Key Votes

Chamber

Keyword Search

Search string must be longer than 3 characters.

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.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
March 10, 2010 SC H 3305 Requiring Secret Ballot Elections Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 9)
Feb. 24, 2010 SC S 191 Authorizing Warrantless Searches and Seizures of Probationers and Parolees Motion Agreed - House (81 - 26)
Feb. 10, 2010 SC H 3272 Property Tax Law Amendments Bill Failed - Senate (28 - 13)
Jan. 13, 2010 SC H 4219 Censuring Governor Mark Sanford Resolution Passed - House (102 - 11)
June 16, 2009 SC S 351 State Ports Authority Amendments Veto Override Passed - Senate (35 - 9)
May 20, 2009 SC H 3560 2009-2010 Budget Veto Override Passed - Senate (34 - 11)
May 20, 2009 SC H 3560 2009-2010 Budget Veto Override Passed - House (98 - 19)
March 11, 2009 SC H 3560 2009-2010 Budget Motion Agreed - House (71 - 43)
March 3, 2009 SC H 3418 Requiring Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (67 - 44)
Feb. 26, 2009 SC H 3245 24-Hour Waiting Period for Abortions Bill Passed - House (87 - 24)
Feb. 24, 2009 SC Amdt 2 Exempting Cases of Rape from Abortion Waiting Period Amendment Tabled - House (69 - 45)
Feb. 24, 2009 SC Amdt 5 Prohibiting Employment Termination Due to Abortion Waiting Period Amendment Rejected - House (54 - 60)
Feb. 18, 2009 SC S 351 State Ports Authority Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 14)
Feb. 12, 2009 SC H 3301 Payday Lending Regulations Motion Agreed - House (93 - 16)
Oct. 21, 2008 SC S 429 DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest Veto Override Passed - House (86 - 25)
Oct. 21, 2008 SC H Amdt 20 to H 5300 Repealing Property Tax Exemption Amendment Tabled - House (98 - 17)
Oct. 21, 2008 SC H Amdt 11 to H 5300 Protection and Advocacy for People with Disabilities, Inc. Funding Amendment Tabled - House (66 - 50)
May 29, 2008 SC H 4400 Immigration Bill Concurrence Vote Passed - House (94 - 16)
May 27, 2008 SC H 3567 Cigarette Tax Increase Veto Override Failed - House (54 - 57)
May 21, 2008 SC H 3816 Bankruptcy Exemptions Veto Override Passed - House (78 - 26)
May 21, 2008 SC H Amdt 7A To Reduce Income Tax Amendment Tabled - House (68 - 52)
May 21, 2008 SC H Amdt 4A Cigarette Tax for Small Business Employee Health Care Amendment Tabled - House (60 - 58)
May 21, 2008 SC H Amdt 3A Cigarette Tax Increase for Employee Health Care Amendment Tabled - House (67 - 51)
May 14, 2008 SC H 3032 Immigration Reform Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (20 - 26)
May 7, 2008 SC S Amdt P-4A Cigarette Tax Rate Adjustment Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (18 - 24)
May 7, 2008 SC Amendment No. 8A Requiring Employers to Verify Immigration the Status of Their Employees Amendment Adopted - House (80 - 33)
May 7, 2008 SC H 3567 Cigarette Tax Increase Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 11)
May 6, 2008 SC S Amdt P-1 Cigarette Tax Increase for Medicaid Amendment Tabled - Senate (31 - 13)
April 10, 2008 SC H 3427 Ending Common Law Marriage Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (21 - 17)
April 9, 2008 SC H 4549 Funding Road Repair and Maintenance Bill Passed - House (91 - 9)
April 9, 2008 SC H 4673 Cost-of-Living Pension Increases for Retired Legislators and State Workers Bill Passed - House (58 - 51)
April 2, 2008 SC AM 1 Expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit Amendment Rejected - House (40 - 73)
April 2, 2008 SC H 4550 Marriage Tax Cut Bill Passed - House (100 - 14)
March 5, 2008 SC H 4620 Expanding Governor's Appointment Power Joint Resolution Passed - House (83 - 24)
Feb. 19, 2008 SC AM 4 to S 398 Prohibiting Payday Lending Amendment Bill Tabled - Senate (23 - 18)
Jan. 31, 2008 SC H 4400 Immigration Bill Bill Passed - House (80 - 13)
June 28, 2007 SC H 3124 Open Enrollment and School Choice Veto Override Failed - House (60 - 52)
June 20, 2007 SC H 3124 Open Enrollment and School Choice Conference Report Adopted - House (62 - 49)
June 19, 2007 SC S 99 Presidential Primaries Conducted by the State Election Commission Veto Override Passed - Senate (36 - 7)
June 19, 2007 SC S 99 Presidential Primaries Conducted by the State Election Commission Veto Override Passed - House (87 - 18)
May 31, 2007 SC H 3124 Open Enrollment and Optional Programs Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 10)
May 30, 2007 SC Amendment No. P-2B State Scholarships for Private Schools Amendment Tabled - Senate (29 - 15)
May 9, 2007 SC Amendment No. 2c Restructuring the Department of Transportation Amendment Tabled - Senate (20 - 19)
April 25, 2007 SC H 3567 Cigarette Tax Increase Bill Passed - House (78 - 37)
April 24, 2007 SC Amendment No. 45 Competitive Grants Program Amendment Tabled - Senate (31 - 9)
April 10, 2007 SC S 332 Workers' Compensation Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 7)
April 5, 2007 SC S 355 Restructuring the Department of Transportation Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 18)
