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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan. 26, 2011 | SC | H 3003 | Voter ID | Bill Passed - House (74 - 45) |
| June 3, 2010 | SC | H 4657 | 2010-2011 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 16) |
| June 3, 2010 | SC | H 4657 | 2010-2011 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (64 - 54) |
| May 13, 2010 | SC | H 3584 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Veto Override Passed - Senate (33 - 13) |
| May 12, 2010 | SC | H 3584 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Veto Override Passed - House (90 - 29) |
| April 14, 2010 | SC | H 3584 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 12) |
| March 10, 2010 | SC | H 3305 | Requiring Secret Ballot Elections | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (106 - 12) |
| March 10, 2010 | SC | H 3305 | Requiring Secret Ballot Elections | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 9) |
| Feb. 24, 2010 | SC | S 191 | Authorizing Warrantless Searches and Seizures of Probationers and Parolees | Motion Agreed - House (81 - 26) |
| Feb. 10, 2010 | SC | H 3272 | Property Tax Law Amendments | Bill Failed - Senate (28 - 13) |
| Jan. 13, 2010 | SC | H 4219 | Censuring Governor Mark Sanford | Resolution Passed - House (102 - 11) |
| June 16, 2009 | SC | S 351 | State Ports Authority Amendments | Veto Override Passed - Senate (35 - 9) |
| May 20, 2009 | SC | H 3560 | 2009-2010 Budget | Veto Override Passed - Senate (34 - 11) |
| May 20, 2009 | SC | H 3560 | 2009-2010 Budget | Veto Override Passed - House (98 - 19) |
| March 11, 2009 | SC | H 3560 | 2009-2010 Budget | Motion Agreed - House (71 - 43) |
| March 3, 2009 | SC | H 3418 | Requiring Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (67 - 44) |
| Feb. 26, 2009 | SC | H 3245 | 24-Hour Waiting Period for Abortions | Bill Passed - House (87 - 24) |
| Feb. 24, 2009 | SC | Amdt 2 | Exempting Cases of Rape from Abortion Waiting Period | Amendment Tabled - House (69 - 45) |
| Feb. 24, 2009 | SC | Amdt 5 | Prohibiting Employment Termination Due to Abortion Waiting Period | Amendment Rejected - House (54 - 60) |
| Feb. 18, 2009 | SC | S 351 | State Ports Authority Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 14) |
| Feb. 12, 2009 | SC | H 3301 | Payday Lending Regulations | Motion Agreed - House (93 - 16) |
| Oct. 21, 2008 | SC | S 429 | DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest | Veto Override Passed - House (86 - 25) |
| Oct. 21, 2008 | SC | H Amdt 11 to H 5300 | Protection and Advocacy for People with Disabilities, Inc. Funding | Amendment Tabled - House (66 - 50) |
| Oct. 21, 2008 | SC | H Amdt 20 to H 5300 | Repealing Property Tax Exemption | Amendment Tabled - House (98 - 17) |
| May 29, 2008 | SC | H 4400 | Immigration Bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (94 - 16) |
| May 27, 2008 | SC | H 3567 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Veto Override Failed - House (54 - 57) |
| May 21, 2008 | SC | H 3816 | Bankruptcy Exemptions | Veto Override Passed - House (78 - 26) |
| May 21, 2008 | SC | H Amdt 3A | Cigarette Tax Increase for Employee Health Care | Amendment Tabled - House (67 - 51) |
| May 21, 2008 | SC | H Amdt 4A | Cigarette Tax for Small Business Employee Health Care | Amendment Tabled - House (60 - 58) |
| May 21, 2008 | SC | H Amdt 7A | To Reduce Income Tax | Amendment Tabled - House (68 - 52) |
| May 14, 2008 | SC | H 3032 | Immigration Reform | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (20 - 26) |
