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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 5, 2008 | CO | HB 1385 | Health Insurance Website | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (48 - 17) |
| May 5, 2008 | CO | HB 1082 | Sealing Criminal Records | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (36 - 28) |
| May 5, 2008 | CT | HB 5577 | Mortgage Assistance | Bill Passed - House (124 - 24) |
| May 5, 2008 | MN | HF 3149 | Homeowner and Property Tax Bill | Bill Passed - House (80 - 52) |
| May 3, 2008 | KS | SB 81 | Health Care Reform | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 1) |
| May 3, 2008 | KS | SB 81 | Health Care Reform | Conference Report Adopted - House (104 - 16) |
| May 2, 2008 | CO | HB 1082 | Sealing Criminal Records | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| May 2, 2008 | CO | SB 217 | Extended Health Care Coverage | Bill Passed - House (44 - 22) |
| May 2, 2008 | CO | SB 200 | Sexual Orientation Nondiscrimination | Bill Passed - House (38 - 26) |
| May 2, 2008 | CO | SB 200 | Sexual Orientation Nondiscrimination | Bill Passed - House (38 - 26) |
| May 2, 2008 | CO | HB 1385 | Health Insurance Website | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| May 2, 2008 | CO | HB 1325 | Seasonal Foreign Worker Pilot Program | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| May 2, 2008 | CO | HB 1208 | Limitations on Direct File Juvenile Cases | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16) |
| May 1, 2008 | MN | SF 2369 | Background Checks for Coaches | Conference Report Adopted - House (112 - 15) |
| May 1, 2008 | MN | SF 2369 | Background Checks for Coaches | Conference Report Adopted - House (112 - 15) |
| May 1, 2008 | AL | HB 787 | State Employees in Public Office | Bill Passed - House (57 - 36) |
| May 1, 2008 | MI | Sub HB 5282 | Independent Health Benefit Plans | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| May 1, 2008 | MI | HB 5283 | Health Insurance Package | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| May 1, 2008 | CO | HB 1357 | Changing student testing requirements | Bill Passed - House (35 - 29) |
| May 1, 2008 | RI | H 7204 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| May 1, 2008 | RI | H 7204 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| May 1, 2008 | RI | H 7204 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| April 30, 2008 | KS | SB 389 | Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Law Amendments | Veto Override Failed - Senate (25 - 14) |
| April 29, 2008 | AZ | HB 2557 | Fine Arts and Physical Education in School | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 4) |
| April 29, 2008 | RI | H 7107 | Employment Verification Program | Bill Passed - House (52 - 17) |
| April 29, 2008 | LA | HB 674 | Anti-Bullying Bill | Bill Failed - House (28 - 63) |
| April 28, 2008 | MN | Walker Amdt to SF 3001 | Sex Education in Schools | Amendment Adopted - House (79 - 53) |
| April 28, 2008 | FL | SB 2692 | Teaching Evolution in Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (71 - 43) |
| April 28, 2008 | FL | SB 2692 | Teaching Evolution in Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (71 - 43) |
| April 28, 2008 | AZ | HB 2745 | Amending Undocumented Immigrant Employment Sanctions | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 4) |
| 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 25, 2008 | RI | H 7204 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (60 - 12) |
| April 25, 2008 | IA | SF 2432 | Prison and Infrastructure Funding | Bill Passed - House (53 - 43) |
| April 25, 2008 | RI | H 7204 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (60 - 12) |
| April 25, 2008 | IA | H 8672 | DUI Appeals | Amendment Rejected - House (45 - 50) |
| April 24, 2008 | AZ | HB 2711 | State Control of Mismanaged Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (44 - 6) |
| April 24, 2008 | AZ | HB 2395 | Driving and Boating Under the Influence | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (35 - 15) |
| April 24, 2008 | MO | HB 2059 | Establishes the Professional Relationships Between Teachers and School Districts Act. | Bill Passed - House (83 - 67) |
| April 24, 2008 | IA | SF 2432 | 2008-2009 Prison and Infrastructure Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 13) |
| April 24, 2008 | MO | SB 817 | Physicians' Billing Practices | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 8) |
| April 23, 2008 | OK | SB 163 | English as the Official Language | Bill Passed - House (70 - 28) |
| April 23, 2008 | AZ | HB 2711 | State Control of Mismanaged Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 3) |
| April 23, 2008 | AZ | HB 2359 | County Sheriff and Border Patrol Collaboration | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10) |
| April 23, 2008 | AZ | HB 2359 | County Sheriff and Border Patrol Collaboration | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10) |
| April 23, 2008 | AZ | HB 2630 | Illegally Concealed Weapon Penalty Reduction | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 10) |
