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 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 20, 2008 National HR 6304 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Amendments Bill Passed - House (293 - 129)
June 19, 2008 National HR 2642 GI Bill, Funding for Midwest Flood Cleanup, Extension of Unemployment Benefits, and Other Provisions Concurrence Vote Passed - House (268 - 155)
June 19, 2008 National HR 2642 GI Bill, Funding for Midwest Flood Cleanup, Extension of Unemployment Benefits, and Other Provisions Concurrence Vote Passed - House (416 - 12)
June 19, 2008 LA SB 137 Young Drivers Using Cell Phones While Driving Bill Passed - House (70 - 19)
June 18, 2008 NY S 4632 Reinstate the Death Penalty Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 21)
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 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 12, 2008 RI H 7222 page 5, re: Sec. 3-8-9: Transportation of Alcohol by Minors Bill Passed - House (52 - 14)
June 11, 2008 LA SB 144 Castration of Sex Offenders Bill Passed - House (69 - 15)
June 10, 2008 PA SB 246 Smoking Ban Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 9)
June 10, 2008 National HR 6028 Assistance for Mexico and Central America for Anti-Drug Programs (Merida Program) Bill Passed - House (311 - 106)
June 10, 2008 National HR 6028 Assistance for Mexico and Central America for Anti-Drug Programs (Merida Program) Bill Passed - House (311 - 106)
June 4, 2008 PA SB 246 Smoking Ban Conference Report Rejected - Senate (19 - 31)
June 4, 2008 PA SB 246 Smoking Ban Conference Report Adopted - House (163 - 38)
May 29, 2008 OH SB 184 Lethal Force Against Intruders Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 7)
May 29, 2008 SC H 4400 Immigration Bill Concurrence Vote Passed - House (94 - 16)
May 29, 2008 CA AB 2062 Regulation Of Ammunition Sales Bill Passed - House (42 - 32)
May 29, 2008 LA S Amdt 3870 Legislator Financial Disclosures Amendment Rejected - Senate (5 - 29)
Date No. Title Outcome
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)
6/20 HR 6304 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Amendments Bill Passed - House (293 - 129)
6/19 HR 2642 GI Bill, Funding for Midwest Flood Cleanup, Extension of Unemployment Benefits, and Other Provisions Concurrence Vote Passed - House (268 - 155)
6/19 HR 2642 GI Bill, Funding for Midwest Flood Cleanup, Extension of Unemployment Benefits, and Other Provisions Concurrence Vote Passed - House (416 - 12)
6/19 SB 137 Young Drivers Using Cell Phones While Driving Bill Passed - House (70 - 19)
6/18 S 4632 Reinstate the Death Penalty Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 21)
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 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)
6/12 H 7222 page 5, re: Sec. 3-8-9: Transportation of Alcohol by Minors Bill Passed - House (52 - 14)
6/11 SB 144 Castration of Sex Offenders Bill Passed - House (69 - 15)
6/10 SB 246 Smoking Ban Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 9)
6/10 HR 6028 Assistance for Mexico and Central America for Anti-Drug Programs (Merida Program) Bill Passed - House (311 - 106)
6/10 HR 6028 Assistance for Mexico and Central America for Anti-Drug Programs (Merida Program) Bill Passed - House (311 - 106)
6/04 SB 246 Smoking Ban Conference Report Rejected - Senate (19 - 31)
6/04 SB 246 Smoking Ban Conference Report Adopted - House (163 - 38)
5/29 SB 184 Lethal Force Against Intruders Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 7)
5/29 H 4400 Immigration Bill Concurrence Vote Passed - House (94 - 16)
5/29 AB 2062 Regulation Of Ammunition Sales Bill Passed - House (42 - 32)
5/29 S Amdt 3870 Legislator Financial Disclosures Amendment Rejected - Senate (5 - 29)

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