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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 13, 2008 | TN | SB 3419 | Parental Consent for Sexual Abuse Prevention Education | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 6) |
| Feb. 13, 2008 | TN | SB 3419 | Parental Consent for Sexual Abuse Prevention Education | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 6) |
| Feb. 13, 2008 | NY | A 9998 | New York Racing Association Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 17) |
| Feb. 13, 2008 | SD | SB 174 | Railroad Eminent Domain | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
| Feb. 12, 2008 | NM | HB 37 | Electronic Medical Records | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 23) |
| Feb. 12, 2008 | GA | SR 686 | Property Tax Assessment Freeze | Resolution Passed - Senate (53 - 3) |
| Feb. 12, 2008 | NM | HB 305 | Energy Efficiency Requirements for Public Utilities | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| Feb. 12, 2008 | GA | SR 796 | Property Tax Assessment Cap | Resolution Passed - Senate (48 - 7) |
| Feb. 11, 2008 | NM | HB 180 | Healthy Food Initiatives Board | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| Feb. 11, 2008 | NM | HB 180 | Healthy Food Initiatives Board | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| Feb. 11, 2008 | OR | SB 1080 | Driver's License Residency Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7) |
| Feb. 11, 2008 | NM | SB 225 | Health Care Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 19) |
| Feb. 10, 2008 | NM | SB 487 | Uranium Cleanup Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
| Feb. 10, 2008 | NM | HB 661 | Affordable Housing Tax Relief | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 12) |
| Feb. 7, 2008 | National | HR 5140 | Economic Stimulus Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 16) |
| Feb. 7, 2008 | MA | H 4488 | Education Reorganization | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
| Feb. 7, 2008 | GA | SB 350 | Increasing Penalties for Driving Without a License | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 13) |
| Feb. 7, 2008 | KY | SB 40 | Abortion Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4) |
| Feb. 6, 2008 | WA | SB 6452 | Yield Spread Premium Disclosure | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 17) |
| Feb. 6, 2008 | SD | SB 164 | Right to Obtain Contraception | Bill Failed - Senate (12 - 22) |
| Feb. 6, 2008 | WA | SB 6794 | New Ferry Vessels | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 8) |
| Feb. 6, 2008 | MI | SB 962 | Prohibiting Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9) |
| Feb. 6, 2008 | WA | SB 6381 | Good Faith Duties of Mortgage Brokers | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19) |
| Feb. 5, 2008 | VA | SB 298 | Banning Smoking Public Places | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| Feb. 5, 2008 | VA | SB 202 | Local Regulation of Smoking in Restaurants | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9) |
| Feb. 5, 2008 | UT | SB 35 | Salary Supplement for Math and Science Teachers | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 7) |
| Feb. 5, 2008 | VA | SB 501 | Restaurant and Bar Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| Feb. 4, 2008 | NM | SB 34 | New Mexico School for the Arts | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 6) |
| Feb. 4, 2008 | NM | SB 34 | New Mexico School for the Arts | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 6) |
| Feb. 4, 2008 | MS | SB 2199 | Gaming Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14) |
| Jan. 31, 2008 | SD | SB 173 | Eliminating Restrictions on Corporate Dairy Farms | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| Jan. 30, 2008 | KY | SB 112 | Restricting Public Employee Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
| Jan. 30, 2008 | CA | SB 926 | Mortgage Lender Requirements | Bill Failed - Senate (26 - 14) |
| Jan. 30, 2008 | KY | SB 112 | Restricting Public Employee Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
| Jan. 30, 2008 | WA | SB 5261 | Health Insurance Rate Oversight | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18) |
| Jan. 30, 2008 | CA | SB 908 | Global Warming Education in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13) |
| Jan. 29, 2008 | IN | SB 143 | Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 13) |
| Jan. 29, 2008 | IN | SB 143 | Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 13) |
| Jan. 29, 2008 | SD | SB 88 | Offering Sonograms to Women Considering Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
| Jan. 29, 2008 | IN | SJR 1 | Constitutional Property Tax Cap | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (41 - 7) |
| Jan. 29, 2008 | IN | SB 3 | Authorizing Physicians to Refuse Prescriptions | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18) |
| Jan. 24, 2008 | CO | GN Baker | Matt Baker to the Public Utilities Commission | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| Jan. 24, 2008 | IN | SB 3 | Authorizing Physicians to Refuse Prescriptions | Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 24) |
| Jan. 22, 2008 | National | HR 4986 | Defense Authorizations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 3) |
| Jan. 22, 2008 | SD | SB 26 | State Regulation of Preschools | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| Jan. 22, 2008 | IN | SB 18 | Allowing Referendum on Public Construction Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 16) |
| Jan. 22, 2008 | MI | SB 776 | Late-Term/Partial-Birth Abortion Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
