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
May 7, 2008 MN SF 100 Public Funding for Stem Cell Research Bill Passed - House (71 - 62)
May 7, 2008 SC H 3567 Cigarette Tax Increase Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 11)
Aug. 31, 2008 CA SB 840 California Universal Healthcare Agency Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
Aug. 29, 2008 CA SB 840 California Universal Healthcare Agency Bill Passed - House (44 - 32)
June 4, 2008 PA SB 246 Smoking Ban Conference Report Rejected - Senate (19 - 31)
June 4, 2008 PA SB 246 Smoking Ban Conference Report Adopted - House (163 - 38)
June 10, 2008 PA SB 246 Smoking Ban Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 9)
May 14, 2008 National HR 2419 Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) Conference Report Adopted - House (318 - 106)
May 15, 2008 National HR 2419 Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) Conference Report Adopted - Senate (81 - 15)
May 1, 2008 MI Sub HB 5282 Independent Health Benefit Plans Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
Jan. 23, 2008 National HR 3963 Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (CHIP) Veto Override Failed - House (260 - 152)
Jan. 23, 2008 National HR 3963 Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (CHIP) Veto Override Failed - House (260 - 152)
Jan. 23, 2008 National HR 3963 Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (CHIP) Veto Override Failed - House (260 - 152)
May 8, 2008 MI HB 4163 Workplace Smoking Ban Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12)
Jan. 23, 2008 WI AB 377 Emergency Contraception for Sexual Assault Victims Bill Passed - House (61 - 35)
Feb. 28, 2008 WI AB 377 Emergency Contraception for Sexual Assault Victims Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 6)
Feb. 28, 2008 WI AB 377 Emergency Contraception for Sexual Assault Victims Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 6)
Jan. 23, 2008 WI AB 377 Emergency Contraception for Sexual Assault Victims Bill Passed - House (61 - 35)
Jan. 7, 2008 NJ A 4559 Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16)
Jan. 7, 2008 NJ A 4559 Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions Bill Passed - House (43 - 31)
Jan. 18, 2008 GA HR 1022 State-Wide Water Management Plan Bill Passed - House (131 - 37)
Jan. 21, 2008 VA HB 188 HPV Vaccine Deadline Extension Bill Passed - House (57 - 39)
Jan. 18, 2008 GA SR 701 State-Wide Water Management Plan Resolution Passed - Senate (39 - 12)
Jan. 24, 2008 IN SB 3 Authorizing Physicians to Refuse Prescriptions Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 24)
Jan. 24, 2008 IN SB 3 Authorizing Physicians to Refuse Prescriptions Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 24)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/07 SF 100 Public Funding for Stem Cell Research Bill Passed - House (71 - 62)
5/07 H 3567 Cigarette Tax Increase Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 11)
8/31 SB 840 California Universal Healthcare Agency Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
8/29 SB 840 California Universal Healthcare Agency Bill Passed - House (44 - 32)
6/04 SB 246 Smoking Ban Conference Report Rejected - Senate (19 - 31)
6/04 SB 246 Smoking Ban Conference Report Adopted - House (163 - 38)
6/10 SB 246 Smoking Ban Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 9)
5/14 HR 2419 Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) Conference Report Adopted - House (318 - 106)
5/15 HR 2419 Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) Conference Report Adopted - Senate (81 - 15)
5/01 Sub HB 5282 Independent Health Benefit Plans Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
1/23 HR 3963 Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (CHIP) Veto Override Failed - House (260 - 152)
1/23 HR 3963 Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (CHIP) Veto Override Failed - House (260 - 152)
1/23 HR 3963 Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (CHIP) Veto Override Failed - House (260 - 152)
5/08 HB 4163 Workplace Smoking Ban Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12)
1/23 AB 377 Emergency Contraception for Sexual Assault Victims Bill Passed - House (61 - 35)
2/28 AB 377 Emergency Contraception for Sexual Assault Victims Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 6)
2/28 AB 377 Emergency Contraception for Sexual Assault Victims Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 6)
1/23 AB 377 Emergency Contraception for Sexual Assault Victims Bill Passed - House (61 - 35)
1/07 A 4559 Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16)
1/07 A 4559 Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions Bill Passed - House (43 - 31)
1/18 HR 1022 State-Wide Water Management Plan Bill Passed - House (131 - 37)
1/21 HB 188 HPV Vaccine Deadline Extension Bill Passed - House (57 - 39)
1/18 SR 701 State-Wide Water Management Plan Resolution Passed - Senate (39 - 12)
1/24 SB 3 Authorizing Physicians to Refuse Prescriptions Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 24)
1/24 SB 3 Authorizing Physicians to Refuse Prescriptions Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 24)

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