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. 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) |