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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 21, 2008 | AZ | HB 2395 | Driving and Boating Under the Influence | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 6) |
| April 21, 2008 | LA | HB 852 | Banning Cell Phones While Driving | Bill Passed - House (55 - 43) |
| April 17, 2008 | OK | SB 1819 | Tax Rebates for Sports Franchises | Conference Report Adopted - House (67 - 32) |
| April 17, 2008 | IL | SB 2858 | Public School Trans Fat Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 19) |
| April 17, 2008 | MI | HB 5548 | Renewable Energy Portfolios | Bill Passed - House (86 - 21) |
| April 17, 2008 | MI | HB 5525 | Energy Efficiency Program | Bill Passed - House (81 - 18) |
| April 17, 2008 | IL | SB 2858 | Public School Trans Fat Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 19) |
| April 17, 2008 | MI | HB 5524 | Energy Utility Regulations | Bill Passed - House (78 - 30) |
| April 17, 2008 | IL | SB 2063 | South Suburban Airport Authority | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 7) |
| April 17, 2008 | IL | SB 2063 | South Suburban Airport Authority | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 7) |
| April 17, 2008 | MI | HB 5549 | Renewable Energy Portfolio Exemptions | Bill Passed - House (84 - 21) |
| April 17, 2008 | IA | SF 2425 | 2008-2009 Health and Human Services Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 16) |
| April 16, 2008 | MS | SB 2793 | Utility Rate Increases During Planning or Construction of Plants | Conference Report Adopted - House (80 - 37) |
| April 16, 2008 | MS | SB 2199 | Gaming Restrictions | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (24 - 26) |
| April 16, 2008 | MO | HB 1066 | Teacher Certification | Bill Passed - House (85 - 63) |
| April 16, 2008 | IA | SF 2420 | Increasing Vehicle Registration Fees | Bill Passed - House (53 - 47) |
| April 15, 2008 | ME | LD 701 | Slot Machine Authorization | Veto Override Failed - House (94 - 49) |
| April 15, 2008 | IA | S 5355 to SF 2420 | State Funding of Road Projects | Amendment Rejected - Senate (17 - 32) |
| April 15, 2008 | MS | SB 2149 | Superintendent Removal Procedures | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (38 - 14) |
| April 15, 2008 | MS | SB 2149 | Superintendent Removal Procedures | Conference Report Adopted - House (100 - 18) |
| April 15, 2008 | MS | SB 2793 | Utility Rate Increases During Planning or Construction of Plants | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 4) |
| April 15, 2008 | OK | SB 1819 | Tax Rebates for Sports Franchises | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 21) |
| April 15, 2008 | CO | HB 1270 | Prohibiting Restrictions on Energy Efficiency Measures | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 10) |
| April 15, 2008 | CO | HB 1270 | Prohibiting Restrictions on Energy Efficiency Measures | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 10) |
| April 15, 2008 | ME | LD 2247 | Alcohol and Soda Tax for Health Care Funding | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (75 - 64) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/21 | HB 2395 | Driving and Boating Under the Influence | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 6) |
| 4/21 | HB 852 | Banning Cell Phones While Driving | Bill Passed - House (55 - 43) |
| 4/17 | SB 1819 | Tax Rebates for Sports Franchises | Conference Report Adopted - House (67 - 32) |
| 4/17 | SB 2858 | Public School Trans Fat Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 19) |
| 4/17 | HB 5548 | Renewable Energy Portfolios | Bill Passed - House (86 - 21) |
| 4/17 | HB 5525 | Energy Efficiency Program | Bill Passed - House (81 - 18) |
| 4/17 | SB 2858 | Public School Trans Fat Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 19) |
| 4/17 | HB 5524 | Energy Utility Regulations | Bill Passed - House (78 - 30) |
| 4/17 | SB 2063 | South Suburban Airport Authority | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 7) |
| 4/17 | SB 2063 | South Suburban Airport Authority | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 7) |
| 4/17 | HB 5549 | Renewable Energy Portfolio Exemptions | Bill Passed - House (84 - 21) |
| 4/17 | SF 2425 | 2008-2009 Health and Human Services Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 16) |
| 4/16 | SB 2793 | Utility Rate Increases During Planning or Construction of Plants | Conference Report Adopted - House (80 - 37) |
| 4/16 | SB 2199 | Gaming Restrictions | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (24 - 26) |
| 4/16 | HB 1066 | Teacher Certification | Bill Passed - House (85 - 63) |
| 4/16 | SF 2420 | Increasing Vehicle Registration Fees | Bill Passed - House (53 - 47) |
| 4/15 | LD 701 | Slot Machine Authorization | Veto Override Failed - House (94 - 49) |
| 4/15 | S 5355 to SF 2420 | State Funding of Road Projects | Amendment Rejected - Senate (17 - 32) |
| 4/15 | SB 2149 | Superintendent Removal Procedures | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (38 - 14) |
| 4/15 | SB 2149 | Superintendent Removal Procedures | Conference Report Adopted - House (100 - 18) |
| 4/15 | SB 2793 | Utility Rate Increases During Planning or Construction of Plants | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 4) |
| 4/15 | SB 1819 | Tax Rebates for Sports Franchises | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 21) |
| 4/15 | HB 1270 | Prohibiting Restrictions on Energy Efficiency Measures | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 10) |
| 4/15 | HB 1270 | Prohibiting Restrictions on Energy Efficiency Measures | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 10) |
| 4/15 | LD 2247 | Alcohol and Soda Tax for Health Care Funding | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (75 - 64) |