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.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
June 16, 2008 PA SB 1388 Change Formula for Calculating Corporate Net Income Tax Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19)
June 16, 2008 PA SB 1385 Increase Tax Credit for Business Net Losses Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19)
June 16, 2008 PA SB 1387 Business Property Tax Deduction Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 15)
June 13, 2008 LA SB 672 Legislative Pay Increase Bill Passed - House (56 - 45)
June 13, 2008 LA SB 672 Legislative Pay Increase Bill Passed - House (56 - 45)
June 12, 2008 MA H 4554 Life-Science Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 7)
June 11, 2008 MA H 4554 Life-Science Bill Conference Report Adopted - House (142 - 15)
June 11, 2008 LA SB 144 Castration of Sex Offenders Bill Passed - House (69 - 15)
June 11, 2008 CT SB 1001 Real Estate Conveyance Tax Extension Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
June 11, 2008 CT SB 1001 Real Estate Conveyance Tax Extension Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
June 11, 2008 LA HB 1347 Vouchers Bill Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12)
June 11, 2008 RI S 2081 Allowing Sixteen- and Seventeen-Year-Olds to Pre-register to Vote Bill Passed - House (55 - 9)
June 11, 2008 CT SB 1001 Real Estate Conveyance Tax Extension Bill Passed - House (82 - 51)
June 11, 2008 CT SB 1001 Real Estate Conveyance Tax Extension Bill Passed - House (82 - 51)
June 10, 2008 PA SB 246 Smoking Ban Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 9)
June 10, 2008 LA SB 807 Cable Deregulation Bill Bill Passed - House (94 - 9)
June 10, 2008 LA SB 672 Legislative Pay Increase Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 16)
June 10, 2008 LA SB 672 Legislative Pay Increase Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 16)
June 9, 2008 CA SB 606 'No Child Left Behind' Implementation Bill Failed - House (49 - 26)
June 9, 2008 LA HB 734 Tuition Increase Bill Bill Passed - House (84 - 18)
June 5, 2008 MI SB 1094 2008-2009 Department of Community Health Budget Bill Passed - House (60 - 47)
June 4, 2008 NH SB 321 Cigarette Tax Increase and Wine Discount Reduction Conference Report Adopted - Senate (12 - 11)
June 4, 2008 PA SB 246 Smoking Ban Conference Report Rejected - Senate (19 - 31)
June 4, 2008 PA SB 246 Smoking Ban Conference Report Adopted - House (163 - 38)
June 4, 2008 NH SB 321 Cigarette Tax Increase and Wine Discount Reduction Conference Report Adopted - House (205 - 137)
June 4, 2008 AZ HB 2475 Bonds for School Computers Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 13)
June 4, 2008 NH SSHB 1 Education Appropriations Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 9)
June 2, 2008 PA SB 1386 Poverty Income Tax Cut Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 16)
May 31, 2008 AL SB 51 2008-2009 Education Budget Bill Passed - House (98 - 4)
May 29, 2008 CA AB 1819 Voter Registration Age Minimum Changes Bill Passed - House (45 - 31)
May 29, 2008 LA S Amdt 3870 Legislator Financial Disclosures Amendment Rejected - Senate (5 - 29)
May 29, 2008 CA AB 3034 High-Speed Rail Bond Amendments Bill Passed - House (60 - 3)
May 29, 2008 MS HB 17 Medicaid Funds Bill Bill Failed - House (55 - 53)
May 29, 2008 IL SB 788 Authorizing $16 Billion Increase in Bonds for State Pensions Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 21)
May 29, 2008 CA CA SB 1665 Prison Health Care Facility Bonds Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 15)
May 29, 2008 CA SB 1764 Certification of Local Fire Agencies Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 14)
May 29, 2008 CA SB 1407 Financing Courthouse Construction Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8)
May 29, 2008 AL SB 51 2008-2009 Education Budget Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 1)
May 28, 2008 MI Anderson Amendment: Increase Revenue Sharing Grants Amendment Rejected - Senate (19 - 18)
May 28, 2008 MI Anderson Amendment: Increase Revenue Sharing Grants Amendment Rejected - Senate (19 - 18)
May 28, 2008 LA SB 292 Public Fishing in Overflow Waters Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 19)
May 28, 2008 CA AB 1991 Development on Half Moon Bay Bill Passed - House (46 - 18)
May 28, 2008 CA AB 2058 Paper and Plastic Bag Tax Bill Passed - House (44 - 33)
May 28, 2008 LA SB 718 State Board Member and Commissioner Financial Disclosures Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9)
May 28, 2008 MS SB 2011 Increasing Unemployment Benefits Bill Passed - House (87 - 33)
May 28, 2008 MS SB 2013 Hospital Tax for Medicaid Funding Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 7)
May 28, 2008 WI AB 1 Education Line Item Veto Override Veto Override Failed - House (60 - 36)
