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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 23, 2006 | WI | SB 567 | Limit Public Assistance to Citizens or Legal Residents of the United States | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| Feb. 22, 2006 | SD | S Amdt 1215ca | Exceptions to Abortion Ban in Cases of Rape or Incest Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (14 - 21) |
| Feb. 22, 2006 | VT | HA to H 856 | Mandatory Minimum Sentencing Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (50 - 82) |
| Feb. 22, 2006 | SD | S Amdt 1215cb | Exception to Abortion Ban in Cases Where the Health of the Woman is Seriously Threatened | Amendment Rejected - Senate (13 - 22) |
| Feb. 22, 2006 | SD | S Amdt 1215cb | Exception to Abortion Ban in Cases Where the Health of the Woman is Seriously Threatened | Amendment Rejected - Senate (13 - 22) |
| Feb. 22, 2006 | SD | HB 1215 | Abortion Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| Feb. 22, 2006 | KY | HCS HB 93 | Criminal Record Expungement Bill | Bill Passed - House (76 - 21) |
| Feb. 21, 2006 | MO | SCS SB 578 | Funeral Protests Prohibition | Bill Passed - House (139 - 17) |
| Feb. 21, 2006 | IN | HB 1006 | Allocation of School Resources for Homeless Students | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15) |
| Feb. 21, 2006 | MO | SCS SB 578 | Funeral Protests Prohibition | Bill Passed - House (139 - 17) |
| Feb. 20, 2006 | UT | HB 329 | Big Game Hunting Age | Bill Passed - House (41 - 26) |
| Feb. 20, 2006 | CO | SB 66 | Employee Leave for Academic Activities | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| Feb. 20, 2006 | UT | 1SHB 107 | Full-Day Kindergarten | Bill Passed - House (43 - 29) |
| Feb. 16, 2006 | RI | S 2112 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - House (51 - 6) |
| Feb. 16, 2006 | AZ | SB 1157 | Trespassing by Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11) |
| Feb. 15, 2006 | KY | HCS HB 290 | Concealed Weapons Permit Classification | Bill Passed - House (89 - 7) |
| Feb. 15, 2006 | MI | SB 838 | Medicare Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| Feb. 15, 2006 | NH | HB 656 | "Do Not Resuscitate" Bill | Bill Passed - House (231 - 118) |
| Feb. 15, 2006 | ID | HJR 2 | Marriage Amendment Ballot Question | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| Feb. 15, 2006 | NM | SB 449 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - House (37 - 28) |
| Feb. 14, 2006 | VA | Sub HB 1048 | Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (77 - 22) |
| Feb. 14, 2006 | VA | Sub HB 1048 | Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (77 - 22) |
| Feb. 14, 2006 | ID | S 1327 | Background Checks for Adults Who Work With Children | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| Feb. 14, 2006 | GA | HCS HB 1238 | Requirements for Wiring Money | Bill Passed - House (106 - 60) |
| Feb. 14, 2006 | NM | SB 449 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 18) |
| Feb. 14, 2006 | VA | Sub SB 677 | In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 3) |
| Feb. 13, 2006 | AZ | HB 2254 | Requiring Doctors to Inform Women of Fetal Pain | Bill Passed - House (36 - 21) |
| Feb. 13, 2006 | WV | SB 539 | Mine Director Qualifications | Bill Passed - House (56 - 39) |
| Feb. 13, 2006 | UT | 1SHB 10 | Dating Violence Protective Orders Bill | Bill Failed - House (36 - 39) |
| Feb. 9, 2006 | SD | HB 1234 | Mandatory Kindergarten | Bill Passed - House (52 - 15) |
| Feb. 9, 2006 | SD | HB 1215 | Abortion Ban | Bill Passed - House (47 - 22) |
| Feb. 9, 2006 | MS | HB 638 | Executive Branch Salaries | Bill Passed - House (64 - 55) |
| Feb. 9, 2006 | MS | HB 199 | Juvenile Delinquent Program Changes | Bill Passed - House (74 - 47) |
| Feb. 9, 2006 | MS | HB 199 | Juvenile Delinquent Program Changes | Bill Passed - House (74 - 47) |
| Feb. 9, 2006 | SD | HB 1194 | Contraceptive Distribution at Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (51 - 17) |
| Feb. 9, 2006 | NM | SB 344 | Campaign Contributions by Procurement Contractors | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 4) |
| Feb. 8, 2006 | KY | HB 163 | State Request for Federal Drug Importation | Bill Passed - House (58 - 35) |
| Feb. 8, 2006 | WV | SB 539 | Mine Director Qualifications | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 3) |
| Feb. 7, 2006 | SD | H Amdt 1194rf | Penalties for School Employees for Dispensing Contraceptives Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (37 - 33) |
| Feb. 7, 2006 | MS | HB 300 - Amendment 1 | Marriage Counseling Requirement | Amendment Rejected - House (45 - 74) |
| Feb. 7, 2006 | MS | HB 300 - Amendment 1 | Marriage Counseling Requirement | Amendment Rejected - House (45 - 74) |
| Feb. 7, 2006 | MS | HB 300 | Revised Marriage License Requirements | Bill Passed - House (66 - 55) |
| Feb. 7, 2006 | MS | HB 300 | Revised Marriage License Requirements | Bill Passed - House (66 - 55) |
| Feb. 7, 2006 | SD | HB 1217 | Abstinence-Only Sex Education | Bill Passed - House (46 - 24) |
| Feb. 6, 2006 | ID | HJR 2 | Marriage Amendment Ballot Question | Bill Passed - House (53 - 17) |
| Feb. 6, 2006 | VA | Sub SB 313 | DMV Reporting Requirements for Non-citizens | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15) |
| Feb. 2, 2006 | National | S Amdt 2730 | Medicare Part D Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (52 - 45) |
