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
March 20, 2008 MD SB 2 Banning Cell Phones While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21)
March 20, 2008 GA SB 350 Increasing Penalties for Driving Without a License Bill Passed - House (99 - 68)
March 19, 2008 GA Fleming AM 29 0700 Amending Capital Punishment Sentencing Procedures Amendment Adopted - House (100 - 66)
March 19, 2008 GA Fleming AM 29 0700 Amending Capital Punishment Sentencing Procedures Amendment Adopted - House (100 - 66)
March 19, 2008 MS SB 2264 Authorizing Wire-tapping Out of State Bill Passed - House (97 - 21)
March 19, 2008 GA SB 145 Amending Sentencing Guidelines for Murder Bill Passed - House (112 - 55)
March 19, 2008 GA SB 145 Amending Sentencing Guidelines for Murder Bill Passed - House (112 - 55)
March 19, 2008 MS HB 1089 Legalizing Deer Baiting Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 24)
March 19, 2008 AZ HB 2454 Child Protective Services Information Disclosure Bill Passed - House (47 - 12)
March 19, 2008 KS SB 409 Three-Strikes Sentencing for Theft Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 6)
March 19, 2008 ID S 1484 Disclosing Fiscal Impacts of Citizens Initiatives Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9)
March 19, 2008 AZ HB 2677 Real ID Bill Passed - House (51 - 8)
March 19, 2008 ID S 1441 Prohibiting Local Gun Ordinances Bill Passed - House (60 - 9)
March 18, 2008 CO HB 1297 Supplemental Department of Public Safety Funding Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9)
March 18, 2008 KS SB 389 Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (84 - 40)
March 18, 2008 MD SB 269 Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21)
March 18, 2008 MD SB 269 Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21)
March 18, 2008 NH HB 1623 Marijuana Decriminalization Bill Passed - House (193 - 141)
March 18, 2008 NH HB 1623 Marijuana Decriminalization Bill Passed - House (193 - 141)
March 17, 2008 ID H 348 Legalizing Alcohol Sales on Election Day Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16)
March 14, 2008 National HR 3773 Electronic Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Review Act Concurrence Vote Passed - House (213 - 197)
March 14, 2008 National HR 3773 Electronic Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Review Act Concurrence Vote Passed - House (213 - 197)
March 14, 2008 MD SB 461 Prohibiting Cell Phone Use by Drivers Under 18 Bill Failed - Senate (22 - 21)
March 14, 2008 KS HB 2873 Department of Corrections Bonds Bill Passed - House (104 - 18)
March 13, 2008 National S Amdt 4309 Restriction of Federal Assistance Based on Compliance with Federal Immigration Laws Amendment Tabled - Senate (58 - 40)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/20 SB 2 Banning Cell Phones While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21)
3/20 SB 350 Increasing Penalties for Driving Without a License Bill Passed - House (99 - 68)
3/19 Fleming AM 29 0700 Amending Capital Punishment Sentencing Procedures Amendment Adopted - House (100 - 66)
3/19 Fleming AM 29 0700 Amending Capital Punishment Sentencing Procedures Amendment Adopted - House (100 - 66)
3/19 SB 2264 Authorizing Wire-tapping Out of State Bill Passed - House (97 - 21)
3/19 SB 145 Amending Sentencing Guidelines for Murder Bill Passed - House (112 - 55)
3/19 SB 145 Amending Sentencing Guidelines for Murder Bill Passed - House (112 - 55)
3/19 HB 1089 Legalizing Deer Baiting Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 24)
3/19 HB 2454 Child Protective Services Information Disclosure Bill Passed - House (47 - 12)
3/19 SB 409 Three-Strikes Sentencing for Theft Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 6)
3/19 S 1484 Disclosing Fiscal Impacts of Citizens Initiatives Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9)
3/19 HB 2677 Real ID Bill Passed - House (51 - 8)
3/19 S 1441 Prohibiting Local Gun Ordinances Bill Passed - House (60 - 9)
3/18 HB 1297 Supplemental Department of Public Safety Funding Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9)
3/18 SB 389 Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (84 - 40)
3/18 SB 269 Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21)
3/18 SB 269 Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21)
3/18 HB 1623 Marijuana Decriminalization Bill Passed - House (193 - 141)
3/18 HB 1623 Marijuana Decriminalization Bill Passed - House (193 - 141)
3/17 H 348 Legalizing Alcohol Sales on Election Day Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16)
3/14 HR 3773 Electronic Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Review Act Concurrence Vote Passed - House (213 - 197)
3/14 HR 3773 Electronic Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Review Act Concurrence Vote Passed - House (213 - 197)
3/14 SB 461 Prohibiting Cell Phone Use by Drivers Under 18 Bill Failed - Senate (22 - 21)
3/14 HB 2873 Department of Corrections Bonds Bill Passed - House (104 - 18)
3/13 S Amdt 4309 Restriction of Federal Assistance Based on Compliance with Federal Immigration Laws Amendment Tabled - Senate (58 - 40)

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