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 3, 2008 | WY | HB 73 | Increasing DUI Penalties | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 16) |
| March 3, 2008 | CO | SB 164 | Increasing Caps on Medical Malpractice Lawsuits | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16) |
| March 3, 2008 | ID | S 1400 | Real Estate Sales Price Disclosure | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 15) |
| Feb. 29, 2008 | ID | S 1436 | Teacher Pay-for-Performance Plan | Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 19) |
| Feb. 29, 2008 | GA | SB 506 | Mandatory School Physical Fitness Testing | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 13) |
| Feb. 29, 2008 | GA | SB 506 | Mandatory School Physical Fitness Testing | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 13) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | MN | GN Molnau | Confirmation of Carol Molnau as Department of Transportation Commissioner | Nomination Rejected - Senate (22 - 44) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | WI | AB 377 | Emergency Contraception for Sexual Assault Victims | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 6) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | CO | SB 129 | Restricting Beverage Sales at Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | KS | SB 586 | Incentives to Develop Nuclear Power Facilities | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 8) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | CO | SB 129 | Restricting Beverage Sales at Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | VA | HB 30 | 2008-2010 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | IN | HB 1153 | Low-Stakes Gambling | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | IA | HF 2212 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | VA | HB 30 | 2008-2010 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | CO | HB 1069 | Prohibiting Motor Vehicles on Public Lands | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 8) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | MS | SB 2149 | Election of School Board Members | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 15) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | MS | SB 2206 | Radar Speed Detection | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | MS | SB 2998 | Immunity for Physicians Treating Medicaid Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 18) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | GA | SB 433 | Permitting Destination Cancer Hospitals | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 23) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | MO | HB 1066 | Teacher Certification | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | SD | HB 1085 | Constructing Science Facilities at Universities | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 3) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | WV | SB 248 | Non-Participation in the Real ID Act | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 3) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | IN | HB 1210 | Teacher Certification | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| Feb. 26, 2008 | IN | HB 1001 | Property Tax Reduction | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
| Feb. 26, 2008 | National | S 1200 | Indian Health Care Improvement Act Amendments of 2008 | Bill Passed - Senate (83 - 10) |
| Feb. 26, 2008 | IA | SF 2216 | State-Mandated Curriculum for Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14) |
| Feb. 26, 2008 | WI | SB 178 | Insurance Coverage for Autism Treatment | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
| Feb. 25, 2008 | MN | HF 2800 | 2009-2010 Transportation Budget | Veto Override Passed - Senate (47 - 20) |
| Feb. 25, 2008 | IN | Amnd. 19 | Referendum on Township Assessors | Amendment Rejected - Senate (24 - 20) |
| Feb. 25, 2008 | IN | Amnd. 17 | Elimination of Township Assessors | Amendment Rejected - Senate (23 - 23) |
| Feb. 25, 2008 | VA | HB 11 | Property Tax Exemptions | Motion Agreed - Senate (21 - 19) |
| Feb. 22, 2008 | NE | LB 395 | Statewide Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 14) |
| Feb. 21, 2008 | MN | HF 2800 | 2009-2010 Transportation Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 20) |
| Feb. 21, 2008 | MS | SB 2793 | Utility Rate Increases During Planning or Construction of Plants | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 11) |
| Feb. 21, 2008 | NH | CACR 34 | Constitutional Amendment to Define an Adequate Education | Resolution Passed - Senate (19 - 5) |
| Feb. 20, 2008 | CO | SB 73 | College Textbook Information Disclosure | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 4) |
| Feb. 20, 2008 | GA | SR 845 | Regional Transportation Sales Tax | Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 4) |
| Feb. 19, 2008 | CA | GN Borucki | Confirmation of Joan Borucki as State Lottery Director | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (32 - 3) |
| Feb. 19, 2008 | WI | S Amnd. 1 | Virtual Charter School Enrollment Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (16 - 17) |
| Feb. 19, 2008 | WI | S Amnd. 1 | Virtual Charter School Enrollment Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (17 - 16) |
| Feb. 19, 2008 | WI | SB 396 | Virtual Charter Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| Feb. 18, 2008 | WA | SB 6305 | Use of Federal Sex Education Grants | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 11) |
| Feb. 18, 2008 | WA | SB 6305 | Use of Federal Sex Education Grants | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 11) |
| Feb. 14, 2008 | NE | AM 1736 | Eliminating Opt-Out Provision of Smoking Ban | Amendment Adopted - Senate (33 - 13) |
| Feb. 14, 2008 | MN | HF 2285 | Funding for Natural Resources and Cultural Heritage | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (46 - 17) |
