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. 22, 2008 | MD | SB 243 | Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 10) |
| Feb. 22, 2008 | MD | SB 243 | Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 10) |
| Feb. 21, 2008 | MS | HB 1089 | Legalizing Deer Baiting | Bill Passed - House (74 - 47) |
| Feb. 21, 2008 | VA | SB 476 | Prohibiting Drinking with a Concealed Weapon | Bill Passed - House (62 - 36) |
| Feb. 21, 2008 | VA | SB 436 | Concealed Weapons in Vehicles | Bill Passed - House (69 - 29) |
| Feb. 21, 2008 | UT | SB 81 | Expanding Immigration Enforcement | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5) |
| Feb. 21, 2008 | MD | SB 111 | Expanding Hate Crimes Classification to Homeless | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 4) |
| Feb. 21, 2008 | MI | HB 4675 | Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association Open Meetings and Public Access Requirements | Bill Passed - House (66 - 38) |
| Feb. 21, 2008 | MS | HB 1089 | Legalizing Deer Baiting | Bill Passed - House (74 - 47) |
| Feb. 21, 2008 | WY | HB 46 | Animal Abuse and Cruelty | Bill Passed - House (56 - 2) |
| Feb. 21, 2008 | WY | HB 46 | Animal Abuse and Cruelty | Bill Passed - House (56 - 2) |
| Feb. 21, 2008 | MS | SB 2468 | Voter Identification | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18) |
| Feb. 21, 2008 | SD | HB 1151 | Adult-Oriented Business Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
| Feb. 20, 2008 | KY | HB 396 | HPV Vaccinations for Primary, Secondary and Preschool Students | Bill Passed - House (56 - 37) |
| Feb. 20, 2008 | SD | SB 88 | Offering Sonograms to Women Considering Abortion | Bill Passed - House (38 - 32) |
| Feb. 19, 2008 | CA | GN Borucki | Confirmation of Joan Borucki as State Lottery Director | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (32 - 3) |
| Feb. 19, 2008 | MI | HB 4092 | DNA Testing for Violent Felonies | Bill Passed - House (104 - 4) |
| Feb. 19, 2008 | IA | HF 2212 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (56 - 44) |
| Feb. 19, 2008 | MI | HB 4092 | DNA Testing for Violent Felonies | Bill Passed - House (104 - 4) |
| Feb. 19, 2008 | WA | HB 2438 | Permitting Dogs in Cougar Hunting | Bill Passed - House (66 - 29) |
| Feb. 18, 2008 | CO | SB 3 | Medicaid Funded Family Planning | Bill Passed - House (41 - 23) |
| Feb. 18, 2008 | WA | SB 6305 | Use of Federal Sex Education Grants | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 11) |
| Feb. 18, 2008 | ID | H 348 | Legalizing Alcohol Sales on Election Day | Bill Passed - House (44 - 25) |
| Feb. 18, 2008 | WA | HB 2713 | Convicted Criminal DNA Database | Bill Passed - House (80 - 15) |
| Feb. 18, 2008 | WA | HB 2476 | Tribal Police Jurisdiction | Bill Passed - House (58 - 37) |
| Feb. 18, 2008 | WA | HB 2713 | Convicted Criminal DNA Database | Bill Passed - House (80 - 15) |
| Feb. 18, 2008 | WA | SB 6305 | Use of Federal Sex Education Grants | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 11) |
| Feb. 18, 2008 | CO | SB 3 | Medicaid Funded Family Planning | Bill Passed - House (41 - 23) |
| Feb. 15, 2008 | WA | HB 3104 | Domestic Partnership Rights | Bill Passed - House (62 - 32) |
| Feb. 15, 2008 | WA | HB 3104 | Domestic Partnership Rights | Bill Passed - House (62 - 32) |
| 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 | MN | HF 2285 | Funding for Natural Resources and Cultural Heritage | Conference Report Adopted - House (85 - 46) |
| Feb. 14, 2008 | MI | HB 4505 | Changes to Driver's License Eligibility | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (99 - 5) |
| Feb. 14, 2008 | MI | HB 4505 | Changes to Driver's License Eligibility | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (99 - 5) |
| Feb. 14, 2008 | UT | SB 117 | Increasing Penalties for Animal Cruelty | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 14) |
| Feb. 14, 2008 | KY | HB 55 | Booster Seat Requirement | Bill Passed - House (68 - 28) |
| Feb. 14, 2008 | KS | HB 2617 | Mandatory Drug Testing for Drivers Causing Serious Accidents | Bill Passed - House (117 - 5) |
| Feb. 14, 2008 | SD | HB 1151 | Adult-Oriented Business Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (47 - 21) |
| Feb. 14, 2008 | KS | HB 2617 | Mandatory Drug Testing for Drivers Causing Serious Accidents | Bill Passed - House (117 - 5) |
| Feb. 13, 2008 | NY | A 9998 | New York Racing Association Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 17) |
| Feb. 13, 2008 | TN | SB 3419 | Parental Consent for Sexual Abuse Prevention Education | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 6) |
| Feb. 13, 2008 | NY | A 9998 | New York Racing Association Funding | Bill Passed - House (92 - 40) |
| Feb. 13, 2008 | TN | SB 3419 | Parental Consent for Sexual Abuse Prevention Education | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 6) |
| Feb. 13, 2008 | SD | SB 174 | Railroad Eminent Domain | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
| Feb. 12, 2008 | National | S Amdt 3907 | Striking Telecommunications Companies' Civil Immunity for Surveillance | Amendment Rejected - Senate (31 - 67) |
| Feb. 12, 2008 | National | S Amdt 3910 | FISA as Exclusive Means for Conducting Electronic Surveillance | Amendment Rejected - Senate (57 - 41) |
