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 9, 2008 AZ SB 1096 English Language Education Funding Bill Passed - House (37 - 23)
April 8, 2008 IA HF 2212 Smoking Ban Conference Report Adopted - House (54 - 45)
April 8, 2008 AK HJR 2 Gambling Restrictions Joint Resolution Passed - House (33 - 6)
April 7, 2008 MN Emmer Amnd. Voter Identification Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (59 - 70)
April 6, 2008 AK HB 364 Parental Consent for Underage Abortions Bill Passed - House (23 - 16)
April 6, 2008 AK HB 364 Parental Consent for Underage Abortions Bill Passed - House (23 - 16)
April 4, 2008 GA HB 978 Vehicle Seizures for Unlicensed Drivers Concurrence Vote Passed - House (115 - 44)
April 4, 2008 GA HB 978 Vehicle Seizures for Unlicensed Drivers Concurrence Vote Passed - House (115 - 44)
April 4, 2008 MD SB 597 Property Transfer Tax Exemptions for Domestic Partners Bill Passed - House (86 - 47)
April 4, 2008 ME LD 701 Slot Machine Authorization Bill Passed - House (98 - 32)
April 4, 2008 MD SB 566 Hospital Visitation/Decision-Making Rights for Domestic Partners Bill Passed - House (88 - 46)
April 2, 2008 KY SB 120 Booster Seat Requirement Bill Passed - House (88 - 8)
April 2, 2008 KY SB 120 Booster Seat Requirement Bill Passed - House (88 - 8)
April 2, 2008 National HR 5501 Funding to Combat AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis Bill Passed - House (308 - 116)
April 2, 2008 GA SB 174 Physical Fitness Standards for State Employees Bill Failed - House (55 - 107)
April 2, 2008 AZ HB 2700 9/11 Memorial Modifications Bill Passed - House (32 - 26)
April 2, 2008 OK SB 1878 Abortion Regulations Bill Passed - House (80 - 12)
April 2, 2008 OK SB 1878 Abortion Regulations Bill Passed - House (80 - 12)
April 1, 2008 MN Seifert Amendment: Prohibiting Grants for Groups Associated with Abortion Providers Amendment Rejected - House (64 - 66)
April 1, 2008 PA A 6178 to HB 1845 Reporting Missing Firearms Amendment Rejected - House (75 - 128)
April 1, 2008 MN SF 2369 Background Checks for Coaches Bill Passed - House (118 - 11)
April 1, 2008 CO SB 129 Restricting Beverage Sales at Schools Bill Passed - House (37 - 27)
April 1, 2008 AZ HB 2745 Amending Undocumented Immigrant Employment Sanctions Bill Passed - House (41 - 16)
April 1, 2008 KY HB 70 Restoring Voting Rights to Former Felons Bill Passed - House (80 - 14)
April 1, 2008 KY HB 70 Restoring Voting Rights to Former Felons Bill Passed - House (80 - 14)
Date No. Title Outcome
4/09 SB 1096 English Language Education Funding Bill Passed - House (37 - 23)
4/08 HF 2212 Smoking Ban Conference Report Adopted - House (54 - 45)
4/08 HJR 2 Gambling Restrictions Joint Resolution Passed - House (33 - 6)
4/07 Emmer Amnd. Voter Identification Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (59 - 70)
4/06 HB 364 Parental Consent for Underage Abortions Bill Passed - House (23 - 16)
4/06 HB 364 Parental Consent for Underage Abortions Bill Passed - House (23 - 16)
4/04 HB 978 Vehicle Seizures for Unlicensed Drivers Concurrence Vote Passed - House (115 - 44)
4/04 HB 978 Vehicle Seizures for Unlicensed Drivers Concurrence Vote Passed - House (115 - 44)
4/04 SB 597 Property Transfer Tax Exemptions for Domestic Partners Bill Passed - House (86 - 47)
4/04 LD 701 Slot Machine Authorization Bill Passed - House (98 - 32)
4/04 SB 566 Hospital Visitation/Decision-Making Rights for Domestic Partners Bill Passed - House (88 - 46)
4/02 SB 120 Booster Seat Requirement Bill Passed - House (88 - 8)
4/02 SB 120 Booster Seat Requirement Bill Passed - House (88 - 8)
4/02 HR 5501 Funding to Combat AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis Bill Passed - House (308 - 116)
4/02 SB 174 Physical Fitness Standards for State Employees Bill Failed - House (55 - 107)
4/02 HB 2700 9/11 Memorial Modifications Bill Passed - House (32 - 26)
4/02 SB 1878 Abortion Regulations Bill Passed - House (80 - 12)
4/02 SB 1878 Abortion Regulations Bill Passed - House (80 - 12)
4/01 Seifert Amendment: Prohibiting Grants for Groups Associated with Abortion Providers Amendment Rejected - House (64 - 66)
4/01 A 6178 to HB 1845 Reporting Missing Firearms Amendment Rejected - House (75 - 128)
4/01 SF 2369 Background Checks for Coaches Bill Passed - House (118 - 11)
4/01 SB 129 Restricting Beverage Sales at Schools Bill Passed - House (37 - 27)
4/01 HB 2745 Amending Undocumented Immigrant Employment Sanctions Bill Passed - House (41 - 16)
4/01 HB 70 Restoring Voting Rights to Former Felons Bill Passed - House (80 - 14)
4/01 HB 70 Restoring Voting Rights to Former Felons Bill Passed - House (80 - 14)

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