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. 26, 2008 MS SB 2550 Covenant Marriage Act Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 13)
Feb. 26, 2008 SD HB 1233 Government Spending Database Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
Feb. 26, 2008 WI AR 13 Supporting the Individual's Right to Bear Arms Resolution Passed - House (78 - 18)
Feb. 26, 2008 KY SB 14 Non-Partisan Public Officials Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
Feb. 26, 2008 GA HR 413 English as the Official Language of Georgia Resolution Failed - House (103 - 61)
Feb. 26, 2008 GA HR 413 English as the Official Language of Georgia Resolution Failed - House (103 - 61)
Feb. 26, 2008 CO SB 139 Undocumented Immigrant Hiring Ban Notification Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 4)
Feb. 26, 2008 IA SF 2216 State-Mandated Curriculum for Schools Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14)
Feb. 26, 2008 WV HB 4076 Legislative Pay Raise Bill Passed - House (62 - 36)
Feb. 26, 2008 SD SB 174 Railroad Eminent Domain Bill Passed - House (54 - 16)
Feb. 26, 2008 National S 1200 Indian Health Care Improvement Act Amendments of 2008 Bill Passed - Senate (83 - 10)
Feb. 25, 2008 National S Amdt 4070 Prohibiting Funds in the Bill S 1200 from Being Used to Decrease Gun Ownership Amendment Adopted - Senate (78 - 11)
Feb. 25, 2008 VA HB 933 "Triggerman Rule" in Capital Murder Cases Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
Feb. 25, 2008 WY HB 137 Deadly Force in Self Defense Bill Passed - House (54 - 4)
Feb. 25, 2008 CO HB 1310 Payday Loan Restrictions Bill Passed - House (33 - 30)
Feb. 25, 2008 WY HB 145 Restricting Benefits for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (40 - 18)
Feb. 25, 2008 WV HB 4132 Prohibiting Mandatory Employee Participation in Political Events Bill Passed - House (64 - 33)
Feb. 25, 2008 WY HB 145 Restricting Benefits for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (40 - 18)
Feb. 22, 2008 MD SB 243 Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 10)
Feb. 21, 2008 SD HB 1250 Legislative Pay Raise Bill Tabled - Senate (29 - 4)
Feb. 21, 2008 MD SB 111 Expanding Hate Crimes Classification to Homeless Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 4)
Feb. 21, 2008 UT SB 81 Expanding Immigration Enforcement Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5)
Feb. 21, 2008 UT SB 81 Expanding Immigration Enforcement Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5)
Feb. 21, 2008 UT SB 81 Expanding Immigration Enforcement Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5)
Feb. 20, 2008 AZ HB 2043 State Government Hiring Freeze Bill Passed - House (40 - 15)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/26 SB 2550 Covenant Marriage Act Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 13)
2/26 HB 1233 Government Spending Database Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
2/26 AR 13 Supporting the Individual's Right to Bear Arms Resolution Passed - House (78 - 18)
2/26 SB 14 Non-Partisan Public Officials Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
2/26 HR 413 English as the Official Language of Georgia Resolution Failed - House (103 - 61)
2/26 HR 413 English as the Official Language of Georgia Resolution Failed - House (103 - 61)
2/26 SB 139 Undocumented Immigrant Hiring Ban Notification Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 4)
2/26 SF 2216 State-Mandated Curriculum for Schools Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14)
2/26 HB 4076 Legislative Pay Raise Bill Passed - House (62 - 36)
2/26 SB 174 Railroad Eminent Domain Bill Passed - House (54 - 16)
2/26 S 1200 Indian Health Care Improvement Act Amendments of 2008 Bill Passed - Senate (83 - 10)
2/25 S Amdt 4070 Prohibiting Funds in the Bill S 1200 from Being Used to Decrease Gun Ownership Amendment Adopted - Senate (78 - 11)
2/25 HB 933 "Triggerman Rule" in Capital Murder Cases Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
2/25 HB 137 Deadly Force in Self Defense Bill Passed - House (54 - 4)
2/25 HB 1310 Payday Loan Restrictions Bill Passed - House (33 - 30)
2/25 HB 145 Restricting Benefits for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (40 - 18)
2/25 HB 4132 Prohibiting Mandatory Employee Participation in Political Events Bill Passed - House (64 - 33)
2/25 HB 145 Restricting Benefits for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (40 - 18)
2/22 SB 243 Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 10)
2/21 HB 1250 Legislative Pay Raise Bill Tabled - Senate (29 - 4)
2/21 SB 111 Expanding Hate Crimes Classification to Homeless Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 4)
2/21 SB 81 Expanding Immigration Enforcement Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5)
2/21 SB 81 Expanding Immigration Enforcement Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5)
2/21 SB 81 Expanding Immigration Enforcement Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5)
2/20 HB 2043 State Government Hiring Freeze Bill Passed - House (40 - 15)

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