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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 8, 2008 | MI | HB 4163 | Workplace Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
| May 8, 2008 | NH | HB 1436 | Automatic Continuation Clause in Collective Bargaining Agreements | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 11) |
| May 7, 2008 | SC | S Amdt P-4A | Cigarette Tax Rate Adjustment | Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (18 - 24) |
| 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 | KS | SB 586 | Incentives to Develop Nuclear Power Facilities | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 3) |
| May 7, 2008 | KS | HB 2412 | Coal Plant Incentives | Conference Report Adopted - House (76 - 48) |
| May 7, 2008 | KS | SB 586 | Incentives to Develop Nuclear Power Facilities | Conference Report Adopted - House (101 - 22) |
| May 7, 2008 | SC | H 3567 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 11) |
| May 7, 2008 | PA | HB 2297 | Expansion of the Keystone Opportunity Zone | Bill Passed - House (126 - 72) |
| May 7, 2008 | NH | SB 312 | Insurance Coverage for Obesity Treatments | Bill Passed - House (209 - 139) |
| May 7, 2008 | MO | HB 2393 | Mega-Project Tax Credits | Bill Passed - House (138 - 14) |
| May 6, 2008 | SC | S Amdt P-1 | Cigarette Tax Increase for Medicaid | Amendment Tabled - Senate (31 - 13) |
| May 6, 2008 | KS | HB 2412 | Coal Plant Incentives | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (24 - 10) |
| May 6, 2008 | CO | SB 217 | Extended Health Care Coverage | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
| May 6, 2008 | MA | H 4645 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
| May 6, 2008 | CT | HB 5536 | Health Insurance Pool | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
| May 5, 2008 | MN | Howes Amendment: Gas Tax Holiday | Amendment Rejected - House (28 - 102) | |
| May 5, 2008 | CO | HB 1161 | Mining Regulation | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 15) |
| May 5, 2008 | CO | SB 200 | Sexual Orientation Nondiscrimination | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| May 5, 2008 | CO | HB 1325 | Seasonal Foreign Worker Pilot Program | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 17) |
| May 5, 2008 | CO | HB 1389 | Health Insurance Rates | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| May 5, 2008 | CO | SB 226 | Zebra Mussels Ban | Bill Passed - House (54 - 11) |
| May 5, 2008 | MN | HF 3149 | Homeowner and Property Tax Bill | Bill Passed - House (80 - 52) |
| 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 2, 2008 | CO | HB 1325 | Seasonal Foreign Worker Pilot Program | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| May 2, 2008 | CO | SB 217 | Extended Health Care Coverage | Bill Passed - House (44 - 22) |
| May 2, 2008 | CO | HB 1161 | Mining Regulation | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 2) |
| May 2, 2008 | CO | SB 200 | Sexual Orientation Nondiscrimination | Bill Passed - House (38 - 26) |
| May 1, 2008 | KS | SB 148 | Electricity Generation and Conservation | Veto Override Failed - House (80 - 45) |
| May 1, 2008 | HI | SB 2423 | Turtle Bay Acquisition | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 11) |
| May 1, 2008 | HI | SB 2423 | Turtle Bay Acquisition | Conference Report Adopted - House (37 - 10) |
| May 1, 2008 | MO | HB 2393 | Mega-Project Tax Credits | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 8) |
| May 1, 2008 | MI | Sub HB 5282 | Independent Health Benefit Plans | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| May 1, 2008 | MN | SF 875 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - House (82 - 45) |
| May 1, 2008 | MI | HB 5283 | Health Insurance Package | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| May 1, 2008 | CT | SB 217 | Mandatory Sick Leave | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 16) |
| April 30, 2008 | KS | SB 148 | Electricity Generation and Conservation | Veto Override Passed - Senate (32 - 7) |
| April 30, 2008 | AZ | SB 1450 | Theme Park Funding | Bill Passed - House (39 - 17) |
| April 30, 2008 | OH | HB 545 | Short Term Loans | Bill Passed - House (69 - 26) |
| April 30, 2008 | LA | SB 160 | Homeowners' Insurance | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| April 29, 2008 | RI | H 7107 | Employment Verification Program | Bill Passed - House (52 - 17) |
| April 28, 2008 | CA | SB 1137 | Residential Property Foreclosures | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| April 28, 2008 | AZ | HB 2745 | Amending Undocumented Immigrant Employment Sanctions | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 4) |
| April 24, 2008 | FL | Amdt 28283 | Commuter Trains in Orlando | Amendment Rejected - House (54 - 64) |
| April 24, 2008 | AZ | HB 2395 | Driving and Boating Under the Influence | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (35 - 15) |
| April 24, 2008 | CO | HB 1389 | Health Insurance Rates | Bill Passed - House (39 - 25) |
| April 24, 2008 | MO | SB 817 | Physicians' Billing Practices | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 8) |
