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
Dec. 18, 2008 CA ABx1 8 Amending Sentencing, Parole, and Property Crime Statutes Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
Nov. 21, 2008 NE LB 1 Establishing an Age Limit on Safe Haven Law Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 5)
Nov. 18, 2008 NE Amdt 4 Establishing an Age Limit on Safe Haven Law Amendment Rejected - Senate (23 - 26)
Sept. 16, 2008 CA SCA 12 State Lottery Amendments Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 9)
Aug. 31, 2008 CA SB 1407 Financing Courthouse Construction Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 10)
Aug. 31, 2008 CA SB 60 Expanding Driver's License Eligibility Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
Aug. 21, 2008 CA SB 28 Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 14)
Aug. 20, 2008 CA AB 2233 Ban on Holding Pets While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17)
Aug. 20, 2008 CA AB 2279 Prohibiting Employment Discrimination Against Medical Marijuana Patients Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15)
Aug. 20, 2008 CA AB 2747 Disclosing End-of-Life Care Options Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17)
Aug. 20, 2008 CA AB 2233 Ban on Holding Pets While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17)
Aug. 19, 2008 IL HB 5285 Extending Parental Health Insurance to Unmarried Dependents Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 17)
Aug. 19, 2008 CA SB 1171 Expanding Loaded Firearm Restrictions Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
Aug. 19, 2008 NM HB 4 Working Families Tax Credit Increase Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 2)
Aug. 18, 2008 NM SB 24 Tax Rebate Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 2)
Aug. 11, 2008 CA AB 86 Cyber-Bullying Enforcement Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
Aug. 7, 2008 CA AB 2654 Expanding Anti-Discrimination Laws Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
Aug. 7, 2008 CA AB 2654 Expanding Anti-Discrimination Laws Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
Aug. 5, 2008 CA AB 2567 Creation of "Harvey Milk Day" Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
Aug. 5, 2008 CA AB 2567 Creation of "Harvey Milk Day" Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
July 29, 2008 MA S 2807 Election Day Voter Registration Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5)
July 17, 2008 NC HB 2340 Prohibiting Children from Riding in Pickup Truck Beds Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 20)
July 17, 2008 NC HB 2340 Prohibiting Children from Riding in Pickup Truck Beds Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 20)
July 17, 2008 NC HB 2690 Durham County Meals Tax Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 22)
July 16, 2008 National HR 5501 Funding to Combat AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis Bill Passed - Senate (80 - 16)
Date No. Title Outcome
12/18 ABx1 8 Amending Sentencing, Parole, and Property Crime Statutes Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
11/21 LB 1 Establishing an Age Limit on Safe Haven Law Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 5)
11/18 Amdt 4 Establishing an Age Limit on Safe Haven Law Amendment Rejected - Senate (23 - 26)
9/16 SCA 12 State Lottery Amendments Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 9)
8/31 SB 1407 Financing Courthouse Construction Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 10)
8/31 SB 60 Expanding Driver's License Eligibility Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
8/21 SB 28 Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 14)
8/20 AB 2233 Ban on Holding Pets While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17)
8/20 AB 2279 Prohibiting Employment Discrimination Against Medical Marijuana Patients Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15)
8/20 AB 2747 Disclosing End-of-Life Care Options Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17)
8/20 AB 2233 Ban on Holding Pets While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17)
8/19 HB 5285 Extending Parental Health Insurance to Unmarried Dependents Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 17)
8/19 SB 1171 Expanding Loaded Firearm Restrictions Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
8/19 HB 4 Working Families Tax Credit Increase Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 2)
8/18 SB 24 Tax Rebate Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 2)
8/11 AB 86 Cyber-Bullying Enforcement Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
8/07 AB 2654 Expanding Anti-Discrimination Laws Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
8/07 AB 2654 Expanding Anti-Discrimination Laws Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
8/05 AB 2567 Creation of "Harvey Milk Day" Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
8/05 AB 2567 Creation of "Harvey Milk Day" Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
7/29 S 2807 Election Day Voter Registration Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5)
7/17 HB 2340 Prohibiting Children from Riding in Pickup Truck Beds Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 20)
7/17 HB 2340 Prohibiting Children from Riding in Pickup Truck Beds Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 20)
7/17 HB 2690 Durham County Meals Tax Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 22)
7/16 HR 5501 Funding to Combat AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis Bill Passed - Senate (80 - 16)

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