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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 27, 2008 | ME | LD 2012 | Prohibiting Smoking in Vehicles with Children | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| March 25, 2008 | WI | AB 1 | Budget Repair Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14) |
| March 24, 2008 | KY | HB 406 | 2008-2010 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 2) |
| March 20, 2008 | AZ | SB 1420 | Public Highway Authorities | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 9) |
| March 20, 2008 | AZ | SB 1465 | Public-Private Transportation Projects | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 15) |
| March 20, 2008 | MD | SB 2 | Banning Cell Phones While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21) |
| March 18, 2008 | MD | SB 269 | Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21) |
| March 14, 2008 | MD | SB 461 | Prohibiting Cell Phone Use by Drivers Under 18 | Bill Failed - Senate (22 - 21) |
| March 12, 2008 | KY | SB 120 | Booster Seat Requirement | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
| March 6, 2008 | GA | SB 276 | Expanding Automotive Insurance Coverage | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (43 - 10) |
| March 6, 2008 | MN | HF 380 | Capital Improvements Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (57 - 9) |
| March 5, 2008 | WA | HB 2815 | Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19) |
| March 4, 2008 | UT | HB 359 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 3) |
| March 3, 2008 | WY | HB 73 | Increasing DUI Penalties | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 16) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | MN | GN Molnau | Confirmation of Carol Molnau as Department of Transportation Commissioner | Nomination Rejected - Senate (22 - 44) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | CO | HB 1069 | Prohibiting Motor Vehicles on Public Lands | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 8) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | WV | SB 248 | Non-Participation in the Real ID Act | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 3) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | MS | SB 2206 | Radar Speed Detection | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19) |
| Feb. 25, 2008 | MN | HF 2800 | 2009-2010 Transportation Budget | Veto Override Passed - Senate (47 - 20) |
| Feb. 21, 2008 | MN | HF 2800 | 2009-2010 Transportation Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 20) |
| Feb. 20, 2008 | GA | SR 845 | Regional Transportation Sales Tax | Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 4) |
| Feb. 14, 2008 | UT | SB 149 | Expanding Minimum Automotive Insurance Coverage | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
| Feb. 11, 2008 | OR | SB 1080 | Driver's License Residency Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7) |
| Feb. 7, 2008 | GA | SB 350 | Increasing Penalties for Driving Without a License | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 13) |
| Feb. 6, 2008 | MI | SB 962 | Prohibiting Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9) |
| Feb. 6, 2008 | WA | SB 6794 | New Ferry Vessels | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 8) |
| Jan. 17, 2008 | IL | HB 656 | Providing Free Public Transportation for Senior Citizens | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 19) |
| Jan. 15, 2008 | NE | LB 253 | Repealing Motorcycle Helmet Law | Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 25) |
| Jan. 10, 2008 | IL | HB 656 | Transportation Act | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 25) |
| Jan. 7, 2008 | NJ | A 4314 | Traffic Control Signal Monitoring | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11) |
| Dec. 13, 2007 | National | HR 6 | Energy Act of 2007 | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (86 - 8) |
| Dec. 13, 2007 | MI | SB 981 | Mackinac Bridge Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
| Oct. 30, 2007 | National | S 294 | Amtrak Reauthorization | Bill Passed - Senate (70 - 22) |
| Oct. 29, 2007 | HI | SB 1 | Superferry Environmental Assessment | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 5) |
| Oct. 25, 2007 | National | S Amdt 3453 | Amtrak Federal Subsidy Limits | Amendment Rejected - Senate (28 - 66) |
| Oct. 23, 2007 | WI | AS SB 40 | 2007-2009 Biennium Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 15) |
| Oct. 22, 2007 | NY | S 6484 | Driver's License Citizenship Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 19) |
| Oct. 18, 2007 | MI | S Sub for Sub HB 4749 | Motorcycle Helmet Law | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| Oct. 15, 2007 | WI | SB 2 | Transportation Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14) |
| Oct. 2, 2007 | IL | SB 540 | Truck Speed Limit Increase | Veto Override Passed - Senate (39 - 10) |
| Sept. 18, 2007 | IL | HB 2035 | Gaming Expansion to Fund Infrastructure and Social Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 15) |
| Sept. 10, 2007 | National | S Amdt 2792 | Bridge Repair Funding | Amendment Adopted - Senate (60 - 33) |
| Aug. 30, 2007 | CA | SB 33 | Underage Driver Cellphone Ban | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| July 26, 2007 | National | HR 1 | Implementing the 9/11 Commission Recommendations Act | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (85 - 8) |
| July 17, 2007 | NC | CS SB 563 | Traffic and Personal Safety Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
| July 16, 2007 | PA | HB 1590 | Public Transportation and Interstate 80 Toll Road | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
