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 7, 2008 | ID | H 577 | Voter Approval of Local Improvement District Funding | Bill Passed - House (43 - 25) |
| March 6, 2008 | WY | HB 137 | Deadly Force in Self Defense | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (57 - 2) |
| March 6, 2008 | GA | SB 449 | Limiting Agritourism Liability | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 14) |
| March 5, 2008 | WY | HB 137 | Deadly Force in Self Defense | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 1) |
| March 5, 2008 | GA | SR 796 | Property Tax Assessment Cap | Resolution Failed - House (110 - 62) |
| March 3, 2008 | ID | S 1400 | Real Estate Sales Price Disclosure | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 15) |
| March 3, 2008 | MN | HF 3201 | Omnibus Tax Bill | Bill Passed - House (81 - 51) |
| Feb. 29, 2008 | WY | SF 11 | County Regulation on Subdivisions | Bill Passed - House (37 - 22) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | IN | SJR 1 | Constitutional Property Tax Cap | Bill Passed - House (64 - 35) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | IN | SB 143 | Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention | Bill Passed - House (51 - 48) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | CO | HB 1270 | Prohibiting Restrictions on Energy Efficiency Measures | Bill Passed - House (45 - 20) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | CO | HB 1280 | Extending Water Rights | Bill Passed - House (59 - 6) |
| Feb. 26, 2008 | IN | Amnd. 2 | Permitting Lawsuits for Injuries Caused by Hazardous Substances | Amendment Adopted - House (52 - 45) |
| Feb. 26, 2008 | IN | Amdt 1 to SJR 1 | Adjusting the Constitutional Property Tax Cap | Amendment Rejected - House (50 - 50) |
| Feb. 26, 2008 | IN | HB 1001 | Property Tax Reduction | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
| Feb. 26, 2008 | SD | SB 174 | Railroad Eminent Domain | Bill Passed - House (54 - 16) |
| Feb. 25, 2008 | VA | HB 11 | Property Tax Exemptions | Motion Agreed - Senate (21 - 19) |
| Feb. 25, 2008 | IN | Amnd. 19 | Referendum on Township Assessors | Amendment Rejected - Senate (24 - 20) |
| Feb. 25, 2008 | IN | Amnd. 17 | Elimination of Township Assessors | Amendment Rejected - Senate (23 - 23) |
| Feb. 25, 2008 | WY | HB 137 | Deadly Force in Self Defense | Bill Passed - House (54 - 4) |
| Feb. 21, 2008 | OR | HB 3603 | Mortgage Reform | Bill Passed - House (31 - 29) |
| Feb. 15, 2008 | OR | HB 3618 | Inheritance Tax Credit | Bill Passed - House (41 - 18) |
| Feb. 13, 2008 | SD | SB 174 | Railroad Eminent Domain | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
| Feb. 12, 2008 | GA | SR 686 | Property Tax Assessment Freeze | Resolution Passed - Senate (53 - 3) |
| Feb. 12, 2008 | GA | SR 796 | Property Tax Assessment Cap | Resolution Passed - Senate (48 - 7) |
| Feb. 10, 2008 | NM | HB 661 | Affordable Housing Tax Relief | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 12) |
| Feb. 7, 2008 | National | HR 5140 | Economic Stimulus Plan | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (380 - 34) |
| Feb. 7, 2008 | National | HR 5140 | Economic Stimulus Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 16) |
| Feb. 6, 2008 | WA | SB 6272 | Financial Literacy for Homeowners | Bill Passed - House (69 - 27) |
| Feb. 6, 2008 | WA | SB 6381 | Good Faith Duties of Mortgage Brokers | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19) |
| Feb. 6, 2008 | WA | SB 6452 | Yield Spread Premium Disclosure | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 17) |
| Jan. 30, 2008 | CA | SB 926 | Mortgage Lender Requirements | Bill Failed - Senate (26 - 14) |
| Jan. 29, 2008 | IN | SB 143 | Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 13) |
| Jan. 29, 2008 | IN | SJR 1 | Constitutional Property Tax Cap | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (41 - 7) |
| Jan. 29, 2008 | National | HR 5140 | Economic Stimulus Plan | Bill Passed - House (385 - 35) |
