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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan. 29, 2008 | GA | HB 908 | Expanding Sex Offender Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (141 - 29) |
| Jan. 29, 2008 | IN | SB 3 | Authorizing Physicians to Refuse Prescriptions | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18) |
| Jan. 29, 2008 | NM | SB 23 | Authorizing Stem Cell Research | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
| Jan. 29, 2008 | IN | SB 335 | Immigration Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 11) |
| Jan. 29, 2008 | IN | SB 335 | Immigration Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 11) |
| Jan. 29, 2008 | IN | SJR 7 | Definition of Marriage | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (39 - 9) |
| Jan. 29, 2008 | IN | SJR 7 | Definition of Marriage | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (39 - 9) |
| Jan. 29, 2008 | CA | AB 624 | Disclosing Organizational Diversity | Bill Passed - House (45 - 29) |
| Jan. 29, 2008 | SD | SB 88 | Offering Sonograms to Women Considering Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
| Jan. 29, 2008 | SD | HB 1193 | Offering Sonograms to Women Considering Abortion | Bill Passed - House (38 - 31) |
| Jan. 29, 2008 | IN | SB 3 | Authorizing Physicians to Refuse Prescriptions | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18) |
| Jan. 28, 2008 | GA | HB 301 | Increasing Dogfighting Penalties | Bill Passed - House (165 - 6) |
| Jan. 28, 2008 | CO | SB 3 | Medicaid Funded Family Planning | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| Jan. 28, 2008 | GA | HB 301 | Increasing Dogfighting Penalties | Bill Passed - House (165 - 6) |
| Jan. 28, 2008 | GA | HB 301 | Increasing Dogfighting Penalties | Bill Passed - House (165 - 6) |
| 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. 24, 2008 | IN | SB 3 | Authorizing Physicians to Refuse Prescriptions | Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 24) |
| Jan. 24, 2008 | NM | HB 9 | Allowing Domestic Partnerships | Bill Passed - House (33 - 31) |
| Jan. 24, 2008 | NM | HB 9 | Allowing Domestic Partnerships | Bill Passed - House (33 - 31) |
| Jan. 24, 2008 | IN | SB 3 | Authorizing Physicians to Refuse Prescriptions | Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 24) |
| Jan. 23, 2008 | National | HR 3963 | Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (CHIP) | Veto Override Failed - House (260 - 152) |
| Jan. 23, 2008 | National | HR 3963 | Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (CHIP) | Veto Override Failed - House (260 - 152) |
| Jan. 23, 2008 | MA | H 4477 | Cell Phone Driving Ban | Bill Passed - House (107 - 47) |
| Jan. 23, 2008 | WI | AB 377 | Emergency Contraception for Sexual Assault Victims | Bill Passed - House (61 - 35) |
| Jan. 23, 2008 | WI | AB 377 | Emergency Contraception for Sexual Assault Victims | Bill Passed - House (61 - 35) |
| Jan. 23, 2008 | WI | AB 377 | Emergency Contraception for Sexual Assault Victims | Bill Passed - House (61 - 35) |
| Jan. 22, 2008 | MI | SB 776 | Late-Term/Partial-Birth Abortion Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
| Jan. 22, 2008 | MI | SB 776 | Late-Term/Partial-Birth Abortion Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
| Jan. 22, 2008 | SD | SB 26 | State Regulation of Preschools | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| Jan. 21, 2008 | VA | HB 188 | HPV Vaccine Deadline Extension | Bill Passed - House (57 - 39) |
| Jan. 21, 2008 | VA | HB 188 | HPV Vaccine Deadline Extension | Bill Passed - House (57 - 39) |
| Jan. 17, 2008 | GA | HB 89 | Concealed Weapons in Motor Vehicles | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 15) |
| Jan. 16, 2008 | TN | SB 23 | Allowing Guns in Establishments that Serve Alcohol | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 6) |
| Jan. 15, 2008 | NE | LB 253 | Repealing Motorcycle Helmet Law | Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 25) |
| Jan. 15, 2008 | WI | AB 363 | Limiting the Scope of Citizen-Proposed Ordinances | Bill Passed - House (48 - 44) |
| Jan. 7, 2008 | NJ | A 4314 | Traffic Control Signal Monitoring | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11) |
| Jan. 7, 2008 | NJ | S 176 | Expanding Damages for Wrongful Death | Bill Passed - House (41 - 32) |
| Jan. 7, 2008 | NJ | S 176 | Expanding Damages for Wrongful Death | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11) |
| Jan. 7, 2008 | NJ | A 4314 | Traffic Control Signal Monitoring | Bill Passed - House (49 - 25) |
| Jan. 7, 2008 | NJ | A 4314 | Traffic Control Signal Monitoring | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11) |
| Jan. 7, 2008 | NJ | A 4314 | Traffic Control Signal Monitoring | Bill Passed - House (49 - 25) |
| Dec. 13, 2007 | MI | S Sub for Sub HB 4869 | Extending Boxing Regulation to Mixed Martial Arts | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (94 - 13) |
| Dec. 13, 2007 | MI | S Sub for Sub HB 4869 | Extending Boxing Regulation to Mixed Martial Arts | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (94 - 13) |
| Dec. 13, 2007 | MI | S Sub for Sub HB 4869 | Extending Boxing Regulation to Mixed Martial Arts | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| Dec. 13, 2007 | NJ | S 171 | Eliminating the Death Penalty | Bill Passed - House (44 - 36) |
| Dec. 13, 2007 | MI | S Sub for Sub HB 4869 | Extending Boxing Regulation to Mixed Martial Arts | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| Dec. 11, 2007 | WI | ASA 1 | Emergency Contraception for Sexual Assault Victims | Amendment Adopted - House (56 - 41) |
