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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 28, 2008 | CA | SB 1137 | Residential Property Foreclosures | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| April 25, 2008 | IA | SF 2425 | 2008-2009 Health and Human Services Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (53 - 45) |
| April 25, 2008 | RI | H 7204 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (60 - 12) |
| April 24, 2008 | FL | Amdt 28283 | Commuter Trains in Orlando | Amendment Rejected - House (54 - 64) |
| April 24, 2008 | AZ | HB 2395 | Driving and Boating Under the Influence | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (35 - 15) |
| April 24, 2008 | AZ | HB 2711 | State Control of Mismanaged Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (44 - 6) |
| April 24, 2008 | MO | HB 2059 | Establishes the Professional Relationships Between Teachers and School Districts Act. | Bill Passed - House (83 - 67) |
| April 24, 2008 | MO | SB 817 | Physicians' Billing Practices | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 8) |
| April 23, 2008 | AZ | HB 2711 | State Control of Mismanaged Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 3) |
| April 23, 2008 | FL | SB 2692 | Science Curriculum Flexibility | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| April 23, 2008 | MI | HB 5221 | Capital Outlay Project | Bill Passed - House (59 - 45) |
| April 23, 2008 | National | HR 5613 | Medicaid Extensions and Changes | Bill Passed - House (349 - 62) |
| April 23, 2008 | FL | HJR 949 | Property Taxes Cap | Joint Resolution Passed - House (79 - 38) |
| April 23, 2008 | CO | HB 1385 | Health Insurance Website | Bill Passed - House (49 - 16) |
| April 23, 2008 | CT | HB 5536 | Health Insurance Pool | Bill Passed - House (102 - 43) |
| April 23, 2008 | MN | HF 3195 | Greenhouse Gas Emissions Cap and Trade Program Report | Bill Passed - House (91 - 38) |
| April 22, 2008 | IA | S 5408 | Changes to School Infrastructure Sales Tax | Amendment Rejected - Senate (20 - 30) |
| April 22, 2008 | CO | HB 1325 | Seasonal Foreign Worker Pilot Program | Bill Passed - House (46 - 18) |
| April 22, 2008 | MI | SB 1078 | Township Annexation Requirements | Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 20) |
| April 22, 2008 | CO | SB 217 | Extended Health Care Coverage | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
| April 22, 2008 | IA | HF 2663 | Statewide Sales Tax Increase for School Infrastructure Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 11) |
| April 21, 2008 | MN | HF 1351 | Transportation Policy Reform | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 11) |
| April 21, 2008 | AZ | HB 2395 | Driving and Boating Under the Influence | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 6) |
| April 21, 2008 | LA | HB 852 | Banning Cell Phones While Driving | Bill Passed - House (55 - 43) |
| April 21, 2008 | MO | HB 1831 | Prohibiting Coerced Abortion | Bill Passed - House (113 - 33) |
| April 17, 2008 | OK | SB 1819 | Tax Rebates for Sports Franchises | Conference Report Adopted - House (67 - 32) |
| April 17, 2008 | MI | HB 5525 | Energy Efficiency Program | Bill Passed - House (81 - 18) |
| April 17, 2008 | MI | HB 5524 | Energy Utility Regulations | Bill Passed - House (78 - 30) |
| April 17, 2008 | MI | HB 5548 | Renewable Energy Portfolios | Bill Passed - House (86 - 21) |
| April 17, 2008 | IL | SB 2063 | South Suburban Airport Authority | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 7) |
| April 17, 2008 | IL | SB 2063 | South Suburban Airport Authority | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 7) |
| April 17, 2008 | IA | SF 2425 | 2008-2009 Health and Human Services Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 16) |
| April 17, 2008 | MI | HB 5549 | Renewable Energy Portfolio Exemptions | Bill Passed - House (84 - 21) |
| April 17, 2008 | IL | SB 2858 | Public School Trans Fat Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 19) |
| April 17, 2008 | IL | SB 2858 | Public School Trans Fat Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 19) |
| April 16, 2008 | MS | SB 2793 | Utility Rate Increases During Planning or Construction of Plants | Conference Report Adopted - House (80 - 37) |
| April 16, 2008 | MS | SB 2199 | Gaming Restrictions | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (24 - 26) |
| April 16, 2008 | IA | SF 2420 | Increasing Vehicle Registration Fees | Bill Passed - House (53 - 47) |
| April 16, 2008 | MO | HB 1066 | Teacher Certification | Bill Passed - House (85 - 63) |
| April 15, 2008 | ME | LD 701 | Slot Machine Authorization | Veto Override Failed - House (94 - 49) |
| April 15, 2008 | IA | S 5355 to SF 2420 | State Funding of Road Projects | Amendment Rejected - Senate (17 - 32) |
| April 15, 2008 | MS | SB 2793 | Utility Rate Increases During Planning or Construction of Plants | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 4) |
| April 15, 2008 | OK | SB 1819 | Tax Rebates for Sports Franchises | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 21) |
| April 15, 2008 | MS | SB 2149 | Superintendent Removal Procedures | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (38 - 14) |
| April 15, 2008 | MS | SB 2149 | Superintendent Removal Procedures | Conference Report Adopted - House (100 - 18) |
| April 15, 2008 | CO | HB 1270 | Prohibiting Restrictions on Energy Efficiency Measures | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 10) |
| April 15, 2008 | CO | HB 1270 | Prohibiting Restrictions on Energy Efficiency Measures | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 10) |
