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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 4, 2008 | AK | SB 4002 | Energy Rebate Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 3) |
| Aug. 1, 2008 | AK | HB 3001 | Natural Gas Pipeline to Canada | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5) |
| July 29, 2008 | MA | S 2807 | Election Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
| July 26, 2008 | National | HR 3221 | Housing Bill with Energy Tax Credit Extensions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (72 - 13) |
| July 23, 2008 | National | HR 3221 | Housing Bill with Energy Tax Credit Extensions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (272 - 152) |
| July 22, 2008 | AK | HB 3001 | Natural Gas Pipeline to Canada | Bill Passed - House (24 - 16) |
| July 17, 2008 | NC | HB 2690 | Durham County Meals Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 22) |
| July 15, 2008 | CA | SB 974 | Shipping Fee | Bill Passed - House (46 - 24) |
| July 9, 2008 | VA | SB 6009 | Transportation Taxes | Bill Failed - House (39 - 59) |
| July 8, 2008 | NC | HB 2690 | Durham County Meals Tax | Bill Passed - House (60 - 59) |
| July 8, 2008 | NC | HB 2436 | 2008-2009 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (97 - 20) |
| July 8, 2008 | NC | HB 2436 | 2008-2009 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 14) |
| July 4, 2008 | PA | SB 1389 | 2008-2009 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (170 - 32) |
| July 4, 2008 | PA | HB 1067 | Omnibus Education Bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (191 - 11) |
| July 1, 2008 | DE | HB 518 | Alcohol Tax Increase | Bill Failed - Senate (7 - 14) |
| July 1, 2008 | DE | SB 300 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 6) |
| July 1, 2008 | DE | SB 300 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - House (33 - 7) |
| June 28, 2008 | MI | SB 1094 | 2008-2009 Department of Community Health Appropriations | Conference Report Adopted - House (75 - 30) |
| June 27, 2008 | MS | HB 17 | Medicaid Funds Bill | Bill Passed - House (68 - 44) |
| June 27, 2008 | NV | SB 5 | 2008-2009 Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 9) |
| June 26, 2008 | AZ | HB 2209 | 2008-2009 Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (31 - 29) |
| June 26, 2008 | AZ | HB 2209 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 10) |
| June 26, 2008 | DE | HB 518 | Alcohol Tax Increase | Bill Passed - House (25 - 16) |
| June 25, 2008 | VA | SB 6009 | Transportation Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| June 24, 2008 | NY | A 11258 | Mandatory Cigarette Taxation | Bill Passed - House (141 - 3) |
| June 24, 2008 | NY | S 8638 | Internet Sales Tax Repeal | Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 18) |
| June 23, 2008 | AZ | SB 1476 | Reducing Probation for Good Behavior | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 4) |
| June 23, 2008 | AZ | SB 1167 | Off-Highway Vehicle Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 7) |
| June 23, 2008 | NJ | S 1962 | State Worker Retirement and Health Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 8) |
| June 23, 2008 | NJ | A 2873 | School Construction Bonds | Bill Passed - House (42 - 36) |
| June 23, 2008 | NJ | A 2873 | School Construction Bonds | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
| June 23, 2008 | NJ | S 1962 | State Worker Retirement and Health Benefits | Bill Passed - House (52 - 13) |
| June 23, 2008 | NJ | S 1557 | FamilyCare Expansion bill | Bill Passed - House (59 - 18) |
| June 19, 2008 | NC | HB 2436 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 14) |
| June 18, 2008 | LA | HB 734 | Tuition Increase Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
| June 16, 2008 | PA | SB 1387 | Business Property Tax Deduction | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 15) |
| June 16, 2008 | PA | SB 1388 | Change Formula for Calculating Corporate Net Income Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19) |
| June 16, 2008 | PA | SB 1385 | Increase Tax Credit for Business Net Losses | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19) |
| June 13, 2008 | LA | SB 672 | Legislative Pay Increase | Bill Passed - House (56 - 45) |
| June 12, 2008 | MA | H 4554 | Life-Science Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 7) |
| June 11, 2008 | MA | H 4554 | Life-Science Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (142 - 15) |
| June 11, 2008 | LA | HB 1347 | Vouchers Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
| June 11, 2008 | CT | SB 1001 | Real Estate Conveyance Tax Extension | Bill Passed - House (82 - 51) |
| June 11, 2008 | CT | SB 1001 | Real Estate Conveyance Tax Extension | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| June 10, 2008 | LA | SB 672 | Legislative Pay Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 16) |
| June 9, 2008 | LA | HB 734 | Tuition Increase Bill | Bill Passed - House (84 - 18) |
| June 5, 2008 | MI | SB 1094 | 2008-2009 Department of Community Health Budget | Bill Passed - House (60 - 47) |
