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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 19, 2008 | CA | GN Borucki | Confirmation of Joan Borucki as State Lottery Director | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (32 - 3) |
| Feb. 19, 2008 | WA | HB 2438 | Permitting Dogs in Cougar Hunting | Bill Passed - House (66 - 29) |
| Feb. 19, 2008 | IA | HF 2212 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (56 - 44) |
| Feb. 19, 2008 | MI | HB 4092 | DNA Testing for Violent Felonies | Bill Passed - House (104 - 4) |
| Feb. 19, 2008 | MI | HB 4092 | DNA Testing for Violent Felonies | Bill Passed - House (104 - 4) |
| Feb. 18, 2008 | WA | HB 2713 | Convicted Criminal DNA Database | Bill Passed - House (80 - 15) |
| Feb. 18, 2008 | WA | HB 2713 | Convicted Criminal DNA Database | Bill Passed - House (80 - 15) |
| Feb. 18, 2008 | WA | SB 6305 | Use of Federal Sex Education Grants | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 11) |
| Feb. 18, 2008 | WA | SB 6305 | Use of Federal Sex Education Grants | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 11) |
| Feb. 18, 2008 | WA | HB 2476 | Tribal Police Jurisdiction | Bill Passed - House (58 - 37) |
| Feb. 18, 2008 | CO | SB 3 | Medicaid Funded Family Planning | Bill Passed - House (41 - 23) |
| Feb. 18, 2008 | CO | SB 3 | Medicaid Funded Family Planning | Bill Passed - House (41 - 23) |
| Feb. 18, 2008 | ID | H 348 | Legalizing Alcohol Sales on Election Day | Bill Passed - House (44 - 25) |
| Feb. 15, 2008 | WA | HB 3104 | Domestic Partnership Rights | Bill Passed - House (62 - 32) |
| Feb. 15, 2008 | WA | HB 3104 | Domestic Partnership Rights | Bill Passed - House (62 - 32) |
| Feb. 14, 2008 | NE | AM 1736 | Eliminating Opt-Out Provision of Smoking Ban | Amendment Adopted - Senate (33 - 13) |
| Feb. 14, 2008 | MN | HF 2285 | Funding for Natural Resources and Cultural Heritage | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (46 - 17) |
| Feb. 14, 2008 | MN | HF 2285 | Funding for Natural Resources and Cultural Heritage | Conference Report Adopted - House (85 - 46) |
| Feb. 14, 2008 | MI | HB 4505 | Changes to Driver's License Eligibility | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (99 - 5) |
| Feb. 14, 2008 | MI | HB 4505 | Changes to Driver's License Eligibility | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (99 - 5) |
| Feb. 14, 2008 | SD | HB 1151 | Adult-Oriented Business Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (47 - 21) |
| Feb. 14, 2008 | KS | HB 2617 | Mandatory Drug Testing for Drivers Causing Serious Accidents | Bill Passed - House (117 - 5) |
| Feb. 14, 2008 | KS | HB 2617 | Mandatory Drug Testing for Drivers Causing Serious Accidents | Bill Passed - House (117 - 5) |
| Feb. 14, 2008 | UT | SB 117 | Increasing Penalties for Animal Cruelty | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 14) |
| Feb. 14, 2008 | KY | HB 55 | Booster Seat Requirement | Bill Passed - House (68 - 28) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/19 | GN Borucki | Confirmation of Joan Borucki as State Lottery Director | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (32 - 3) |
| 2/19 | HB 2438 | Permitting Dogs in Cougar Hunting | Bill Passed - House (66 - 29) |
| 2/19 | HF 2212 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (56 - 44) |
| 2/19 | HB 4092 | DNA Testing for Violent Felonies | Bill Passed - House (104 - 4) |
| 2/19 | HB 4092 | DNA Testing for Violent Felonies | Bill Passed - House (104 - 4) |
| 2/18 | HB 2713 | Convicted Criminal DNA Database | Bill Passed - House (80 - 15) |
| 2/18 | HB 2713 | Convicted Criminal DNA Database | Bill Passed - House (80 - 15) |
| 2/18 | SB 6305 | Use of Federal Sex Education Grants | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 11) |
| 2/18 | SB 6305 | Use of Federal Sex Education Grants | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 11) |
| 2/18 | HB 2476 | Tribal Police Jurisdiction | Bill Passed - House (58 - 37) |
| 2/18 | SB 3 | Medicaid Funded Family Planning | Bill Passed - House (41 - 23) |
| 2/18 | SB 3 | Medicaid Funded Family Planning | Bill Passed - House (41 - 23) |
| 2/18 | H 348 | Legalizing Alcohol Sales on Election Day | Bill Passed - House (44 - 25) |
| 2/15 | HB 3104 | Domestic Partnership Rights | Bill Passed - House (62 - 32) |
| 2/15 | HB 3104 | Domestic Partnership Rights | Bill Passed - House (62 - 32) |
| 2/14 | AM 1736 | Eliminating Opt-Out Provision of Smoking Ban | Amendment Adopted - Senate (33 - 13) |
| 2/14 | HF 2285 | Funding for Natural Resources and Cultural Heritage | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (46 - 17) |
| 2/14 | HF 2285 | Funding for Natural Resources and Cultural Heritage | Conference Report Adopted - House (85 - 46) |
| 2/14 | HB 4505 | Changes to Driver's License Eligibility | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (99 - 5) |
| 2/14 | HB 4505 | Changes to Driver's License Eligibility | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (99 - 5) |
| 2/14 | HB 1151 | Adult-Oriented Business Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (47 - 21) |
| 2/14 | HB 2617 | Mandatory Drug Testing for Drivers Causing Serious Accidents | Bill Passed - House (117 - 5) |
| 2/14 | HB 2617 | Mandatory Drug Testing for Drivers Causing Serious Accidents | Bill Passed - House (117 - 5) |
| 2/14 | SB 117 | Increasing Penalties for Animal Cruelty | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 14) |
| 2/14 | HB 55 | Booster Seat Requirement | Bill Passed - House (68 - 28) |