| April 15, 2008 | ME | LD 2247 | Alcohol and Soda Tax for Health Care Funding | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (75 - 64) |
| April 15, 2008 | ME | LD 2247 | Alcohol and Soda Tax for Health Care Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| April 15, 2008 | IA | SF 2420 | Increasing Vehicle Registration Fees | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 14) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/28 | SB 1137 | Residential Property Foreclosures | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| 4/25 | SF 2425 | 2008-2009 Health and Human Services Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (53 - 45) |
| 4/25 | H 7204 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (60 - 12) |
| 4/24 | Amdt 28283 | Commuter Trains in Orlando | Amendment Rejected - House (54 - 64) |
| 4/24 | HB 2395 | Driving and Boating Under the Influence | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (35 - 15) |
| 4/24 | HB 2711 | State Control of Mismanaged Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (44 - 6) |
| 4/24 | HB 2059 | Establishes the Professional Relationships Between Teachers and School Districts Act. | Bill Passed - House (83 - 67) |
| 4/24 | SB 817 | Physicians' Billing Practices | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 8) |
| 4/23 | HB 2711 | State Control of Mismanaged Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 3) |
| 4/23 | SB 2692 | Science Curriculum Flexibility | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| 4/23 | HB 5221 | Capital Outlay Project | Bill Passed - House (59 - 45) |
| 4/23 | HR 5613 | Medicaid Extensions and Changes | Bill Passed - House (349 - 62) |
| 4/23 | HJR 949 | Property Taxes Cap | Joint Resolution Passed - House (79 - 38) |
| 4/23 | HB 1385 | Health Insurance Website | Bill Passed - House (49 - 16) |
| 4/23 | HB 5536 | Health Insurance Pool | Bill Passed - House (102 - 43) |
| 4/23 | HF 3195 | Greenhouse Gas Emissions Cap and Trade Program Report | Bill Passed - House (91 - 38) |
| 4/22 | S 5408 | Changes to School Infrastructure Sales Tax | Amendment Rejected - Senate (20 - 30) |
| 4/22 | HB 1325 | Seasonal Foreign Worker Pilot Program | Bill Passed - House (46 - 18) |
| 4/22 | SB 1078 | Township Annexation Requirements | Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 20) |
| 4/22 | SB 217 | Extended Health Care Coverage | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
| 4/22 | HF 2663 | Statewide Sales Tax Increase for School Infrastructure Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 11) |
| 4/21 | HF 1351 | Transportation Policy Reform | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 11) |
| 4/21 | HB 2395 | Driving and Boating Under the Influence | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 6) |
| 4/21 | HB 852 | Banning Cell Phones While Driving | Bill Passed - House (55 - 43) |
| 4/21 | HB 1831 | Prohibiting Coerced Abortion | Bill Passed - House (113 - 33) |
| 4/17 | SB 1819 | Tax Rebates for Sports Franchises | Conference Report Adopted - House (67 - 32) |
| 4/17 | HB 5525 | Energy Efficiency Program | Bill Passed - House (81 - 18) |
| 4/17 | HB 5524 | Energy Utility Regulations | Bill Passed - House (78 - 30) |
| 4/17 | HB 5548 | Renewable Energy Portfolios | Bill Passed - House (86 - 21) |
| 4/17 | SB 2063 | South Suburban Airport Authority | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 7) |
| 4/17 | SB 2063 | South Suburban Airport Authority | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 7) |
| 4/17 | SF 2425 | 2008-2009 Health and Human Services Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 16) |
| 4/17 | HB 5549 | Renewable Energy Portfolio Exemptions | Bill Passed - House (84 - 21) |
| 4/17 | SB 2858 | Public School Trans Fat Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 19) |
| 4/17 | SB 2858 | Public School Trans Fat Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 19) |
| 4/16 | SB 2793 | Utility Rate Increases During Planning or Construction of Plants | Conference Report Adopted - House (80 - 37) |
| 4/16 | SB 2199 | Gaming Restrictions | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (24 - 26) |
| 4/16 | SF 2420 | Increasing Vehicle Registration Fees | Bill Passed - House (53 - 47) |
| 4/16 | HB 1066 | Teacher Certification | Bill Passed - House (85 - 63) |
| 4/15 | LD 701 | Slot Machine Authorization | Veto Override Failed - House (94 - 49) |
| 4/15 | S 5355 to SF 2420 | State Funding of Road Projects | Amendment Rejected - Senate (17 - 32) |
| 4/15 | SB 2793 | Utility Rate Increases During Planning or Construction of Plants | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 4) |
| 4/15 | SB 1819 | Tax Rebates for Sports Franchises | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 21) |
| 4/15 | SB 2149 | Superintendent Removal Procedures | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (38 - 14) |
| 4/15 | SB 2149 | Superintendent Removal Procedures | Conference Report Adopted - House (100 - 18) |
| 4/15 | HB 1270 | Prohibiting Restrictions on Energy Efficiency Measures | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 10) |
| 4/15 | HB 1270 | Prohibiting Restrictions on Energy Efficiency Measures | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 10) |
| 4/15 | LD 2247 | Alcohol and Soda Tax for Health Care Funding | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (75 - 64) |
| 4/15 | LD 2247 | Alcohol and Soda Tax for Health Care Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| 4/15 | SF 2420 | Increasing Vehicle Registration Fees | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 14) |