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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec. 10, 2008 | OH | HB 648 | Increasing Restrictions on Access to Confidential Personal Information | Bill Passed - House (69 - 26) |
| Dec. 4, 2008 | MI | HB 5117 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Passed - House (68 - 32) |
| Dec. 4, 2008 | MI | HB 4090 | Expanding Early Voting | Bill Passed - House (58 - 50) |
| Oct. 21, 2008 | SC | S 429 | DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest | Veto Override Passed - House (86 - 25) |
| Aug. 21, 2008 | CA | SB 28 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 14) |
| Aug. 20, 2008 | CA | AB 2233 | Ban on Holding Pets While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| Aug. 20, 2008 | CA | AB 2747 | Disclosing End-of-Life Care Options | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| Aug. 13, 2008 | CA | SB 28 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Passed - House (52 - 24) |
| Aug. 7, 2008 | CA | AB 2654 | Expanding Anti-Discrimination Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| July 29, 2008 | MA | S 2807 | Election Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
| July 17, 2008 | NC | HB 2340 | Prohibiting Children from Riding in Pickup Truck Beds | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 20) |
| July 9, 2008 | National | S Amdt 5064 | Striking Telecom Immunity from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Bill | Amendment Rejected - Senate (32 - 66) |
| July 9, 2008 | National | HR 6304 | Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 28) |
| July 2, 2008 | NC | SB 1988 | Outlaws Burning Crosses and Hanging Nooses | Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 3) |
| June 28, 2008 | WV | HB 219 | Nonbroadcast Political Advertisements | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 9) |
| June 27, 2008 | AZ | SCR 1042 | Parameters of Marriage | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 4) |
| June 26, 2008 | AZ | HB 2713 | Student's Religious Liberties Act | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 10) |
| June 26, 2008 | WV | HB 219 | Nonbroadcast Political Advertisements | Bill Passed - House (67 - 21) |
| June 25, 2008 | AZ | SCR 1042 | Parameters of Marriage | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (14 - 11) |
| June 25, 2008 | PA | A 7738 | Real ID Biometric Data | Bill Failed - House (92 - 108) |
| June 21, 2008 | LA | HB 906 | Anonymity of Ethics Board Complaints | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 21) |
| June 20, 2008 | LA | SB 718 | State Board Member and Commissioner Financial Disclosures | Bill Passed - House (92 - 8) |
| June 20, 2008 | RI | S 2706 | Red Light Cameras | Bill Passed - House (44 - 12) |
| June 20, 2008 | National | HR 6304 | Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Amendments | Bill Passed - House (293 - 129) |
| June 19, 2008 | LA | SB 137 | Young Drivers Using Cell Phones While Driving | Bill Passed - House (70 - 19) |
| June 17, 2008 | LA | HB 852 | Banning Cell Phones While Driving | Bill Failed - Senate (6 - 27) |
| June 17, 2008 | RI | S 2706 | Red Light Cameras | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 2) |
| June 17, 2008 | NC | SB 1686 | Restrictions on Public Smoking | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 15) |
| June 12, 2008 | NY | S 2375 | DNA Database Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 9) |
| June 12, 2008 | RI | H 7222 page 5, re: Sec. 3-8-9: Transportation of Alcohol by Minors | Bill Passed - House (52 - 14) | |
| June 10, 2008 | PA | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 9) |
| June 4, 2008 | PA | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Adopted - House (163 - 38) |
| June 4, 2008 | PA | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (19 - 31) |
| May 29, 2008 | LA | S Amdt 3870 | Legislator Financial Disclosures | Amendment Rejected - Senate (5 - 29) |
| May 29, 2008 | CA | SB 1096 | Pharmacy Prescription Refill Mailings | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| May 28, 2008 | CA | AB 2747 | Disclosing End-of-Life Care Options | Bill Passed - House (42 - 34) |
| May 28, 2008 | LA | SB 718 | State Board Member and Commissioner Financial Disclosures | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9) |
| May 28, 2008 | MI | HB 5074 | Ban Smoking in Places of Employment and Public Places with Exceptions for Casinos, Cigar Bars, and Specialty Tobacco Stores | Bill Passed - House (65 - 39) |
| May 27, 2008 | IL | HB 5288 | Expand Use of Red Light Cameras | Bill Failed - Senate (26 - 24) |
| May 27, 2008 | CA | AB 2654 | Expanding Anti-Discrimination Laws | Bill Passed - House (48 - 30) |
| May 22, 2008 | MS | SB 2004 | Voter Identification Requirement | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
| May 15, 2008 | CA | SB 1322 | Communist Party Membership | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
| May 13, 2008 | MN | HF 3807 | Real ID Prohibition | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (103 - 30) |
| May 13, 2008 | MN | HF 3807 | Real ID Prohibition | Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 16) |
| May 12, 2008 | OK | HB 2633 | Religious Expression at Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (70 - 28) |
| May 12, 2008 | AZ | SCR 1042 | Parameters of Marriage | Resolution Passed - House (33 - 25) |
| May 8, 2008 | MI | HB 4163 | Workplace Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
