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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec. 10, 2008 | National | HR 7321 | Automotive Industry Financing | Bill Passed - House (237 - 170) |
| Dec. 4, 2008 | MI | HB 5117 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Passed - House (68 - 32) |
| Sept. 26, 2008 | National | HR 7060 | Renewable Energy Credits and Other Business and Individual Credits | Bill Passed - House (257 - 166) |
| Sept. 16, 2008 | National | HR 6899 | Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling and Extending Certain Renewable Energy Tax Credits | Bill Passed - House (236 - 189) |
| Aug. 31, 2008 | CA | AB 2321 | Metro Sales Tax Increase | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 25) |
| Aug. 29, 2008 | CA | SB 60 | Expanding Driver's License Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (41 - 31) |
| Aug. 25, 2008 | CA | SB 375 | Global Warming and Land Use Policy | Bill Passed - House (49 - 22) |
| Aug. 13, 2008 | CA | AB 3034 | High-Speed Rail Bond Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (58 - 15) |
| Aug. 13, 2008 | CA | SB 28 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Passed - House (52 - 24) |
| July 24, 2008 | National | HR 3999 | National Highway Bridge Reconstruction and Inspection Act | Bill Passed - House (367 - 55) |
| July 23, 2008 | National | HR 6532 | Restoring the Highway Trust Fund Balance | Bill Passed - House (387 - 37) |
| July 15, 2008 | NC | SB 1695 | Tractor Trailer Length | Bill Passed - House (101 - 10) |
| July 9, 2008 | VA | SB 6009 | Transportation Taxes | Bill Failed - House (39 - 59) |
| June 26, 2008 | National | HR 6052 | Public Transportation and Alternative Fuel Grants | Bill Passed - House (322 - 98) |
| June 25, 2008 | AZ | HB 2156 | Reviews for Potential Railroad Sites | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (40 - 12) |
| June 25, 2008 | PA | A 7738 | Real ID Biometric Data | Bill Failed - House (92 - 108) |
| June 20, 2008 | RI | S 2706 | Red Light Cameras | Bill Passed - House (44 - 12) |
| June 19, 2008 | LA | SB 137 | Young Drivers Using Cell Phones While Driving | Bill Passed - House (70 - 19) |
| June 12, 2008 | RI | H 7222 page 5, re: Sec. 3-8-9: Transportation of Alcohol by Minors | Bill Passed - House (52 - 14) | |
| June 11, 2008 | National | HR 6003 | Amtrak Reauthorization | Bill Passed - House (311 - 104) |
| May 29, 2008 | CA | AB 3034 | High-Speed Rail Bond Amendments | Bill Passed - House (60 - 3) |
| May 28, 2008 | CA | AB 2368 | CalWORKs Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (46 - 33) |
| May 28, 2008 | WI | AB 1 | Education Line Item Veto Override | Veto Override Failed - House (60 - 36) |
| May 28, 2008 | WI | AB 1 | Education Line Item Veto Override | Veto Override Failed - House (57 - 39) |
| May 19, 2008 | LA | HB 1312 | Drivers Insurance Increase | Bill Passed - House (57 - 35) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12/10 | HR 7321 | Automotive Industry Financing | Bill Passed - House (237 - 170) |
| 12/04 | HB 5117 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Passed - House (68 - 32) |
| 9/26 | HR 7060 | Renewable Energy Credits and Other Business and Individual Credits | Bill Passed - House (257 - 166) |
| 9/16 | HR 6899 | Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling and Extending Certain Renewable Energy Tax Credits | Bill Passed - House (236 - 189) |
| 8/31 | AB 2321 | Metro Sales Tax Increase | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 25) |
| 8/29 | SB 60 | Expanding Driver's License Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (41 - 31) |
| 8/25 | SB 375 | Global Warming and Land Use Policy | Bill Passed - House (49 - 22) |
| 8/13 | AB 3034 | High-Speed Rail Bond Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (58 - 15) |
| 8/13 | SB 28 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Passed - House (52 - 24) |
| 7/24 | HR 3999 | National Highway Bridge Reconstruction and Inspection Act | Bill Passed - House (367 - 55) |
| 7/23 | HR 6532 | Restoring the Highway Trust Fund Balance | Bill Passed - House (387 - 37) |
| 7/15 | SB 1695 | Tractor Trailer Length | Bill Passed - House (101 - 10) |
| 7/09 | SB 6009 | Transportation Taxes | Bill Failed - House (39 - 59) |
| 6/26 | HR 6052 | Public Transportation and Alternative Fuel Grants | Bill Passed - House (322 - 98) |
| 6/25 | HB 2156 | Reviews for Potential Railroad Sites | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (40 - 12) |
| 6/25 | A 7738 | Real ID Biometric Data | Bill Failed - House (92 - 108) |
| 6/20 | S 2706 | Red Light Cameras | Bill Passed - House (44 - 12) |
| 6/19 | SB 137 | Young Drivers Using Cell Phones While Driving | Bill Passed - House (70 - 19) |
| 6/12 | H 7222 page 5, re: Sec. 3-8-9: Transportation of Alcohol by Minors | Bill Passed - House (52 - 14) | |
| 6/11 | HR 6003 | Amtrak Reauthorization | Bill Passed - House (311 - 104) |
| 5/29 | AB 3034 | High-Speed Rail Bond Amendments | Bill Passed - House (60 - 3) |
| 5/28 | AB 2368 | CalWORKs Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (46 - 33) |
| 5/28 | AB 1 | Education Line Item Veto Override | Veto Override Failed - House (60 - 36) |
| 5/28 | AB 1 | Education Line Item Veto Override | Veto Override Failed - House (57 - 39) |
| 5/19 | HB 1312 | Drivers Insurance Increase | Bill Passed - House (57 - 35) |