| June 4, 2008 | NH | SB 321 | Cigarette Tax Increase and Wine Discount Reduction | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (12 - 11) |
| June 4, 2008 | NH | SB 321 | Cigarette Tax Increase and Wine Discount Reduction | Conference Report Adopted - House (205 - 137) |
| June 4, 2008 | NH | SSHB 1 | Education Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 9) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8/04 | SB 4002 | Energy Rebate Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 3) |
| 8/01 | HB 3001 | Natural Gas Pipeline to Canada | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5) |
| 7/29 | S 2807 | Election Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
| 7/26 | HR 3221 | Housing Bill with Energy Tax Credit Extensions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (72 - 13) |
| 7/23 | HR 3221 | Housing Bill with Energy Tax Credit Extensions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (272 - 152) |
| 7/22 | HB 3001 | Natural Gas Pipeline to Canada | Bill Passed - House (24 - 16) |
| 7/17 | HB 2690 | Durham County Meals Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 22) |
| 7/15 | SB 974 | Shipping Fee | Bill Passed - House (46 - 24) |
| 7/09 | SB 6009 | Transportation Taxes | Bill Failed - House (39 - 59) |
| 7/08 | HB 2690 | Durham County Meals Tax | Bill Passed - House (60 - 59) |
| 7/08 | HB 2436 | 2008-2009 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (97 - 20) |
| 7/08 | HB 2436 | 2008-2009 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 14) |
| 7/04 | SB 1389 | 2008-2009 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (170 - 32) |
| 7/04 | HB 1067 | Omnibus Education Bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (191 - 11) |
| 7/01 | HB 518 | Alcohol Tax Increase | Bill Failed - Senate (7 - 14) |
| 7/01 | SB 300 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 6) |
| 7/01 | SB 300 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - House (33 - 7) |
| 6/28 | SB 1094 | 2008-2009 Department of Community Health Appropriations | Conference Report Adopted - House (75 - 30) |
| 6/27 | HB 17 | Medicaid Funds Bill | Bill Passed - House (68 - 44) |
| 6/27 | SB 5 | 2008-2009 Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 9) |
| 6/26 | HB 2209 | 2008-2009 Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (31 - 29) |
| 6/26 | HB 2209 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 10) |
| 6/26 | HB 518 | Alcohol Tax Increase | Bill Passed - House (25 - 16) |
| 6/25 | SB 6009 | Transportation Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| 6/24 | A 11258 | Mandatory Cigarette Taxation | Bill Passed - House (141 - 3) |
| 6/24 | S 8638 | Internet Sales Tax Repeal | Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 18) |
| 6/23 | SB 1476 | Reducing Probation for Good Behavior | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 4) |
| 6/23 | SB 1167 | Off-Highway Vehicle Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 7) |
| 6/23 | S 1962 | State Worker Retirement and Health Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 8) |
| 6/23 | A 2873 | School Construction Bonds | Bill Passed - House (42 - 36) |
| 6/23 | A 2873 | School Construction Bonds | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
| 6/23 | S 1962 | State Worker Retirement and Health Benefits | Bill Passed - House (52 - 13) |
| 6/23 | S 1557 | FamilyCare Expansion bill | Bill Passed - House (59 - 18) |
| 6/19 | HB 2436 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 14) |
| 6/18 | HB 734 | Tuition Increase Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
| 6/16 | SB 1387 | Business Property Tax Deduction | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 15) |
| 6/16 | SB 1388 | Change Formula for Calculating Corporate Net Income Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19) |
| 6/16 | SB 1385 | Increase Tax Credit for Business Net Losses | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19) |
| 6/13 | SB 672 | Legislative Pay Increase | Bill Passed - House (56 - 45) |
| 6/12 | H 4554 | Life-Science Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 7) |
| 6/11 | H 4554 | Life-Science Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (142 - 15) |
| 6/11 | HB 1347 | Vouchers Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
| 6/11 | SB 1001 | Real Estate Conveyance Tax Extension | Bill Passed - House (82 - 51) |
| 6/11 | SB 1001 | Real Estate Conveyance Tax Extension | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| 6/10 | SB 672 | Legislative Pay Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 16) |
| 6/09 | HB 734 | Tuition Increase Bill | Bill Passed - House (84 - 18) |
| 6/05 | SB 1094 | 2008-2009 Department of Community Health Budget | Bill Passed - House (60 - 47) |
| 6/04 | SB 321 | Cigarette Tax Increase and Wine Discount Reduction | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (12 - 11) |
| 6/04 | SB 321 | Cigarette Tax Increase and Wine Discount Reduction | Conference Report Adopted - House (205 - 137) |
| 6/04 | SSHB 1 | Education Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 9) |