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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 14, 2008 | LA | HB 1347 | Vouchers Bill | Bill Passed - House (60 - 42) |
| May 14, 2008 | WI | AB 1 | Budget Repair Plan | Conference Report Adopted - House (51 - 46) |
| May 13, 2008 | MN | HF 6 | 2008 Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (55 - 10) |
| May 13, 2008 | MN | HF 6 | 2008 Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (97 - 35) |
| May 13, 2008 | WI | AB 1 | Budget Repair Plan | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 16) |
| May 12, 2008 | OK | HB 2633 | Religious Expression at Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (70 - 28) |
| May 12, 2008 | CA | SB 1301 | Extending Student Financial Aid Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| May 8, 2008 | MN | SF 3001 | Modifying State Education Policies | Conference Report Adopted - House (82 - 49) |
| May 7, 2008 | MN | SF 3001 | Modifying State Education Policies | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (45 - 20) |
| May 7, 2008 | NH | SB 539 | Education Funding Amendments | Bill Passed - House (184 - 141) |
| May 7, 2008 | OH | SB 57 | Disability Scholarship Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15) |
| May 6, 2008 | CO | HB 1388 | Increasing Education Funding | Conference Report Adopted - House (58 - 5) |
| May 6, 2008 | CO | HB 1388 | Increasing Education Funding | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 13) |
| May 5, 2008 | MO | HB 2003 | 2008-2009 Department of Higher Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (88 - 63) |
| May 5, 2008 | MO | HB 2002 | 2008-2009 Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (88 - 62) |
| May 1, 2008 | MN | SF 2369 | Background Checks for Coaches | Conference Report Adopted - House (112 - 15) |
| May 1, 2008 | National | HR 5715 | Student Loan Provision Changes | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (388 - 21) |
| May 1, 2008 | AL | HB 787 | State Employees in Public Office | Bill Passed - House (57 - 36) |
| May 1, 2008 | CO | HB 1357 | Changing student testing requirements | Bill Passed - House (35 - 29) |
| April 29, 2008 | AZ | HB 2557 | Fine Arts and Physical Education in School | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 4) |
| April 29, 2008 | LA | HB 674 | Anti-Bullying Bill | Bill Failed - House (28 - 63) |
| April 28, 2008 | MN | Walker Amdt to SF 3001 | Sex Education in Schools | Amendment Adopted - House (79 - 53) |
| April 28, 2008 | FL | SB 2692 | Teaching Evolution in Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (71 - 43) |
| April 24, 2008 | AZ | HB 2711 | State Control of Mismanaged Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (44 - 6) |
| April 24, 2008 | MO | HB 2059 | Establishes the Professional Relationships Between Teachers and School Districts Act. | Bill Passed - House (83 - 67) |
| April 23, 2008 | AZ | HB 2711 | State Control of Mismanaged Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 3) |
| April 23, 2008 | MI | HB 5221 | Capital Outlay Project | Bill Passed - House (59 - 45) |
| April 23, 2008 | FL | SB 2692 | Science Curriculum Flexibility | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| April 22, 2008 | IA | S 5408 | Changes to School Infrastructure Sales Tax | Amendment Rejected - Senate (20 - 30) |
| April 22, 2008 | IA | HF 2663 | Statewide Sales Tax Increase for School Infrastructure Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 11) |
| April 17, 2008 | National | HR 5715 | Student Loan Provision Changes | Bill Passed - House (383 - 27) |
| April 17, 2008 | IL | SB 2858 | Public School Trans Fat Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 19) |
| April 16, 2008 | MO | HB 1066 | Teacher Certification | Bill Passed - House (85 - 63) |
| April 15, 2008 | MS | SB 2149 | Superintendent Removal Procedures | Conference Report Adopted - House (100 - 18) |
| April 15, 2008 | MS | SB 2149 | Superintendent Removal Procedures | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (38 - 14) |
| April 14, 2008 | IA | SF 2216 | State-Mandated Curriculum for Schools | Bill Passed - House (97 - 3) |
| April 10, 2008 | CO | HB 1375 | 2008-2009 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (39 - 23) |
| April 10, 2008 | CO | HB 1375 | 2008-2009 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 14) |
| April 10, 2008 | AZ | SB 1096 | English Language Education Funding | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
| April 10, 2008 | MN | HF 3569 | Workers' Lung Health Study | Bill Passed - House (88 - 45) |
| April 9, 2008 | AZ | SB 1096 | English Language Education Funding | Bill Passed - House (37 - 23) |
| April 9, 2008 | IA | HF 2663 | Statewide Sales Tax Increase for School Infrastructure Funding | Bill Passed - House (59 - 41) |
| April 8, 2008 | CO | HB 1001 | Expanding Bioscience Research Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| April 7, 2008 | ME | LD 1932 | School Consolidation | Veto Override Failed - Senate (12 - 23) |
| April 7, 2008 | ME | LD 1932 | School Consolidation | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 14) |
| April 7, 2008 | NE | LB 1157 | Uniform School Testing | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 15) |
