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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan. 30, 2008 | KY | SB 112 | Restricting Public Employee Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
| Jan. 30, 2008 | CO | HB 1025 | Governor's Energy Office | Bill Passed - House (59 - 5) |
| Jan. 30, 2008 | CO | HB 1189 | State Employee Strike Prohibition | Bill Passed - House (53 - 12) |
| Jan. 30, 2008 | KY | SB 112 | Restricting Public Employee Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
| Jan. 29, 2008 | GA | HB 908 | Expanding Sex Offender Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (141 - 29) |
| Jan. 29, 2008 | IN | SB 335 | Immigration Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 11) |
| Jan. 29, 2008 | CA | AB 624 | Disclosing Organizational Diversity | Bill Passed - House (45 - 29) |
| Jan. 29, 2008 | IN | SJR 7 | Definition of Marriage | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (39 - 9) |
| Jan. 29, 2008 | IN | SB 143 | Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 13) |
| Jan. 29, 2008 | IN | SB 335 | Immigration Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 11) |
| Jan. 28, 2008 | CO | SB 3 | Medicaid Funded Family Planning | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| Jan. 28, 2008 | CO | SB 3 | Medicaid Funded Family Planning | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| Jan. 25, 2008 | CO | SA Mitchell | Prohibiting State Funding of Abortion Providers | Amendment Rejected - Senate (13 - 20) |
| Jan. 25, 2008 | MS | SB 2188 | Attorney General-Private Attorney Contract Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
| Jan. 25, 2008 | MS | SB 2188 | Attorney General-Private Attorney Contract Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
| Jan. 24, 2008 | CO | GN Baker | Matt Baker to the Public Utilities Commission | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| Jan. 24, 2008 | VA | HB 852 | Collective Bargaining for Governmental Employees | Motion Rejected - House (43 - 55) |
| Jan. 24, 2008 | NM | HB 9 | Allowing Domestic Partnerships | Bill Passed - House (33 - 31) |
| Jan. 24, 2008 | CO | HR 1005 | Censuring Representative Douglas Bruce | Resolution Passed - House (62 - 1) |
| Jan. 23, 2008 | National | HR 3963 | Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (CHIP) | Veto Override Failed - House (260 - 152) |
| Jan. 23, 2008 | National | HR 3963 | Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (CHIP) | Veto Override Failed - House (260 - 152) |
| Jan. 23, 2008 | WI | AB 377 | Emergency Contraception for Sexual Assault Victims | Bill Passed - House (61 - 35) |
| Jan. 22, 2008 | National | HR 4986 | Defense Authorizations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 3) |
| Jan. 22, 2008 | National | HR 4986 | Defense Authorizations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 3) |
| Jan. 22, 2008 | SD | SB 26 | State Regulation of Preschools | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| Jan. 22, 2008 | MI | SB 776 | Late-Term/Partial-Birth Abortion Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
| Jan. 22, 2008 | MI | SB 776 | Late-Term/Partial-Birth Abortion Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
| Jan. 21, 2008 | VA | HB 188 | HPV Vaccine Deadline Extension | Bill Passed - House (57 - 39) |
| Jan. 21, 2008 | VA | HB 188 | HPV Vaccine Deadline Extension | Bill Passed - House (57 - 39) |
| Jan. 17, 2008 | IL | HB 656 | Providing Free Public Transportation for Senior Citizens | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (61 - 47) |
| Jan. 17, 2008 | IL | HB 656 | Providing Free Public Transportation for Senior Citizens | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 19) |
| Jan. 16, 2008 | National | HR 4986 | Defense Authorizations Bill | Bill Passed - House (369 - 46) |
| Jan. 16, 2008 | National | HR 4986 | Defense Authorizations Bill | Bill Passed - House (369 - 46) |
| Jan. 15, 2008 | WI | SJR 5 | Limiting Governor's Partial Veto Authority | Joint Resolution Passed - House (94 - 1) |
| Jan. 15, 2008 | WI | SJR 5 | Limiting Governor's Partial Veto Authority | Joint Resolution Passed - House (94 - 1) |
| Jan. 15, 2008 | WI | SB 130 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 13) |
| Jan. 10, 2008 | IL | HB 656 | Transportation Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (62 - 51) |
