pension Fund Divestment from Sudan | Bill Passed - House (154 - 2) |
| 9/26 | Sub SB 374 | Estate Recovery for Medicaid Recipients in Michigan | Bill Passed - House (57 - 52) |
| 8/30 | Sub SB 689 | State Employees' Retirement Act | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| 7/11 | S 1701 | Extension of Funding for Transitional Medical Assistance and Abstinence Education | Bill Passed - House (291 - 126) |
| 6/26 | HCS CS SB 4 | Senior Benefits Payment Program | Bill Passed - House (34 - 3) |
| 5/17 | S Con Res 21 | 2008 Budget Resolution | Conference Report Adopted - House (214 - 209) |
| 5/17 | S Con Res 21 | 2008 Budget Resolution | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (52 - 40) |
| 5/07 | SF 2171 | 2008-2009 Health and Human Services Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (47 - 19) |
| 5/07 | SF 2171 | 2008-2009 Health and Human Services Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (82 - 44) |
| 4/20 | SF 2171 | 2008-2009 Health and Human Services Budget | Bill Passed - House (86 - 45) |
| 4/10 | CSSB 4 | Senior Benefits Payment Program | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 2) |
| 3/29 | SF 2171 | 2008-2009 Health and Human Services Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 23) |
| 3/23 | S Con Res 21 | 2008 Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (52 - 47) |
| 1/12 | HR 4 | Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act | Bill Passed - House (255 - 170) |
| 8/22 | SB 1248 | Long-Term Health Care Facilities | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11) |
| 8/17 | SB 1248 | Long-Term Health Care Facilities | Bill Passed - House (49 - 28) |
| 5/24 | LD 1021 | Police and Firefighter Insurance | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |