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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 14, 2008 | CA | AB 1107 | Drought-Related Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 10) |
| Aug. 7, 2008 | CA | AB 3034 | High-Speed Rail Bond Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10) |
| Aug. 7, 2008 | CA | AB 1946 | Expanding Enforcement of Water Pollution Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| Aug. 7, 2008 | CA | AB 2654 | Expanding Anti-Discrimination Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| Aug. 5, 2008 | CA | SB 974 | Shipping Fee | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| Aug. 5, 2008 | CA | AB 2001 | Whistleblower Hotline | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 8) |
| Aug. 5, 2008 | CA | AB 2001 | Whistleblower Hotline | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 8) |
| May 29, 2008 | CA | CA SB 1665 | Prison Health Care Facility Bonds | Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| May 29, 2008 | CA | SB 1407 | Financing Courthouse Construction | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8) |
| May 29, 2008 | CA | SB 1764 | Certification of Local Fire Agencies | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 14) |
| May 15, 2008 | CA | SB 1589 | Uncorroborated Jailhouse Informant Testimony Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 14) |
| May 12, 2008 | CA | SB 1301 | Extending Student Financial Aid Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| Feb. 19, 2008 | CA | GN Borucki | Confirmation of Joan Borucki as State Lottery Director | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (32 - 3) |
| Feb. 19, 2008 | CA | GN Borucki | Confirmation of Joan Borucki as State Lottery Director | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (32 - 3) |
| Aug. 21, 2007 | CA | SB 77 | 2007-2008 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 12) |
| June 7, 2007 | CA | SB 606 | 'No Child Left Behind' Implementation | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15) |
| June 6, 2007 | CA | SB 974 | Shipping Fee | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
| June 4, 2007 | CA | SB 1019 | Access to Police Misconduct Investigations | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11) |
| Feb. 13, 2007 | CA | SB 113 | Presidential Primaries | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 5) |
| Aug. 16, 2006 | CA | SCA 3 | Redistricting Commission | Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 11) |
| Aug. 16, 2006 | CA | SCA 3 | Redistricting Commission | Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 11) |
| June 27, 2006 | CA | AB 1801 | 2006-2007 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (30 - 10) |
| May 30, 2006 | CA | SB 1796 | Overhaul Flood and Levee Board | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| May 4, 2006 | CA | AB 127 | Kindergarten-University Public Education Bond Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 8) |
| May 4, 2006 | CA | AB 140 | Disaster Preparedness and Flood Prevention Bond Act | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 1) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8/14 | AB 1107 | Drought-Related Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 10) |
| 8/07 | AB 3034 | High-Speed Rail Bond Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10) |
| 8/07 | AB 1946 | Expanding Enforcement of Water Pollution Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| 8/07 | AB 2654 | Expanding Anti-Discrimination Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| 8/05 | SB 974 | Shipping Fee | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| 8/05 | AB 2001 | Whistleblower Hotline | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 8) |
| 8/05 | AB 2001 | Whistleblower Hotline | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 8) |
| 5/29 | CA SB 1665 | Prison Health Care Facility Bonds | Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| 5/29 | SB 1407 | Financing Courthouse Construction | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8) |
| 5/29 | SB 1764 | Certification of Local Fire Agencies | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 14) |
| 5/15 | SB 1589 | Uncorroborated Jailhouse Informant Testimony Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 14) |
| 5/12 | SB 1301 | Extending Student Financial Aid Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| 2/19 | GN Borucki | Confirmation of Joan Borucki as State Lottery Director | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (32 - 3) |
| 2/19 | GN Borucki | Confirmation of Joan Borucki as State Lottery Director | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (32 - 3) |
| 8/21 | SB 77 | 2007-2008 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 12) |
| 6/07 | SB 606 | 'No Child Left Behind' Implementation | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15) |
| 6/06 | SB 974 | Shipping Fee | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
| 6/04 | SB 1019 | Access to Police Misconduct Investigations | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11) |
| 2/13 | SB 113 | Presidential Primaries | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 5) |
| 8/16 | SCA 3 | Redistricting Commission | Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 11) |
| 8/16 | SCA 3 | Redistricting Commission | Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 11) |
| 6/27 | AB 1801 | 2006-2007 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (30 - 10) |
| 5/30 | SB 1796 | Overhaul Flood and Levee Board | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 5/04 | AB 127 | Kindergarten-University Public Education Bond Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 8) |
| 5/04 | AB 140 | Disaster Preparedness and Flood Prevention Bond Act | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 1) |