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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nov. 18, 2008 | NE | Amdt 4 | Establishing an Age Limit on Safe Haven Law | Amendment Rejected - Senate (23 - 26) |
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 | AB 2001 | Whistleblower Hotline | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 8) |
July 2, 2008 | NC | SB 1988 | Outlaws Burning Crosses and Hanging Nooses | Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 3) |
June 27, 2008 | AZ | SCR 1042 | Parameters of Marriage | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 4) |
June 25, 2008 | AZ | SCR 1042 | Parameters of Marriage | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (14 - 11) |
May 28, 2008 | LA | SB 292 | Public Fishing in Overflow Waters | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 19) |
May 27, 2008 | IL | HB 5288 | Expand Use of Red Light Cameras | Bill Failed - Senate (26 - 24) |
May 15, 2008 | CA | SB 1589 | Uncorroborated Jailhouse Informant Testimony Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 14) |
May 13, 2008 | MN | SF 2965 | Surrogate Mother Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (41 - 22) |
May 2, 2008 | CO | HB 1208 | Limitations on Direct File Juvenile Cases | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16) |
May 2, 2008 | CO | HB 1082 | Sealing Criminal Records | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
May 1, 2008 | HI | SB 2423 | Turtle Bay Acquisition | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 11) |
April 22, 2008 | MI | SB 1078 | Township Annexation Requirements | Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 20) |
April 15, 2008 | KY | HB 683 | DNA Collection, Parole Board, and Felony Review | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 1) |
April 15, 2008 | LA | SB 144 | Castration of Sex Offenders | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 3) |
April 14, 2008 | MN | SF 2822 | "Good Faith" Requirement for Insurance Companies | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (47 - 15) |
April 10, 2008 | SC | H 3427 | Ending Common Law Marriage | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (21 - 17) |
April 3, 2008 | MN | SF 960 | Modification of the Definition of Dependents for Local Government Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 22) |
March 26, 2008 | KS | Huelskamp Amnd. 2 | Public Benefit Ineligibility for Undocumented Immigrants | Amendment Rejected - Senate (12 - 26) |
March 26, 2008 | KS | Journey Amnd. 1 | Journey Amendment 1 | Amendment Rejected - Senate (14 - 24) |
March 26, 2008 | KS | Brownlee Amnd. | Prohibits Union from collecting dues from Undocumented Workers | Amendment Adopted - Senate (19 - 18) |
March 25, 2008 | NE | LB 1063 | Abolishing the Death Penalty | Motion Rejected - Senate (20 - 28) |
March 24, 2008 | MS | HB 859 | Salary Adjustments for State Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 3) |
March 19, 2008 | KS | SB 409 | Three-Strikes Sentencing for Theft | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 6) |
March 18, 2008 | MN | Scheid Amnd. | Insurance Payouts Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (37 - 30) |
March 12, 2008 | MD | SB 42 | Temporary Confiscation of Firearms | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 17) |
March 6, 2008 | GA | SB 449 | Limiting Agritourism Liability | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 14) |
March 5, 2008 | WY | HB 137 | Deadly Force in Self Defense | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 1) |
March 4, 2008 | HI | SB 2423 | Turtle Bay Acquisition | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 2) |
March 4, 2008 | WI | SB 537 | John Doe Proceedings | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
March 3, 2008 | CO | SB 164 | Increasing Caps on Medical Malpractice Lawsuits | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16) |
Feb. 27, 2008 | MS | SB 2998 | Immunity for Physicians Treating Medicaid Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 18) |
Feb. 26, 2008 | MS | SB 2550 | Covenant Marriage Act | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 13) |
Feb. 25, 2008 | VA | HB 933 | "Triggerman Rule" in Capital Murder Cases | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
Feb. 13, 2008 | SD | SB 174 | Railroad Eminent Domain | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
Feb. 12, 2008 | GA | SR 822 | Reassessing Georgia's Northern Border | Resolution Passed - Senate (52 - 0) |
Feb. 11, 2008 | SD | SB 189 | Accessibility of Public Records | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
Feb. 7, 2008 | GA | SB 350 | Increasing Penalties for Driving Without a License | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 13) |
Jan. 29, 2008 | IN | SB 143 | Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 13) |