| Jan. 17, 2008 | IL | HB 656 | Providing Free Public Transportation for Senior Citizens | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 19) |
| Jan. 17, 2008 | GA | HB 89 | Concealed Weapons in Motor Vehicles | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 15) |
| Jan. 15, 2008 | NE | LB 253 | Repealing Motorcycle Helmet Law | Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 25) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/13 | SB 3419 | Parental Consent for Sexual Abuse Prevention Education | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 6) |
| 2/13 | SB 3419 | Parental Consent for Sexual Abuse Prevention Education | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 6) |
| 2/13 | A 9998 | New York Racing Association Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 17) |
| 2/13 | SB 174 | Railroad Eminent Domain | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
| 2/12 | HB 37 | Electronic Medical Records | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 23) |
| 2/12 | SR 686 | Property Tax Assessment Freeze | Resolution Passed - Senate (53 - 3) |
| 2/12 | HB 305 | Energy Efficiency Requirements for Public Utilities | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| 2/12 | SR 796 | Property Tax Assessment Cap | Resolution Passed - Senate (48 - 7) |
| 2/11 | HB 180 | Healthy Food Initiatives Board | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| 2/11 | HB 180 | Healthy Food Initiatives Board | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| 2/11 | SB 1080 | Driver's License Residency Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7) |
| 2/11 | SB 225 | Health Care Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 19) |
| 2/10 | SB 487 | Uranium Cleanup Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
| 2/10 | HB 661 | Affordable Housing Tax Relief | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 12) |
| 2/07 | HR 5140 | Economic Stimulus Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 16) |
| 2/07 | H 4488 | Education Reorganization | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
| 2/07 | SB 350 | Increasing Penalties for Driving Without a License | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 13) |
| 2/07 | SB 40 | Abortion Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4) |
| 2/06 | SB 6452 | Yield Spread Premium Disclosure | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 17) |
| 2/06 | SB 164 | Right to Obtain Contraception | Bill Failed - Senate (12 - 22) |
| 2/06 | SB 6794 | New Ferry Vessels | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 8) |
| 2/06 | SB 962 | Prohibiting Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9) |
| 2/06 | SB 6381 | Good Faith Duties of Mortgage Brokers | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19) |
| 2/05 | SB 298 | Banning Smoking Public Places | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| 2/05 | SB 202 | Local Regulation of Smoking in Restaurants | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9) |
| 2/05 | SB 35 | Salary Supplement for Math and Science Teachers | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 7) |
| 2/05 | SB 501 | Restaurant and Bar Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| 2/04 | SB 34 | New Mexico School for the Arts | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 6) |
| 2/04 | SB 34 | New Mexico School for the Arts | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 6) |
| 2/04 | SB 2199 | Gaming Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14) |
| 1/31 | SB 173 | Eliminating Restrictions on Corporate Dairy Farms | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| 1/30 | SB 112 | Restricting Public Employee Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
| 1/30 | SB 926 | Mortgage Lender Requirements | Bill Failed - Senate (26 - 14) |
| 1/30 | SB 112 | Restricting Public Employee Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
| 1/30 | SB 5261 | Health Insurance Rate Oversight | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18) |
| 1/30 | SB 908 | Global Warming Education in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13) |
| 1/29 | SB 143 | Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 13) |
| 1/29 | SB 143 | Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 13) |
| 1/29 | SB 88 | Offering Sonograms to Women Considering Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
| 1/29 | SJR 1 | Constitutional Property Tax Cap | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (41 - 7) |
| 1/29 | SB 3 | Authorizing Physicians to Refuse Prescriptions | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18) |
| 1/24 | GN Baker | Matt Baker to the Public Utilities Commission | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 1/24 | SB 3 | Authorizing Physicians to Refuse Prescriptions | Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 24) |
| 1/22 | HR 4986 | Defense Authorizations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 3) |
| 1/22 | SB 26 | State Regulation of Preschools | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| 1/22 | SB 18 | Allowing Referendum on Public Construction Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 16) |
| 1/22 | SB 776 | Late-Term/Partial-Birth Abortion Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
| 1/17 | HB 656 | Providing Free Public Transportation for Senior Citizens | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 19) |
| 1/17 | HB 89 | Concealed Weapons in Motor Vehicles | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 15) |
| 1/15 | LB 253 | Repealing Motorcycle Helmet Law | Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 25) |