| April 4, 2008 | ME | LD 1932 | School Consolidation | Conference Report Adopted - House (83 - 47) |
| April 4, 2008 | CO | SB 129 | Restricting Beverage Sales at Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| April 3, 2008 | MO | SB 858 | Restrictions on Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| April 2, 2008 | ME | LD 1932 | School Consolidation | Conference Report Rejected - House (97 - 46) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/14 | HB 1347 | Vouchers Bill | Bill Passed - House (60 - 42) |
| 5/14 | AB 1 | Budget Repair Plan | Conference Report Adopted - House (51 - 46) |
| 5/13 | HF 6 | 2008 Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (55 - 10) |
| 5/13 | HF 6 | 2008 Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (97 - 35) |
| 5/13 | AB 1 | Budget Repair Plan | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 16) |
| 5/12 | HB 2633 | Religious Expression at Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (70 - 28) |
| 5/12 | SB 1301 | Extending Student Financial Aid Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| 5/08 | SF 3001 | Modifying State Education Policies | Conference Report Adopted - House (82 - 49) |
| 5/07 | SF 3001 | Modifying State Education Policies | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (45 - 20) |
| 5/07 | SB 539 | Education Funding Amendments | Bill Passed - House (184 - 141) |
| 5/07 | SB 57 | Disability Scholarship Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15) |
| 5/06 | HB 1388 | Increasing Education Funding | Conference Report Adopted - House (58 - 5) |
| 5/06 | HB 1388 | Increasing Education Funding | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 13) |
| 5/05 | HB 2003 | 2008-2009 Department of Higher Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (88 - 63) |
| 5/05 | HB 2002 | 2008-2009 Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (88 - 62) |
| 5/01 | SF 2369 | Background Checks for Coaches | Conference Report Adopted - House (112 - 15) |
| 5/01 | HR 5715 | Student Loan Provision Changes | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (388 - 21) |
| 5/01 | HB 787 | State Employees in Public Office | Bill Passed - House (57 - 36) |
| 5/01 | HB 1357 | Changing student testing requirements | Bill Passed - House (35 - 29) |
| 4/29 | HB 2557 | Fine Arts and Physical Education in School | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 4) |
| 4/29 | HB 674 | Anti-Bullying Bill | Bill Failed - House (28 - 63) |
| 4/28 | Walker Amdt to SF 3001 | Sex Education in Schools | Amendment Adopted - House (79 - 53) |
| 4/28 | SB 2692 | Teaching Evolution in Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (71 - 43) |
| 4/24 | HB 2711 | State Control of Mismanaged Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (44 - 6) |
| 4/24 | HB 2059 | Establishes the Professional Relationships Between Teachers and School Districts Act. | Bill Passed - House (83 - 67) |
| 4/23 | HB 2711 | State Control of Mismanaged Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 3) |
| 4/23 | HB 5221 | Capital Outlay Project | Bill Passed - House (59 - 45) |
| 4/23 | SB 2692 | Science Curriculum Flexibility | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| 4/22 | S 5408 | Changes to School Infrastructure Sales Tax | Amendment Rejected - Senate (20 - 30) |
| 4/22 | HF 2663 | Statewide Sales Tax Increase for School Infrastructure Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 11) |
| 4/17 | HR 5715 | Student Loan Provision Changes | Bill Passed - House (383 - 27) |
| 4/17 | SB 2858 | Public School Trans Fat Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 19) |
| 4/16 | HB 1066 | Teacher Certification | Bill Passed - House (85 - 63) |
| 4/15 | SB 2149 | Superintendent Removal Procedures | Conference Report Adopted - House (100 - 18) |
| 4/15 | SB 2149 | Superintendent Removal Procedures | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (38 - 14) |
| 4/14 | SF 2216 | State-Mandated Curriculum for Schools | Bill Passed - House (97 - 3) |
| 4/10 | HB 1375 | 2008-2009 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (39 - 23) |
| 4/10 | HB 1375 | 2008-2009 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 14) |
| 4/10 | SB 1096 | English Language Education Funding | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
| 4/10 | HF 3569 | Workers' Lung Health Study | Bill Passed - House (88 - 45) |
| 4/09 | SB 1096 | English Language Education Funding | Bill Passed - House (37 - 23) |
| 4/09 | HF 2663 | Statewide Sales Tax Increase for School Infrastructure Funding | Bill Passed - House (59 - 41) |
| 4/08 | HB 1001 | Expanding Bioscience Research Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| 4/07 | LD 1932 | School Consolidation | Veto Override Failed - Senate (12 - 23) |
| 4/07 | LD 1932 | School Consolidation | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 14) |
| 4/07 | LB 1157 | Uniform School Testing | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 15) |
| 4/04 | LD 1932 | School Consolidation | Conference Report Adopted - House (83 - 47) |
| 4/04 | SB 129 | Restricting Beverage Sales at Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| 4/03 | SB 858 | Restrictions on Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| 4/02 | LD 1932 | School Consolidation | Conference Report Rejected - House (97 - 46) |