Jan. 25, 2008 | MS | SB 2188 | Attorney General-Private Attorney Contract Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
Jan. 22, 2008 | MI | SB 776 | Late-Term/Partial-Birth Abortion Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
Jan. 7, 2008 | NJ | S 176 | Expanding Damages for Wrongful Death | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
11/18 | Amdt 4 | Establishing an Age Limit on Safe Haven Law | Amendment Rejected - Senate (23 - 26) |
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 | AB 2001 | Whistleblower Hotline | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 8) |
7/02 | SB 1988 | Outlaws Burning Crosses and Hanging Nooses | Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 3) |
6/27 | SCR 1042 | Parameters of Marriage | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 4) |
6/25 | SCR 1042 | Parameters of Marriage | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (14 - 11) |
5/28 | SB 292 | Public Fishing in Overflow Waters | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 19) |
5/27 | HB 5288 | Expand Use of Red Light Cameras | Bill Failed - Senate (26 - 24) |
5/15 | SB 1589 | Uncorroborated Jailhouse Informant Testimony Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 14) |
5/13 | SF 2965 | Surrogate Mother Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (41 - 22) |
5/02 | HB 1208 | Limitations on Direct File Juvenile Cases | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16) |
5/02 | HB 1082 | Sealing Criminal Records | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
5/01 | SB 2423 | Turtle Bay Acquisition | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 11) |
4/22 | SB 1078 | Township Annexation Requirements | Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 20) |
4/15 | HB 683 | DNA Collection, Parole Board, and Felony Review | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 1) |
4/15 | SB 144 | Castration of Sex Offenders | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 3) |
4/14 | SF 2822 | "Good Faith" Requirement for Insurance Companies | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (47 - 15) |
4/10 | H 3427 | Ending Common Law Marriage | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (21 - 17) |
4/03 | SF 960 | Modification of the Definition of Dependents for Local Government Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 22) |
3/26 | Huelskamp Amnd. 2 | Public Benefit Ineligibility for Undocumented Immigrants | Amendment Rejected - Senate (12 - 26) |
3/26 | Journey Amnd. 1 | Journey Amendment 1 | Amendment Rejected - Senate (14 - 24) |
3/26 | Brownlee Amnd. | Prohibits Union from collecting dues from Undocumented Workers | Amendment Adopted - Senate (19 - 18) |
3/25 | LB 1063 | Abolishing the Death Penalty | Motion Rejected - Senate (20 - 28) |
3/24 | HB 859 | Salary Adjustments for State Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 3) |
3/19 | SB 409 | Three-Strikes Sentencing for Theft | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 6) |
3/18 | Scheid Amnd. | Insurance Payouts Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (37 - 30) |
3/12 | SB 42 | Temporary Confiscation of Firearms | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 17) |
3/06 | SB 449 | Limiting Agritourism Liability | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 14) |
3/05 | HB 137 | Deadly Force in Self Defense | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 1) |
3/04 | SB 2423 | Turtle Bay Acquisition | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 2) |
3/04 | SB 537 | John Doe Proceedings | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
3/03 | SB 164 | Increasing Caps on Medical Malpractice Lawsuits | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16) |
2/27 | SB 2998 | Immunity for Physicians Treating Medicaid Recipients | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 18) |
2/26 | SB 2550 | Covenant Marriage Act | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 13) |
2/25 | HB 933 | "Triggerman Rule" in Capital Murder Cases | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
2/13 | SB 174 | Railroad Eminent Domain | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
2/12 | SR 822 | Reassessing Georgia's Northern Border | Resolution Passed - Senate (52 - 0) |
2/11 | SB 189 | Accessibility of Public Records | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
2/07 | SB 350 | Increasing Penalties for Driving Without a License | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 13) |
1/29 | SB 143 | Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 13) |
1/25 | SB 2188 | Attorney General-Private Attorney Contract Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
1/22 | SB 776 | Late-Term/Partial-Birth Abortion Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
1/07 | S 176 | Expanding Damages for Wrongful Death | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11) |