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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 5, 2008 | WI | AB 67 | Business Education Tax Credit | Bill Passed - House (55 - 40) |
| March 5, 2008 | MS | SB 2988 | Prohibiting Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (112 - 8) |
| March 5, 2008 | WA | HB 2815 | Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19) |
| March 5, 2008 | ID | H 561 | Tax Exemptions for the Processing of Fuel for Energy Production | Bill Passed - House (60 - 10) |
| March 5, 2008 | WI | AB 346 | Nuclear Power Plant Construction | Bill Passed - House (57 - 38) |
| March 4, 2008 | UT | SB 81 | Expanding Immigration Enforcement | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 4) |
| March 4, 2008 | HI | SB 2423 | Turtle Bay Acquisition | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 2) |
| March 4, 2008 | UT | SB 211 | Amending Alcohol Regulations | Bill Passed - House (54 - 19) |
| March 4, 2008 | AL | HB 196 | Relaxing Alcohol Sales Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (48 - 42) |
| March 3, 2008 | UT | SB 81 | Expanding Immigration Enforcement | Bill Passed - House (56 - 15) |
| March 3, 2008 | CO | SB 164 | Increasing Caps on Medical Malpractice Lawsuits | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16) |
| Feb. 29, 2008 | WA | SB 5261 | Health Insurance Rate Oversight | Bill Passed - House (68 - 26) |
| Feb. 29, 2008 | ID | S 1393 | Non-Compete Agreements | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | KS | SB 586 | Incentives to Develop Nuclear Power Facilities | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 8) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | IN | SB 345 | Penalties for Employers of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (66 - 33) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | WI | AB 770 | Corporate Research and Development Tax Credit | Bill Passed - House (84 - 13) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | CO | SB 129 | Restricting Beverage Sales at Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | KS | SB 501 | Kansas Tourism Corporation | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 7) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | IN | SB 143 | Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention | Bill Passed - House (51 - 48) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | IA | HF 2212 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | CO | SB 122 | Wage Transparency Act | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 13) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | CO | HB 1228 | Insurance Company Regulations | Bill Passed - House (40 - 25) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | CO | HB 1270 | Prohibiting Restrictions on Energy Efficiency Measures | Bill Passed - House (45 - 20) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | UT | SB 211 | Amending Alcohol Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 6) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | GA | SB 433 | Permitting Destination Cancer Hospitals | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 23) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | CO | HB 1107 | Energy Efficiency Requirements | Bill Passed - House (33 - 32) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | CO | HB 1276 | Workplace Accommodations for Nursing Mothers | Bill Passed - House (59 - 6) |
| Feb. 26, 2008 | IN | Amnd. 2 | Permitting Lawsuits for Injuries Caused by Hazardous Substances | Amendment Adopted - House (52 - 45) |
| Feb. 26, 2008 | IN | HB 1001 | Property Tax Reduction | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
| Feb. 26, 2008 | SD | SB 126 | Repealing Liquor License Cap | Bill Passed - House (45 - 25) |
| Feb. 26, 2008 | WI | SB 178 | Insurance Coverage for Autism Treatment | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
| Feb. 26, 2008 | CO | SB 139 | Undocumented Immigrant Hiring Ban Notification | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 4) |
| Feb. 26, 2008 | GA | SB 454 | Permitting Public Venue Alcohol Sales on Sundays | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20) |
| Feb. 25, 2008 | WY | SF 46 | Water Discharge from Methane Gas Wells | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 15) |
| Feb. 25, 2008 | WV | HB 4132 | Prohibiting Mandatory Employee Participation in Political Events | Bill Passed - House (64 - 33) |
| Feb. 25, 2008 | CO | SB 82 | Removing Ban on Sunday Alcohol Sales | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 8) |
| Feb. 25, 2008 | CO | HB 1310 | Payday Loan Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (33 - 30) |
| Feb. 25, 2008 | SD | SB 173 | Eliminating Restrictions on Corporate Dairy Farms | Bill Passed - House (63 - 6) |
| Feb. 22, 2008 | NE | LB 395 | Statewide Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 14) |
| Feb. 21, 2008 | MS | HB 1013 | Altering Medicaid and Medicare Eligibility and Increasing Cigarette Tax | Bill Passed - House (75 - 41) |
| Feb. 21, 2008 | OR | HB 3603 | Mortgage Reform | Bill Passed - House (31 - 29) |
| Feb. 21, 2008 | UT | SB 81 | Expanding Immigration Enforcement | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5) |
| Feb. 21, 2008 | SD | HB 1151 | Adult-Oriented Business Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
| Feb. 21, 2008 | MI | HB 4675 | Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association Open Meetings and Public Access Requirements | Bill Passed - House (66 - 38) |
| Feb. 21, 2008 | MS | SB 2793 | Utility Rate Increases During Planning or Construction of Plants | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 11) |