| Feb. 2, 2006 | National | S Amdt 2735 | Tax Rate Extension Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 53) |
| Feb. 2, 2006 | National | S Amdt 2737 | Military Funding and Tax Cuts Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 53) |
| Feb. 2, 2006 | National | HR 4297 | Tax Relief Extension Reconciliation Act of 2005 | Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 31) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/23 | SB 567 | Limit Public Assistance to Citizens or Legal Residents of the United States | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| 2/22 | S Amdt 1215ca | Exceptions to Abortion Ban in Cases of Rape or Incest Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (14 - 21) |
| 2/22 | HA to H 856 | Mandatory Minimum Sentencing Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (50 - 82) |
| 2/22 | S Amdt 1215cb | Exception to Abortion Ban in Cases Where the Health of the Woman is Seriously Threatened | Amendment Rejected - Senate (13 - 22) |
| 2/22 | S Amdt 1215cb | Exception to Abortion Ban in Cases Where the Health of the Woman is Seriously Threatened | Amendment Rejected - Senate (13 - 22) |
| 2/22 | HB 1215 | Abortion Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 2/22 | HCS HB 93 | Criminal Record Expungement Bill | Bill Passed - House (76 - 21) |
| 2/21 | SCS SB 578 | Funeral Protests Prohibition | Bill Passed - House (139 - 17) |
| 2/21 | HB 1006 | Allocation of School Resources for Homeless Students | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15) |
| 2/21 | SCS SB 578 | Funeral Protests Prohibition | Bill Passed - House (139 - 17) |
| 2/20 | HB 329 | Big Game Hunting Age | Bill Passed - House (41 - 26) |
| 2/20 | SB 66 | Employee Leave for Academic Activities | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| 2/20 | 1SHB 107 | Full-Day Kindergarten | Bill Passed - House (43 - 29) |
| 2/16 | S 2112 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - House (51 - 6) |
| 2/16 | SB 1157 | Trespassing by Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11) |
| 2/15 | HCS HB 290 | Concealed Weapons Permit Classification | Bill Passed - House (89 - 7) |
| 2/15 | SB 838 | Medicare Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| 2/15 | HB 656 | "Do Not Resuscitate" Bill | Bill Passed - House (231 - 118) |
| 2/15 | HJR 2 | Marriage Amendment Ballot Question | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| 2/15 | SB 449 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - House (37 - 28) |
| 2/14 | Sub HB 1048 | Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (77 - 22) |
| 2/14 | Sub HB 1048 | Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (77 - 22) |
| 2/14 | S 1327 | Background Checks for Adults Who Work With Children | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 2/14 | HCS HB 1238 | Requirements for Wiring Money | Bill Passed - House (106 - 60) |
| 2/14 | SB 449 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 18) |
| 2/14 | Sub SB 677 | In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 3) |
| 2/13 | HB 2254 | Requiring Doctors to Inform Women of Fetal Pain | Bill Passed - House (36 - 21) |
| 2/13 | SB 539 | Mine Director Qualifications | Bill Passed - House (56 - 39) |
| 2/13 | 1SHB 10 | Dating Violence Protective Orders Bill | Bill Failed - House (36 - 39) |
| 2/09 | HB 1234 | Mandatory Kindergarten | Bill Passed - House (52 - 15) |
| 2/09 | HB 1215 | Abortion Ban | Bill Passed - House (47 - 22) |
| 2/09 | HB 638 | Executive Branch Salaries | Bill Passed - House (64 - 55) |
| 2/09 | HB 199 | Juvenile Delinquent Program Changes | Bill Passed - House (74 - 47) |
| 2/09 | HB 199 | Juvenile Delinquent Program Changes | Bill Passed - House (74 - 47) |
| 2/09 | HB 1194 | Contraceptive Distribution at Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (51 - 17) |
| 2/09 | SB 344 | Campaign Contributions by Procurement Contractors | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 4) |
| 2/08 | HB 163 | State Request for Federal Drug Importation | Bill Passed - House (58 - 35) |
| 2/08 | SB 539 | Mine Director Qualifications | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 3) |
| 2/07 | H Amdt 1194rf | Penalties for School Employees for Dispensing Contraceptives Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (37 - 33) |
| 2/07 | HB 300 - Amendment 1 | Marriage Counseling Requirement | Amendment Rejected - House (45 - 74) |
| 2/07 | HB 300 - Amendment 1 | Marriage Counseling Requirement | Amendment Rejected - House (45 - 74) |
| 2/07 | HB 300 | Revised Marriage License Requirements | Bill Passed - House (66 - 55) |
| 2/07 | HB 300 | Revised Marriage License Requirements | Bill Passed - House (66 - 55) |
| 2/07 | HB 1217 | Abstinence-Only Sex Education | Bill Passed - House (46 - 24) |
| 2/06 | HJR 2 | Marriage Amendment Ballot Question | Bill Passed - House (53 - 17) |
| 2/06 | Sub SB 313 | DMV Reporting Requirements for Non-citizens | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15) |
| 2/02 | S Amdt 2730 | Medicare Part D Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (52 - 45) |
| 2/02 | S Amdt 2735 | Tax Rate Extension Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 53) |
| 2/02 | S Amdt 2737 | Military Funding and Tax Cuts Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 53) |
| 2/02 | HR 4297 | Tax Relief Extension Reconciliation Act of 2005 | Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 31) |