| April 24, 2008 | MO | HB 1851 | Minimum Wage and Overtime Pay Changes | Bill Failed - House (68 - 82) |
| April 23, 2008 | CT | HB 5536 | Health Insurance Pool | Bill Passed - House (102 - 43) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/08 | HB 4163 | Workplace Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
| 5/08 | HB 1436 | Automatic Continuation Clause in Collective Bargaining Agreements | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 11) |
| 5/07 | S Amdt P-4A | Cigarette Tax Rate Adjustment | Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (18 - 24) |
| 5/07 | Amendment No. 8A | Requiring Employers to Verify Immigration the Status of Their Employees | Amendment Adopted - House (80 - 33) |
| 5/07 | SB 586 | Incentives to Develop Nuclear Power Facilities | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 3) |
| 5/07 | HB 2412 | Coal Plant Incentives | Conference Report Adopted - House (76 - 48) |
| 5/07 | SB 586 | Incentives to Develop Nuclear Power Facilities | Conference Report Adopted - House (101 - 22) |
| 5/07 | H 3567 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 11) |
| 5/07 | HB 2297 | Expansion of the Keystone Opportunity Zone | Bill Passed - House (126 - 72) |
| 5/07 | SB 312 | Insurance Coverage for Obesity Treatments | Bill Passed - House (209 - 139) |
| 5/07 | HB 2393 | Mega-Project Tax Credits | Bill Passed - House (138 - 14) |
| 5/06 | S Amdt P-1 | Cigarette Tax Increase for Medicaid | Amendment Tabled - Senate (31 - 13) |
| 5/06 | HB 2412 | Coal Plant Incentives | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (24 - 10) |
| 5/06 | SB 217 | Extended Health Care Coverage | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
| 5/06 | H 4645 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
| 5/06 | HB 5536 | Health Insurance Pool | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
| 5/05 | Howes Amendment: Gas Tax Holiday | Amendment Rejected - House (28 - 102) | |
| 5/05 | HB 1161 | Mining Regulation | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 15) |
| 5/05 | SB 200 | Sexual Orientation Nondiscrimination | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| 5/05 | HB 1325 | Seasonal Foreign Worker Pilot Program | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 17) |
| 5/05 | HB 1389 | Health Insurance Rates | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| 5/05 | SB 226 | Zebra Mussels Ban | Bill Passed - House (54 - 11) |
| 5/05 | HF 3149 | Homeowner and Property Tax Bill | Bill Passed - House (80 - 52) |
| 5/05 | HB 5577 | Mortgage Assistance | Bill Passed - House (124 - 24) |
| 5/05 | HB 5105 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| 5/02 | HB 1325 | Seasonal Foreign Worker Pilot Program | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| 5/02 | SB 217 | Extended Health Care Coverage | Bill Passed - House (44 - 22) |
| 5/02 | HB 1161 | Mining Regulation | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 2) |
| 5/02 | SB 200 | Sexual Orientation Nondiscrimination | Bill Passed - House (38 - 26) |
| 5/01 | SB 148 | Electricity Generation and Conservation | Veto Override Failed - House (80 - 45) |
| 5/01 | SB 2423 | Turtle Bay Acquisition | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 11) |
| 5/01 | SB 2423 | Turtle Bay Acquisition | Conference Report Adopted - House (37 - 10) |
| 5/01 | HB 2393 | Mega-Project Tax Credits | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 8) |
| 5/01 | Sub HB 5282 | Independent Health Benefit Plans | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| 5/01 | SF 875 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - House (82 - 45) |
| 5/01 | HB 5283 | Health Insurance Package | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| 5/01 | SB 217 | Mandatory Sick Leave | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 16) |
| 4/30 | SB 148 | Electricity Generation and Conservation | Veto Override Passed - Senate (32 - 7) |
| 4/30 | SB 1450 | Theme Park Funding | Bill Passed - House (39 - 17) |
| 4/30 | HB 545 | Short Term Loans | Bill Passed - House (69 - 26) |
| 4/30 | SB 160 | Homeowners' Insurance | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| 4/29 | H 7107 | Employment Verification Program | Bill Passed - House (52 - 17) |
| 4/28 | SB 1137 | Residential Property Foreclosures | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| 4/28 | HB 2745 | Amending Undocumented Immigrant Employment Sanctions | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 4) |
| 4/24 | Amdt 28283 | Commuter Trains in Orlando | Amendment Rejected - House (54 - 64) |
| 4/24 | HB 2395 | Driving and Boating Under the Influence | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (35 - 15) |
| 4/24 | HB 1389 | Health Insurance Rates | Bill Passed - House (39 - 25) |
| 4/24 | SB 817 | Physicians' Billing Practices | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 8) |
| 4/24 | HB 1851 | Minimum Wage and Overtime Pay Changes | Bill Failed - House (68 - 82) |
| 4/23 | HB 5536 | Health Insurance Pool | Bill Passed - House (102 - 43) |