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
Nov. 21, 2008 NE LB 1 Establishing an Age Limit on Safe Haven Law Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 5)
Nov. 18, 2008 NE Amdt 4 Establishing an Age Limit on Safe Haven Law Amendment Rejected - Senate (23 - 26)
Aug. 19, 2008 IL HB 5285 Extending Parental Health Insurance to Unmarried Dependents Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 17)
Aug. 19, 2008 NM HB 4 Working Families Tax Credit Increase Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 2)
Aug. 18, 2008 NM SB 24 Tax Rebate Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 2)
Aug. 11, 2008 CA AB 86 Cyber-Bullying Enforcement Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
July 17, 2008 NC HB 2340 Prohibiting Children from Riding in Pickup Truck Beds Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 20)
May 7, 2008 MN SF 3001 Modifying State Education Policies Conference Report Adopted - Senate (45 - 20)
May 6, 2008 CO HB 1388 Increasing Education Funding Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 13)
May 6, 2008 LA SB 137 Young Drivers Using Cell Phones While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
May 2, 2008 CO HB 1208 Limitations on Direct File Juvenile Cases Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16)
May 1, 2008 RI H 7204 2007-2008 Budget Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
April 15, 2008 KY HB 683 DNA Collection, Parole Board, and Felony Review Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 1)
April 7, 2008 IA HF 2539 Health Care Expansion Plan Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 6)
April 4, 2008 CO SB 129 Restricting Beverage Sales at Schools Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
April 3, 2008 MN SF 960 Modification of the Definition of Dependents for Local Government Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 22)
April 1, 2008 NE AM 2319 to LB 1174 Farm and Ranch Ownership Requirements Amendment Rejected - Senate (20 - 27)
March 27, 2008 ME LD 2012 Prohibiting Smoking in Vehicles with Children Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
March 25, 2008 AZ HB 2263 Maturity Requirement for Underage Abortions Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12)
March 24, 2008 CO HB 1276 Workplace Accommodations for Nursing Mothers Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8)
March 20, 2008 NH SA 1051 to SB 527 Parental Notification for Underage Abortions Amendment Rejected - Senate (9 - 15)
March 20, 2008 NH SB 527 Mandatory Abortion Counseling for Minors Bill Failed - Senate (10 - 14)
March 19, 2008 KS SB 541 Expanding Children's Health Coverage Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 8)
March 14, 2008 National S Amdt 4233 Codifying the Definition of a Child Eligible for SCHIP Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 52)
March 14, 2008 MD SB 461 Prohibiting Cell Phone Use by Drivers Under 18 Bill Failed - Senate (22 - 21)
Date No. Title Outcome
11/21 LB 1 Establishing an Age Limit on Safe Haven Law Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 5)
11/18 Amdt 4 Establishing an Age Limit on Safe Haven Law Amendment Rejected - Senate (23 - 26)
8/19 HB 5285 Extending Parental Health Insurance to Unmarried Dependents Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 17)
8/19 HB 4 Working Families Tax Credit Increase Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 2)
8/18 SB 24 Tax Rebate Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 2)
8/11 AB 86 Cyber-Bullying Enforcement Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
7/17 HB 2340 Prohibiting Children from Riding in Pickup Truck Beds Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 20)
5/07 SF 3001 Modifying State Education Policies Conference Report Adopted - Senate (45 - 20)
5/06 HB 1388 Increasing Education Funding Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 13)
5/06 SB 137 Young Drivers Using Cell Phones While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
5/02 HB 1208 Limitations on Direct File Juvenile Cases Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16)
5/01 H 7204 2007-2008 Budget Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
4/15 HB 683 DNA Collection, Parole Board, and Felony Review Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 1)
4/07 HF 2539 Health Care Expansion Plan Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 6)
4/04 SB 129 Restricting Beverage Sales at Schools Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
4/03 SF 960 Modification of the Definition of Dependents for Local Government Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 22)
4/01 AM 2319 to LB 1174 Farm and Ranch Ownership Requirements Amendment Rejected - Senate (20 - 27)
3/27 LD 2012 Prohibiting Smoking in Vehicles with Children Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
3/25 HB 2263 Maturity Requirement for Underage Abortions Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12)
3/24 HB 1276 Workplace Accommodations for Nursing Mothers Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8)
3/20 SA 1051 to SB 527 Parental Notification for Underage Abortions Amendment Rejected - Senate (9 - 15)
3/20 SB 527 Mandatory Abortion Counseling for Minors Bill Failed - Senate (10 - 14)
3/19 SB 541 Expanding Children's Health Coverage Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 8)
3/14 S Amdt 4233 Codifying the Definition of a Child Eligible for SCHIP Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 52)
3/14 SB 461 Prohibiting Cell Phone Use by Drivers Under 18 Bill Failed - Senate (22 - 21)

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