Key Votes

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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:

  1. The vote should be helpful in portraying how a member stands on a particular issue
  2. The vote should be clear for any person to understand
  3. The vote has received media attention
  4. The vote was passed or defeated by a very close margin
  5. Occasionally, if a specific bill is consistently inquired about on the Voter's Research Hotline, the vote will be added

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.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Feb. 6, 2008 WA SB 6381 Good Faith Duties of Mortgage Brokers Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19)
Feb. 6, 2008 SD SB 164 Right to Obtain Contraception Bill Failed - Senate (12 - 22)
Feb. 5, 2008 VA SB 202 Local Regulation of Smoking in Restaurants Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9)
Feb. 5, 2008 VA SB 298 Banning Smoking Public Places Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
Feb. 5, 2008 VA SB 501 Restaurant and Bar Smoking Ban Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10)
Feb. 5, 2008 UT SB 35 Salary Supplement for Math and Science Teachers Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 7)
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)
Feb. 4, 2008 NM SB 34 New Mexico School for the Arts Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 6)
Jan. 31, 2008 SD SB 173 Eliminating Restrictions on Corporate Dairy Farms Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8)
Jan. 30, 2008 WA SB 5261 Health Insurance Rate Oversight Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18)
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 CA SB 908 Global Warming Education in Schools Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13)
Jan. 30, 2008 KY SB 112 Restricting Public Employee Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5)
Jan. 29, 2008 IN SJR 1 Constitutional Property Tax Cap Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (41 - 7)
Jan. 29, 2008 SD SB 88 Offering Sonograms to Women Considering Abortion Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
Jan. 29, 2008 IN SB 3 Authorizing Physicians to Refuse Prescriptions Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18)
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. 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 MI SB 776 Late-Term/Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13)
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)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/06 SB 6381 Good Faith Duties of Mortgage Brokers Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19)
2/06 SB 164 Right to Obtain Contraception Bill Failed - Senate (12 - 22)
2/05 SB 202 Local Regulation of Smoking in Restaurants Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9)
2/05 SB 298 Banning Smoking Public Places Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
2/05 SB 501 Restaurant and Bar Smoking Ban Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10)
2/05 SB 35 Salary Supplement for Math and Science Teachers Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 7)
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)
2/04 SB 34 New Mexico School for the Arts Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 6)
1/31 SB 173 Eliminating Restrictions on Corporate Dairy Farms Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8)
1/30 SB 5261 Health Insurance Rate Oversight Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18)
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 908 Global Warming Education in Schools Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13)
1/30 SB 112 Restricting Public Employee Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5)
1/29 SJR 1 Constitutional Property Tax Cap Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (41 - 7)
1/29 SB 88 Offering Sonograms to Women Considering Abortion Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
1/29 SB 3 Authorizing Physicians to Refuse Prescriptions Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18)
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)
1/24 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 SB 776 Late-Term/Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13)
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)

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