| Feb. 19, 2008 | SC | AM 4 to S 398 | Prohibiting Payday Lending Amendment | Bill Tabled - Senate (23 - 18) |
| Feb. 19, 2008 | KS | SB 327 | Expansion of Coal-Fired Power Plants | Bill Passed - House (77 - 45) |
| Feb. 19, 2008 | WA | HB 2815 | Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Bill Passed - House (64 - 31) |
| Feb. 19, 2008 | IA | HF 2212 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (56 - 44) |
| Feb. 18, 2008 | WA | SB 6777 | Halting Mining on Maury Island | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 23) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/05 | AB 67 | Business Education Tax Credit | Bill Passed - House (55 - 40) |
| 3/05 | SB 2988 | Prohibiting Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (112 - 8) |
| 3/05 | HB 2815 | Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19) |
| 3/05 | H 561 | Tax Exemptions for the Processing of Fuel for Energy Production | Bill Passed - House (60 - 10) |
| 3/05 | AB 346 | Nuclear Power Plant Construction | Bill Passed - House (57 - 38) |
| 3/04 | SB 81 | Expanding Immigration Enforcement | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 4) |
| 3/04 | SB 2423 | Turtle Bay Acquisition | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 2) |
| 3/04 | SB 211 | Amending Alcohol Regulations | Bill Passed - House (54 - 19) |
| 3/04 | HB 196 | Relaxing Alcohol Sales Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (48 - 42) |
| 3/03 | SB 81 | Expanding Immigration Enforcement | Bill Passed - House (56 - 15) |
| 3/03 | SB 164 | Increasing Caps on Medical Malpractice Lawsuits | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16) |
| 2/29 | SB 5261 | Health Insurance Rate Oversight | Bill Passed - House (68 - 26) |
| 2/29 | S 1393 | Non-Compete Agreements | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| 2/28 | SB 586 | Incentives to Develop Nuclear Power Facilities | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 8) |
| 2/28 | SB 345 | Penalties for Employers of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (66 - 33) |
| 2/28 | AB 770 | Corporate Research and Development Tax Credit | Bill Passed - House (84 - 13) |
| 2/28 | SB 129 | Restricting Beverage Sales at Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| 2/28 | SB 501 | Kansas Tourism Corporation | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 7) |
| 2/28 | SB 143 | Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention | Bill Passed - House (51 - 48) |
| 2/27 | HF 2212 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21) |
| 2/27 | SB 122 | Wage Transparency Act | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 13) |
| 2/27 | HB 1228 | Insurance Company Regulations | Bill Passed - House (40 - 25) |
| 2/27 | HB 1270 | Prohibiting Restrictions on Energy Efficiency Measures | Bill Passed - House (45 - 20) |
| 2/27 | SB 211 | Amending Alcohol Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 6) |
| 2/27 | SB 433 | Permitting Destination Cancer Hospitals | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 23) |
| 2/27 | HB 1107 | Energy Efficiency Requirements | Bill Passed - House (33 - 32) |
| 2/27 | HB 1276 | Workplace Accommodations for Nursing Mothers | Bill Passed - House (59 - 6) |
| 2/26 | Amnd. 2 | Permitting Lawsuits for Injuries Caused by Hazardous Substances | Amendment Adopted - House (52 - 45) |
| 2/26 | HB 1001 | Property Tax Reduction | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
| 2/26 | SB 126 | Repealing Liquor License Cap | Bill Passed - House (45 - 25) |
| 2/26 | SB 178 | Insurance Coverage for Autism Treatment | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
| 2/26 | SB 139 | Undocumented Immigrant Hiring Ban Notification | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 4) |
| 2/26 | SB 454 | Permitting Public Venue Alcohol Sales on Sundays | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20) |
| 2/25 | SF 46 | Water Discharge from Methane Gas Wells | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 15) |
| 2/25 | HB 4132 | Prohibiting Mandatory Employee Participation in Political Events | Bill Passed - House (64 - 33) |
| 2/25 | SB 82 | Removing Ban on Sunday Alcohol Sales | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 8) |
| 2/25 | HB 1310 | Payday Loan Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (33 - 30) |
| 2/25 | SB 173 | Eliminating Restrictions on Corporate Dairy Farms | Bill Passed - House (63 - 6) |
| 2/22 | LB 395 | Statewide Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 14) |
| 2/21 | HB 1013 | Altering Medicaid and Medicare Eligibility and Increasing Cigarette Tax | Bill Passed - House (75 - 41) |
| 2/21 | HB 3603 | Mortgage Reform | Bill Passed - House (31 - 29) |
| 2/21 | SB 81 | Expanding Immigration Enforcement | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5) |
| 2/21 | HB 1151 | Adult-Oriented Business Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
| 2/21 | HB 4675 | Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association Open Meetings and Public Access Requirements | Bill Passed - House (66 - 38) |
| 2/21 | SB 2793 | Utility Rate Increases During Planning or Construction of Plants | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 11) |
| 2/19 | AM 4 to S 398 | Prohibiting Payday Lending Amendment | Bill Tabled - Senate (23 - 18) |
| 2/19 | SB 327 | Expansion of Coal-Fired Power Plants | Bill Passed - House (77 - 45) |
| 2/19 | HB 2815 | Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Bill Passed - House (64 - 31) |
| 2/19 | HF 2212 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (56 - 44) |
| 2/18 | SB 6777 | Halting Mining on Maury Island | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 23) |