Key Votes

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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:

  1. The vote should be helpful in portraying how a member stands on a particular issue
  2. The vote should be clear for any person to understand
  3. The vote has received media attention
  4. The vote was passed or defeated by a very close margin
  5. Occasionally, if a specific bill is consistently inquired about on the Voter's Research Hotline, the vote will be added

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.


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Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Oct. 21, 2008 SC S 429 DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest Veto Override Passed - House (86 - 25)
May 6, 2008 KS HB 2019 Voter Identification Conference Report Adopted - House (67 - 56)
April 8, 2008 IA HF 2212 Smoking Ban Conference Report Adopted - House (54 - 45)
April 14, 2008 MN HF 1351 Transportation Policy Reform Conference Report Adopted - House (88 - 44)
June 4, 2008 PA SB 246 Smoking Ban Conference Report Adopted - House (163 - 38)
May 13, 2008 MN HF 3807 Real ID Prohibition Concurrence Vote Passed - House (103 - 30)
June 21, 2008 LA HB 906 Anonymity of Ethics Board Complaints Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 21)
Feb. 14, 2008 MI HB 4505 Changes to Driver's License Eligibility Concurrence Vote Passed - House (99 - 5)
May 12, 2008 OK HB 2633 Religious Expression at Schools Concurrence Vote Passed - House (70 - 28)
March 5, 2008 CO HB 1130 Removing Wiretap Restrictions Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 9)
March 12, 2008 IA HF 2212 Smoking Ban Concurrence Vote Passed - House (59 - 40)
March 14, 2008 National HR 3773 Electronic Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Review Act Concurrence Vote Passed - House (213 - 197)
May 5, 2008 CO SB 226 Zebra Mussels Ban Bill Passed - House (54 - 11)
Jan. 31, 2008 GA HB 89 Concealed Weapons in Motor Vehicles Bill Passed - House (111 - 58)
Aug. 13, 2008 CA SB 28 Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving Bill Passed - House (52 - 24)
June 19, 2008 LA SB 137 Young Drivers Using Cell Phones While Driving Bill Passed - House (70 - 19)
June 20, 2008 LA SB 718 State Board Member and Commissioner Financial Disclosures Bill Passed - House (92 - 8)
Jan. 23, 2008 MA H 4477 Cell Phone Driving Ban Bill Passed - House (107 - 47)
March 31, 2008 MD SB 269 Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems Bill Passed - House (89 - 47)
March 6, 2008 MO HB 1619 Monitoring Prescription Drug Sales Bill Passed - House (84 - 69)
March 7, 2008 CO HJR 1009 Ratification of the UN Convention Against the Discrimination of Women Joint Resolution Passed - House (43 - 21)
March 10, 2008 OK HB 2956 Voter Identification Requirements Bill Passed - House (55 - 42)
March 19, 2008 AZ HB 2677 Real ID Bill Passed - House (51 - 8)
March 24, 2008 AZ HB 2713 Student's Religious Liberties Act Bill Passed - House (36 - 23)
March 25, 2008 ME LD 2012 Prohibiting Smoking in Vehicles with Children Bill Passed - House (92 - 46)
Date No. Title Outcome
10/21 S 429 DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest Veto Override Passed - House (86 - 25)
5/06 HB 2019 Voter Identification Conference Report Adopted - House (67 - 56)
4/08 HF 2212 Smoking Ban Conference Report Adopted - House (54 - 45)
4/14 HF 1351 Transportation Policy Reform Conference Report Adopted - House (88 - 44)
6/04 SB 246 Smoking Ban Conference Report Adopted - House (163 - 38)
5/13 HF 3807 Real ID Prohibition Concurrence Vote Passed - House (103 - 30)
6/21 HB 906 Anonymity of Ethics Board Complaints Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 21)
2/14 HB 4505 Changes to Driver's License Eligibility Concurrence Vote Passed - House (99 - 5)
5/12 HB 2633 Religious Expression at Schools Concurrence Vote Passed - House (70 - 28)
3/05 HB 1130 Removing Wiretap Restrictions Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 9)
3/12 HF 2212 Smoking Ban Concurrence Vote Passed - House (59 - 40)
3/14 HR 3773 Electronic Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Review Act Concurrence Vote Passed - House (213 - 197)
5/05 SB 226 Zebra Mussels Ban Bill Passed - House (54 - 11)
1/31 HB 89 Concealed Weapons in Motor Vehicles Bill Passed - House (111 - 58)
8/13 SB 28 Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving Bill Passed - House (52 - 24)
6/19 SB 137 Young Drivers Using Cell Phones While Driving Bill Passed - House (70 - 19)
6/20 SB 718 State Board Member and Commissioner Financial Disclosures Bill Passed - House (92 - 8)
1/23 H 4477 Cell Phone Driving Ban Bill Passed - House (107 - 47)
3/31 SB 269 Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems Bill Passed - House (89 - 47)
3/06 HB 1619 Monitoring Prescription Drug Sales Bill Passed - House (84 - 69)
3/07 HJR 1009 Ratification of the UN Convention Against the Discrimination of Women Joint Resolution Passed - House (43 - 21)
3/10 HB 2956 Voter Identification Requirements Bill Passed - House (55 - 42)
3/19 HB 2677 Real ID Bill Passed - House (51 - 8)
3/24 HB 2713 Student's Religious Liberties Act Bill Passed - House (36 - 23)
3/25 LD 2012 Prohibiting Smoking in Vehicles with Children Bill Passed - House (92 - 46)

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