| Feb. 14, 2008 | KS | HB 2066 | Restricting the Secretary of Health and Environment's Enforcement Powers | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 7) |
| Feb. 14, 2008 | UT | SB 149 | Expanding Minimum Automotive Insurance Coverage | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
| Feb. 13, 2008 | KS | Steineger Amnd. | Limiting Carbon Dioxide Emissions | Amendment Rejected - Senate (3 - 32) |
| Feb. 13, 2008 | National | HR 2082 | Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 45) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/03 | HB 73 | Increasing DUI Penalties | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 16) |
| 3/03 | SB 164 | Increasing Caps on Medical Malpractice Lawsuits | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16) |
| 3/03 | S 1400 | Real Estate Sales Price Disclosure | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 15) |
| 2/29 | S 1436 | Teacher Pay-for-Performance Plan | Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 19) |
| 2/29 | SB 506 | Mandatory School Physical Fitness Testing | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 13) |
| 2/29 | SB 506 | Mandatory School Physical Fitness Testing | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 13) |
| 2/28 | GN Molnau | Confirmation of Carol Molnau as Department of Transportation Commissioner | Nomination Rejected - Senate (22 - 44) |
| 2/28 | AB 377 | Emergency Contraception for Sexual Assault Victims | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 6) |
| 2/28 | SB 129 | Restricting Beverage Sales at Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| 2/28 | SB 586 | Incentives to Develop Nuclear Power Facilities | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 8) |
| 2/28 | SB 129 | Restricting Beverage Sales at Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| 2/27 | HB 30 | 2008-2010 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| 2/27 | HB 1153 | Low-Stakes Gambling | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21) |
| 2/27 | HF 2212 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21) |
| 2/27 | HB 30 | 2008-2010 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| 2/27 | HB 1069 | Prohibiting Motor Vehicles on Public Lands | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 8) |
| 2/27 | SB 2149 | Election of School Board Members | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 15) |
| 2/27 | SB 2206 | Radar Speed Detection | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19) |
| 2/27 | SB 2998 | Immunity for Physicians Treating Medicaid Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 18) |
| 2/27 | SB 433 | Permitting Destination Cancer Hospitals | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 23) |
| 2/27 | HB 1066 | Teacher Certification | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5) |
| 2/27 | HB 1085 | Constructing Science Facilities at Universities | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 3) |
| 2/27 | SB 248 | Non-Participation in the Real ID Act | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 3) |
| 2/27 | HB 1210 | Teacher Certification | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| 2/26 | HB 1001 | Property Tax Reduction | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
| 2/26 | S 1200 | Indian Health Care Improvement Act Amendments of 2008 | Bill Passed - Senate (83 - 10) |
| 2/26 | SF 2216 | State-Mandated Curriculum for Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14) |
| 2/26 | SB 178 | Insurance Coverage for Autism Treatment | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
| 2/25 | HF 2800 | 2009-2010 Transportation Budget | Veto Override Passed - Senate (47 - 20) |
| 2/25 | Amnd. 19 | Referendum on Township Assessors | Amendment Rejected - Senate (24 - 20) |
| 2/25 | Amnd. 17 | Elimination of Township Assessors | Amendment Rejected - Senate (23 - 23) |
| 2/25 | HB 11 | Property Tax Exemptions | Motion Agreed - Senate (21 - 19) |
| 2/22 | LB 395 | Statewide Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 14) |
| 2/21 | HF 2800 | 2009-2010 Transportation Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 20) |
| 2/21 | SB 2793 | Utility Rate Increases During Planning or Construction of Plants | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 11) |
| 2/21 | CACR 34 | Constitutional Amendment to Define an Adequate Education | Resolution Passed - Senate (19 - 5) |
| 2/20 | SB 73 | College Textbook Information Disclosure | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 4) |
| 2/20 | SR 845 | Regional Transportation Sales Tax | Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 4) |
| 2/19 | GN Borucki | Confirmation of Joan Borucki as State Lottery Director | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (32 - 3) |
| 2/19 | S Amnd. 1 | Virtual Charter School Enrollment Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (16 - 17) |
| 2/19 | S Amnd. 1 | Virtual Charter School Enrollment Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (17 - 16) |
| 2/19 | SB 396 | Virtual Charter Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| 2/18 | SB 6305 | Use of Federal Sex Education Grants | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 11) |
| 2/18 | SB 6305 | Use of Federal Sex Education Grants | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 11) |
| 2/14 | AM 1736 | Eliminating Opt-Out Provision of Smoking Ban | Amendment Adopted - Senate (33 - 13) |
| 2/14 | HF 2285 | Funding for Natural Resources and Cultural Heritage | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (46 - 17) |
| 2/14 | HB 2066 | Restricting the Secretary of Health and Environment's Enforcement Powers | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 7) |
| 2/14 | SB 149 | Expanding Minimum Automotive Insurance Coverage | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
| 2/13 | Steineger Amnd. | Limiting Carbon Dioxide Emissions | Amendment Rejected - Senate (3 - 32) |
| 2/13 | HR 2082 | Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 45) |