| May 7, 2008 | SC | S Amdt P-4A | Cigarette Tax Rate Adjustment | Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (18 - 24) |
| May 7, 2008 | SC | Amendment No. 8A | Requiring Employers to Verify Immigration the Status of Their Employees | Amendment Adopted - House (80 - 33) |
| May 7, 2008 | SC | H 3567 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 11) |
| May 6, 2008 | SC | S Amdt P-1 | Cigarette Tax Increase for Medicaid | Amendment Tabled - Senate (31 - 13) |
| April 10, 2008 | SC | H 3427 | Ending Common Law Marriage | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (21 - 17) |
| April 9, 2008 | SC | H 4673 | Cost-of-Living Pension Increases for Retired Legislators and State Workers | Bill Passed - House (58 - 51) |
| April 9, 2008 | SC | H 4549 | Funding Road Repair and Maintenance | Bill Passed - House (91 - 9) |
| April 2, 2008 | SC | AM 1 | Expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit | Amendment Rejected - House (40 - 73) |
| April 2, 2008 | SC | H 4550 | Marriage Tax Cut | Bill Passed - House (100 - 14) |
| March 5, 2008 | SC | H 4620 | Expanding Governor's Appointment Power | Joint Resolution Passed - House (83 - 24) |
| Feb. 19, 2008 | SC | AM 4 to S 398 | Prohibiting Payday Lending Amendment | Bill Tabled - Senate (23 - 18) |
| Jan. 31, 2008 | SC | H 4400 | Immigration Bill | Bill Passed - House (80 - 13) |
| June 28, 2007 | SC | H 3124 | Open Enrollment and School Choice | Veto Override Failed - House (60 - 52) |
| June 20, 2007 | SC | H 3124 | Open Enrollment and School Choice | Conference Report Adopted - House (62 - 49) |
| June 19, 2007 | SC | S 99 | Presidential Primaries Conducted by the State Election Commission | Veto Override Passed - House (87 - 18) |
| June 19, 2007 | SC | S 99 | Presidential Primaries Conducted by the State Election Commission | Veto Override Passed - Senate (36 - 7) |
| June 6, 2007 | SC | H 3964 | Concealed Firearms in Schools | Motion Agreed - House (47 - 41) |
| May 31, 2007 | SC | H 3124 | Open Enrollment and Optional Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 10) |
| May 30, 2007 | SC | Amendment No. P-2B | State Scholarships for Private Schools | Amendment Tabled - Senate (29 - 15) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/26 | H 3003 | Voter ID | Bill Passed - House (74 - 45) |
| 6/03 | H 4657 | 2010-2011 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 16) |
| 6/03 | H 4657 | 2010-2011 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (64 - 54) |
| 5/13 | H 3584 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Veto Override Passed - Senate (33 - 13) |
| 5/12 | H 3584 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Veto Override Passed - House (90 - 29) |
| 4/14 | H 3584 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 12) |
| 3/10 | H 3305 | Requiring Secret Ballot Elections | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (106 - 12) |
| 3/10 | H 3305 | Requiring Secret Ballot Elections | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 9) |
| 2/24 | S 191 | Authorizing Warrantless Searches and Seizures of Probationers and Parolees | Motion Agreed - House (81 - 26) |
| 2/10 | H 3272 | Property Tax Law Amendments | Bill Failed - Senate (28 - 13) |
| 1/13 | H 4219 | Censuring Governor Mark Sanford | Resolution Passed - House (102 - 11) |
| 6/16 | S 351 | State Ports Authority Amendments | Veto Override Passed - Senate (35 - 9) |
| 5/20 | H 3560 | 2009-2010 Budget | Veto Override Passed - Senate (34 - 11) |
| 5/20 | H 3560 | 2009-2010 Budget | Veto Override Passed - House (98 - 19) |
| 3/11 | H 3560 | 2009-2010 Budget | Motion Agreed - House (71 - 43) |