| April 23, 2008 | MI | HB 5221 | Capital Outlay Project | Bill Passed - House (59 - 45) |
| April 23, 2008 | FL | HJR 949 | Property Taxes Cap | Joint Resolution Passed - House (79 - 38) |
| April 23, 2008 | CT | HB 5536 | Health Insurance Pool | Bill Passed - House (102 - 43) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/05 | HB 1385 | Health Insurance Website | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (48 - 17) |
| 5/05 | HB 1082 | Sealing Criminal Records | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (36 - 28) |
| 5/05 | HB 5577 | Mortgage Assistance | Bill Passed - House (124 - 24) |
| 5/05 | HF 3149 | Homeowner and Property Tax Bill | Bill Passed - House (80 - 52) |
| 5/03 | SB 81 | Health Care Reform | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 1) |
| 5/03 | SB 81 | Health Care Reform | Conference Report Adopted - House (104 - 16) |
| 5/02 | HB 1082 | Sealing Criminal Records | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| 5/02 | SB 217 | Extended Health Care Coverage | Bill Passed - House (44 - 22) |
| 5/02 | SB 200 | Sexual Orientation Nondiscrimination | Bill Passed - House (38 - 26) |
| 5/02 | SB 200 | Sexual Orientation Nondiscrimination | Bill Passed - House (38 - 26) |
| 5/02 | HB 1385 | Health Insurance Website | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 5/02 | HB 1325 | Seasonal Foreign Worker Pilot Program | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| 5/02 | HB 1208 | Limitations on Direct File Juvenile Cases | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16) |
| 5/01 | SF 2369 | Background Checks for Coaches | Conference Report Adopted - House (112 - 15) |
| 5/01 | SF 2369 | Background Checks for Coaches | Conference Report Adopted - House (112 - 15) |
| 5/01 | HB 787 | State Employees in Public Office | Bill Passed - House (57 - 36) |
| 5/01 | Sub HB 5282 | Independent Health Benefit Plans | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| 5/01 | HB 5283 | Health Insurance Package | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| 5/01 | HB 1357 | Changing student testing requirements | Bill Passed - House (35 - 29) |
| 5/01 | H 7204 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| 5/01 | H 7204 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| 5/01 | H 7204 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| 4/30 | SB 389 | Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Law Amendments | Veto Override Failed - Senate (25 - 14) |
| 4/29 | HB 2557 | Fine Arts and Physical Education in School | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 4) |
| 4/29 | H 7107 | Employment Verification Program | Bill Passed - House (52 - 17) |
| 4/29 | HB 674 | Anti-Bullying Bill | Bill Failed - House (28 - 63) |
| 4/28 | Walker Amdt to SF 3001 | Sex Education in Schools | Amendment Adopted - House (79 - 53) |
| 4/28 | SB 2692 | Teaching Evolution in Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (71 - 43) |
| 4/28 | SB 2692 | Teaching Evolution in Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (71 - 43) |
| 4/28 | HB 2745 | Amending Undocumented Immigrant Employment Sanctions | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 4) |
| 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) |
| 4/25 | H 7204 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (60 - 12) |
| 4/25 | SF 2432 | Prison and Infrastructure Funding | Bill Passed - House (53 - 43) |
| 4/25 | H 7204 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (60 - 12) |
| 4/25 | H 8672 | DUI Appeals | Amendment Rejected - House (45 - 50) |
| 4/24 | HB 2711 | State Control of Mismanaged Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (44 - 6) |
| 4/24 | HB 2395 | Driving and Boating Under the Influence | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (35 - 15) |
| 4/24 | HB 2059 | Establishes the Professional Relationships Between Teachers and School Districts Act. | Bill Passed - House (83 - 67) |
| 4/24 | SF 2432 | 2008-2009 Prison and Infrastructure Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 13) |
| 4/24 | SB 817 | Physicians' Billing Practices | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 8) |
| 4/23 | SB 163 | English as the Official Language | Bill Passed - House (70 - 28) |
| 4/23 | HB 2711 | State Control of Mismanaged Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 3) |
| 4/23 | HB 2359 | County Sheriff and Border Patrol Collaboration | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10) |
| 4/23 | HB 2359 | County Sheriff and Border Patrol Collaboration | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10) |
| 4/23 | HB 2630 | Illegally Concealed Weapon Penalty Reduction | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 10) |
| 4/23 | HB 5221 | Capital Outlay Project | Bill Passed - House (59 - 45) |
| 4/23 | HJR 949 | Property Taxes Cap | Joint Resolution Passed - House (79 - 38) |
| 4/23 | HB 5536 | Health Insurance Pool | Bill Passed - House (102 - 43) |