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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 26, 2007 | MI | Sub for SB 547 | Public School Employee Retirement Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 17) |
| June 25, 2007 | LA | HB 489 | Salary Increase for Statewide Elected Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| June 20, 2007 | AZ | HB 2779 | Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 4) |
| June 20, 2007 | AZ | HB 2779 | Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 4) |
| June 20, 2007 | AZ | HB 2641 | Maturity Requirement for Underage Abortions | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 6) |
| June 20, 2007 | AZ | HB 2641 | Maturity Requirement for Underage Abortions | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 6) |
| June 19, 2007 | RI | LCO # 2552/4 to H5300Aaa | Repeal of Provision Requiring the Trying Seventeen Year-Olds as Adults in Criminal Cases | Amendment Rejected - Senate (5 - 30) |
| June 19, 2007 | RI | LCO # 2552/4 to H5300Aaa | Repeal of Provision Requiring the Trying Seventeen Year-Olds as Adults in Criminal Cases | Amendment Rejected - Senate (5 - 30) |
| June 19, 2007 | RI | LCO # 2572/2 to H5300A | Privatization of State Services Repeal | Amendment Rejected - Senate (9 - 24) |
| June 18, 2007 | OR | SB 571 | Smoking Ban Expansion | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
| June 15, 2007 | ME | LD 701 | Slot Machine Authorization | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| June 14, 2007 | DE | SB 36 | State Employee Collective Bargaining | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 6) |
| June 14, 2007 | MA | S 2220 | Constitutional Amendment Defining Marriage | Bill Failed - Senate (5 - 34) |
| June 14, 2007 | MA | S 2220 | Constitutional Amendment Defining Marriage | Bill Failed - Senate (5 - 34) |
| June 14, 2007 | OR | HB 2637 | Cyberbullying Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 7) |
| June 7, 2007 | National | S 1348 | Immigration Act of 2007 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (34 - 61) |
| June 7, 2007 | NH | HB 143 | Damages in Civil Actions | Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 11) |
| June 7, 2007 | CA | SB 48 | Health Care Coverage and Cost Control Act | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16) |
| June 7, 2007 | CA | SB 32 | Children's Health Care Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| June 7, 2007 | CA | SB 7 | Marco Firebaugh Memorial Childrens Health and Safety Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| June 7, 2007 | CA | SB 456 | Diacetyl Toxic Substance Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| June 7, 2007 | CA | SB 32 | Children's Health Care Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| June 7, 2007 | CA | SB 48 | Health Care Coverage and Cost Control Act | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16) |
| June 7, 2007 | NH | HB 184 | Abortion Parental Notification | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 9) |
| June 6, 2007 | National | S Amdt 1184 | Denying Legal Status for Immigrants Convicted of Certain Crimes | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 51) |
| June 6, 2007 | National | S Amdt 1151 | Declaring English the National Language | Amendment Adopted - Senate (64 - 33) |
| June 6, 2007 | National | S Amdt 1250 | Law Enforcement Review of Z Visa Applications | Amendment Adopted - Senate (57 - 39) |
| June 6, 2007 | National | S Amdt 1316 | Five Year Expiration for Guest Worker Program | Amendment Adopted - Senate (49 - 48) |
| June 6, 2007 | National | S Amdt 1333 | Barring Immigrants with Certain Criminal Histories | Amendment Adopted - Senate (66 - 32) |
| June 6, 2007 | National | S Amdt 1384 | English as the Common Language | Amendment Adopted - Senate (58 - 39) |
| June 6, 2007 | National | S Amdt 1202 | Point Based Immigration Expiration Date | Amendment Rejected - Senate (42 - 55) |
| June 6, 2007 | CA | SB 840 | California Universal Healthcare Agency | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| June 4, 2007 | CA | SB 60 | Expanding Driver's License Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| June 4, 2007 | CA | SB 1019 | Access to Police Misconduct Investigations | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11) |
| June 4, 2007 | OR | HB 2760 | Annexation of Unincorporated Land | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 4) |
| June 1, 2007 | CT | HB 5656 | Immigrants and Postsecondary Education Act | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
| June 1, 2007 | CT | HB 5656 | Immigrants and Postsecondary Education Act | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
| May 31, 2007 | CT | Sub SB 167 | Restricting Eminent Domain | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 3) |
| May 31, 2007 | OH | SJR 1 | Eminent Domain Constitutional Amendment Ballot Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11) |
| May 31, 2007 | CT | Sub SB 847 | Workers' Compensation | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
| May 31, 2007 | CT | HB 7400 | Tax Code Modification | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 17) |
| May 30, 2007 | SC | Amendment No. P-2B | State Scholarships for Private Schools | Amendment Tabled - Senate (29 - 15) |
| May 25, 2007 | OR | HB 2650 | School Food Nutritional Standards | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 5) |
| May 24, 2007 | TN | SB 1325 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 5) |
| May 23, 2007 | National | S Amdt 1169 | Guest Worker Number Reduction Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (74 - 24) |
| May 23, 2007 | AZ | HB 2779 | Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 4) |
| May 23, 2007 | AZ | HB 2779 | Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 4) |