| 3/03 | H 3418 | Requiring Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (67 - 44) |
| 2/26 | H 3245 | 24-Hour Waiting Period for Abortions | Bill Passed - House (87 - 24) |
| 2/24 | Amdt 2 | Exempting Cases of Rape from Abortion Waiting Period | Amendment Tabled - House (69 - 45) |
| 2/24 | Amdt 5 | Prohibiting Employment Termination Due to Abortion Waiting Period | Amendment Rejected - House (54 - 60) |
| 2/18 | S 351 | State Ports Authority Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 14) |
| 2/12 | H 3301 | Payday Lending Regulations | Motion Agreed - House (93 - 16) |
| 10/21 | S 429 | DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest | Veto Override Passed - House (86 - 25) |
| 10/21 | H Amdt 11 to H 5300 | Protection and Advocacy for People with Disabilities, Inc. Funding | Amendment Tabled - House (66 - 50) |
| 10/21 | H Amdt 20 to H 5300 | Repealing Property Tax Exemption | Amendment Tabled - House (98 - 17) |
| 5/29 | H 4400 | Immigration Bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (94 - 16) |
| 5/27 | H 3567 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Veto Override Failed - House (54 - 57) |
| 5/21 | H 3816 | Bankruptcy Exemptions | Veto Override Passed - House (78 - 26) |
| 5/21 | H Amdt 3A | Cigarette Tax Increase for Employee Health Care | Amendment Tabled - House (67 - 51) |
| 5/21 | H Amdt 4A | Cigarette Tax for Small Business Employee Health Care | Amendment Tabled - House (60 - 58) |
| 5/21 | H Amdt 7A | To Reduce Income Tax | Amendment Tabled - House (68 - 52) |
| 5/14 | H 3032 | Immigration Reform | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (20 - 26) |
| 5/07 | S Amdt P-4A | Cigarette Tax Rate Adjustment | Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (18 - 24) |
| 5/07 | Amendment No. 8A | Requiring Employers to Verify Immigration the Status of Their Employees | Amendment Adopted - House (80 - 33) |
| 5/07 | H 3567 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 11) |
| 5/06 | S Amdt P-1 | Cigarette Tax Increase for Medicaid | Amendment Tabled - Senate (31 - 13) |
| 4/10 | H 3427 | Ending Common Law Marriage | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (21 - 17) |
| 4/09 | H 4673 | Cost-of-Living Pension Increases for Retired Legislators and State Workers | Bill Passed - House (58 - 51) |
| 4/09 | H 4549 | Funding Road Repair and Maintenance | Bill Passed - House (91 - 9) |
| 4/02 | AM 1 | Expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit | Amendment Rejected - House (40 - 73) |
| 4/02 | H 4550 | Marriage Tax Cut | Bill Passed - House (100 - 14) |
| 3/05 | H 4620 | Expanding Governor's Appointment Power | Joint Resolution Passed - House (83 - 24) |
| 2/19 | AM 4 to S 398 | Prohibiting Payday Lending Amendment | Bill Tabled - Senate (23 - 18) |
| 1/31 | H 4400 | Immigration Bill | Bill Passed - House (80 - 13) |
| 6/28 | H 3124 | Open Enrollment and School Choice | Veto Override Failed - House (60 - 52) |
| 6/20 | H 3124 | Open Enrollment and School Choice | Conference Report Adopted - House (62 - 49) |
| 6/19 | S 99 | Presidential Primaries Conducted by the State Election Commission | Veto Override Passed - House (87 - 18) |
| 6/19 | S 99 | Presidential Primaries Conducted by the State Election Commission | Veto Override Passed - Senate (36 - 7) |
| 6/06 | H 3964 | Concealed Firearms in Schools | Motion Agreed - House (47 - 41) |
| 5/31 | H 3124 | Open Enrollment and Optional Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 10) |
| 5/30 | Amendment No. P-2B | State Scholarships for Private Schools | Amendment Tabled - Senate (29 - 15) |