| June 26, 2007 | LA | SB 223 | Required Liability Insurance Increase | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
| June 21, 2007 | National | HR 6 | Energy Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 27) |
| June 21, 2007 | NJ | S 3000 | 2007-2008 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| June 19, 2007 | AZ | SB 1552 | Air Pollution Control | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 3) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/27 | LD 2012 | Prohibiting Smoking in Vehicles with Children | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 3/25 | AB 1 | Budget Repair Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14) |
| 3/24 | HB 406 | 2008-2010 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 2) |
| 3/20 | SB 1420 | Public Highway Authorities | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 9) |
| 3/20 | SB 1465 | Public-Private Transportation Projects | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 15) |
| 3/20 | SB 2 | Banning Cell Phones While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21) |
| 3/18 | SB 269 | Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21) |
| 3/14 | SB 461 | Prohibiting Cell Phone Use by Drivers Under 18 | Bill Failed - Senate (22 - 21) |
| 3/12 | SB 120 | Booster Seat Requirement | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
| 3/06 | SB 276 | Expanding Automotive Insurance Coverage | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (43 - 10) |
| 3/06 | HF 380 | Capital Improvements Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (57 - 9) |
| 3/05 | HB 2815 | Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19) |
| 3/04 | HB 359 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 3) |
| 3/03 | HB 73 | Increasing DUI Penalties | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 16) |
| 2/28 | GN Molnau | Confirmation of Carol Molnau as Department of Transportation Commissioner | Nomination Rejected - Senate (22 - 44) |
| 2/27 | HB 1069 | Prohibiting Motor Vehicles on Public Lands | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 8) |
| 2/27 | SB 248 | Non-Participation in the Real ID Act | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 3) |
| 2/27 | SB 2206 | Radar Speed Detection | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19) |
| 2/25 | HF 2800 | 2009-2010 Transportation Budget | Veto Override Passed - Senate (47 - 20) |
| 2/21 | HF 2800 | 2009-2010 Transportation Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 20) |
| 2/20 | SR 845 | Regional Transportation Sales Tax | Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 4) |
| 2/14 | SB 149 | Expanding Minimum Automotive Insurance Coverage | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
| 2/11 | SB 1080 | Driver's License Residency Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7) |
| 2/07 | SB 350 | Increasing Penalties for Driving Without a License | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 13) |
| 2/06 | SB 962 | Prohibiting Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9) |
| 2/06 | SB 6794 | New Ferry Vessels | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 8) |
| 1/17 | HB 656 | Providing Free Public Transportation for Senior Citizens | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 19) |
| 1/15 | LB 253 | Repealing Motorcycle Helmet Law | Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 25) |
| 1/10 | HB 656 | Transportation Act | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 25) |
| 1/07 | A 4314 | Traffic Control Signal Monitoring | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11) |
| 12/13 | HR 6 | Energy Act of 2007 | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (86 - 8) |
| 12/13 | SB 981 | Mackinac Bridge Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
| 10/30 | S 294 | Amtrak Reauthorization | Bill Passed - Senate (70 - 22) |
| 10/29 | SB 1 | Superferry Environmental Assessment | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 5) |
| 10/25 | S Amdt 3453 | Amtrak Federal Subsidy Limits | Amendment Rejected - Senate (28 - 66) |
| 10/23 | AS SB 40 | 2007-2009 Biennium Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 15) |
| 10/22 | S 6484 | Driver's License Citizenship Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 19) |
| 10/18 | S Sub for Sub HB 4749 | Motorcycle Helmet Law | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| 10/15 | SB 2 | Transportation Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14) |
| 10/02 | SB 540 | Truck Speed Limit Increase | Veto Override Passed - Senate (39 - 10) |
| 9/18 | HB 2035 | Gaming Expansion to Fund Infrastructure and Social Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 15) |
| 9/10 | S Amdt 2792 | Bridge Repair Funding | Amendment Adopted - Senate (60 - 33) |
| 8/30 | SB 33 | Underage Driver Cellphone Ban | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| 7/26 | HR 1 | Implementing the 9/11 Commission Recommendations Act | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (85 - 8) |
| 7/17 | CS SB 563 | Traffic and Personal Safety Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
| 7/16 | HB 1590 | Public Transportation and Interstate 80 Toll Road | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
| 6/26 | SB 223 | Required Liability Insurance Increase | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
| 6/21 | HR 6 | Energy Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 27) |
| 6/21 | S 3000 | 2007-2008 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| 6/19 | SB 1552 | Air Pollution Control | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 3) |