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
Dec. 18, 2008 CA ABx1 8 Amending Sentencing, Parole, and Property Crime Statutes Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
Dec. 11, 2008 MI SB 505 Authorizing Judges to Carry Concealed Weapons in Courtrooms Bill Passed - House (80 - 18)
Dec. 10, 2008 OH HB 648 Increasing Restrictions on Access to Confidential Personal Information Bill Passed - House (69 - 26)
Dec. 4, 2008 MI HB 5117 Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving Bill Passed - House (68 - 32)
Dec. 4, 2008 MI HB 4404 Prohibiting Life Without Parole Sentencing for Juveniles Bill Passed - House (59 - 47)
Dec. 4, 2008 MI HB 4404 Prohibiting Life Without Parole Sentencing for Juveniles Bill Passed - House (59 - 47)
Dec. 4, 2008 MI HB 4405 Juvenile Parole Eligibility Reform Bill Passed - House (63 - 43)
Dec. 4, 2008 MI HB 4405 Juvenile Parole Eligibility Reform Bill Passed - House (63 - 43)
Dec. 4, 2008 MI HB 4090 Expanding Early Voting Bill Passed - House (58 - 50)
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)
Oct. 21, 2008 SC S 429 DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest Veto Override Passed - House (86 - 25)
Oct. 21, 2008 SC S 429 DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest Veto Override Passed - House (86 - 25)
Sept. 17, 2008 National HR 6842 Repealing Portions of the D.C. Firearm Ban Bill Passed - House (266 - 152)
Sept. 16, 2008 CA SCA 12 State Lottery Amendments Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 9)
Sept. 16, 2008 CA SCA 12 State Lottery Amendments Joint Resolution Passed - House (63 - 14)
Aug. 31, 2008 CA SB 60 Expanding Driver's License Eligibility Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
Aug. 31, 2008 CA SB 1407 Financing Courthouse Construction Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 10)
Aug. 31, 2008 CA SB 1301 Extending Student Financial Aid Eligibility Bill Passed - House (46 - 29)
Aug. 29, 2008 CA SB 1407 Financing Courthouse Construction Bill Passed - House (45 - 20)
Aug. 29, 2008 CA SB 60 Expanding Driver's License Eligibility Bill Passed - House (41 - 31)
Aug. 21, 2008 CA SB 28 Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 14)
Aug. 20, 2008 CA AB 2279 Prohibiting Employment Discrimination Against Medical Marijuana Patients Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15)
Aug. 20, 2008 CA AB 2233 Ban on Holding Pets While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17)
Aug. 20, 2008 CA AB 2233 Ban on Holding Pets While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17)
Date No. Title Outcome
12/18 ABx1 8 Amending Sentencing, Parole, and Property Crime Statutes Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
12/11 SB 505 Authorizing Judges to Carry Concealed Weapons in Courtrooms Bill Passed - House (80 - 18)
12/10 HB 648 Increasing Restrictions on Access to Confidential Personal Information Bill Passed - House (69 - 26)
12/04 HB 5117 Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving Bill Passed - House (68 - 32)
12/04 HB 4404 Prohibiting Life Without Parole Sentencing for Juveniles Bill Passed - House (59 - 47)
12/04 HB 4404 Prohibiting Life Without Parole Sentencing for Juveniles Bill Passed - House (59 - 47)
12/04 HB 4405 Juvenile Parole Eligibility Reform Bill Passed - House (63 - 43)
12/04 HB 4405 Juvenile Parole Eligibility Reform Bill Passed - House (63 - 43)
12/04 HB 4090 Expanding Early Voting Bill Passed - House (58 - 50)
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)
10/21 S 429 DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest Veto Override Passed - House (86 - 25)
10/21 S 429 DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest Veto Override Passed - House (86 - 25)
9/17 HR 6842 Repealing Portions of the D.C. Firearm Ban Bill Passed - House (266 - 152)
9/16 SCA 12 State Lottery Amendments Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 9)
9/16 SCA 12 State Lottery Amendments Joint Resolution Passed - House (63 - 14)
8/31 SB 60 Expanding Driver's License Eligibility Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
8/31 SB 1407 Financing Courthouse Construction Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 10)
8/31 SB 1301 Extending Student Financial Aid Eligibility Bill Passed - House (46 - 29)
8/29 SB 1407 Financing Courthouse Construction Bill Passed - House (45 - 20)
8/29 SB 60 Expanding Driver's License Eligibility Bill Passed - House (41 - 31)
8/21 SB 28 Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 14)
8/20 AB 2279 Prohibiting Employment Discrimination Against Medical Marijuana Patients Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15)
8/20 AB 2233 Ban on Holding Pets While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17)
8/20 AB 2233 Ban on Holding Pets While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17)

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