Key Votes

Chamber

Keyword Search

Search string must be longer than 3 characters.

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 25, 2008 AZ HB 2769 Increasing Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Penalties Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9)
March 20, 2008 MD SB 2 Banning Cell Phones While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21)
March 19, 2008 MS HB 1089 Legalizing Deer Baiting Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 24)
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 18, 2008 MD SB 269 Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21)
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 14, 2008 MD SB 461 Prohibiting Cell Phone Use by Drivers Under 18 Bill Failed - Senate (22 - 21)
March 13, 2008 National S Amdt 4309 Restriction of Federal Assistance Based on Compliance with Federal Immigration Laws Amendment Tabled - Senate (58 - 40)
March 13, 2008 National S Amdt 4231 Immigration Enforcement and Border Fence Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (61 - 37)
March 13, 2008 VA HB 30 2008-2010 Biennium Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 14)
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 MD SB 42 Temporary Confiscation of Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 17)
March 12, 2008 KY SB 120 Booster Seat Requirement Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5)
March 12, 2008 IA SF 2355 Time Off to Attend Presidential Precinct Caucuses Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 10)
March 10, 2008 CO HJR 1009 Ratification of the UN Convention Against the Discrimination of Women Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
March 10, 2008 AZ SB 1476 Reducing Probation for Good Behavior Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 7)
March 10, 2008 AZ SB 1476 Reducing Probation for Good Behavior Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 7)
March 7, 2008 WA HB 2476 Tribal Police Jurisdiction Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15)
March 5, 2008 WY HB 137 Deadly Force in Self Defense Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 1)
March 5, 2008 WY HB 137 Deadly Force in Self Defense Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 1)
March 4, 2008 WI SB 537 John Doe Proceedings Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/25 HB 2769 Increasing Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Penalties Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9)
3/20 SB 2 Banning Cell Phones While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21)
3/19 HB 1089 Legalizing Deer Baiting Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 24)
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)
3/18 SB 269 Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21)
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)
3/14 SB 461 Prohibiting Cell Phone Use by Drivers Under 18 Bill Failed - Senate (22 - 21)
3/13 S Amdt 4309 Restriction of Federal Assistance Based on Compliance with Federal Immigration Laws Amendment Tabled - Senate (58 - 40)
3/13 S Amdt 4231 Immigration Enforcement and Border Fence Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (61 - 37)
3/13 HB 30 2008-2010 Biennium Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 14)
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 SB 42 Temporary Confiscation of Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 17)
3/12 SB 120 Booster Seat Requirement Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5)
3/12 SF 2355 Time Off to Attend Presidential Precinct Caucuses Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 10)
3/10 HJR 1009 Ratification of the UN Convention Against the Discrimination of Women Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
3/10 SB 1476 Reducing Probation for Good Behavior Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 7)
3/10 SB 1476 Reducing Probation for Good Behavior Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 7)
3/07 HB 2476 Tribal Police Jurisdiction Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15)
3/05 HB 137 Deadly Force in Self Defense Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 1)
3/05 HB 137 Deadly Force in Self Defense Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 1)
3/04 SB 537 John Doe Proceedings Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15)

arrow_upward