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
June 4, 2008 PA SB 246 Smoking Ban Conference Report Rejected - Senate (19 - 31)
June 4, 2008 NH SB 321 Cigarette Tax Increase and Wine Discount Reduction Conference Report Adopted - Senate (12 - 11)
June 4, 2008 NY S 6823 Long Island Affordable Housing Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 9)
May 29, 2008 CA SB 1499 Foil Balloon Ban Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 17)
May 29, 2008 CA SB 1096 Pharmacy Prescription Refill Mailings Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16)
May 27, 2008 CA SB 1440 Capping Administrative Spending for Health Insurers Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16)
May 22, 2008 National HR 2419 Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) Veto Override Passed - Senate (82 - 13)
May 16, 2008 MO HB 1549, 1771, 1395, 2366 Undocumented Immigrants Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 7)
May 15, 2008 National HR 2419 Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) Conference Report Adopted - Senate (81 - 15)
May 15, 2008 NH HB 1434 Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 8)
May 15, 2008 NH HB 1509 Allocation of Gambling/Gaming Profits Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 8)
May 15, 2008 MI SB 860 Great Lakes Water Management Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
May 15, 2008 CA SB 1713 Bisphenol A (BPA) Ban Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15)
May 14, 2008 SC H 3032 Immigration Reform Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (20 - 26)
May 14, 2008 OH HB 545 Short Term Loans Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 4)
May 13, 2008 WI AB 1 Budget Repair Plan Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 16)
May 12, 2008 CA SB 1313 Perfluorochemical (PFC) Ban Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15)
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 MI HB 4163 Workplace Smoking Ban Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12)
May 7, 2008 SC S Amdt P-4A Cigarette Tax Rate Adjustment Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (18 - 24)
May 7, 2008 KS SB 586 Incentives to Develop Nuclear Power Facilities Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 3)
May 7, 2008 SC H 3567 Cigarette Tax Increase Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 11)
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 CO SB 200 Sexual Orientation Nondiscrimination Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
May 5, 2008 CO HB 1389 Health Insurance Rates Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
May 5, 2008 CT HB 5105 Minimum Wage Increase Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
May 2, 2008 CO HB 1161 Mining Regulation Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 2)
May 2, 2008 CO HB 1325 Seasonal Foreign Worker Pilot Program Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
May 1, 2008 HI SB 2423 Turtle Bay Acquisition Conference Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 11)
May 1, 2008 MO HB 2393 Mega-Project Tax Credits Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 8)
May 1, 2008 MI HB 5283 Health Insurance Package Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
May 1, 2008 MI Sub HB 5282 Independent Health Benefit Plans 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 LA SB 160 Homeowners' Insurance Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
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 MO SB 817 Physicians' Billing Practices Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 8)
April 23, 2008 DE SB 195 Election Day Alcohol Sales Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 5)
April 22, 2008 MI SB 1198 Changes to Michigan Business Tax Laws Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
April 22, 2008 CO SB 217 Extended Health Care Coverage Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10)
April 21, 2008 AZ HB 2395 Driving and Boating Under the Influence Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 6)
April 16, 2008 MO SA 1 to HB 2007 Mega-Project Fund Appropriation Amendment Rejected - Senate (11 - 22)
April 16, 2008 FL SB 2860 Property Insurance Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 7)
April 15, 2008 MS SB 2793 Utility Rate Increases During Planning or Construction of Plants Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 4)
Date No. Title Outcome
6/04 SB 246 Smoking Ban Conference Report Rejected - Senate (19 - 31)
6/04 SB 321 Cigarette Tax Increase and Wine Discount Reduction Conference Report Adopted - Senate (12 - 11)
6/04 S 6823 Long Island Affordable Housing Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 9)
5/29 SB 1499 Foil Balloon Ban Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 17)
5/29 SB 1096 Pharmacy Prescription Refill Mailings Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16)
5/27 SB 1440 Capping Administrative Spending for Health Insurers Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16)
5/22 HR 2419 Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) Veto Override Passed - Senate (82 - 13)
5/16 HB 1549, 1771, 1395, 2366 Undocumented Immigrants Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 7)
5/15 HR 2419 Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) Conference Report Adopted - Senate (81 - 15)
5/15 HB 1434 Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 8)
5/15 HB 1509 Allocation of Gambling/Gaming Profits Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 8)
5/15 SB 860 Great Lakes Water Management Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
5/15 SB 1713 Bisphenol A (BPA) Ban Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15)
5/14 H 3032 Immigration Reform Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (20 - 26)
5/14 HB 545 Short Term Loans Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 4)
5/13 AB 1 Budget Repair Plan Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 16)
5/12 SB 1313 Perfluorochemical (PFC) Ban Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15)
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 HB 4163 Workplace Smoking Ban Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12)
5/07 S Amdt P-4A Cigarette Tax Rate Adjustment Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (18 - 24)
5/07 SB 586 Incentives to Develop Nuclear Power Facilities Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 3)
5/07 H 3567 Cigarette Tax Increase Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 11)
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 SB 200 Sexual Orientation Nondiscrimination Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
5/05 HB 1389 Health Insurance Rates Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
5/05 HB 5105 Minimum Wage Increase Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
5/02 HB 1161 Mining Regulation Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 2)
5/02 HB 1325 Seasonal Foreign Worker Pilot Program Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
5/01 SB 2423 Turtle Bay Acquisition Conference Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 11)
5/01 HB 2393 Mega-Project Tax Credits Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 8)
5/01 HB 5283 Health Insurance Package Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
5/01 Sub HB 5282 Independent Health Benefit Plans 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 160 Homeowners' Insurance Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
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 SB 817 Physicians' Billing Practices Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 8)
4/23 SB 195 Election Day Alcohol Sales Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 5)
4/22 SB 1198 Changes to Michigan Business Tax Laws Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
4/22 SB 217 Extended Health Care Coverage Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10)
4/21 HB 2395 Driving and Boating Under the Influence Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 6)
4/16 SA 1 to HB 2007 Mega-Project Fund Appropriation Amendment Rejected - Senate (11 - 22)
4/16 SB 2860 Property Insurance Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 7)
4/15 SB 2793 Utility Rate Increases During Planning or Construction of Plants Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 4)

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