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
July 22, 2008 AK HB 3001 Natural Gas Pipeline to Canada Bill Passed - House (24 - 16)
April 15, 2008 AL HB 274 Food Sales Tax Repeal Bill Passed - House (63 - 38)
March 4, 2008 AL HB 196 Relaxing Alcohol Sales Restrictions Bill Passed - House (48 - 42)
April 1, 2008 AR HB 1004 Natural Gas Tax Bill Passed - House (81 - 16)
April 2, 2008 AR SB 1 Natural Gas Tax Bill Passed - House (82 - 17)
April 24, 2008 AZ HB 2395 Driving and Boating Under the Influence Concurrence Vote Passed - House (35 - 15)
June 25, 2008 AZ HB 2156 Reviews for Potential Railroad Sites Concurrence Vote Passed - House (40 - 12)
April 30, 2008 AZ SB 1450 Theme Park Funding Bill Passed - House (39 - 17)
March 19, 2008 AZ HB 2230 College Textbook Information Disclosure Bill Passed - House (48 - 11)
April 1, 2008 AZ HB 2745 Amending Undocumented Immigrant Employment Sanctions Bill Passed - House (41 - 16)
Sept. 16, 2008 CA AB 1781 2008-2009 Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (61 - 11)
Aug. 17, 2008 CA AB 1781 2008-2009 Budget Conference Report Rejected - House (45 - 30)
Aug. 28, 2008 CA AB 2765 Aerial Spraying Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (59 - 14)
Sept. 16, 2008 CA AB 1452 Suspending Carryback and Net Operating Loss Deductions Concurrence Vote Passed - House (55 - 21)
Aug. 31, 2008 CA AB 1945 Health Insurance Cancellation Restrictions Concurrence Vote Passed - House (55 - 17)
Aug. 31, 2008 CA AB 1860 Prohibiting Resale of Recalled Products Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 30)
Aug. 31, 2008 CA AB 2321 Metro Sales Tax Increase Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 25)
Aug. 29, 2008 CA AB 2386 Agricultural Union Election Law Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (45 - 31)
Aug. 29, 2008 CA AB 1107 Drought-Related Unemployment Benefits Concurrence Vote Passed - House (60 - 18)
Aug. 19, 2008 CA AB 1894 Health Insurance Coverage of HIV Testing Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 29)
Aug. 12, 2008 CA AB 2270 Water Softener Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (53 - 19)
Aug. 12, 2008 CA AB 1946 Expanding Enforcement of Water Pollution Laws Concurrence Vote Passed - House (48 - 29)
Dec. 18, 2008 CA ABx1 12 Extending Tax Withholding Requirements to Payments to Independent Contractors Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 28)
July 14, 2008 CA AB 1155 Penalties for Healthcare Service Plan Underpayments or Failures to Pay Service Providers Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 26)
July 14, 2008 CA AB 97 Trans Fats Ban Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 28)
Aug. 27, 2008 CA SB 1313 Perfluorochemical (PFC) Ban Bill Passed - House (43 - 30)
Aug. 18, 2008 CA SB 1313 Perfluorochemical (PFC) Ban Bill Failed - House (37 - 34)
June 30, 2008 CA SB 1137 Residential Property Foreclosures Bill Passed - House (55 - 18)
Aug. 19, 2008 CA SB 1440 Capping Administrative Spending for Health Insurers Bill Passed - House (46 - 31)
July 15, 2008 CA SB 974 Shipping Fee Bill Passed - House (46 - 24)
Aug. 18, 2008 CA SB 1713 Bisphenol A (BPA) Ban Bill Failed - House (33 - 32)
Aug. 29, 2008 CA SB 840 California Universal Healthcare Agency Bill Passed - House (44 - 32)
Aug. 27, 2008 CA SB 1420 Nutritional Information Disclosure in Chain Restaurants Bill Passed - House (46 - 28)
May 28, 2008 CA AB 2279 Prohibiting Employment Discrimination Against Medical Marijuana Patients Bill Passed - House (41 - 35)
May 28, 2008 CA AB 2058 Paper and Plastic Bag Tax Bill Passed - House (44 - 33)
May 28, 2008 CA AB 1991 Development on Half Moon Bay Bill Passed - House (46 - 18)
May 27, 2008 CA AB 3025 Polystyrene Packaging Regulations Bill Passed - House (42 - 32)
Sept. 19, 2008 CA SBx1 28 Tax Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (43 - 30)
March 12, 2008 CA ABx3 9 Oil Tax Bill Failed - House (45 - 30)
Jan. 29, 2008 CA AB 624 Disclosing Organizational Diversity Bill Passed - House (45 - 29)
June 30, 2008 CA SB 823 Private Postsecondary Education Regulation Bill Failed - House (41 - 33)
May 29, 2008 CA AB 2572 Nutritional Disclosure Bill Bill Passed - House (46 - 15)
May 29, 2008 CA AB 1830 Subprime Lending Regulations Bill Passed - House (47 - 28)
May 29, 2008 CA AB 2076 Prohibiting E-verify Bill Passed - House (43 - 31)
April 1, 2008 CO HB 1228 Insurance Company Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (41 - 23)
May 5, 2008 CO HB 1161 Mining Regulation Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 15)
May 5, 2008 CO HB 1325 Seasonal Foreign Worker Pilot Program Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 17)
