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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 12, 2008 | CA | ABx3 9 | Oil Tax | Bill Failed - House (45 - 30) |
| March 12, 2008 | MI | SB 120 | Issuing Food Stamps Twice Monthly | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 2) |
| March 12, 2008 | KY | HB 406 | 2008-2010 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - House (84 - 14) |
| March 12, 2008 | WI | AB 1 | Budget Repair Plan | Bill Passed - House (51 - 46) |
| March 11, 2008 | WA | SB 6809 | Working Family Tax Exemption | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 17) |
| March 11, 2008 | WI | AB 862 | Government Spending Database | Bill Passed - House (81 - 16) |
| March 11, 2008 | ID | H 581 | Highway Spending Regulations | Bill Passed - House (42 - 28) |
| March 11, 2008 | AZ | HB 2220 | State Equalization Property Tax Repeal | Bill Passed - House (32 - 28) |
| March 11, 2008 | PA | HB 1 | Clean Energy Program | Bill Passed - House (126 - 74) |
| March 11, 2008 | GA | HB 1158 | Motor Vehicle Trauma Care Fee | Bill Passed - House (164 - 7) |
| March 11, 2008 | GA | HB 1133 | Tax Credits for Nonprofit Donations | Bill Passed - House (92 - 73) |
| March 10, 2008 | IA | HF 2359 | Veterans Trust Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 7) |
| March 10, 2008 | AZ | SB 1476 | Reducing Probation for Good Behavior | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 7) |
| March 10, 2008 | ID | H 592 | Film and Television Production Rebate | Bill Passed - House (51 - 17) |
| March 7, 2008 | ID | H 579 | Voter-Mandated Property Tax Limitations | Bill Passed - House (39 - 29) |
| March 7, 2008 | ID | H 577 | Voter Approval of Local Improvement District Funding | Bill Passed - House (43 - 25) |
| March 6, 2008 | NH | Amdt 0891 to SB 530 | Fully Subsidized Kindergarten Construction Program | Amendment Rejected - Senate (10 - 12) |
| March 6, 2008 | MN | HF 380 | Capital Improvements Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (57 - 9) |
| March 6, 2008 | AZ | HB 2043 | State Government Hiring Freeze | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
| March 6, 2008 | WA | SB 6809 | Working Family Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - House (57 - 37) |
| March 6, 2008 | MN | HF 380 | Capital Improvements Budget | Bill Passed - House (99 - 34) |
| March 6, 2008 | MS | HB 1601 | Medicaid Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (74 - 41) |
| March 6, 2008 | AZ | HB 2857 | State Spending Freeze | Bill Passed - House (33 - 24) |
| March 6, 2008 | FL | SB 1852 | Medicaid Reimbursement Rate Freeze | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 13) |
| March 6, 2008 | AZ | HB 2857 | State Spending Freeze | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13) |
| March 6, 2008 | ID | H 588 | Food Tax Credit Expansion | Bill Passed - House (62 - 8) |
| March 5, 2008 | UT | HB 15 | Sexually Transmitted Disease Education | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (50 - 17) |
| March 5, 2008 | UT | HB 359 | Tax Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 23) |
| March 5, 2008 | ID | H 562 | Tax Exemption for New Capital Investments | Bill Passed - House (41 - 27) |
| March 5, 2008 | ID | H 561 | Tax Exemptions for the Processing of Fuel for Energy Production | Bill Passed - House (60 - 10) |
| March 5, 2008 | WI | AB 151 | Financial Aid Ineligibility for Drug Offenders | Bill Passed - House (70 - 24) |
| March 5, 2008 | IA | HF 2359 | Veterans Trust Fund | Bill Passed - House (75 - 21) |
| March 5, 2008 | WI | AB 901 | Austism Treatment Funding | Bill Passed - House (55 - 39) |
| March 5, 2008 | AK | SB 256 | 2008-2009 Supplemental Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 2) |
| March 5, 2008 | WI | AB 47 | Health Savings Account Tax Deductions | Bill Passed - House (60 - 35) |
| March 5, 2008 | GA | SR 796 | Property Tax Assessment Cap | Resolution Failed - House (110 - 62) |
| March 5, 2008 | ID | HCR 49 | State Employee Pay Raise | Resolution Passed - House (51 - 19) |
| March 4, 2008 | MD | HB 362 | Department of Information Technology | Bill Passed - House (105 - 31) |
| March 4, 2008 | GA | HB 1245 | Public Defender Funding Amendments | Bill Passed - House (141 - 21) |
| March 4, 2008 | UT | HB 359 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 3) |
| March 4, 2008 | HI | SB 2423 | Turtle Bay Acquisition | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 2) |
| March 4, 2008 | UT | SB 2 | 2007-2009 Biennium Education Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 7) |
| March 4, 2008 | AK | HB 310 | 2008-2009 Operating Budget | Bill Passed - House (29 - 10) |
| March 3, 2008 | MN | Seifert Amendment: Restriction of State Aid Based on Compliance with Immigration Laws | Amendment Rejected - House (66 - 67) | |
| March 3, 2008 | UT | SB 48 | School Building Funding Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 9) |
| March 3, 2008 | MN | HF 3201 | Omnibus Tax Bill | Bill Passed - House (81 - 51) |
| March 3, 2008 | NJ | S 786 | Extending Family Leave Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