March 29, 2007 SC Amendment No. 5 School Vouchers, Administer PACT to Transfer Students Amendment Tabled - House (62 - 56)
March 29, 2007 SC Amendment No. 8 School Tuition Tax Credit Amendment Tabled - House (70 - 49)
March 29, 2007 SC H 3124 Open Enrollment and Optional Programs Bill Passed - House (69 - 53)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/10 H 3305 Requiring Secret Ballot Elections Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 9)
2/24 S 191 Authorizing Warrantless Searches and Seizures of Probationers and Parolees Motion Agreed - House (81 - 26)
2/10 H 3272 Property Tax Law Amendments Bill Failed - Senate (28 - 13)
1/13 H 4219 Censuring Governor Mark Sanford Resolution Passed - House (102 - 11)
6/16 S 351 State Ports Authority Amendments Veto Override Passed - Senate (35 - 9)
5/20 H 3560 2009-2010 Budget Veto Override Passed - Senate (34 - 11)
5/20 H 3560 2009-2010 Budget Veto Override Passed - House (98 - 19)
3/11 H 3560 2009-2010 Budget Motion Agreed - House (71 - 43)
3/03 H 3418 Requiring Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (67 - 44)
2/26 H 3245 24-Hour Waiting Period for Abortions Bill Passed - House (87 - 24)
2/24 Amdt 2 Exempting Cases of Rape from Abortion Waiting Period Amendment Tabled - House (69 - 45)
2/24 Amdt 5 Prohibiting Employment Termination Due to Abortion Waiting Period Amendment Rejected - House (54 - 60)
2/18 S 351 State Ports Authority Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 14)
2/12 H 3301 Payday Lending Regulations Motion Agreed - House (93 - 16)
10/21 S 429 DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest Veto Override Passed - House (86 - 25)
10/21 H Amdt 20 to H 5300 Repealing Property Tax Exemption Amendment Tabled - House (98 - 17)
10/21 H Amdt 11 to H 5300 Protection and Advocacy for People with Disabilities, Inc. Funding Amendment Tabled - House (66 - 50)
5/29 H 4400 Immigration Bill Concurrence Vote Passed - House (94 - 16)
5/27 H 3567 Cigarette Tax Increase Veto Override Failed - House (54 - 57)
5/21 H 3816 Bankruptcy Exemptions Veto Override Passed - House (78 - 26)
5/21 H Amdt 7A To Reduce Income Tax Amendment Tabled - House (68 - 52)
5/21 H Amdt 4A Cigarette Tax for Small Business Employee Health Care Amendment Tabled - House (60 - 58)
5/21 H Amdt 3A Cigarette Tax Increase for Employee Health Care Amendment Tabled - House (67 - 51)
5/14 H 3032 Immigration Reform Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (20 - 26)
5/07 S Amdt P-4A Cigarette Tax Rate Adjustment Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (18 - 24)
5/07 Amendment No. 8A Requiring Employers to Verify Immigration the Status of Their Employees Amendment Adopted - House (80 - 33)
5/07 H 3567 Cigarette Tax Increase Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 11)
5/06 S Amdt P-1 Cigarette Tax Increase for Medicaid Amendment Tabled - Senate (31 - 13)
4/10 H 3427 Ending Common Law Marriage Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (21 - 17)
4/09 H 4549 Funding Road Repair and Maintenance Bill Passed - House (91 - 9)
4/09 H 4673 Cost-of-Living Pension Increases for Retired Legislators and State Workers Bill Passed - House (58 - 51)
4/02 AM 1 Expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit Amendment Rejected - House (40 - 73)
4/02 H 4550 Marriage Tax Cut Bill Passed - House (100 - 14)
3/05 H 4620 Expanding Governor's Appointment Power Joint Resolution Passed - House (83 - 24)
2/19 AM 4 to S 398 Prohibiting Payday Lending Amendment Bill Tabled - Senate (23 - 18)
1/31 H 4400 Immigration Bill Bill Passed - House (80 - 13)
6/28 H 3124 Open Enrollment and School Choice Veto Override Failed - House (60 - 52)
6/20 H 3124 Open Enrollment and School Choice Conference Report Adopted - House (62 - 49)
6/19 S 99 Presidential Primaries Conducted by the State Election Commission Veto Override Passed - Senate (36 - 7)
6/19 S 99 Presidential Primaries Conducted by the State Election Commission Veto Override Passed - House (87 - 18)
5/31 H 3124 Open Enrollment and Optional Programs Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 10)
5/30 Amendment No. P-2B State Scholarships for Private Schools Amendment Tabled - Senate (29 - 15)
5/09 Amendment No. 2c Restructuring the Department of Transportation Amendment Tabled - Senate (20 - 19)
4/25 H 3567 Cigarette Tax Increase Bill Passed - House (78 - 37)
4/24 Amendment No. 45 Competitive Grants Program Amendment Tabled - Senate (31 - 9)
4/10 S 332 Workers' Compensation Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 7)
4/05 S 355 Restructuring the Department of Transportation Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 18)
3/29 Amendment No. 5 School Vouchers, Administer PACT to Transfer Students Amendment Tabled - House (62 - 56)
3/29 Amendment No. 8 School Tuition Tax Credit Amendment Tabled - House (70 - 49)
3/29 H 3124 Open Enrollment and Optional Programs Bill Passed - House (69 - 53)

arrow_upward