| May 23, 2007 | CT | Sub SB 1044 | Gender Identification Nondiscrimination Act | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 4) |
| May 23, 2007 | CT | Sub SB 938 | Reporting of Lost or Stolen Firearms | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11) |
| May 21, 2007 | TN | SJR 139 | Popular Election of Statewide Officers | Resolution Passed - Senate (19 - 12) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/26 | Sub for SB 547 | Public School Employee Retirement Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 17) |
| 6/25 | HB 489 | Salary Increase for Statewide Elected Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 6/20 | HB 2779 | Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 4) |
| 6/20 | HB 2779 | Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 4) |
| 6/20 | HB 2641 | Maturity Requirement for Underage Abortions | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 6) |
| 6/20 | HB 2641 | Maturity Requirement for Underage Abortions | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 6) |
| 6/19 | LCO # 2552/4 to H5300Aaa | Repeal of Provision Requiring the Trying Seventeen Year-Olds as Adults in Criminal Cases | Amendment Rejected - Senate (5 - 30) |
| 6/19 | LCO # 2552/4 to H5300Aaa | Repeal of Provision Requiring the Trying Seventeen Year-Olds as Adults in Criminal Cases | Amendment Rejected - Senate (5 - 30) |
| 6/19 | LCO # 2572/2 to H5300A | Privatization of State Services Repeal | Amendment Rejected - Senate (9 - 24) |
| 6/18 | SB 571 | Smoking Ban Expansion | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
| 6/15 | LD 701 | Slot Machine Authorization | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| 6/14 | SB 36 | State Employee Collective Bargaining | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 6) |
| 6/14 | S 2220 | Constitutional Amendment Defining Marriage | Bill Failed - Senate (5 - 34) |
| 6/14 | S 2220 | Constitutional Amendment Defining Marriage | Bill Failed - Senate (5 - 34) |
| 6/14 | HB 2637 | Cyberbullying Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 7) |
| 6/07 | S 1348 | Immigration Act of 2007 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (34 - 61) |
| 6/07 | HB 143 | Damages in Civil Actions | Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 11) |
| 6/07 | SB 48 | Health Care Coverage and Cost Control Act | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16) |
| 6/07 | SB 32 | Children's Health Care Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| 6/07 | SB 7 | Marco Firebaugh Memorial Childrens Health and Safety Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| 6/07 | SB 456 | Diacetyl Toxic Substance Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| 6/07 | SB 32 | Children's Health Care Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| 6/07 | SB 48 | Health Care Coverage and Cost Control Act | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16) |
| 6/07 | HB 184 | Abortion Parental Notification | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 9) |
| 6/06 | S Amdt 1184 | Denying Legal Status for Immigrants Convicted of Certain Crimes | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 51) |
| 6/06 | S Amdt 1151 | Declaring English the National Language | Amendment Adopted - Senate (64 - 33) |
| 6/06 | S Amdt 1250 | Law Enforcement Review of Z Visa Applications | Amendment Adopted - Senate (57 - 39) |
| 6/06 | S Amdt 1316 | Five Year Expiration for Guest Worker Program | Amendment Adopted - Senate (49 - 48) |
| 6/06 | S Amdt 1333 | Barring Immigrants with Certain Criminal Histories | Amendment Adopted - Senate (66 - 32) |
| 6/06 | S Amdt 1384 | English as the Common Language | Amendment Adopted - Senate (58 - 39) |
| 6/06 | S Amdt 1202 | Point Based Immigration Expiration Date | Amendment Rejected - Senate (42 - 55) |
| 6/06 | SB 840 | California Universal Healthcare Agency | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| 6/04 | SB 60 | Expanding Driver's License Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| 6/04 | SB 1019 | Access to Police Misconduct Investigations | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11) |
| 6/04 | HB 2760 | Annexation of Unincorporated Land | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 4) |
| 6/01 | HB 5656 | Immigrants and Postsecondary Education Act | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
| 6/01 | HB 5656 | Immigrants and Postsecondary Education Act | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
| 5/31 | Sub SB 167 | Restricting Eminent Domain | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 3) |
| 5/31 | SJR 1 | Eminent Domain Constitutional Amendment Ballot Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11) |
| 5/31 | Sub SB 847 | Workers' Compensation | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
| 5/31 | HB 7400 | Tax Code Modification | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 17) |
| 5/30 | Amendment No. P-2B | State Scholarships for Private Schools | Amendment Tabled - Senate (29 - 15) |
| 5/25 | HB 2650 | School Food Nutritional Standards | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 5) |
| 5/24 | SB 1325 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 5) |
| 5/23 | S Amdt 1169 | Guest Worker Number Reduction Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (74 - 24) |
| 5/23 | HB 2779 | Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 4) |
| 5/23 | HB 2779 | Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 4) |
| 5/23 | Sub SB 1044 | Gender Identification Nondiscrimination Act | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 4) |
| 5/23 | Sub SB 938 | Reporting of Lost or Stolen Firearms | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11) |
| 5/21 | SJR 139 | Popular Election of Statewide Officers | Resolution Passed - Senate (19 - 12) |