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
May 6, 2008 OK SB 1150 Voter Identification Requirement Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (24 - 23)
May 6, 2008 AZ HB 2677 Real ID Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 7)
May 6, 2008 AL HB 829 Hate Crime Legislation Regarding Victim's Sexual Orientation Bill Passed - House (46 - 44)
May 6, 2008 LA SB 137 Young Drivers Using Cell Phones While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
May 6, 2008 LA SB 137 Young Drivers Using Cell Phones While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
May 6, 2008 AL HB 829 Hate Crime Legislation Regarding Victim's Sexual Orientation Bill Passed - House (46 - 44)
May 5, 2008 CO HB 1325 Seasonal Foreign Worker Pilot Program Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 17)
May 5, 2008 CO SB 200 Sexual Orientation Nondiscrimination Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
May 5, 2008 CO SB 200 Sexual Orientation Nondiscrimination Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
May 5, 2008 CO HB 1208 Limitations on Direct File Juvenile Cases Concurrence Vote Passed - House (34 - 30)
May 5, 2008 CO HB 1208 Limitations on Direct File Juvenile Cases Concurrence Vote Passed - House (34 - 30)
May 5, 2008 CO HB 1082 Sealing Criminal Records Concurrence Vote Passed - House (36 - 28)
May 5, 2008 CO HB 1082 Sealing Criminal Records Concurrence Vote Passed - House (36 - 28)
May 5, 2008 CO SB 226 Zebra Mussels Ban Bill Passed - House (54 - 11)
May 5, 2008 CA AB 2233 Ban on Holding Pets While Driving Bill Passed - House (44 - 20)
May 5, 2008 CA AB 2233 Ban on Holding Pets While Driving Bill Passed - House (44 - 20)
May 2, 2008 CO HB 1082 Sealing Criminal Records Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
May 2, 2008 CO SB 200 Sexual Orientation Nondiscrimination Bill Passed - House (38 - 26)
May 2, 2008 CO SB 200 Sexual Orientation Nondiscrimination Bill Passed - House (38 - 26)
May 2, 2008 CO HB 1082 Sealing Criminal Records Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
May 2, 2008 CO HB 1325 Seasonal Foreign Worker Pilot Program Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
May 2, 2008 CO HB 1208 Limitations on Direct File Juvenile Cases Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16)
May 2, 2008 CO HB 1208 Limitations on Direct File Juvenile Cases Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16)
May 1, 2008 MN SF 2369 Background Checks for Coaches Conference Report Adopted - House (112 - 15)
May 1, 2008 RI H 7204 2007-2008 Budget Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/06 SB 1150 Voter Identification Requirement Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (24 - 23)
5/06 HB 2677 Real ID Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 7)
5/06 HB 829 Hate Crime Legislation Regarding Victim's Sexual Orientation Bill Passed - House (46 - 44)
5/06 SB 137 Young Drivers Using Cell Phones While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
5/06 SB 137 Young Drivers Using Cell Phones While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
5/06 HB 829 Hate Crime Legislation Regarding Victim's Sexual Orientation Bill Passed - House (46 - 44)
5/05 HB 1325 Seasonal Foreign Worker Pilot Program Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 17)
5/05 SB 200 Sexual Orientation Nondiscrimination Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
5/05 SB 200 Sexual Orientation Nondiscrimination Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
5/05 HB 1208 Limitations on Direct File Juvenile Cases Concurrence Vote Passed - House (34 - 30)
5/05 HB 1208 Limitations on Direct File Juvenile Cases Concurrence Vote Passed - House (34 - 30)
5/05 HB 1082 Sealing Criminal Records Concurrence Vote Passed - House (36 - 28)
5/05 HB 1082 Sealing Criminal Records Concurrence Vote Passed - House (36 - 28)
5/05 SB 226 Zebra Mussels Ban Bill Passed - House (54 - 11)
5/05 AB 2233 Ban on Holding Pets While Driving Bill Passed - House (44 - 20)
5/05 AB 2233 Ban on Holding Pets While Driving Bill Passed - House (44 - 20)
5/02 HB 1082 Sealing Criminal Records Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
5/02 SB 200 Sexual Orientation Nondiscrimination Bill Passed - House (38 - 26)
5/02 SB 200 Sexual Orientation Nondiscrimination Bill Passed - House (38 - 26)
5/02 HB 1082 Sealing Criminal Records Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
5/02 HB 1325 Seasonal Foreign Worker Pilot Program Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
5/02 HB 1208 Limitations on Direct File Juvenile Cases Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16)
5/02 HB 1208 Limitations on Direct File Juvenile Cases Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16)
5/01 SF 2369 Background Checks for Coaches Conference Report Adopted - House (112 - 15)
5/01 H 7204 2007-2008 Budget Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11)

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