April 15, 2008 CO HB 1270 Prohibiting Restrictions on Energy Efficiency Measures Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 10)
March 18, 2008 CO SB 139 Undocumented Immigrant Hiring Ban Notification Bill Passed - House (52 - 12)
May 2, 2008 CO SB 200 Sexual Orientation Nondiscrimination Bill Passed - House (38 - 26)
Date No. Title Outcome
7/22 HB 3001 Natural Gas Pipeline to Canada Bill Passed - House (24 - 16)
4/15 HB 274 Food Sales Tax Repeal Bill Passed - House (63 - 38)
3/04 HB 196 Relaxing Alcohol Sales Restrictions Bill Passed - House (48 - 42)
4/01 HB 1004 Natural Gas Tax Bill Passed - House (81 - 16)
4/02 SB 1 Natural Gas Tax Bill Passed - House (82 - 17)
4/24 HB 2395 Driving and Boating Under the Influence Concurrence Vote Passed - House (35 - 15)
6/25 HB 2156 Reviews for Potential Railroad Sites Concurrence Vote Passed - House (40 - 12)
4/30 SB 1450 Theme Park Funding Bill Passed - House (39 - 17)
3/19 HB 2230 College Textbook Information Disclosure Bill Passed - House (48 - 11)
4/01 HB 2745 Amending Undocumented Immigrant Employment Sanctions Bill Passed - House (41 - 16)
9/16 AB 1781 2008-2009 Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (61 - 11)
8/17 AB 1781 2008-2009 Budget Conference Report Rejected - House (45 - 30)
8/28 AB 2765 Aerial Spraying Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (59 - 14)
9/16 AB 1452 Suspending Carryback and Net Operating Loss Deductions Concurrence Vote Passed - House (55 - 21)
8/31 AB 1945 Health Insurance Cancellation Restrictions Concurrence Vote Passed - House (55 - 17)
8/31 AB 1860 Prohibiting Resale of Recalled Products Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 30)
8/31 AB 2321 Metro Sales Tax Increase Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 25)
8/29 AB 2386 Agricultural Union Election Law Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (45 - 31)
8/29 AB 1107 Drought-Related Unemployment Benefits Concurrence Vote Passed - House (60 - 18)
8/19 AB 1894 Health Insurance Coverage of HIV Testing Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 29)
8/12 AB 2270 Water Softener Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (53 - 19)
8/12 AB 1946 Expanding Enforcement of Water Pollution Laws Concurrence Vote Passed - House (48 - 29)
12/18 ABx1 12 Extending Tax Withholding Requirements to Payments to Independent Contractors Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 28)
7/14 AB 1155 Penalties for Healthcare Service Plan Underpayments or Failures to Pay Service Providers Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 26)
7/14 AB 97 Trans Fats Ban Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 28)
8/27 SB 1313 Perfluorochemical (PFC) Ban Bill Passed - House (43 - 30)
8/18 SB 1313 Perfluorochemical (PFC) Ban Bill Failed - House (37 - 34)
6/30 SB 1137 Residential Property Foreclosures Bill Passed - House (55 - 18)
8/19 SB 1440 Capping Administrative Spending for Health Insurers Bill Passed - House (46 - 31)
7/15 SB 974 Shipping Fee Bill Passed - House (46 - 24)
8/18 SB 1713 Bisphenol A (BPA) Ban Bill Failed - House (33 - 32)
8/29 SB 840 California Universal Healthcare Agency Bill Passed - House (44 - 32)
8/27 SB 1420 Nutritional Information Disclosure in Chain Restaurants Bill Passed - House (46 - 28)
5/28 AB 2279 Prohibiting Employment Discrimination Against Medical Marijuana Patients Bill Passed - House (41 - 35)
5/28 AB 2058 Paper and Plastic Bag Tax Bill Passed - House (44 - 33)
5/28 AB 1991 Development on Half Moon Bay Bill Passed - House (46 - 18)
5/27 AB 3025 Polystyrene Packaging Regulations Bill Passed - House (42 - 32)
9/19 SBx1 28 Tax Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (43 - 30)
3/12 ABx3 9 Oil Tax Bill Failed - House (45 - 30)
1/29 AB 624 Disclosing Organizational Diversity Bill Passed - House (45 - 29)
6/30 SB 823 Private Postsecondary Education Regulation Bill Failed - House (41 - 33)
5/29 AB 2572 Nutritional Disclosure Bill Bill Passed - House (46 - 15)
5/29 AB 1830 Subprime Lending Regulations Bill Passed - House (47 - 28)
5/29 AB 2076 Prohibiting E-verify Bill Passed - House (43 - 31)
4/01 HB 1228 Insurance Company Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (41 - 23)
5/05 HB 1161 Mining Regulation Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 15)
5/05 HB 1325 Seasonal Foreign Worker Pilot Program Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 17)
4/15 HB 1270 Prohibiting Restrictions on Energy Efficiency Measures Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 10)
3/18 SB 139 Undocumented Immigrant Hiring Ban Notification Bill Passed - House (52 - 12)
5/02 SB 200 Sexual Orientation Nondiscrimination Bill Passed - House (38 - 26)

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