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. 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) |