| May 6, 2008 | KS | HB 2019 | Voter Identification | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 3) |
| May 6, 2008 | KS | HB 2019 | Voter Identification | Conference Report Adopted - House (67 - 56) |
| May 6, 2008 | OK | SB 1150 | Voter Identification Requirement | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (24 - 23) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12/10 | HB 648 | Increasing Restrictions on Access to Confidential Personal Information | Bill Passed - House (69 - 26) |
| 12/04 | HB 5117 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Passed - House (68 - 32) |
| 12/04 | HB 4090 | Expanding Early Voting | Bill Passed - House (58 - 50) |
| 10/21 | S 429 | DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest | Veto Override Passed - House (86 - 25) |
| 8/21 | SB 28 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 14) |
| 8/20 | AB 2233 | Ban on Holding Pets While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| 8/20 | AB 2747 | Disclosing End-of-Life Care Options | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| 8/13 | SB 28 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Passed - House (52 - 24) |
| 8/07 | AB 2654 | Expanding Anti-Discrimination Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| 7/29 | S 2807 | Election Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
| 7/17 | HB 2340 | Prohibiting Children from Riding in Pickup Truck Beds | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 20) |
| 7/09 | S Amdt 5064 | Striking Telecom Immunity from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Bill | Amendment Rejected - Senate (32 - 66) |
| 7/09 | HR 6304 | Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 28) |
| 7/02 | SB 1988 | Outlaws Burning Crosses and Hanging Nooses | Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 3) |
| 6/28 | HB 219 | Nonbroadcast Political Advertisements | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 9) |
| 6/27 | SCR 1042 | Parameters of Marriage | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 4) |
| 6/26 | HB 2713 | Student's Religious Liberties Act | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 10) |
| 6/26 | HB 219 | Nonbroadcast Political Advertisements | Bill Passed - House (67 - 21) |
| 6/25 | SCR 1042 | Parameters of Marriage | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (14 - 11) |
| 6/25 | A 7738 | Real ID Biometric Data | Bill Failed - House (92 - 108) |
| 6/21 | HB 906 | Anonymity of Ethics Board Complaints | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 21) |
| 6/20 | SB 718 | State Board Member and Commissioner Financial Disclosures | Bill Passed - House (92 - 8) |
| 6/20 | S 2706 | Red Light Cameras | Bill Passed - House (44 - 12) |
| 6/20 | HR 6304 | Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Amendments | Bill Passed - House (293 - 129) |
| 6/19 | SB 137 | Young Drivers Using Cell Phones While Driving | Bill Passed - House (70 - 19) |
| 6/17 | HB 852 | Banning Cell Phones While Driving | Bill Failed - Senate (6 - 27) |
| 6/17 | S 2706 | Red Light Cameras | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 2) |
| 6/17 | SB 1686 | Restrictions on Public Smoking | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 15) |
| 6/12 | S 2375 | DNA Database Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 9) |
| 6/12 | H 7222 page 5, re: Sec. 3-8-9: Transportation of Alcohol by Minors | Bill Passed - House (52 - 14) | |
| 6/10 | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 9) |
| 6/04 | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Adopted - House (163 - 38) |
| 6/04 | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (19 - 31) |
| 5/29 | S Amdt 3870 | Legislator Financial Disclosures | Amendment Rejected - Senate (5 - 29) |
| 5/29 | SB 1096 | Pharmacy Prescription Refill Mailings | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| 5/28 | AB 2747 | Disclosing End-of-Life Care Options | Bill Passed - House (42 - 34) |
| 5/28 | SB 718 | State Board Member and Commissioner Financial Disclosures | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9) |
| 5/28 | HB 5074 | Ban Smoking in Places of Employment and Public Places with Exceptions for Casinos, Cigar Bars, and Specialty Tobacco Stores | Bill Passed - House (65 - 39) |
| 5/27 | HB 5288 | Expand Use of Red Light Cameras | Bill Failed - Senate (26 - 24) |
| 5/27 | AB 2654 | Expanding Anti-Discrimination Laws | Bill Passed - House (48 - 30) |
| 5/22 | SB 2004 | Voter Identification Requirement | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
| 5/15 | SB 1322 | Communist Party Membership | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
| 5/13 | HF 3807 | Real ID Prohibition | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (103 - 30) |
| 5/13 | HF 3807 | Real ID Prohibition | Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 16) |
| 5/12 | HB 2633 | Religious Expression at Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (70 - 28) |
| 5/12 | SCR 1042 | Parameters of Marriage | Resolution Passed - House (33 - 25) |
| 5/08 | HB 4163 | Workplace Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
| 5/06 | HB 2019 | Voter Identification | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 3) |
| 5/06 | HB 2019 | Voter Identification | Conference Report Adopted - House (67 - 56) |
| 5/06 | SB 1150 | Voter Identification Requirement | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (24 - 23) |