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
March 24, 2008 MD SB 597 Property Transfer Tax Exemptions for Domestic Partners Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21)
March 24, 2008 CO HB 1276 Workplace Accommodations for Nursing Mothers Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8)
March 20, 2008 NH SA 1051 to SB 527 Parental Notification for Underage Abortions Amendment Rejected - Senate (9 - 15)
March 20, 2008 NH SA 1051 to SB 527 Parental Notification for Underage Abortions Amendment Rejected - Senate (9 - 15)
March 20, 2008 MD SB 2 Banning Cell Phones While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21)
March 20, 2008 NH SB 527 Mandatory Abortion Counseling for Minors Bill Failed - Senate (10 - 14)
March 20, 2008 NH SB 527 Mandatory Abortion Counseling for Minors Bill Failed - Senate (10 - 14)
March 19, 2008 MS HB 1089 Legalizing Deer Baiting Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 24)
March 19, 2008 MS HB 1089 Legalizing Deer Baiting Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 24)
March 19, 2008 KS SB 541 Expanding Children's Health Coverage Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 8)
March 19, 2008 ID S 1484 Disclosing Fiscal Impacts of Citizens Initiatives Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9)
March 19, 2008 KS SB 409 Three-Strikes Sentencing for Theft Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 6)
March 18, 2008 CO HB 1297 Supplemental Department of Public Safety Funding Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9)
March 18, 2008 MD SB 566 Hospital Visitation/Decision-Making Rights for Domestic Partners Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17)
March 18, 2008 MD SB 269 Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21)
March 18, 2008 MD SB 269 Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21)
March 17, 2008 ID H 348 Legalizing Alcohol Sales on Election Day Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16)
March 14, 2008 National S Amdt 4233 Codifying the Definition of a Child Eligible for SCHIP Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 52)
March 14, 2008 MD SB 461 Prohibiting Cell Phone Use by Drivers Under 18 Bill Failed - Senate (22 - 21)
March 14, 2008 MD SB 461 Prohibiting Cell Phone Use by Drivers Under 18 Bill Failed - Senate (22 - 21)
March 13, 2008 National S Amdt 4309 Restriction of Federal Assistance Based on Compliance with Federal Immigration Laws Amendment Tabled - Senate (58 - 40)
March 13, 2008 National S Amdt 4309 Restriction of Federal Assistance Based on Compliance with Federal Immigration Laws Amendment Tabled - Senate (58 - 40)
March 13, 2008 National S Amdt 4231 Immigration Enforcement and Border Fence Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (61 - 37)
March 13, 2008 National S Amdt 4259 Immigration Enforcement and Employer Sanctions Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 45)
March 13, 2008 VA HB 30 2008-2010 Biennium Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 14)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/24 SB 597 Property Transfer Tax Exemptions for Domestic Partners Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21)
3/24 HB 1276 Workplace Accommodations for Nursing Mothers Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8)
3/20 SA 1051 to SB 527 Parental Notification for Underage Abortions Amendment Rejected - Senate (9 - 15)
3/20 SA 1051 to SB 527 Parental Notification for Underage Abortions Amendment Rejected - Senate (9 - 15)
3/20 SB 2 Banning Cell Phones While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21)
3/20 SB 527 Mandatory Abortion Counseling for Minors Bill Failed - Senate (10 - 14)
3/20 SB 527 Mandatory Abortion Counseling for Minors Bill Failed - Senate (10 - 14)
3/19 HB 1089 Legalizing Deer Baiting Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 24)
3/19 HB 1089 Legalizing Deer Baiting Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 24)
3/19 SB 541 Expanding Children's Health Coverage Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 8)
3/19 S 1484 Disclosing Fiscal Impacts of Citizens Initiatives Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9)
3/19 SB 409 Three-Strikes Sentencing for Theft Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 6)
3/18 HB 1297 Supplemental Department of Public Safety Funding Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9)
3/18 SB 566 Hospital Visitation/Decision-Making Rights for Domestic Partners Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17)
3/18 SB 269 Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21)
3/18 SB 269 Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21)
3/17 H 348 Legalizing Alcohol Sales on Election Day Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16)
3/14 S Amdt 4233 Codifying the Definition of a Child Eligible for SCHIP Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 52)
3/14 SB 461 Prohibiting Cell Phone Use by Drivers Under 18 Bill Failed - Senate (22 - 21)
3/14 SB 461 Prohibiting Cell Phone Use by Drivers Under 18 Bill Failed - Senate (22 - 21)
3/13 S Amdt 4309 Restriction of Federal Assistance Based on Compliance with Federal Immigration Laws Amendment Tabled - Senate (58 - 40)
3/13 S Amdt 4309 Restriction of Federal Assistance Based on Compliance with Federal Immigration Laws Amendment Tabled - Senate (58 - 40)
3/13 S Amdt 4231 Immigration Enforcement and Border Fence Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (61 - 37)
3/13 S Amdt 4259 Immigration Enforcement and Employer Sanctions Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 45)
3/13 HB 30 2008-2010 Biennium Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 14)

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