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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | AZ | HB 2454 | Child Protective Services Information Disclosure | Bill Passed - House (47 - 12) |
| 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 | KS | SB 389 | Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (84 - 40) |
| 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 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 | KS | HB 2873 | Department of Corrections Bonds | Bill Passed - House (104 - 18) |
| March 12, 2008 | IA | HF 2212 | Smoking Ban | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (59 - 40) |
| March 11, 2008 | National | HR 2082 | Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 | Veto Override Failed - House (225 - 188) |
| March 11, 2008 | AZ | HB 2389 | Involving Gun Owners' Rights | Bill Passed - House (37 - 22) |
| March 10, 2008 | WA | HB 2476 | Tribal Police Jurisdiction | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (62 - 32) |
| March 10, 2008 | AZ | HB 2573 | Off-Highway Vehicle Regulations | Bill Passed - House (43 - 13) |
| March 10, 2008 | OK | HB 2956 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (55 - 42) |
| March 7, 2008 | CO | HJR 1009 | Ratification of the UN Convention Against the Discrimination of Women | Joint Resolution Passed - House (43 - 21) |
| March 6, 2008 | WY | HB 137 | Deadly Force in Self Defense | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (57 - 2) |
| March 6, 2008 | WY | HB 137 | Deadly Force in Self Defense | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (57 - 2) |
| March 6, 2008 | MO | HB 1619 | Monitoring Prescription Drug Sales | Bill Passed - House (84 - 69) |
| March 6, 2008 | MO | HB 1619 | Monitoring Prescription Drug Sales | Bill Passed - House (84 - 69) |
| March 5, 2008 | CO | HB 1130 | Removing Wiretap Restrictions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 9) |
| March 5, 2008 | CO | HB 1130 | Removing Wiretap Restrictions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 9) |
| March 5, 2008 | MS | SB 2988 | Prohibiting Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (112 - 8) |
| March 5, 2008 | WI | AB 151 | Financial Aid Ineligibility for Drug Offenders | Bill Passed - House (70 - 24) |
| March 5, 2008 | National | HR 1424 | Mental Health Coverage Bill | Bill Passed - House (268 - 148) |
| March 5, 2008 | UT | SB 299 | Domestic Partnership Benefits | Bill Passed - House (61 - 9) |
| March 5, 2008 | WI | AB 151 | Financial Aid Ineligibility for Drug Offenders | Bill Passed - House (70 - 24) |
| March 4, 2008 | MO | HA 5 | Defining Mifepristone as a Schedule 1 Controlled Substance | Amendment Adopted - House |
| March 4, 2008 | AZ | HB 2630 | Illegally Concealed Weapon Penalty Reduction | Bill Passed - House (36 - 24) |
| March 4, 2008 | AZ | HB 2630 | Illegally Concealed Weapon Penalty Reduction | Bill Passed - House (36 - 24) |
| March 4, 2008 | GA | HB 1245 | Public Defender Funding Amendments | Bill Passed - House (141 - 21) |
| March 4, 2008 | UT | SB 297 | Increasing Penalties for Animal Cruelty | Bill Passed - House (62 - 6) |
| March 4, 2008 | KY | HB 31 | Felony Record Expungement | Bill Passed - House (76 - 21) |
| March 4, 2008 | IL | HB 4180 | Allowing Teachers to Conduct a Silent Reflection | Bill Passed - House (72 - 31) |
| March 3, 2008 | UT | AM 1 | Mandating the Concealment of Firearms on Campus | Amendment Adopted - House (41 - 29) |
| March 3, 2008 | UT | HB 473 | Campus Gun Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (60 - 11) |
| March 3, 2008 | AZ | HB 2359 | County Sheriff and Border Patrol Collaboration | Bill Passed - House (33 - 27) |
| March 3, 2008 | AZ | HB 2769 | Increasing Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Penalties | Bill Passed - House (34 - 25) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | WI | A Amnd. 2 | Exemptions to Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Ban | Amendment Tabled - House (54 - 43) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | WI | A Amnd. 1 | Exemptions to Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Ban | Amendment Tabled - House (54 - 43) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | GA | HB 978 | Vehicle Seizures for Undocumented Immigrant Traffic Violations | Bill Passed - House (104 - 51) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | WI | AB 710 | Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Ban | Bill Passed - House (59 - 38) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | CO | HB 1297 | Supplemental Department of Public Safety Funding | Bill Passed - House (45 - 20) |
