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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Aug. 20, 2008 | CA | AB 2279 | Prohibiting Employment Discrimination Against Medical Marijuana Patients | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
July 30, 2008 | National | HR 1108 | FDA Regulation of Tobacco | Bill Passed - House (326 - 102) |
June 26, 2008 | National | HR 2642 | Iraq and Afghanistan War Funding, Unemployment Benefits Extension, and GI Bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (92 - 6) |
June 23, 2008 | AZ | SB 1476 | Reducing Probation for Good Behavior | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 4) |
June 19, 2008 | National | HR 2642 | GI Bill, Funding for Midwest Flood Cleanup, Extension of Unemployment Benefits, and Other Provisions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (268 - 155) |
June 19, 2008 | National | HR 2642 | GI Bill, Funding for Midwest Flood Cleanup, Extension of Unemployment Benefits, and Other Provisions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (416 - 12) |
June 10, 2008 | National | HR 6028 | Assistance for Mexico and Central America for Anti-Drug Programs (Merida Program) | Bill Passed - House (311 - 106) |
May 28, 2008 | CA | AB 2279 | Prohibiting Employment Discrimination Against Medical Marijuana Patients | Bill Passed - House (41 - 35) |
May 27, 2008 | CA | AB 1996 | Food Stamps for Convicted Drug Felons | Bill Passed - House (42 - 35) |
May 19, 2008 | AZ | SB 1476 | Reducing Probation for Good Behavior | Bill Passed - House (35 - 18) |
May 15, 2008 | National | HR 2642 | Iraq Related Provisions such as a Troop Withdrawal, a Permanent Base Ban, and Limiting Interrogation Techniques | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (141 - 149) |
May 15, 2008 | National | HR 2642 | Iraq Related Provisions such as a Troop Withdrawal, a Permanent Base Ban, and Limiting Interrogation Techniques | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (227 - 196) |
May 5, 2008 | CO | HB 1082 | Sealing Criminal Records | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (36 - 28) |
May 2, 2008 | CO | HB 1082 | Sealing Criminal Records | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
April 22, 2008 | CO | HB 1082 | Sealing Criminal Records | Bill Passed - House (36 - 28) |
March 18, 2008 | NH | HB 1623 | Marijuana Decriminalization | Bill Passed - House (193 - 141) |
March 10, 2008 | AZ | SB 1476 | Reducing Probation for Good Behavior | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 7) |
March 6, 2008 | MO | HB 1619 | Monitoring Prescription Drug Sales | Bill Passed - House (84 - 69) |
March 5, 2008 | WI | AB 151 | Financial Aid Ineligibility for Drug Offenders | Bill Passed - House (70 - 24) |
March 5, 2008 | National | HR 1424 | Mental Health Coverage Bill | Bill Passed - House (268 - 148) |
March 3, 2008 | WY | HB 73 | Increasing DUI Penalties | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 16) |
Feb. 26, 2008 | ID | H 503 | Scholarships for Drug-Free Students | Bill Passed - House (55 - 14) |
Feb. 25, 2008 | MS | HB 729 | Parole Eligibility for Non-Violent Offenders | Bill Passed - House (69 - 52) |
Feb. 25, 2008 | MO | HB 1406 | Establishment of Drunk Driving Memorial Sign Program | Bill Passed - House (82 - 51) |
Feb. 14, 2008 | KS | HB 2617 | Mandatory Drug Testing for Drivers Causing Serious Accidents | Bill Passed - House (117 - 5) |
Jan. 23, 2008 | National | HR 3963 | Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (CHIP) | Veto Override Failed - House (260 - 152) |