| Dec. 11, 2007 | WI | ASA 1 | Emergency Contraception for Sexual Assault Victims | Amendment Adopted - House (56 - 41) |
| Dec. 11, 2007 | WI | ASA 1 | Emergency Contraception for Sexual Assault Victims | Amendment Adopted - House (56 - 41) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/29 | HB 908 | Expanding Sex Offender Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (141 - 29) |
| 1/29 | SB 3 | Authorizing Physicians to Refuse Prescriptions | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18) |
| 1/29 | SB 23 | Authorizing Stem Cell Research | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
| 1/29 | SB 335 | Immigration Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 11) |
| 1/29 | SB 335 | Immigration Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 11) |
| 1/29 | SJR 7 | Definition of Marriage | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (39 - 9) |
| 1/29 | SJR 7 | Definition of Marriage | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (39 - 9) |
| 1/29 | AB 624 | Disclosing Organizational Diversity | Bill Passed - House (45 - 29) |
| 1/29 | SB 88 | Offering Sonograms to Women Considering Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
| 1/29 | HB 1193 | Offering Sonograms to Women Considering Abortion | Bill Passed - House (38 - 31) |
| 1/29 | SB 3 | Authorizing Physicians to Refuse Prescriptions | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18) |
| 1/28 | HB 301 | Increasing Dogfighting Penalties | Bill Passed - House (165 - 6) |
| 1/28 | SB 3 | Medicaid Funded Family Planning | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| 1/28 | HB 301 | Increasing Dogfighting Penalties | Bill Passed - House (165 - 6) |
| 1/28 | HB 301 | Increasing Dogfighting Penalties | Bill Passed - House (165 - 6) |
| 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) |
| 1/24 | SB 3 | Authorizing Physicians to Refuse Prescriptions | Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 24) |
| 1/24 | HB 9 | Allowing Domestic Partnerships | Bill Passed - House (33 - 31) |
| 1/24 | HB 9 | Allowing Domestic Partnerships | Bill Passed - House (33 - 31) |
| 1/24 | SB 3 | Authorizing Physicians to Refuse Prescriptions | Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 24) |
| 1/23 | HR 3963 | Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (CHIP) | Veto Override Failed - House (260 - 152) |
| 1/23 | HR 3963 | Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (CHIP) | Veto Override Failed - House (260 - 152) |
| 1/23 | H 4477 | Cell Phone Driving Ban | Bill Passed - House (107 - 47) |
| 1/23 | AB 377 | Emergency Contraception for Sexual Assault Victims | Bill Passed - House (61 - 35) |
| 1/23 | AB 377 | Emergency Contraception for Sexual Assault Victims | Bill Passed - House (61 - 35) |
| 1/23 | AB 377 | Emergency Contraception for Sexual Assault Victims | Bill Passed - House (61 - 35) |
| 1/22 | SB 776 | Late-Term/Partial-Birth Abortion Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
| 1/22 | SB 776 | Late-Term/Partial-Birth Abortion Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
| 1/22 | SB 26 | State Regulation of Preschools | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| 1/21 | HB 188 | HPV Vaccine Deadline Extension | Bill Passed - House (57 - 39) |
| 1/21 | HB 188 | HPV Vaccine Deadline Extension | Bill Passed - House (57 - 39) |
| 1/17 | HB 89 | Concealed Weapons in Motor Vehicles | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 15) |
| 1/16 | SB 23 | Allowing Guns in Establishments that Serve Alcohol | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 6) |
| 1/15 | LB 253 | Repealing Motorcycle Helmet Law | Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 25) |
| 1/15 | AB 363 | Limiting the Scope of Citizen-Proposed Ordinances | Bill Passed - House (48 - 44) |
| 1/07 | A 4314 | Traffic Control Signal Monitoring | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11) |
| 1/07 | S 176 | Expanding Damages for Wrongful Death | Bill Passed - House (41 - 32) |
| 1/07 | S 176 | Expanding Damages for Wrongful Death | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11) |
| 1/07 | A 4314 | Traffic Control Signal Monitoring | Bill Passed - House (49 - 25) |
| 1/07 | A 4314 | Traffic Control Signal Monitoring | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11) |
| 1/07 | A 4314 | Traffic Control Signal Monitoring | Bill Passed - House (49 - 25) |
| 12/13 | S Sub for Sub HB 4869 | Extending Boxing Regulation to Mixed Martial Arts | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (94 - 13) |
| 12/13 | S Sub for Sub HB 4869 | Extending Boxing Regulation to Mixed Martial Arts | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (94 - 13) |
| 12/13 | S Sub for Sub HB 4869 | Extending Boxing Regulation to Mixed Martial Arts | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| 12/13 | S 171 | Eliminating the Death Penalty | Bill Passed - House (44 - 36) |
| 12/13 | S Sub for Sub HB 4869 | Extending Boxing Regulation to Mixed Martial Arts | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| 12/11 | ASA 1 | Emergency Contraception for Sexual Assault Victims | Amendment Adopted - House (56 - 41) |
| 12/11 | ASA 1 | Emergency Contraception for Sexual Assault Victims | Amendment Adopted - House (56 - 41) |
| 12/11 | ASA 1 | Emergency Contraception for Sexual Assault Victims | Amendment Adopted - House (56 - 41) |