| Feb. 12, 2008 | MI | SB 415 | HPV Information for Schools | Bill Passed - House (94 - 12) |
| Feb. 12, 2008 | National | S 2248 | FISA Amendments Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 29) |
| Feb. 12, 2008 | UT | HB 241 | Restricting In-State Tuition Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (40 - 35) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/22 | SB 243 | Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 10) |
| 2/22 | SB 243 | Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 10) |
| 2/21 | HB 1089 | Legalizing Deer Baiting | Bill Passed - House (74 - 47) |
| 2/21 | SB 476 | Prohibiting Drinking with a Concealed Weapon | Bill Passed - House (62 - 36) |
| 2/21 | SB 436 | Concealed Weapons in Vehicles | Bill Passed - House (69 - 29) |
| 2/21 | SB 81 | Expanding Immigration Enforcement | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5) |
| 2/21 | SB 111 | Expanding Hate Crimes Classification to Homeless | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 4) |
| 2/21 | HB 4675 | Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association Open Meetings and Public Access Requirements | Bill Passed - House (66 - 38) |
| 2/21 | HB 1089 | Legalizing Deer Baiting | Bill Passed - House (74 - 47) |
| 2/21 | HB 46 | Animal Abuse and Cruelty | Bill Passed - House (56 - 2) |
| 2/21 | HB 46 | Animal Abuse and Cruelty | Bill Passed - House (56 - 2) |
| 2/21 | SB 2468 | Voter Identification | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18) |
| 2/21 | HB 1151 | Adult-Oriented Business Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
| 2/20 | HB 396 | HPV Vaccinations for Primary, Secondary and Preschool Students | Bill Passed - House (56 - 37) |
| 2/20 | SB 88 | Offering Sonograms to Women Considering Abortion | Bill Passed - House (38 - 32) |
| 2/19 | GN Borucki | Confirmation of Joan Borucki as State Lottery Director | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (32 - 3) |
| 2/19 | HB 4092 | DNA Testing for Violent Felonies | Bill Passed - House (104 - 4) |
| 2/19 | HF 2212 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (56 - 44) |
| 2/19 | HB 4092 | DNA Testing for Violent Felonies | Bill Passed - House (104 - 4) |
| 2/19 | HB 2438 | Permitting Dogs in Cougar Hunting | Bill Passed - House (66 - 29) |
| 2/18 | SB 3 | Medicaid Funded Family Planning | Bill Passed - House (41 - 23) |
| 2/18 | SB 6305 | Use of Federal Sex Education Grants | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 11) |
| 2/18 | H 348 | Legalizing Alcohol Sales on Election Day | Bill Passed - House (44 - 25) |
| 2/18 | HB 2713 | Convicted Criminal DNA Database | Bill Passed - House (80 - 15) |
| 2/18 | HB 2476 | Tribal Police Jurisdiction | Bill Passed - House (58 - 37) |
| 2/18 | HB 2713 | Convicted Criminal DNA Database | Bill Passed - House (80 - 15) |
| 2/18 | SB 6305 | Use of Federal Sex Education Grants | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 11) |
| 2/18 | SB 3 | Medicaid Funded Family Planning | Bill Passed - House (41 - 23) |
| 2/15 | HB 3104 | Domestic Partnership Rights | Bill Passed - House (62 - 32) |
| 2/15 | HB 3104 | Domestic Partnership Rights | Bill Passed - House (62 - 32) |
| 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 | HF 2285 | Funding for Natural Resources and Cultural Heritage | Conference Report Adopted - House (85 - 46) |
| 2/14 | HB 4505 | Changes to Driver's License Eligibility | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (99 - 5) |
| 2/14 | HB 4505 | Changes to Driver's License Eligibility | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (99 - 5) |
| 2/14 | SB 117 | Increasing Penalties for Animal Cruelty | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 14) |
| 2/14 | HB 55 | Booster Seat Requirement | Bill Passed - House (68 - 28) |
| 2/14 | HB 2617 | Mandatory Drug Testing for Drivers Causing Serious Accidents | Bill Passed - House (117 - 5) |
| 2/14 | HB 1151 | Adult-Oriented Business Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (47 - 21) |
| 2/14 | HB 2617 | Mandatory Drug Testing for Drivers Causing Serious Accidents | Bill Passed - House (117 - 5) |
| 2/13 | A 9998 | New York Racing Association Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 17) |
| 2/13 | SB 3419 | Parental Consent for Sexual Abuse Prevention Education | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 6) |
| 2/13 | A 9998 | New York Racing Association Funding | Bill Passed - House (92 - 40) |
| 2/13 | SB 3419 | Parental Consent for Sexual Abuse Prevention Education | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 6) |
| 2/13 | SB 174 | Railroad Eminent Domain | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
| 2/12 | S Amdt 3907 | Striking Telecommunications Companies' Civil Immunity for Surveillance | Amendment Rejected - Senate (31 - 67) |
| 2/12 | S Amdt 3910 | FISA as Exclusive Means for Conducting Electronic Surveillance | Amendment Rejected - Senate (57 - 41) |
| 2/12 | SB 415 | HPV Information for Schools | Bill Passed - House (94 - 12) |
| 2/12 | S 2248 | FISA Amendments Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 29) |
| 2/12 | HB 241 | Restricting In-State Tuition Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (40 - 35) |