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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Dec. 10, 2008 | OH | HB 648 | Increasing Restrictions on Access to Confidential Personal Information | Bill Passed - House (69 - 26) |
July 9, 2008 | National | HR 5811 | Electronic Communications Preservation Act | Bill Passed - House (286 - 137) |
June 27, 2008 | MS | HB 17 | Medicaid Funds Bill | Bill Passed - House (68 - 44) |
June 23, 2008 | NJ | S 1962 | State Worker Retirement and Health Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 8) |
June 23, 2008 | NJ | S 1962 | State Worker Retirement and Health Benefits | Bill Passed - House (52 - 13) |
June 21, 2008 | LA | HB 906 | Anonymity of Ethics Board Complaints | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 21) |
June 20, 2008 | LA | SB 718 | State Board Member and Commissioner Financial Disclosures | Bill Passed - House (92 - 8) |
May 28, 2008 | LA | SB 718 | State Board Member and Commissioner Financial Disclosures | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9) |
May 12, 2008 | AZ | HB 2017 | Legislative Approval for Regulating Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (36 - 22) |
May 1, 2008 | KS | SB 148 | Electricity Generation and Conservation | Veto Override Failed - House (80 - 45) |
May 1, 2008 | IL | SJRCA 70 | Constitutional Amendment to recall certain elected officials | Bill Failed - Senate (33 - 19) |
April 30, 2008 | KS | SB 148 | Electricity Generation and Conservation | Veto Override Passed - Senate (32 - 7) |
April 23, 2008 | AZ | HB 2017 | Legislative Approval for Regulating Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 7) |
April 16, 2008 | NH | HR 24 | Impeachment Petition | Resolution Tabled - House (227 - 95) |
April 14, 2008 | MO | HJR 49 | Appellate Judicial Commissioners | Joint Resolution Failed - House (69 - 83) |
April 9, 2008 | SC | H 4673 | Cost-of-Living Pension Increases for Retired Legislators and State Workers | Bill Passed - House (58 - 51) |
April 8, 2008 | IL | HJRCA 28 | Recall Elections | Joint Resolution Passed - House (75 - 33) |
April 4, 2008 | KS | SB 148 | Electricity Generation and Conservation | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 7) |
April 4, 2008 | KS | SB 148 | Electricity Generation and Conservation | Bill Passed - House (83 - 41) |
April 2, 2008 | GA | SB 174 | Physical Fitness Standards for State Employees | Bill Failed - House (55 - 107) |
April 1, 2008 | IL | HB 4232 | State Board of Education Selection Process | Bill Passed - House (86 - 21) |
March 28, 2008 | MD | HB 362 | Department of Information Technology | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 14) |
March 26, 2008 | MS | SB 2188 | Attorney General-Private Attorney Contract Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (95 - 25) |
March 17, 2008 | SD | HB 1233 | Government Spending Database | Veto Override Failed - Senate (22 - 12) |
March 17, 2008 | SD | HB 1233 | Government Spending Database | Veto Override Passed - House (61 - 8) |
March 17, 2008 | ID | HCR 49 | State Employee Pay Raise | Resolution Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
March 12, 2008 | IA | SF 2355 | Time Off to Attend Presidential Precinct Caucuses | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 10) |
March 11, 2008 | WI | AB 862 | Government Spending Database | Bill Passed - House (81 - 16) |
March 7, 2008 | CO | HB 1025 | Governor's Energy Office | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (56 - 7) |
March 6, 2008 | CO | HB 1025 | Governor's Energy Office | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
March 6, 2008 | AZ | HB 2043 | State Government Hiring Freeze | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
March 5, 2008 | SC | H 4620 | Expanding Governor's Appointment Power | Joint Resolution Passed - House (83 - 24) |
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) |
Feb. 29, 2008 | UT | HB 75 | State Inventory of Government Activities | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 6) |
Feb. 28, 2008 | MN | GN Molnau | Confirmation of Carol Molnau as Department of Transportation Commissioner | Nomination Rejected - Senate (22 - 44) |
Feb. 26, 2008 | KY | SB 14 | Non-Partisan Public Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
Feb. 26, 2008 | SD | HB 1233 | Government Spending Database | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
Feb. 20, 2008 | AZ | HB 2043 | State Government Hiring Freeze | Bill Passed - House (40 - 15) |
Feb. 19, 2008 | CA | GN Borucki | Confirmation of Joan Borucki as State Lottery Director | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (32 - 3) |
Feb. 15, 2008 | LA | Amnd. 423 to SB 1 | Persons Restricted from Doing Business with the State | Amendment Adopted - Senate (21 - 16) |
Feb. 15, 2008 | UT | HB 75 | State Inventory of Government Activities | Bill Passed - House (54 - 17) |
Feb. 13, 2008 | SD | HB 1233 | Government Spending Database | Bill Passed - House (47 - 22) |
Feb. 7, 2008 | MA | H 4488 | Education Reorganization | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
Feb. 6, 2008 | MA | H 4488 | Education Reorganization | Bill Passed - House (135 - 19) |
