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 4 | Reducing Education Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 8) |
Dec. 18, 2008 | CA | ABx1 2 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
Dec. 18, 2008 | CA | ABx1 8 | Amending Sentencing, Parole, and Property Crime Statutes | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
Dec. 18, 2008 | CA | ABx1 5 | Modifying Transportation Project Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10) |
Dec. 18, 2008 | OH | HB 649 | Funding Veterans' Bonuses Using the Budget Stabilization Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 8) |
Dec. 15, 2008 | NJ | S 1599 | Mortgage and Housing Assistance Programs | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
Dec. 15, 2008 | NJ | A 3373 | Amending NJ STARS/NJ STARS II Scholarship Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 4) |
Dec. 10, 2008 | MI | SB 861 | Tuition Assistance for Students in High Poverty Areas | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
Nov. 24, 2008 | NJ | A 3459 | Foreclosure Assistance Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 9) |
Nov. 24, 2008 | NJ | A 3294 | Capital Investment and Employment Grants | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 7) |
Nov. 18, 2008 | NE | Amdt 4 | Establishing an Age Limit on Safe Haven Law | Amendment Rejected - Senate (23 - 26) |
Sept. 19, 2008 | CA | SBx1 28 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14) |
Sept. 16, 2008 | CA | AB 1781 | 2008-2009 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 11) |
Sept. 16, 2008 | CA | AB 1452 | Suspending Carryback and Net Operating Loss Deductions | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 13) |
Sept. 16, 2008 | CA | SCA 12 | State Lottery Amendments | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
Sept. 8, 2008 | CA | AB 1793 | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 21) |
Aug. 31, 2008 | CA | SB 1407 | Financing Courthouse Construction | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 10) |
Aug. 29, 2008 | CA | AB 1781 | 2008-2009 Budget | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (24 - 15) |
Aug. 29, 2008 | CA | AB 583 | Public Financing of Elections | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
Aug. 29, 2008 | CA | AB 2321 | Metro Sales Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
Aug. 19, 2008 | IL | HB 4201 | Property Tax Exemption for Disabled Veterans | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (27 - 11) |
Aug. 19, 2008 | NY | S 8738 | State Spending Cap | Amendment Adopted - Senate (38 - 20) |
Aug. 19, 2008 | NM | HB 4 | Working Families Tax Credit Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 2) |
Aug. 18, 2008 | NM | HB 5 | Electronic Medical Records | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 7) |
Aug. 18, 2008 | NM | SB 24 | Tax Rebate | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 2) |
Aug. 14, 2008 | CA | AB 1107 | Drought-Related Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 10) |
Aug. 8, 2008 | NY | A 11258 | Mandatory Cigarette Taxation | Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 4) |
Aug. 8, 2008 | NY | S 8736 | School District Property Tax Cap | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 20) |
Aug. 7, 2008 | AK | SB 4002 | Energy Rebate Bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (11 - 5) |
Aug. 7, 2008 | CA | AB 3034 | High-Speed Rail Bond Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10) |
Aug. 5, 2008 | CA | SB 974 | Shipping Fee | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
Aug. 4, 2008 | AK | SB 4002 | Energy Rebate Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 3) |
Aug. 1, 2008 | AK | HB 3001 | Natural Gas Pipeline to Canada | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5) |
July 29, 2008 | MA | S 2807 | Election Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
July 26, 2008 | National | HR 3221 | Housing Bill with Energy Tax Credit Extensions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (72 - 13) |
July 17, 2008 | NC | HB 2690 | Durham County Meals Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 22) |
July 8, 2008 | NC | HB 2436 | 2008-2009 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 14) |
July 1, 2008 | DE | HB 518 | Alcohol Tax Increase | Bill Failed - Senate (7 - 14) |
July 1, 2008 | DE | SB 300 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 6) |
June 27, 2008 | NV | SB 5 | 2008-2009 Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 9) |
June 26, 2008 | AZ | HB 2209 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 10) |
June 25, 2008 | VA | SB 6009 | Transportation Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
June 24, 2008 | NY | S 8638 | Internet Sales Tax Repeal | Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 18) |
June 23, 2008 | AZ | SB 1476 | Reducing Probation for Good Behavior | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 4) |
June 23, 2008 | AZ | SB 1167 | Off-Highway Vehicle Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 7) |
June 23, 2008 | NJ | S 1962 | State Worker Retirement and Health Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 8) |
June 23, 2008 | NJ | A 2873 | School Construction Bonds | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