May 28, 2008 WI AB 1 Education Line Item Veto Override Veto Override Failed - House (57 - 39)
May 28, 2008 WI AB 1 Education Line Item Veto Override Veto Override Failed - House (57 - 39)
May 27, 2008 SC H 3567 Cigarette Tax Increase Veto Override Failed - House (54 - 57)
Date No. Title Outcome
6/16 SB 1388 Change Formula for Calculating Corporate Net Income Tax Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19)
6/16 SB 1385 Increase Tax Credit for Business Net Losses Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19)
6/16 SB 1387 Business Property Tax Deduction Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 15)
6/13 SB 672 Legislative Pay Increase Bill Passed - House (56 - 45)
6/13 SB 672 Legislative Pay Increase Bill Passed - House (56 - 45)
6/12 H 4554 Life-Science Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 7)
6/11 H 4554 Life-Science Bill Conference Report Adopted - House (142 - 15)
6/11 SB 144 Castration of Sex Offenders Bill Passed - House (69 - 15)
6/11 SB 1001 Real Estate Conveyance Tax Extension Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
6/11 SB 1001 Real Estate Conveyance Tax Extension Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
6/11 HB 1347 Vouchers Bill Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12)
6/11 S 2081 Allowing Sixteen- and Seventeen-Year-Olds to Pre-register to Vote Bill Passed - House (55 - 9)
6/11 SB 1001 Real Estate Conveyance Tax Extension Bill Passed - House (82 - 51)
6/11 SB 1001 Real Estate Conveyance Tax Extension Bill Passed - House (82 - 51)
6/10 SB 246 Smoking Ban Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 9)
6/10 SB 807 Cable Deregulation Bill Bill Passed - House (94 - 9)
6/10 SB 672 Legislative Pay Increase Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 16)
6/10 SB 672 Legislative Pay Increase Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 16)
6/09 SB 606 'No Child Left Behind' Implementation Bill Failed - House (49 - 26)
6/09 HB 734 Tuition Increase Bill Bill Passed - House (84 - 18)
6/05 SB 1094 2008-2009 Department of Community Health Budget Bill Passed - House (60 - 47)
6/04 SB 321 Cigarette Tax Increase and Wine Discount Reduction Conference Report Adopted - Senate (12 - 11)
6/04 SB 246 Smoking Ban Conference Report Rejected - Senate (19 - 31)
6/04 SB 246 Smoking Ban Conference Report Adopted - House (163 - 38)
6/04 SB 321 Cigarette Tax Increase and Wine Discount Reduction Conference Report Adopted - House (205 - 137)
6/04 HB 2475 Bonds for School Computers Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 13)
6/04 SSHB 1 Education Appropriations Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 9)
6/02 SB 1386 Poverty Income Tax Cut Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 16)
5/31 SB 51 2008-2009 Education Budget Bill Passed - House (98 - 4)
5/29 AB 1819 Voter Registration Age Minimum Changes Bill Passed - House (45 - 31)
5/29 S Amdt 3870 Legislator Financial Disclosures Amendment Rejected - Senate (5 - 29)
5/29 AB 3034 High-Speed Rail Bond Amendments Bill Passed - House (60 - 3)
5/29 HB 17 Medicaid Funds Bill Bill Failed - House (55 - 53)
5/29 SB 788 Authorizing $16 Billion Increase in Bonds for State Pensions Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 21)
5/29 CA SB 1665 Prison Health Care Facility Bonds Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 15)
5/29 SB 1764 Certification of Local Fire Agencies Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 14)
5/29 SB 1407 Financing Courthouse Construction Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8)
5/29 SB 51 2008-2009 Education Budget Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 1)
5/28 Anderson Amendment: Increase Revenue Sharing Grants Amendment Rejected - Senate (19 - 18)
5/28 Anderson Amendment: Increase Revenue Sharing Grants Amendment Rejected - Senate (19 - 18)
5/28 SB 292 Public Fishing in Overflow Waters Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 19)
5/28 AB 1991 Development on Half Moon Bay Bill Passed - House (46 - 18)
5/28 AB 2058 Paper and Plastic Bag Tax Bill Passed - House (44 - 33)
5/28 SB 718 State Board Member and Commissioner Financial Disclosures Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9)
5/28 SB 2011 Increasing Unemployment Benefits Bill Passed - House (87 - 33)
5/28 SB 2013 Hospital Tax for Medicaid Funding Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 7)
5/28 AB 1 Education Line Item Veto Override Veto Override Failed - House (60 - 36)
5/28 AB 1 Education Line Item Veto Override Veto Override Failed - House (57 - 39)
5/28 AB 1 Education Line Item Veto Override Veto Override Failed - House (57 - 39)
5/27 H 3567 Cigarette Tax Increase Veto Override Failed - House (54 - 57)

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