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.


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Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Dec. 11, 2008 MI SB 505 Authorizing Judges to Carry Concealed Weapons in Courtrooms Bill Passed - House (80 - 18)
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 4404 Prohibiting Life Without Parole Sentencing for Juveniles Bill Passed - House (59 - 47)
Dec. 4, 2008 MI HB 4405 Juvenile Parole Eligibility Reform Bill Passed - House (63 - 43)
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)
Oct. 21, 2008 SC S 429 DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest Veto Override Passed - House (86 - 25)
Sept. 24, 2008 National HR 2638 Continuing Appropriations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (370 - 58)
Sept. 17, 2008 National HR 6842 Repealing Portions of the D.C. Firearm Ban Bill Passed - House (266 - 152)
Aug. 29, 2008 CA SB 1407 Financing Courthouse Construction Bill Passed - House (45 - 20)
Aug. 13, 2008 CA SB 1171 Expanding Loaded Firearm Restrictions Bill Passed - House (45 - 32)
Aug. 13, 2008 CA SB 28 Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving Bill Passed - House (52 - 24)
Aug. 12, 2008 CA SB 1589 Uncorroborated Jailhouse Informant Testimony Ban Bill Passed - House (41 - 37)
July 30, 2008 National HR 1108 FDA Regulation of Tobacco Bill Passed - House (326 - 102)
July 29, 2008 MA Peterson Amdt to H 5022 Reducing Firearm Licensing Fee Amendment Adopted - House (97 - 59)
July 16, 2008 National H Amdt 1114 Allowing the Use of Certain Terms in Within the Intelligence Community Amendment Adopted - House (249 - 180)
July 1, 2008 DE SB 300 2008-2009 Budget Bill Passed - House (33 - 7)
June 27, 2008 AZ HB 2389 Involving Gun Owners' Rights Conference Report Adopted - House (33 - 21)
June 26, 2008 WV HB 219 Nonbroadcast Political Advertisements Bill Passed - House (67 - 21)
June 25, 2008 PA A 7738 Real ID Biometric Data Bill Failed - House (92 - 108)
June 25, 2008 PA A 7738 Real ID Biometric Data Bill Failed - House (92 - 108)
June 23, 2008 NJ A 339 Handgun Purchasing Limitations Bill Passed - House (47 - 28)
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)
Date No. Title Outcome
12/11 SB 505 Authorizing Judges to Carry Concealed Weapons in Courtrooms Bill Passed - House (80 - 18)
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 4404 Prohibiting Life Without Parole Sentencing for Juveniles Bill Passed - House (59 - 47)
12/04 HB 4405 Juvenile Parole Eligibility Reform Bill Passed - House (63 - 43)
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)
10/21 S 429 DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest Veto Override Passed - House (86 - 25)
9/24 HR 2638 Continuing Appropriations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (370 - 58)
9/17 HR 6842 Repealing Portions of the D.C. Firearm Ban Bill Passed - House (266 - 152)
8/29 SB 1407 Financing Courthouse Construction Bill Passed - House (45 - 20)
8/13 SB 1171 Expanding Loaded Firearm Restrictions Bill Passed - House (45 - 32)
8/13 SB 28 Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving Bill Passed - House (52 - 24)
8/12 SB 1589 Uncorroborated Jailhouse Informant Testimony Ban Bill Passed - House (41 - 37)
7/30 HR 1108 FDA Regulation of Tobacco Bill Passed - House (326 - 102)
7/29 Peterson Amdt to H 5022 Reducing Firearm Licensing Fee Amendment Adopted - House (97 - 59)
7/16 H Amdt 1114 Allowing the Use of Certain Terms in Within the Intelligence Community Amendment Adopted - House (249 - 180)
7/01 SB 300 2008-2009 Budget Bill Passed - House (33 - 7)
6/27 HB 2389 Involving Gun Owners' Rights Conference Report Adopted - House (33 - 21)
6/26 HB 219 Nonbroadcast Political Advertisements Bill Passed - House (67 - 21)
6/25 A 7738 Real ID Biometric Data Bill Failed - House (92 - 108)
6/25 A 7738 Real ID Biometric Data Bill Failed - House (92 - 108)
6/23 A 339 Handgun Purchasing Limitations Bill Passed - House (47 - 28)
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)

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