June 19, 2008 | NC | HB 2436 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 14) |
June 18, 2008 | LA | HB 734 | Tuition Increase Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
June 16, 2008 | PA | SB 1385 | Increase Tax Credit for Business Net Losses | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
12/18 | ABx1 4 | Reducing Education Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 8) |
12/18 | ABx1 2 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
12/18 | ABx1 8 | Amending Sentencing, Parole, and Property Crime Statutes | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
12/18 | ABx1 5 | Modifying Transportation Project Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10) |
12/18 | HB 649 | Funding Veterans' Bonuses Using the Budget Stabilization Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 8) |
12/15 | S 1599 | Mortgage and Housing Assistance Programs | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
12/15 | A 3373 | Amending NJ STARS/NJ STARS II Scholarship Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 4) |
12/10 | SB 861 | Tuition Assistance for Students in High Poverty Areas | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
11/24 | A 3459 | Foreclosure Assistance Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 9) |
11/24 | A 3294 | Capital Investment and Employment Grants | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 7) |
11/18 | Amdt 4 | Establishing an Age Limit on Safe Haven Law | Amendment Rejected - Senate (23 - 26) |
9/19 | SBx1 28 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14) |
9/16 | AB 1781 | 2008-2009 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 11) |
9/16 | AB 1452 | Suspending Carryback and Net Operating Loss Deductions | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 13) |
9/16 | SCA 12 | State Lottery Amendments | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
9/08 | AB 1793 | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 21) |
8/31 | SB 1407 | Financing Courthouse Construction | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 10) |
8/29 | AB 1781 | 2008-2009 Budget | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (24 - 15) |
8/29 | AB 583 | Public Financing of Elections | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
8/29 | AB 2321 | Metro Sales Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
8/19 | HB 4201 | Property Tax Exemption for Disabled Veterans | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (27 - 11) |
8/19 | S 8738 | State Spending Cap | Amendment Adopted - Senate (38 - 20) |
8/19 | HB 4 | Working Families Tax Credit Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 2) |
8/18 | HB 5 | Electronic Medical Records | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 7) |
8/18 | SB 24 | Tax Rebate | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 2) |
8/14 | AB 1107 | Drought-Related Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 10) |
8/08 | A 11258 | Mandatory Cigarette Taxation | Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 4) |
8/08 | S 8736 | School District Property Tax Cap | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 20) |
8/07 | SB 4002 | Energy Rebate Bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (11 - 5) |
8/07 | AB 3034 | High-Speed Rail Bond Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10) |
8/05 | SB 974 | Shipping Fee | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
8/04 | SB 4002 | Energy Rebate Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 3) |
8/01 | HB 3001 | Natural Gas Pipeline to Canada | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5) |
7/29 | S 2807 | Election Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
7/26 | HR 3221 | Housing Bill with Energy Tax Credit Extensions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (72 - 13) |
7/17 | HB 2690 | Durham County Meals Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 22) |
7/08 | HB 2436 | 2008-2009 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 14) |
7/01 | HB 518 | Alcohol Tax Increase | Bill Failed - Senate (7 - 14) |
7/01 | SB 300 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 6) |
6/27 | SB 5 | 2008-2009 Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 9) |
6/26 | HB 2209 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 10) |
6/25 | SB 6009 | Transportation Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
6/24 | S 8638 | Internet Sales Tax Repeal | Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 18) |
6/23 | SB 1476 | Reducing Probation for Good Behavior | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 4) |
6/23 | SB 1167 | Off-Highway Vehicle Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 7) |
6/23 | S 1962 | State Worker Retirement and Health Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 8) |
6/23 | A 2873 | School Construction Bonds | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
6/19 | HB 2436 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 14) |
6/18 | HB 734 | Tuition Increase Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
6/16 | SB 1385 | Increase Tax Credit for Business Net Losses | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19) |