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
May 8, 2008 National HR 3221 Housing-Related Tax Provision Amendments Amendment Adopted - House (266 - 154)
May 8, 2008 National H Amdt 1045 Undocumented Immigrants' Ineligibility for Certain Financial Assistance Amendment Adopted - House (391 - 33)
May 8, 2008 National HR 3221 Housing-Related Tax Provision Amendments Amendment Adopted - House (322 - 94)
May 8, 2008 MN SF 875 Minimum Wage Increase Conference Report Adopted - House (89 - 45)
May 8, 2008 MN SF 3001 Modifying State Education Policies Conference Report Adopted - House (82 - 49)
May 8, 2008 MN SF 3001 Modifying State Education Policies Conference Report Adopted - House (82 - 49)
May 8, 2008 MN SF 875 Minimum Wage Increase Conference Report Adopted - Senate (40 - 18)
May 8, 2008 NH HB 1436 Automatic Continuation Clause in Collective Bargaining Agreements Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 11)
May 8, 2008 National HR 5818 Assistance to States for Purchasing Foreclosed Homes Bill Passed - House (239 - 188)
May 7, 2008 SC Amendment No. 8A Requiring Employers to Verify Immigration the Status of Their Employees Amendment Adopted - House (80 - 33)
May 7, 2008 SC Amendment No. 8A Requiring Employers to Verify Immigration the Status of Their Employees Amendment Adopted - House (80 - 33)
May 7, 2008 MN SF 3001 Modifying State Education Policies Conference Report Adopted - Senate (45 - 20)
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 NY A 10083 Foreclosure Assistance Finance Bill Passed - House (104 - 33)
May 7, 2008 NY A 10083 Foreclosure Assistance Finance Bill Passed - House (104 - 33)
May 7, 2008 NY A 9695 Foreclosure Relief Bill Passed - House (126 - 11)
May 7, 2008 NY A 9695 Foreclosure Relief Bill Passed - House (126 - 11)
May 7, 2008 NY A 8972 Foreclosure and Lending Bill Passed - House (113 - 21)
May 7, 2008 NY A 8972 Foreclosure and Lending Bill Passed - House (113 - 21)
May 7, 2008 IL HJR 132 Legislative Salaries Joint Resolution Passed - House (94 - 8)
May 7, 2008 NY A 10219 Mortgage Bill of Rights Bill Passed - House (122 - 15)
May 7, 2008 NY A 10219 Mortgage Bill of Rights Bill Passed - House (122 - 15)
May 6, 2008 CO HB 1388 Increasing Education Funding Conference Report Adopted - House (58 - 5)
May 6, 2008 MO HB 2010 2008-2009 Department of Mental Health and Department of Health and Senior Services Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (87 - 63)
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 AL HB 829 Hate Crime Legislation Regarding Victim's Sexual Orientation Bill Passed - House (46 - 44)
May 6, 2008 LA SB 137 Young Drivers Using Cell Phones While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
May 5, 2008 MN Severson Amendment: Income Tax Refund Amendment Adopted - House (75 - 54)
May 5, 2008 MN Severson Amendment: Income Tax Refund Amendment Adopted - House (75 - 54)
May 5, 2008 KS HB 2860 Eminent Domain and Water Rights Conference Report Adopted - House (64 - 57)
May 5, 2008 CO SB 200 Sexual Orientation Nondiscrimination Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
May 5, 2008 CO HB 1208 Limitations on Direct File Juvenile Cases Concurrence Vote Passed - House (34 - 30)
May 5, 2008 CO HB 1208 Limitations on Direct File Juvenile Cases Concurrence Vote Passed - House (34 - 30)
May 5, 2008 CO HB 1082 Sealing Criminal Records Concurrence Vote Passed - House (36 - 28)
May 5, 2008 CO HB 1325 Seasonal Foreign Worker Pilot Program Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 17)
May 5, 2008 CO HB 1325 Seasonal Foreign Worker Pilot Program Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 17)
May 5, 2008 CO SB 200 Sexual Orientation Nondiscrimination Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
May 5, 2008 CT HB 5577 Mortgage Assistance Bill Passed - House (124 - 24)
May 5, 2008 CT HB 5105 Minimum Wage Increase Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
May 3, 2008 KS SB 81 Health Care Reform Conference Report Adopted - House (104 - 16)
May 3, 2008 KS SB 81 Health Care Reform Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 1)
May 2, 2008 CO HB 1082 Sealing Criminal Records Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
May 2, 2008 CO HB 1325 Seasonal Foreign Worker Pilot Program Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
