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 5, 2008 | WI | AB 67 | Business Education Tax Credit | Bill Passed - House (55 - 40) |
| March 5, 2008 | MS | SB 2988 | Prohibiting Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (112 - 8) |
| March 5, 2008 | WI | AB 47 | Health Savings Account Tax Deductions | Bill Passed - House (60 - 35) |
| March 5, 2008 | GA | SR 796 | Property Tax Assessment Cap | Resolution Failed - House (110 - 62) |
| March 5, 2008 | GA | SR 796 | Property Tax Assessment Cap | Resolution Failed - House (110 - 62) |
| March 5, 2008 | ID | HCR 49 | State Employee Pay Raise | Resolution Passed - House (51 - 19) |
| March 5, 2008 | UT | SB 299 | Domestic Partnership Benefits | Bill Passed - House (61 - 9) |
| March 5, 2008 | National | HR 1424 | Mental Health Coverage Bill | Bill Passed - House (268 - 148) |
| March 4, 2008 | MO | HA 5 | Defining Mifepristone as a Schedule 1 Controlled Substance | Amendment Adopted - House |
| March 4, 2008 | KY | HB 186 | Dental Health Certificate Requirement for School Enrollment | Bill Passed - House (91 - 4) |
| March 4, 2008 | KY | HB 186 | Dental Health Certificate Requirement for School Enrollment | Bill Passed - House (91 - 4) |
| March 4, 2008 | AZ | HB 2630 | Illegally Concealed Weapon Penalty Reduction | Bill Passed - House (36 - 24) |
| March 4, 2008 | GA | HB 1245 | Public Defender Funding Amendments | Bill Passed - House (141 - 21) |
| March 4, 2008 | UT | SB 297 | Increasing Penalties for Animal Cruelty | Bill Passed - House (62 - 6) |
| March 4, 2008 | IL | HB 4180 | Allowing Teachers to Conduct a Silent Reflection | Bill Passed - House (72 - 31) |
| March 4, 2008 | KY | HB 31 | Felony Record Expungement | Bill Passed - House (76 - 21) |
| March 3, 2008 | MN | Seifert Amendment: Restriction of State Aid Based on Compliance with Immigration Laws | Amendment Rejected - House (66 - 67) | |
| March 3, 2008 | UT | AM 1 | Mandating the Concealment of Firearms on Campus | Amendment Adopted - House (41 - 29) |
| March 3, 2008 | UT | SB 81 | Expanding Immigration Enforcement | Bill Passed - House (56 - 15) |
| March 3, 2008 | AZ | HB 2769 | Increasing Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Penalties | Bill Passed - House (34 - 25) |
| March 3, 2008 | UT | HB 473 | Campus Gun Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (60 - 11) |
| March 3, 2008 | AZ | HB 2359 | County Sheriff and Border Patrol Collaboration | Bill Passed - House (33 - 27) |
| March 3, 2008 | AZ | HB 2359 | County Sheriff and Border Patrol Collaboration | Bill Passed - House (33 - 27) |
| March 3, 2008 | MN | HF 3201 | Omnibus Tax Bill | Bill Passed - House (81 - 51) |
| Feb. 29, 2008 | WA | SB 5261 | Health Insurance Rate Oversight | Bill Passed - House (68 - 26) |
| Feb. 29, 2008 | WY | SF 11 | County Regulation on Subdivisions | Bill Passed - House (37 - 22) |
| Feb. 29, 2008 | KS | HB 2870 | Employment Incentive for Teachers | Bill Failed - House (59 - 63) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | WI | A Amnd. 1 | Exemptions to Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Ban | Amendment Tabled - House (54 - 43) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | WI | A Amnd. 1 | Exemptions to Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Ban | Amendment Tabled - House (54 - 43) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | WI | A Amnd. 2 | Exemptions to Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Ban | Amendment Tabled - House (54 - 43) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | WI | A Amnd. 2 | Exemptions to Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Ban | Amendment Tabled - House (54 - 43) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | KS | Ward Amnd. | Teacher Scholarship Program | Amendment Rejected - House (50 - 71) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | IN | SJR 1 | Constitutional Property Tax Cap | Bill Passed - House (64 - 35) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | WI | AB 870 | Virtual Charter Schools | Bill Passed - House (53 - 44) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | IN | SB 345 | Penalties for Employers of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (66 - 33) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | GA | HB 978 | Vehicle Seizures for Undocumented Immigrant Traffic Violations | Bill Passed - House (104 - 51) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | GA | HB 978 | Vehicle Seizures for Undocumented Immigrant Traffic Violations | Bill Passed - House (104 - 51) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | UT | SB 162 | State Discretion Over Federal Education Programs | Bill Passed - House (38 - 33) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | KS | HB 2605 | Changing School Finance Formula | Bill Failed - House (62 - 63) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | IN | SB 143 | Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention | Bill Passed - House (51 - 48) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | IN | SB 143 | Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention | Bill Passed - House (51 - 48) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | WI | AB 710 | Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Ban | Bill Passed - House (59 - 38) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | WI | AB 710 | Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Ban | Bill Passed - House (59 - 38) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | KS | McKinney Amnd. A to HB 2760 | Per Student Public School Funding | Amendment Rejected - House (50 - 70) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | CO | HB 1228 | Insurance Company Regulations | Bill Passed - House (40 - 25) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | CO | HB 1270 | Prohibiting Restrictions on Energy Efficiency Measures | Bill Passed - House (45 - 20) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | CO | HB 1001 | Expanding Bioscience Research Funding | Bill Passed - House (52 - 13) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | CO | HB 1280 | Extending Water Rights | Bill Passed - House (59 - 6) |
| Feb. 26, 2008 | WI | A Amnd. 1 | Divestment Due to Genocide Amendment | Amendment Tabled - House (50 - 47) |
| Feb. 26, 2008 | IN | Amnd. 2 | Permitting Lawsuits for Injuries Caused by Hazardous Substances | Amendment Adopted - House (52 - 45) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/05 | AB 67 | Business Education Tax Credit | Bill Passed - House (55 - 40) |
| 3/05 | SB 2988 | Prohibiting Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (112 - 8) |
| 3/05 | AB 47 | Health Savings Account Tax Deductions | Bill Passed - House (60 - 35) |
| 3/05 | SR 796 | Property Tax Assessment Cap | Resolution Failed - House (110 - 62) |
| 3/05 | SR 796 | Property Tax Assessment Cap | Resolution Failed - House (110 - 62) |
| 3/05 | HCR 49 | State Employee Pay Raise | Resolution Passed - House (51 - 19) |
| 3/05 | SB 299 | Domestic Partnership Benefits | Bill Passed - House (61 - 9) |
| 3/05 | HR 1424 | Mental Health Coverage Bill | Bill Passed - House (268 - 148) |
| 3/04 | HA 5 | Defining Mifepristone as a Schedule 1 Controlled Substance | Amendment Adopted - House |
| 3/04 | HB 186 | Dental Health Certificate Requirement for School Enrollment | Bill Passed - House (91 - 4) |
| 3/04 | HB 186 | Dental Health Certificate Requirement for School Enrollment | Bill Passed - House (91 - 4) |
| 3/04 | HB 2630 | Illegally Concealed Weapon Penalty Reduction | Bill Passed - House (36 - 24) |
| 3/04 | HB 1245 | Public Defender Funding Amendments | Bill Passed - House (141 - 21) |
| 3/04 | SB 297 | Increasing Penalties for Animal Cruelty | Bill Passed - House (62 - 6) |
| 3/04 | HB 4180 | Allowing Teachers to Conduct a Silent Reflection | Bill Passed - House (72 - 31) |
| 3/04 | HB 31 | Felony Record Expungement | Bill Passed - House (76 - 21) |
| 3/03 | Seifert Amendment: Restriction of State Aid Based on Compliance with Immigration Laws | Amendment Rejected - House (66 - 67) | |
| 3/03 | AM 1 | Mandating the Concealment of Firearms on Campus | Amendment Adopted - House (41 - 29) |
| 3/03 | SB 81 | Expanding Immigration Enforcement | Bill Passed - House (56 - 15) |
| 3/03 | HB 2769 | Increasing Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Penalties | Bill Passed - House (34 - 25) |
| 3/03 | HB 473 | Campus Gun Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (60 - 11) |
| 3/03 | HB 2359 | County Sheriff and Border Patrol Collaboration | Bill Passed - House (33 - 27) |
| 3/03 | HB 2359 | County Sheriff and Border Patrol Collaboration | Bill Passed - House (33 - 27) |
| 3/03 | HF 3201 | Omnibus Tax Bill | Bill Passed - House (81 - 51) |
| 2/29 | SB 5261 | Health Insurance Rate Oversight | Bill Passed - House (68 - 26) |
| 2/29 | SF 11 | County Regulation on Subdivisions | Bill Passed - House (37 - 22) |
| 2/29 | HB 2870 | Employment Incentive for Teachers | Bill Failed - House (59 - 63) |
| 2/28 | A Amnd. 1 | Exemptions to Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Ban | Amendment Tabled - House (54 - 43) |
| 2/28 | A Amnd. 1 | Exemptions to Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Ban | Amendment Tabled - House (54 - 43) |
| 2/28 | A Amnd. 2 | Exemptions to Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Ban | Amendment Tabled - House (54 - 43) |
| 2/28 | A Amnd. 2 | Exemptions to Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Ban | Amendment Tabled - House (54 - 43) |
| 2/28 | Ward Amnd. | Teacher Scholarship Program | Amendment Rejected - House (50 - 71) |
| 2/28 | SJR 1 | Constitutional Property Tax Cap | Bill Passed - House (64 - 35) |
| 2/28 | AB 870 | Virtual Charter Schools | Bill Passed - House (53 - 44) |
| 2/28 | SB 345 | Penalties for Employers of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (66 - 33) |
| 2/28 | HB 978 | Vehicle Seizures for Undocumented Immigrant Traffic Violations | Bill Passed - House (104 - 51) |
| 2/28 | HB 978 | Vehicle Seizures for Undocumented Immigrant Traffic Violations | Bill Passed - House (104 - 51) |
| 2/28 | SB 162 | State Discretion Over Federal Education Programs | Bill Passed - House (38 - 33) |
| 2/28 | HB 2605 | Changing School Finance Formula | Bill Failed - House (62 - 63) |
| 2/28 | SB 143 | Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention | Bill Passed - House (51 - 48) |
| 2/28 | SB 143 | Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention | Bill Passed - House (51 - 48) |
| 2/28 | AB 710 | Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Ban | Bill Passed - House (59 - 38) |
| 2/28 | AB 710 | Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Ban | Bill Passed - House (59 - 38) |
| 2/27 | McKinney Amnd. A to HB 2760 | Per Student Public School Funding | Amendment Rejected - House (50 - 70) |
| 2/27 | HB 1228 | Insurance Company Regulations | Bill Passed - House (40 - 25) |
| 2/27 | HB 1270 | Prohibiting Restrictions on Energy Efficiency Measures | Bill Passed - House (45 - 20) |
| 2/27 | HB 1001 | Expanding Bioscience Research Funding | Bill Passed - House (52 - 13) |
| 2/27 | HB 1280 | Extending Water Rights | Bill Passed - House (59 - 6) |
| 2/26 | A Amnd. 1 | Divestment Due to Genocide Amendment | Amendment Tabled - House (50 - 47) |
| 2/26 | Amnd. 2 | Permitting Lawsuits for Injuries Caused by Hazardous Substances | Amendment Adopted - House (52 - 45) |