Jan. 30, 2008 | CO | HB 1025 | Governor's Energy Office | Bill Passed - House (59 - 5) |
Jan. 25, 2008 | MS | SB 2188 | Attorney General-Private Attorney Contract Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
Jan. 15, 2008 | WI | SJR 5 | Limiting Governor's Partial Veto Authority | Joint Resolution Passed - House (94 - 1) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
12/10 | HB 648 | Increasing Restrictions on Access to Confidential Personal Information | Bill Passed - House (69 - 26) |
7/09 | HR 5811 | Electronic Communications Preservation Act | Bill Passed - House (286 - 137) |
6/27 | HB 17 | Medicaid Funds Bill | Bill Passed - House (68 - 44) |
6/23 | S 1962 | State Worker Retirement and Health Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 8) |
6/23 | S 1962 | State Worker Retirement and Health Benefits | Bill Passed - House (52 - 13) |
6/21 | HB 906 | Anonymity of Ethics Board Complaints | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 21) |
6/20 | SB 718 | State Board Member and Commissioner Financial Disclosures | Bill Passed - House (92 - 8) |
5/28 | SB 718 | State Board Member and Commissioner Financial Disclosures | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9) |
5/12 | HB 2017 | Legislative Approval for Regulating Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (36 - 22) |
5/01 | SB 148 | Electricity Generation and Conservation | Veto Override Failed - House (80 - 45) |
5/01 | SJRCA 70 | Constitutional Amendment to recall certain elected officials | Bill Failed - Senate (33 - 19) |
4/30 | SB 148 | Electricity Generation and Conservation | Veto Override Passed - Senate (32 - 7) |
4/23 | HB 2017 | Legislative Approval for Regulating Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 7) |
4/16 | HR 24 | Impeachment Petition | Resolution Tabled - House (227 - 95) |
4/14 | HJR 49 | Appellate Judicial Commissioners | Joint Resolution Failed - House (69 - 83) |
4/09 | H 4673 | Cost-of-Living Pension Increases for Retired Legislators and State Workers | Bill Passed - House (58 - 51) |
4/08 | HJRCA 28 | Recall Elections | Joint Resolution Passed - House (75 - 33) |
4/04 | SB 148 | Electricity Generation and Conservation | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 7) |
4/04 | SB 148 | Electricity Generation and Conservation | Bill Passed - House (83 - 41) |
4/02 | SB 174 | Physical Fitness Standards for State Employees | Bill Failed - House (55 - 107) |
4/01 | HB 4232 | State Board of Education Selection Process | Bill Passed - House (86 - 21) |
3/28 | HB 362 | Department of Information Technology | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 14) |
3/26 | SB 2188 | Attorney General-Private Attorney Contract Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (95 - 25) |
3/17 | HB 1233 | Government Spending Database | Veto Override Failed - Senate (22 - 12) |
3/17 | HB 1233 | Government Spending Database | Veto Override Passed - House (61 - 8) |
3/17 | HCR 49 | State Employee Pay Raise | Resolution Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
3/12 | SF 2355 | Time Off to Attend Presidential Precinct Caucuses | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 10) |
3/11 | AB 862 | Government Spending Database | Bill Passed - House (81 - 16) |
3/07 | HB 1025 | Governor's Energy Office | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (56 - 7) |
3/06 | HB 1025 | Governor's Energy Office | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
3/06 | HB 2043 | State Government Hiring Freeze | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
3/05 | H 4620 | Expanding Governor's Appointment Power | Joint Resolution Passed - House (83 - 24) |
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) |
2/29 | HB 75 | State Inventory of Government Activities | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 6) |
2/28 | GN Molnau | Confirmation of Carol Molnau as Department of Transportation Commissioner | Nomination Rejected - Senate (22 - 44) |
2/26 | SB 14 | Non-Partisan Public Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
2/26 | HB 1233 | Government Spending Database | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
2/20 | HB 2043 | State Government Hiring Freeze | Bill Passed - House (40 - 15) |
2/19 | GN Borucki | Confirmation of Joan Borucki as State Lottery Director | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (32 - 3) |
2/15 | Amnd. 423 to SB 1 | Persons Restricted from Doing Business with the State | Amendment Adopted - Senate (21 - 16) |
2/15 | HB 75 | State Inventory of Government Activities | Bill Passed - House (54 - 17) |
2/13 | HB 1233 | Government Spending Database | Bill Passed - House (47 - 22) |
2/07 | H 4488 | Education Reorganization | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
2/06 | H 4488 | Education Reorganization | Bill Passed - House (135 - 19) |
1/30 | HB 1025 | Governor's Energy Office | Bill Passed - House (59 - 5) |
1/25 | SB 2188 | Attorney General-Private Attorney Contract Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
1/15 | SJR 5 | Limiting Governor's Partial Veto Authority | Joint Resolution Passed - House (94 - 1) |