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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 26, 2008 | AZ | HB 2713 | Student's Religious Liberties Act | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 10) |
| June 25, 2008 | National | S Amdt 4983 | Housing Foreclosure Assistance Programs | Amendment Adopted - Senate (79 - 16) |
| June 25, 2008 | AZ | SCR 1042 | Parameters of Marriage | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (14 - 11) |
| June 23, 2008 | AZ | SB 1476 | Reducing Probation for Good Behavior | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 4) |
| June 23, 2008 | NJ | A 2873 | School Construction Bonds | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
| June 23, 2008 | NJ | S 1962 | State Worker Retirement and Health Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 8) |
| June 19, 2008 | NC | HB 2436 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 14) |
| June 18, 2008 | LA | HB 734 | Tuition Increase Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
| June 17, 2008 | NC | SB 1686 | Restrictions on Public Smoking | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 15) |
| June 12, 2008 | NY | S 2375 | DNA Database Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 9) |
| June 11, 2008 | CT | SB 1001 | Real Estate Conveyance Tax Extension | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| June 11, 2008 | LA | HB 1347 | Vouchers Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
| June 10, 2008 | PA | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 9) |
| June 4, 2008 | PA | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (19 - 31) |
| June 4, 2008 | NH | SSHB 1 | Education Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 9) |
| June 4, 2008 | AZ | HB 2475 | Bonds for School Computers | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 13) |
| June 4, 2008 | NY | S 6823 | Long Island Affordable Housing | Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 9) |
| May 29, 2008 | CA | SB 1407 | Financing Courthouse Construction | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8) |
| May 29, 2008 | CA | SB 1096 | Pharmacy Prescription Refill Mailings | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| May 29, 2008 | CA | CA SB 1665 | Prison Health Care Facility Bonds | Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| May 29, 2008 | CA | CA SB 1665 | Prison Health Care Facility Bonds | Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| May 29, 2008 | AL | SB 51 | 2008-2009 Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 1) |
| May 28, 2008 | LA | SB 292 | Public Fishing in Overflow Waters | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 19) |
| May 28, 2008 | MS | SB 2013 | Hospital Tax for Medicaid Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 7) |
| May 27, 2008 | CA | SB 1440 | Capping Administrative Spending for Health Insurers | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
| May 16, 2008 | MO | HB 1549, 1771, 1395, 2366 | Undocumented Immigrants | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 7) |
| May 15, 2008 | CA | SB 1322 | Communist Party Membership | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
| May 15, 2008 | CA | SB 1322 | Communist Party Membership | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
| May 15, 2008 | CA | SB 1713 | Bisphenol A (BPA) Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| May 15, 2008 | CA | SB 1589 | Uncorroborated Jailhouse Informant Testimony Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 14) |
| May 14, 2008 | SC | H 3032 | Immigration Reform | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (20 - 26) |
| May 13, 2008 | MN | HF 6 | 2008 Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (55 - 10) |
| May 13, 2008 | MN | SF 2965 | Surrogate Mother Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (41 - 22) |
| May 13, 2008 | WI | AB 1 | Budget Repair Plan | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 16) |
| May 12, 2008 | MN | HF 3391 | Health Care Reform Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (53 - 13) |
| May 12, 2008 | CA | SB 1313 | Perfluorochemical (PFC) Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| May 12, 2008 | CA | SB 1301 | Extending Student Financial Aid Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| May 12, 2008 | CA | SB 1301 | Extending Student Financial Aid Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| May 8, 2008 | MI | HB 4163 | Workplace Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
| May 7, 2008 | SC | S Amdt P-4A | Cigarette Tax Rate Adjustment | Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (18 - 24) |
| May 7, 2008 | National | S Amdt 4719 | Optional Wind Damage Insurance | Amendment Rejected - Senate (19 - 74) |
| May 7, 2008 | MN | SF 3001 | Modifying State Education Policies | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (45 - 20) |
| May 7, 2008 | SC | H 3567 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 11) |
| May 7, 2008 | OH | SB 57 | Disability Scholarship Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15) |
| May 6, 2008 | SC | S Amdt P-1 | Cigarette Tax Increase for Medicaid | Amendment Tabled - Senate (31 - 13) |
| May 6, 2008 | CO | HB 1388 | Increasing Education Funding | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 13) |
| May 6, 2008 | CO | SB 217 | Extended Health Care Coverage | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
