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.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
June 15, 2006 MD HB 2 Mandatory Sentences and Other Penalties for Sex Offenders Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 5)
June 14, 2006 SC H 3726 ATV Use Regulations Veto Override Passed - House (74 - 31)
June 14, 2006 SC H 3726 ATV Use Regulations Veto Override Failed - Senate (19 - 22)
June 14, 2006 LA HB 1379 Procedures for the Granting of a Divorce When There are Minor Children Concurrence Vote Passed - House (67 - 20)
June 14, 2006 LA HB 1379 Procedures for the Granting of a Divorce When There are Minor Children Concurrence Vote Passed - House (67 - 20)
June 12, 2006 PA HB 698 Mental Retardation Consideration in Murder Cases Bill Passed - House (169 - 28)
June 8, 2006 LA HB 144 Equal Pay Bill Bill Failed - House (40 - 54)
June 8, 2006 NC SB 1289 Cell Phone Use by Drivers Under 18 Prohibited Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 8)
June 7, 2006 National S J Res 1 Same Sex Marriage Resolution Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (49 - 48)
June 7, 2006 National HR 5521 Legislative Branch FY 2007 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - House (361 - 53)
June 6, 2006 LA HB 194 Minimum Wage for State Employees Bill Passed - House (66 - 35)
June 6, 2006 PA HB 2381 Marriage Definition Constitutional Amendment Joint Resolution Passed - House (136 - 61)
June 1, 2006 CA SB 1160 Driver’s Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
June 1, 2006 LA SB 106 Labor Unions Bill Bill Failed - Senate (8 - 26)
June 1, 2006 LA SB 753 Hiring of Undocumented Immigrants Bill Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
June 1, 2006 CA SB 1162 Minimum Wage Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 14)
May 31, 2006 SC H 4938 State Guard Emergency Air Wing Veto Override Failed - Senate (29 - 15)
May 31, 2006 SC S 1267 Death Penalty for Repeat Sex Offenders Concurrence Vote Passed - House (84 - 27)
May 31, 2006 CA AB 2205 Food Stamp Eligibility for Medi-Cal Recipients Bill Passed - House (48 - 32)
May 31, 2006 CA AB 2205 Food Stamp Eligibility for Medi-Cal Recipients Bill Passed - House (48 - 32)
May 31, 2006 LA SB 700 Minimum Wage Bill Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18)
May 31, 2006 CA AB 2378 Affordable Housing Bill Bill Passed - House (49 - 27)
May 31, 2006 CA AB 2555 Wage Discrimination Penalties Bill Passed - House (48 - 32)
May 31, 2006 CA AB 3029 CalWorks and Food Stamp Program Bill Passed - House (49 - 31)
May 31, 2006 CA AB 2555 Wage Discrimination Penalties Bill Passed - House (48 - 32)
Date No. Title Outcome
6/15 HB 2 Mandatory Sentences and Other Penalties for Sex Offenders Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 5)
6/14 H 3726 ATV Use Regulations Veto Override Passed - House (74 - 31)
6/14 H 3726 ATV Use Regulations Veto Override Failed - Senate (19 - 22)
6/14 HB 1379 Procedures for the Granting of a Divorce When There are Minor Children Concurrence Vote Passed - House (67 - 20)
6/14 HB 1379 Procedures for the Granting of a Divorce When There are Minor Children Concurrence Vote Passed - House (67 - 20)
6/12 HB 698 Mental Retardation Consideration in Murder Cases Bill Passed - House (169 - 28)
6/08 HB 144 Equal Pay Bill Bill Failed - House (40 - 54)
6/08 SB 1289 Cell Phone Use by Drivers Under 18 Prohibited Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 8)
6/07 S J Res 1 Same Sex Marriage Resolution Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (49 - 48)
6/07 HR 5521 Legislative Branch FY 2007 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - House (361 - 53)
6/06 HB 194 Minimum Wage for State Employees Bill Passed - House (66 - 35)
6/06 HB 2381 Marriage Definition Constitutional Amendment Joint Resolution Passed - House (136 - 61)
6/01 SB 1160 Driver’s Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
6/01 SB 106 Labor Unions Bill Bill Failed - Senate (8 - 26)
6/01 SB 753 Hiring of Undocumented Immigrants Bill Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
6/01 SB 1162 Minimum Wage Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 14)
5/31 H 4938 State Guard Emergency Air Wing Veto Override Failed - Senate (29 - 15)
5/31 S 1267 Death Penalty for Repeat Sex Offenders Concurrence Vote Passed - House (84 - 27)
5/31 AB 2205 Food Stamp Eligibility for Medi-Cal Recipients Bill Passed - House (48 - 32)
5/31 AB 2205 Food Stamp Eligibility for Medi-Cal Recipients Bill Passed - House (48 - 32)
5/31 SB 700 Minimum Wage Bill Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18)
5/31 AB 2378 Affordable Housing Bill Bill Passed - House (49 - 27)
5/31 AB 2555 Wage Discrimination Penalties Bill Passed - House (48 - 32)
5/31 AB 3029 CalWorks and Food Stamp Program Bill Passed - House (49 - 31)
5/31 AB 2555 Wage Discrimination Penalties Bill Passed - House (48 - 32)

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