| Jan. 22, 2008 | IN | Amnd. 72 | School Construction Exemption | Amendment Adopted - House (49 - 44) |
| Jan. 22, 2008 | IN | SB 18 | Allowing Referendum on Public Construction Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 16) |
| Jan. 17, 2008 | GA | HB 89 | Concealed Weapons in Motor Vehicles | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 15) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/07 | H 577 | Voter Approval of Local Improvement District Funding | Bill Passed - House (43 - 25) |
| 3/06 | HB 137 | Deadly Force in Self Defense | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (57 - 2) |
| 3/06 | SB 449 | Limiting Agritourism Liability | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 14) |
| 3/05 | HB 137 | Deadly Force in Self Defense | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 1) |
| 3/05 | SR 796 | Property Tax Assessment Cap | Resolution Failed - House (110 - 62) |
| 3/03 | S 1400 | Real Estate Sales Price Disclosure | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 15) |
| 3/03 | HF 3201 | Omnibus Tax Bill | Bill Passed - House (81 - 51) |
| 2/29 | SF 11 | County Regulation on Subdivisions | Bill Passed - House (37 - 22) |
| 2/28 | SJR 1 | Constitutional Property Tax Cap | Bill Passed - House (64 - 35) |
| 2/28 | SB 143 | Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention | Bill Passed - House (51 - 48) |
| 2/27 | HB 1270 | Prohibiting Restrictions on Energy Efficiency Measures | Bill Passed - House (45 - 20) |
| 2/27 | HB 1280 | Extending Water Rights | Bill Passed - House (59 - 6) |
| 2/26 | Amnd. 2 | Permitting Lawsuits for Injuries Caused by Hazardous Substances | Amendment Adopted - House (52 - 45) |
| 2/26 | Amdt 1 to SJR 1 | Adjusting the Constitutional Property Tax Cap | Amendment Rejected - House (50 - 50) |
| 2/26 | HB 1001 | Property Tax Reduction | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
| 2/26 | SB 174 | Railroad Eminent Domain | Bill Passed - House (54 - 16) |
| 2/25 | HB 11 | Property Tax Exemptions | Motion Agreed - Senate (21 - 19) |
| 2/25 | Amnd. 19 | Referendum on Township Assessors | Amendment Rejected - Senate (24 - 20) |
| 2/25 | Amnd. 17 | Elimination of Township Assessors | Amendment Rejected - Senate (23 - 23) |
| 2/25 | HB 137 | Deadly Force in Self Defense | Bill Passed - House (54 - 4) |
| 2/21 | HB 3603 | Mortgage Reform | Bill Passed - House (31 - 29) |
| 2/15 | HB 3618 | Inheritance Tax Credit | Bill Passed - House (41 - 18) |
| 2/13 | SB 174 | Railroad Eminent Domain | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
| 2/12 | SR 686 | Property Tax Assessment Freeze | Resolution Passed - Senate (53 - 3) |
| 2/12 | SR 796 | Property Tax Assessment Cap | Resolution Passed - Senate (48 - 7) |
| 2/10 | HB 661 | Affordable Housing Tax Relief | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 12) |
| 2/07 | HR 5140 | Economic Stimulus Plan | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (380 - 34) |
| 2/07 | HR 5140 | Economic Stimulus Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 16) |
| 2/06 | SB 6272 | Financial Literacy for Homeowners | Bill Passed - House (69 - 27) |
| 2/06 | SB 6381 | Good Faith Duties of Mortgage Brokers | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19) |
| 2/06 | SB 6452 | Yield Spread Premium Disclosure | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 17) |
| 1/30 | SB 926 | Mortgage Lender Requirements | Bill Failed - Senate (26 - 14) |
| 1/29 | SB 143 | Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 13) |
| 1/29 | SJR 1 | Constitutional Property Tax Cap | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (41 - 7) |
| 1/29 | HR 5140 | Economic Stimulus Plan | Bill Passed - House (385 - 35) |
| 1/22 | Amnd. 72 | School Construction Exemption | Amendment Adopted - House (49 - 44) |
| 1/22 | SB 18 | Allowing Referendum on Public Construction Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 16) |
| 1/17 | HB 89 | Concealed Weapons in Motor Vehicles | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 15) |