| May 6, 2008 | CT | HB 5536 | Health Insurance Pool | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
| May 5, 2008 | CO | SB 200 | Sexual Orientation Nondiscrimination | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| May 5, 2008 | CO | SB 200 | Sexual Orientation Nondiscrimination | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/26 | HB 2713 | Student's Religious Liberties Act | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 10) |
| 6/25 | S Amdt 4983 | Housing Foreclosure Assistance Programs | Amendment Adopted - Senate (79 - 16) |
| 6/25 | SCR 1042 | Parameters of Marriage | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (14 - 11) |
| 6/23 | SB 1476 | Reducing Probation for Good Behavior | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 4) |
| 6/23 | A 2873 | School Construction Bonds | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
| 6/23 | S 1962 | State Worker Retirement and Health Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 8) |
| 6/19 | HB 2436 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 14) |
| 6/18 | HB 734 | Tuition Increase Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
| 6/17 | SB 1686 | Restrictions on Public Smoking | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 15) |
| 6/12 | S 2375 | DNA Database Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 9) |
| 6/11 | SB 1001 | Real Estate Conveyance Tax Extension | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| 6/11 | HB 1347 | Vouchers Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
| 6/10 | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 9) |
| 6/04 | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (19 - 31) |
| 6/04 | SSHB 1 | Education Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 9) |
| 6/04 | HB 2475 | Bonds for School Computers | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 13) |
| 6/04 | S 6823 | Long Island Affordable Housing | Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 9) |
| 5/29 | SB 1407 | Financing Courthouse Construction | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8) |
| 5/29 | SB 1096 | Pharmacy Prescription Refill Mailings | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| 5/29 | CA SB 1665 | Prison Health Care Facility Bonds | Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| 5/29 | CA SB 1665 | Prison Health Care Facility Bonds | Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| 5/29 | SB 51 | 2008-2009 Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 1) |
| 5/28 | SB 292 | Public Fishing in Overflow Waters | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 19) |
| 5/28 | SB 2013 | Hospital Tax for Medicaid Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 7) |
| 5/27 | SB 1440 | Capping Administrative Spending for Health Insurers | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
| 5/16 | HB 1549, 1771, 1395, 2366 | Undocumented Immigrants | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 7) |
| 5/15 | SB 1322 | Communist Party Membership | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
| 5/15 | SB 1322 | Communist Party Membership | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
| 5/15 | SB 1713 | Bisphenol A (BPA) Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| 5/15 | SB 1589 | Uncorroborated Jailhouse Informant Testimony Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 14) |
| 5/14 | H 3032 | Immigration Reform | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (20 - 26) |
| 5/13 | HF 6 | 2008 Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (55 - 10) |
| 5/13 | SF 2965 | Surrogate Mother Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (41 - 22) |
| 5/13 | AB 1 | Budget Repair Plan | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 16) |
| 5/12 | HF 3391 | Health Care Reform Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (53 - 13) |
| 5/12 | SB 1313 | Perfluorochemical (PFC) Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| 5/12 | SB 1301 | Extending Student Financial Aid Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| 5/12 | SB 1301 | Extending Student Financial Aid Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| 5/08 | HB 4163 | Workplace Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
| 5/07 | S Amdt P-4A | Cigarette Tax Rate Adjustment | Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (18 - 24) |
| 5/07 | S Amdt 4719 | Optional Wind Damage Insurance | Amendment Rejected - Senate (19 - 74) |
| 5/07 | SF 3001 | Modifying State Education Policies | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (45 - 20) |
| 5/07 | H 3567 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 11) |
| 5/07 | SB 57 | Disability Scholarship Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15) |
| 5/06 | S Amdt P-1 | Cigarette Tax Increase for Medicaid | Amendment Tabled - Senate (31 - 13) |
| 5/06 | HB 1388 | Increasing Education Funding | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 13) |
| 5/06 | SB 217 | Extended Health Care Coverage | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
| 5/06 | HB 5536 | Health Insurance Pool | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
| 5/05 | SB 200 | Sexual Orientation Nondiscrimination | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| 5/05 | SB 200 | Sexual Orientation Nondiscrimination | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |