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
March 18, 2008 MD SB 269 Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21)
March 18, 2008 MD SB 566 Hospital Visitation/Decision-Making Rights for Domestic Partners Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17)
March 18, 2008 AZ SB 1389 Healthcare Group Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9)
March 17, 2008 ID HCR 49 State Employee Pay Raise Resolution Passed - Senate (26 - 8)
March 14, 2008 National S Amdt 4299 Expressing the Sense of the Senate on the Legalization of Importing Certain Prescription Drugs Amendment Adopted - Senate (73 - 23)
March 14, 2008 IN SJR 1 Constitutional Property Tax Cap Conference Report Adopted - Senate (40 - 7)
March 14, 2008 IN HB 1001 Property Tax Reduction Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 6)
March 14, 2008 MD SB 461 Prohibiting Cell Phone Use by Drivers Under 18 Bill Failed - Senate (22 - 21)
March 14, 2008 MD SB 90 2008-2009 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 7)
March 13, 2008 National S Amdt 4309 Restriction of Federal Assistance Based on Compliance with Federal Immigration Laws Amendment Tabled - Senate (58 - 40)
March 13, 2008 National S Amdt 4309 Restriction of Federal Assistance Based on Compliance with Federal Immigration Laws Amendment Tabled - Senate (58 - 40)
March 13, 2008 National S Amdt 4231 Immigration Enforcement and Border Fence Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (61 - 37)
March 13, 2008 National S Amdt 4259 Immigration Enforcement and Employer Sanctions Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 45)
March 13, 2008 VA HB 30 2008-2010 Biennium Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 14)
March 13, 2008 VA HB 30 2008-2010 Biennium Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 14)
March 13, 2008 VA HB 30 2008-2010 Biennium Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 14)
March 13, 2008 IA HF 2212 Smoking Ban Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (23 - 27)
March 13, 2008 OH HB 314 Abortion and Ultrasound Bill Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 8)
March 12, 2008 OK SB 1521 Mandatory Clinical Cancer Trial Coverage Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 13)
March 12, 2008 MI SB 120 Issuing Food Stamps Twice Monthly Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 2)
March 12, 2008 OK SB 1407 Restricting Childhood Vaccine Mercury Levels Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 17)
March 10, 2008 IA HF 2359 Veterans Trust Fund Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 7)
March 10, 2008 AZ SB 1476 Reducing Probation for Good Behavior Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 7)
March 10, 2008 OK SB 2118 Requiring Health Insurance to Cover Autism Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 9)
March 10, 2008 CO HJR 1009 Ratification of the UN Convention Against the Discrimination of Women Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/18 SB 269 Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21)
3/18 SB 566 Hospital Visitation/Decision-Making Rights for Domestic Partners Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17)
3/18 SB 1389 Healthcare Group Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9)
3/17 HCR 49 State Employee Pay Raise Resolution Passed - Senate (26 - 8)
3/14 S Amdt 4299 Expressing the Sense of the Senate on the Legalization of Importing Certain Prescription Drugs Amendment Adopted - Senate (73 - 23)
3/14 SJR 1 Constitutional Property Tax Cap Conference Report Adopted - Senate (40 - 7)
3/14 HB 1001 Property Tax Reduction Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 6)
3/14 SB 461 Prohibiting Cell Phone Use by Drivers Under 18 Bill Failed - Senate (22 - 21)
3/14 SB 90 2008-2009 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 7)
3/13 S Amdt 4309 Restriction of Federal Assistance Based on Compliance with Federal Immigration Laws Amendment Tabled - Senate (58 - 40)
3/13 S Amdt 4309 Restriction of Federal Assistance Based on Compliance with Federal Immigration Laws Amendment Tabled - Senate (58 - 40)
3/13 S Amdt 4231 Immigration Enforcement and Border Fence Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (61 - 37)
3/13 S Amdt 4259 Immigration Enforcement and Employer Sanctions Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 45)
3/13 HB 30 2008-2010 Biennium Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 14)
3/13 HB 30 2008-2010 Biennium Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 14)
3/13 HB 30 2008-2010 Biennium Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 14)
3/13 HF 2212 Smoking Ban Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (23 - 27)
3/13 HB 314 Abortion and Ultrasound Bill Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 8)
3/12 SB 1521 Mandatory Clinical Cancer Trial Coverage Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 13)
3/12 SB 120 Issuing Food Stamps Twice Monthly Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 2)
3/12 SB 1407 Restricting Childhood Vaccine Mercury Levels Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 17)
3/10 HF 2359 Veterans Trust Fund Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 7)
3/10 SB 1476 Reducing Probation for Good Behavior Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 7)
3/10 SB 2118 Requiring Health Insurance to Cover Autism Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 9)
3/10 HJR 1009 Ratification of the UN Convention Against the Discrimination of Women Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (19 - 14)

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