| Feb. 29, 2008 | ID | S 1436 | Teacher Pay-for-Performance Plan | Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 19) |
| Feb. 29, 2008 | KS | HB 2870 | Employment Incentive for Teachers | Bill Failed - House (59 - 63) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | KS | Ward Amnd. | Teacher Scholarship Program | Amendment Rejected - House (50 - 71) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/12 | ABx3 9 | Oil Tax | Bill Failed - House (45 - 30) |
| 3/12 | SB 120 | Issuing Food Stamps Twice Monthly | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 2) |
| 3/12 | HB 406 | 2008-2010 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - House (84 - 14) |
| 3/12 | AB 1 | Budget Repair Plan | Bill Passed - House (51 - 46) |
| 3/11 | SB 6809 | Working Family Tax Exemption | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 17) |
| 3/11 | AB 862 | Government Spending Database | Bill Passed - House (81 - 16) |
| 3/11 | H 581 | Highway Spending Regulations | Bill Passed - House (42 - 28) |
| 3/11 | HB 2220 | State Equalization Property Tax Repeal | Bill Passed - House (32 - 28) |
| 3/11 | HB 1 | Clean Energy Program | Bill Passed - House (126 - 74) |
| 3/11 | HB 1158 | Motor Vehicle Trauma Care Fee | Bill Passed - House (164 - 7) |
| 3/11 | HB 1133 | Tax Credits for Nonprofit Donations | Bill Passed - House (92 - 73) |
| 3/10 | HF 2359 | Veterans Trust Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 7) |
| 3/10 | SB 1476 | Reducing Probation for Good Behavior | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 7) |
| 3/10 | H 592 | Film and Television Production Rebate | Bill Passed - House (51 - 17) |
| 3/07 | H 579 | Voter-Mandated Property Tax Limitations | Bill Passed - House (39 - 29) |
| 3/07 | H 577 | Voter Approval of Local Improvement District Funding | Bill Passed - House (43 - 25) |
| 3/06 | Amdt 0891 to SB 530 | Fully Subsidized Kindergarten Construction Program | Amendment Rejected - Senate (10 - 12) |
| 3/06 | HF 380 | Capital Improvements Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (57 - 9) |
| 3/06 | HB 2043 | State Government Hiring Freeze | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
| 3/06 | SB 6809 | Working Family Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - House (57 - 37) |
| 3/06 | HF 380 | Capital Improvements Budget | Bill Passed - House (99 - 34) |
| 3/06 | HB 1601 | Medicaid Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (74 - 41) |
| 3/06 | HB 2857 | State Spending Freeze | Bill Passed - House (33 - 24) |
| 3/06 | SB 1852 | Medicaid Reimbursement Rate Freeze | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 13) |
| 3/06 | HB 2857 | State Spending Freeze | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13) |
| 3/06 | H 588 | Food Tax Credit Expansion | Bill Passed - House (62 - 8) |
| 3/05 | HB 15 | Sexually Transmitted Disease Education | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (50 - 17) |
| 3/05 | HB 359 | Tax Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 23) |
| 3/05 | H 562 | Tax Exemption for New Capital Investments | Bill Passed - House (41 - 27) |
| 3/05 | H 561 | Tax Exemptions for the Processing of Fuel for Energy Production | Bill Passed - House (60 - 10) |
| 3/05 | AB 151 | Financial Aid Ineligibility for Drug Offenders | Bill Passed - House (70 - 24) |
| 3/05 | HF 2359 | Veterans Trust Fund | Bill Passed - House (75 - 21) |
| 3/05 | AB 901 | Austism Treatment Funding | Bill Passed - House (55 - 39) |
| 3/05 | SB 256 | 2008-2009 Supplemental Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 2) |
| 3/05 | AB 47 | Health Savings Account Tax Deductions | Bill Passed - House (60 - 35) |
| 3/05 | SR 796 | Property Tax Assessment Cap | Resolution Failed - House (110 - 62) |
| 3/05 | HCR 49 | State Employee Pay Raise | Resolution Passed - House (51 - 19) |
| 3/04 | HB 362 | Department of Information Technology | Bill Passed - House (105 - 31) |
| 3/04 | HB 1245 | Public Defender Funding Amendments | Bill Passed - House (141 - 21) |
| 3/04 | HB 359 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 3) |
| 3/04 | SB 2423 | Turtle Bay Acquisition | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 2) |
| 3/04 | SB 2 | 2007-2009 Biennium Education Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 7) |
| 3/04 | HB 310 | 2008-2009 Operating Budget | Bill Passed - House (29 - 10) |
| 3/03 | Seifert Amendment: Restriction of State Aid Based on Compliance with Immigration Laws | Amendment Rejected - House (66 - 67) | |
| 3/03 | SB 48 | School Building Funding Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 9) |
| 3/03 | HF 3201 | Omnibus Tax Bill | Bill Passed - House (81 - 51) |
| 3/03 | S 786 | Extending Family Leave Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
| 2/29 | S 1436 | Teacher Pay-for-Performance Plan | Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 19) |
| 2/29 | HB 2870 | Employment Incentive for Teachers | Bill Failed - House (59 - 63) |
| 2/28 | Ward Amnd. | Teacher Scholarship Program | Amendment Rejected - House (50 - 71) |