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 2, 2008 CO HB 1208 Limitations on Direct File Juvenile Cases Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16)
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)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/08 HR 3221 Housing-Related Tax Provision Amendments Amendment Adopted - House (266 - 154)
5/08 H Amdt 1045 Undocumented Immigrants' Ineligibility for Certain Financial Assistance Amendment Adopted - House (391 - 33)
5/08 HR 3221 Housing-Related Tax Provision Amendments Amendment Adopted - House (322 - 94)
5/08 SF 875 Minimum Wage Increase Conference Report Adopted - House (89 - 45)
5/08 SF 3001 Modifying State Education Policies Conference Report Adopted - House (82 - 49)
5/08 SF 3001 Modifying State Education Policies Conference Report Adopted - House (82 - 49)
5/08 SF 875 Minimum Wage Increase Conference Report Adopted - Senate (40 - 18)
5/08 HB 1436 Automatic Continuation Clause in Collective Bargaining Agreements Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 11)
5/08 HR 5818 Assistance to States for Purchasing Foreclosed Homes Bill Passed - House (239 - 188)
5/07 Amendment No. 8A Requiring Employers to Verify Immigration the Status of Their Employees Amendment Adopted - House (80 - 33)
5/07 Amendment No. 8A Requiring Employers to Verify Immigration the Status of Their Employees Amendment Adopted - House (80 - 33)
5/07 SF 3001 Modifying State Education Policies Conference Report Adopted - Senate (45 - 20)
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 A 10083 Foreclosure Assistance Finance Bill Passed - House (104 - 33)
5/07 A 10083 Foreclosure Assistance Finance Bill Passed - House (104 - 33)
5/07 A 9695 Foreclosure Relief Bill Passed - House (126 - 11)
5/07 A 9695 Foreclosure Relief Bill Passed - House (126 - 11)
5/07 A 8972 Foreclosure and Lending Bill Passed - House (113 - 21)
5/07 A 8972 Foreclosure and Lending Bill Passed - House (113 - 21)
5/07 HJR 132 Legislative Salaries Joint Resolution Passed - House (94 - 8)
5/07 A 10219 Mortgage Bill of Rights Bill Passed - House (122 - 15)
5/07 A 10219 Mortgage Bill of Rights Bill Passed - House (122 - 15)
5/06 HB 1388 Increasing Education Funding Conference Report Adopted - House (58 - 5)
5/06 HB 2010 2008-2009 Department of Mental Health and Department of Health and Senior Services Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (87 - 63)
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 829 Hate Crime Legislation Regarding Victim's Sexual Orientation Bill Passed - House (46 - 44)
5/06 SB 137 Young Drivers Using Cell Phones While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
5/05 Severson Amendment: Income Tax Refund Amendment Adopted - House (75 - 54)
5/05 Severson Amendment: Income Tax Refund Amendment Adopted - House (75 - 54)
5/05 HB 2860 Eminent Domain and Water Rights Conference Report Adopted - House (64 - 57)
5/05 SB 200 Sexual Orientation Nondiscrimination Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
5/05 HB 1208 Limitations on Direct File Juvenile Cases Concurrence Vote Passed - House (34 - 30)
5/05 HB 1208 Limitations on Direct File Juvenile Cases Concurrence Vote Passed - House (34 - 30)
5/05 HB 1082 Sealing Criminal Records Concurrence Vote Passed - House (36 - 28)
5/05 HB 1325 Seasonal Foreign Worker Pilot Program Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 17)
5/05 HB 1325 Seasonal Foreign Worker Pilot Program Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 17)
5/05 SB 200 Sexual Orientation Nondiscrimination Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
5/05 HB 5577 Mortgage Assistance Bill Passed - House (124 - 24)
5/05 HB 5105 Minimum Wage Increase Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
5/03 SB 81 Health Care Reform Conference Report Adopted - House (104 - 16)
5/03 SB 81 Health Care Reform Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 1)
5/02 HB 1082 Sealing Criminal Records Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
5/02 HB 1325 Seasonal Foreign Worker Pilot Program Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
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)
5/02 HB 1208 Limitations on Direct File Juvenile Cases Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16)
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)

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