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.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Dec. 15, 2008 NJ S 1599 Mortgage and Housing Assistance Programs Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 8)
Nov. 24, 2008 NJ A 3459 Foreclosure Assistance Appropriations Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 9)
Oct. 1, 2008 National HR 1424 Financial Asset Purchase Authority and Tax Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 25)
Aug. 30, 2008 CA SB 375 Global Warming and Land Use Policy Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 14)
Aug. 19, 2008 IL HB 4201 Property Tax Exemption for Disabled Veterans Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (27 - 11)
Aug. 8, 2008 NY S 8736 School District Property Tax Cap Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 20)
July 26, 2008 National HR 3221 Housing Bill with Energy Tax Credit Extensions Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (72 - 13)
July 17, 2008 NC HB 2499 Water Management During Droughts Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 9)
July 10, 2008 NC HB 822 Swine Farm Rebuilding Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 8)
July 7, 2008 CA AB 2949 Retrieving Abandoned Pets Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
June 25, 2008 National S Amdt 4983 Housing Foreclosure Assistance Programs Amendment Adopted - Senate (79 - 16)
June 11, 2008 CT SB 1001 Real Estate Conveyance Tax Extension Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
June 4, 2008 NY S 6823 Long Island Affordable Housing Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 9)
May 28, 2008 LA SB 292 Public Fishing in Overflow Waters Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 19)
May 7, 2008 National S Amdt 4719 Optional Wind Damage Insurance Amendment Rejected - Senate (19 - 74)
May 5, 2008 CO SB 200 Sexual Orientation Nondiscrimination Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
April 28, 2008 CA SB 1137 Residential Property Foreclosures Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10)
April 22, 2008 MI SB 1078 Township Annexation Requirements Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 20)
April 17, 2008 IL SB 2063 South Suburban Airport Authority Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 7)
April 10, 2008 National HR 3221 Housing Bill with Energy Tax Credit Extensions Bill Passed - Senate (84 - 12)
March 31, 2008 CO HB 1270 Prohibiting Restrictions on Energy Efficiency Measures Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
March 31, 2008 GA HB 1158 Motor Vehicle Trauma Care Fee Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 7)
March 28, 2008 GA HR 1246 Property Tax Assessment Freeze Resolution Passed - Senate (46 - 7)
March 27, 2008 CO HB 1280 Extending Water Rights Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 2)
March 24, 2008 MD SB 597 Property Transfer Tax Exemptions for Domestic Partners Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21)
March 14, 2008 IN SJR 1 Constitutional Property Tax Cap Conference Report Adopted - Senate (40 - 7)
March 14, 2008 IN HB 1001 Property Tax Reduction Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 6)
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 3, 2008 ID S 1400 Real Estate Sales Price Disclosure Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 15)
Feb. 26, 2008 IN HB 1001 Property Tax Reduction Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14)
Feb. 25, 2008 VA HB 11 Property Tax Exemptions Motion Agreed - Senate (21 - 19)
Feb. 25, 2008 IN Amnd. 17 Elimination of Township Assessors Amendment Rejected - Senate (23 - 23)
Feb. 25, 2008 IN Amnd. 19 Referendum on Township Assessors Amendment Rejected - Senate (24 - 20)
Feb. 13, 2008 SD SB 174 Railroad Eminent Domain Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13)
Feb. 12, 2008 GA SR 796 Property Tax Assessment Cap Resolution Passed - Senate (48 - 7)
Feb. 12, 2008 GA SR 686 Property Tax Assessment Freeze Resolution Passed - Senate (53 - 3)
Feb. 10, 2008 NM HB 661 Affordable Housing Tax Relief Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 12)
Feb. 7, 2008 National HR 5140 Economic Stimulus Plan Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 16)
Feb. 6, 2008 WA SB 6452 Yield Spread Premium Disclosure Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 17)
Feb. 6, 2008 WA SB 6381 Good Faith Duties of Mortgage Brokers Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19)
Jan. 30, 2008 CA SB 926 Mortgage Lender Requirements Bill Failed - Senate (26 - 14)
Jan. 29, 2008 IN SB 143 Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 13)
Jan. 29, 2008 IN SJR 1 Constitutional Property Tax Cap Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (41 - 7)