| Jan. 10, 2008 | IL | HB 656 | Transportation Act | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 25) |
| Jan. 7, 2008 | NJ | S 176 | Expanding Damages for Wrongful Death | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11) |
| Jan. 7, 2008 | NJ | S 176 | Expanding Damages for Wrongful Death | Bill Passed - House (41 - 32) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/30 | SB 112 | Restricting Public Employee Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
| 1/30 | HB 1025 | Governor's Energy Office | Bill Passed - House (59 - 5) |
| 1/30 | HB 1189 | State Employee Strike Prohibition | Bill Passed - House (53 - 12) |
| 1/30 | SB 112 | Restricting Public Employee Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
| 1/29 | HB 908 | Expanding Sex Offender Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (141 - 29) |
| 1/29 | SB 335 | Immigration Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 11) |
| 1/29 | AB 624 | Disclosing Organizational Diversity | Bill Passed - House (45 - 29) |
| 1/29 | SJR 7 | Definition of Marriage | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (39 - 9) |
| 1/29 | SB 143 | Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 13) |
| 1/29 | SB 335 | Immigration Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 11) |
| 1/28 | SB 3 | Medicaid Funded Family Planning | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| 1/28 | SB 3 | Medicaid Funded Family Planning | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| 1/25 | SA Mitchell | Prohibiting State Funding of Abortion Providers | Amendment Rejected - Senate (13 - 20) |
| 1/25 | SB 2188 | Attorney General-Private Attorney Contract Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
| 1/25 | SB 2188 | Attorney General-Private Attorney Contract Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
| 1/24 | GN Baker | Matt Baker to the Public Utilities Commission | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 1/24 | HB 852 | Collective Bargaining for Governmental Employees | Motion Rejected - House (43 - 55) |
| 1/24 | HB 9 | Allowing Domestic Partnerships | Bill Passed - House (33 - 31) |
| 1/24 | HR 1005 | Censuring Representative Douglas Bruce | Resolution Passed - House (62 - 1) |
| 1/23 | HR 3963 | Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (CHIP) | Veto Override Failed - House (260 - 152) |
| 1/23 | HR 3963 | Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (CHIP) | Veto Override Failed - House (260 - 152) |
| 1/23 | AB 377 | Emergency Contraception for Sexual Assault Victims | Bill Passed - House (61 - 35) |
| 1/22 | HR 4986 | Defense Authorizations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 3) |
| 1/22 | HR 4986 | Defense Authorizations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 3) |
| 1/22 | SB 26 | State Regulation of Preschools | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| 1/22 | SB 776 | Late-Term/Partial-Birth Abortion Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
| 1/22 | SB 776 | Late-Term/Partial-Birth Abortion Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
| 1/21 | HB 188 | HPV Vaccine Deadline Extension | Bill Passed - House (57 - 39) |
| 1/21 | HB 188 | HPV Vaccine Deadline Extension | Bill Passed - House (57 - 39) |
| 1/17 | HB 656 | Providing Free Public Transportation for Senior Citizens | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (61 - 47) |
| 1/17 | HB 656 | Providing Free Public Transportation for Senior Citizens | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 19) |
| 1/16 | HR 4986 | Defense Authorizations Bill | Bill Passed - House (369 - 46) |
| 1/16 | HR 4986 | Defense Authorizations Bill | Bill Passed - House (369 - 46) |
| 1/15 | SJR 5 | Limiting Governor's Partial Veto Authority | Joint Resolution Passed - House (94 - 1) |
| 1/15 | SJR 5 | Limiting Governor's Partial Veto Authority | Joint Resolution Passed - House (94 - 1) |
| 1/15 | SB 130 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 13) |
| 1/10 | HB 656 | Transportation Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (62 - 51) |
| 1/10 | HB 656 | Transportation Act | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 25) |
| 1/07 | S 176 | Expanding Damages for Wrongful Death | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11) |
| 1/07 | S 176 | Expanding Damages for Wrongful Death | Bill Passed - House (41 - 32) |