| Feb. 26, 2008 | ID | H 503 | Scholarships for Drug-Free Students | Bill Passed - House (55 - 14) |
| Feb. 26, 2008 | WI | AB 695 | John Doe Proceedings | Bill Passed - House (84 - 13) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 2454 | Child Protective Services Information Disclosure | Bill Passed - House (47 - 12) |
| 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 | SB 389 | Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (84 - 40) |
| 3/18 | HB 1623 | Marijuana Decriminalization | Bill Passed - House (193 - 141) |
| 3/18 | HB 1623 | Marijuana Decriminalization | Bill Passed - House (193 - 141) |
| 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 | HB 2873 | Department of Corrections Bonds | Bill Passed - House (104 - 18) |
| 3/12 | HF 2212 | Smoking Ban | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (59 - 40) |
| 3/11 | HR 2082 | Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 | Veto Override Failed - House (225 - 188) |
| 3/11 | HB 2389 | Involving Gun Owners' Rights | Bill Passed - House (37 - 22) |
| 3/10 | HB 2476 | Tribal Police Jurisdiction | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (62 - 32) |
| 3/10 | HB 2573 | Off-Highway Vehicle Regulations | Bill Passed - House (43 - 13) |
| 3/10 | HB 2956 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (55 - 42) |
| 3/07 | HJR 1009 | Ratification of the UN Convention Against the Discrimination of Women | Joint Resolution Passed - House (43 - 21) |
| 3/06 | HB 137 | Deadly Force in Self Defense | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (57 - 2) |
| 3/06 | HB 137 | Deadly Force in Self Defense | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (57 - 2) |
| 3/06 | HB 1619 | Monitoring Prescription Drug Sales | Bill Passed - House (84 - 69) |
| 3/06 | HB 1619 | Monitoring Prescription Drug Sales | Bill Passed - House (84 - 69) |
| 3/05 | HB 1130 | Removing Wiretap Restrictions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 9) |
| 3/05 | HB 1130 | Removing Wiretap Restrictions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 9) |
| 3/05 | SB 2988 | Prohibiting Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (112 - 8) |
| 3/05 | AB 151 | Financial Aid Ineligibility for Drug Offenders | Bill Passed - House (70 - 24) |
| 3/05 | HR 1424 | Mental Health Coverage Bill | Bill Passed - House (268 - 148) |
| 3/05 | SB 299 | Domestic Partnership Benefits | Bill Passed - House (61 - 9) |
| 3/05 | AB 151 | Financial Aid Ineligibility for Drug Offenders | Bill Passed - House (70 - 24) |
| 3/04 | HA 5 | Defining Mifepristone as a Schedule 1 Controlled Substance | Amendment Adopted - House |
| 3/04 | HB 2630 | Illegally Concealed Weapon Penalty Reduction | Bill Passed - House (36 - 24) |
| 3/04 | HB 2630 | Illegally Concealed Weapon Penalty Reduction | Bill Passed - House (36 - 24) |
| 3/04 | HB 1245 | Public Defender Funding Amendments | Bill Passed - House (141 - 21) |
| 3/04 | SB 297 | Increasing Penalties for Animal Cruelty | Bill Passed - House (62 - 6) |
| 3/04 | HB 31 | Felony Record Expungement | Bill Passed - House (76 - 21) |
| 3/04 | HB 4180 | Allowing Teachers to Conduct a Silent Reflection | Bill Passed - House (72 - 31) |
| 3/03 | AM 1 | Mandating the Concealment of Firearms on Campus | Amendment Adopted - House (41 - 29) |
| 3/03 | HB 473 | Campus Gun Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (60 - 11) |
| 3/03 | HB 2359 | County Sheriff and Border Patrol Collaboration | Bill Passed - House (33 - 27) |
| 3/03 | HB 2769 | Increasing Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Penalties | Bill Passed - House (34 - 25) |
| 2/28 | A Amnd. 2 | Exemptions to Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Ban | Amendment Tabled - House (54 - 43) |
| 2/28 | A Amnd. 1 | Exemptions to Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Ban | Amendment Tabled - House (54 - 43) |
| 2/28 | HB 978 | Vehicle Seizures for Undocumented Immigrant Traffic Violations | Bill Passed - House (104 - 51) |
| 2/28 | AB 710 | Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Ban | Bill Passed - House (59 - 38) |
| 2/27 | HB 1297 | Supplemental Department of Public Safety Funding | Bill Passed - House (45 - 20) |
| 2/26 | H 503 | Scholarships for Drug-Free Students | Bill Passed - House (55 - 14) |
| 2/26 | AB 695 | John Doe Proceedings | Bill Passed - House (84 - 13) |