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 13, 2008 | MN | HF 3807 | Real ID Prohibition | Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 16) |
| 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 | OK | SB 1150 | Voter Identification Requirement | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (24 - 23) |
| May 6, 2008 | AZ | HB 2677 | Real ID | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 7) |
| May 6, 2008 | LA | SB 137 | Young Drivers Using Cell Phones While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| April 29, 2008 | TN | SB 3042 | Open Container Law | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7) |
| April 21, 2008 | MN | HF 1351 | Transportation Policy Reform | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 11) |
| April 8, 2008 | IA | HF 2212 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (28 - 22) |
| April 1, 2008 | IL | SB 1997 | Interscholastic Event Image Release | Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 5) |
| March 27, 2008 | ME | LD 2012 | Prohibiting Smoking in Vehicles with Children | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| March 20, 2008 | MD | SB 2 | Banning Cell Phones While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21) |
| March 19, 2008 | ID | S 1484 | Disclosing Fiscal Impacts of Citizens Initiatives | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9) |
| March 18, 2008 | CO | HB 1297 | Supplemental Department of Public Safety Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9) |
| March 18, 2008 | MD | SB 269 | Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21) |
| March 17, 2008 | ID | H 348 | Legalizing Alcohol Sales on Election Day | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16) |
| March 13, 2008 | IA | HF 2212 | Smoking Ban | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (23 - 27) |
| March 12, 2008 | MD | SB 42 | Temporary Confiscation of Firearms | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 17) |
| March 12, 2008 | IA | SF 2355 | Time Off to Attend Presidential Precinct Caucuses | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 10) |
| March 12, 2008 | KY | SB 120 | Booster Seat Requirement | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
| March 10, 2008 | CO | HJR 1009 | Ratification of the UN Convention Against the Discrimination of Women | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| March 3, 2008 | UT | SB 299 | Domestic Partnership Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 7) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | WI | AB 377 | Emergency Contraception for Sexual Assault Victims | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 6) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | IA | HF 2212 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | WV | SB 248 | Non-Participation in the Real ID Act | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 3) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/13 | HF 3807 | Real ID Prohibition | Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 16) |
| 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 | SB 1150 | Voter Identification Requirement | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (24 - 23) |
| 5/06 | HB 2677 | Real ID | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 7) |
| 5/06 | SB 137 | Young Drivers Using Cell Phones While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| 4/29 | SB 3042 | Open Container Law | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7) |
| 4/21 | HF 1351 | Transportation Policy Reform | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 11) |
| 4/08 | HF 2212 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (28 - 22) |
| 4/01 | SB 1997 | Interscholastic Event Image Release | Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 5) |
| 3/27 | LD 2012 | Prohibiting Smoking in Vehicles with Children | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 3/20 | SB 2 | Banning Cell Phones While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21) |
| 3/19 | S 1484 | Disclosing Fiscal Impacts of Citizens Initiatives | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9) |
| 3/18 | HB 1297 | Supplemental Department of Public Safety Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9) |
| 3/18 | SB 269 | Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21) |
| 3/17 | H 348 | Legalizing Alcohol Sales on Election Day | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16) |
| 3/13 | HF 2212 | Smoking Ban | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (23 - 27) |
| 3/12 | SB 42 | Temporary Confiscation of Firearms | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 17) |
| 3/12 | SF 2355 | Time Off to Attend Presidential Precinct Caucuses | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 10) |
| 3/12 | SB 120 | Booster Seat Requirement | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
| 3/10 | HJR 1009 | Ratification of the UN Convention Against the Discrimination of Women | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| 3/03 | SB 299 | Domestic Partnership Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 7) |
| 2/28 | AB 377 | Emergency Contraception for Sexual Assault Victims | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 6) |
| 2/27 | HF 2212 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21) |
| 2/27 | SB 248 | Non-Participation in the Real ID Act | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 3) |