Jan. 22, 2008 IN SB 18 Allowing Referendum on Public Construction Projects Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 16)
Jan. 17, 2008 GA HB 89 Concealed Weapons in Motor Vehicles Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 15)
Date No. Title Outcome
12/15 S 1599 Mortgage and Housing Assistance Programs Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 8)
11/24 A 3459 Foreclosure Assistance Appropriations Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 9)
10/01 HR 1424 Financial Asset Purchase Authority and Tax Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 25)
8/30 SB 375 Global Warming and Land Use Policy Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 14)
8/19 HB 4201 Property Tax Exemption for Disabled Veterans Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (27 - 11)
8/08 S 8736 School District Property Tax Cap Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 20)
7/26 HR 3221 Housing Bill with Energy Tax Credit Extensions Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (72 - 13)
7/17 HB 2499 Water Management During Droughts Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 9)
7/10 HB 822 Swine Farm Rebuilding Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 8)
7/07 AB 2949 Retrieving Abandoned Pets Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
6/25 S Amdt 4983 Housing Foreclosure Assistance Programs Amendment Adopted - Senate (79 - 16)
6/11 SB 1001 Real Estate Conveyance Tax Extension Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
6/04 S 6823 Long Island Affordable Housing Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 9)
5/28 SB 292 Public Fishing in Overflow Waters Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 19)
5/07 S Amdt 4719 Optional Wind Damage Insurance Amendment Rejected - Senate (19 - 74)
5/05 SB 200 Sexual Orientation Nondiscrimination Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
4/28 SB 1137 Residential Property Foreclosures Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10)
4/22 SB 1078 Township Annexation Requirements Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 20)
4/17 SB 2063 South Suburban Airport Authority Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 7)
4/10 HR 3221 Housing Bill with Energy Tax Credit Extensions Bill Passed - Senate (84 - 12)
3/31 HB 1270 Prohibiting Restrictions on Energy Efficiency Measures Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
3/31 HB 1158 Motor Vehicle Trauma Care Fee Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 7)
3/28 HR 1246 Property Tax Assessment Freeze Resolution Passed - Senate (46 - 7)
3/27 HB 1280 Extending Water Rights Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 2)
3/24 SB 597 Property Transfer Tax Exemptions for Domestic Partners Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21)
3/14 SJR 1 Constitutional Property Tax Cap Conference Report Adopted - Senate (40 - 7)
3/14 HB 1001 Property Tax Reduction Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 6)
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)
3/03 S 1400 Real Estate Sales Price Disclosure Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 15)
2/26 HB 1001 Property Tax Reduction Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14)
2/25 HB 11 Property Tax Exemptions Motion Agreed - Senate (21 - 19)
2/25 Amnd. 17 Elimination of Township Assessors Amendment Rejected - Senate (23 - 23)
2/25 Amnd. 19 Referendum on Township Assessors Amendment Rejected - Senate (24 - 20)
2/13 SB 174 Railroad Eminent Domain Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13)
2/12 SR 796 Property Tax Assessment Cap Resolution Passed - Senate (48 - 7)
2/12 SR 686 Property Tax Assessment Freeze Resolution Passed - Senate (53 - 3)
2/10 HB 661 Affordable Housing Tax Relief Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 12)
2/07 HR 5140 Economic Stimulus Plan Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 16)
2/06 SB 6452 Yield Spread Premium Disclosure Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 17)
2/06 SB 6381 Good Faith Duties of Mortgage Brokers Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19)
1/30 SB 926 Mortgage Lender Requirements Bill Failed - Senate (26 - 14)
1/29 SB 143 Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 13)
1/29 SJR 1 Constitutional Property Tax Cap Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (41 - 7)
1/22 SB 18 Allowing Referendum on Public Construction Projects Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 16)
1/17 HB 89 Concealed Weapons in Motor Vehicles Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 15)

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