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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 28, 2007 | KS | SB 66 | Kansas Expanded Lottery Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| March 28, 2007 | MN | SF 276 | School District Health Insurance Pool | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 23) |
| March 28, 2007 | ID | H 121 | Smoking Ban in Bowling Alleys | Veto Override Passed - Senate (29 - 6) |
| March 27, 2007 | MN | SF 238 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 24) |
| March 26, 2007 | CO | HB 1269 | Casino Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16) |
| March 26, 2007 | MD | SB 91 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 13) |
| March 22, 2007 | MI | SB 307 | Service Providers Excise Tax Act | Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 22) |
| March 22, 2007 | AR | SB 1004 | Beer Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7) |
| March 19, 2007 | IA | HF 5 | Maximum Title Loan Finance Charge | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 16) |
| March 15, 2007 | OR | HB 2707 | Oregon Rainy Day Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
| March 13, 2007 | OK | SB 861 | Sales Tax Holiday | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 5) |
| March 13, 2007 | ID | H 121 | Smoking Ban in Bowling Alleys | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 4) |
| March 8, 2007 | IA | SF 413 | Fair Share Union Fees | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21) |
| March 7, 2007 | IA | SF 128 | Tobacco Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 14) |
| March 6, 2007 | OK | SCS SB 709 | Pollution Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 8) |
| Feb. 28, 2007 | WV | Com Sub for Com Sub SB 337 | Greenhouse Gas Inventory | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6) |
| Feb. 27, 2007 | IN | SB 577 | State Lottery Privatization | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| Feb. 22, 2007 | NH | SB 42 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| Feb. 19, 2007 | MN | SF 372 | Legalization of Ticket Scalping | Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 15) |
| Feb. 15, 2007 | ND | SB 2397 | Oil Well Tax Cut | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 13) |
| Feb. 14, 2007 | SD | SB 196 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| Feb. 13, 2007 | ND | SB 2122 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 26) |
| Feb. 12, 2007 | SD | SB 207 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6) |
| Feb. 8, 2007 | ND | SB 2164 | Public Smoking Ban | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 30) |
| Feb. 8, 2007 | SD | SB 190 | Liquor License Development Districts | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 20) |
| Feb. 5, 2007 | CO | HB 1072 | Termination of All-Union Agreements | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 15) |
| Feb. 5, 2007 | VA | Sub SB 1327 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 8) |
| Feb. 5, 2007 | VA | SB 1161 | Virginia Smoke-Free Air Act | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16) |
| Feb. 2, 2007 | NM | SB 324 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 7) |
| Jan. 26, 2007 | VA | SB 1014 | Payday Lending Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 2) |
| Jan. 22, 2007 | FL | CS HB 1A | Hurricane Insurance | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (40 - 0) |
| Nov. 15, 2006 | IL | SB 1275 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 21) |
| Sept. 19, 2006 | National | HR 5684 | U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement Implementation | Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 32) |
| Sept. 13, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4999 | Security of Cargo Containers Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 55) |
| Aug. 31, 2006 | CA | SB 1414 | Health Care Requirements for Large Companies | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 17) |
| Aug. 30, 2006 | CA | AB 32 | Greenhouse Gases Emission Limits | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| Aug. 29, 2006 | CA | AB 1953 | Amount of Lead in Plumbing Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
| Aug. 29, 2006 | CA | AB 2496 | Water Conservation: Low-Flush Water Closet | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| July 14, 2006 | IA | HF 2351 | Eminent Domain | Veto Override Passed - Senate (41 - 8) |
| July 10, 2006 | NC | HB 2174 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12) |
| July 10, 2006 | CO | HB 1017 | Employer Verification of Employee Work Status Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
| July 8, 2006 | NJ | A 4901 | Sales Tax Bill of 2006 | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| July 8, 2006 | NJ | A 4705 | Tobacco Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19) |
| July 8, 2006 | NJ | A 4714 | Fur Clothing Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19) |
| July 8, 2006 | CO | HB 1020 | Business Deductions for Employees Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| June 29, 2006 | National | S 3569 | U.S. -Oman Free Trade Agreement | Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 34) |
| June 27, 2006 | PA | SB 1230 | Slot Supplier Elimination | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21) |
| June 22, 2006 | MA | S 2258 | Massage Therapist Licensing | Veto Override Passed - Senate (29 - 8) |
| June 22, 2006 | PA | SB 1090 | Minimum Wage Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14) |
| June 14, 2006 | MD | SB 1 | Electricity Rates | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 11) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/28 | SB 66 | Kansas Expanded Lottery Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| 3/28 | SF 276 | School District Health Insurance Pool | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 23) |
| 3/28 | H 121 | Smoking Ban in Bowling Alleys | Veto Override Passed - Senate (29 - 6) |
| 3/27 | SF 238 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 24) |
| 3/26 | HB 1269 | Casino Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16) |
| 3/26 | SB 91 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 13) |
| 3/22 | SB 307 | Service Providers Excise Tax Act | Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 22) |
| 3/22 | SB 1004 | Beer Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7) |
| 3/19 | HF 5 | Maximum Title Loan Finance Charge | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 16) |
| 3/15 | HB 2707 | Oregon Rainy Day Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
| 3/13 | SB 861 | Sales Tax Holiday | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 5) |
| 3/13 | H 121 | Smoking Ban in Bowling Alleys | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 4) |
| 3/08 | SF 413 | Fair Share Union Fees | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21) |
| 3/07 | SF 128 | Tobacco Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 14) |
| 3/06 | SCS SB 709 | Pollution Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 8) |
| 2/28 | Com Sub for Com Sub SB 337 | Greenhouse Gas Inventory | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6) |
| 2/27 | SB 577 | State Lottery Privatization | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| 2/22 | SB 42 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| 2/19 | SF 372 | Legalization of Ticket Scalping | Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 15) |
| 2/15 | SB 2397 | Oil Well Tax Cut | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 13) |
| 2/14 | SB 196 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| 2/13 | SB 2122 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 26) |
| 2/12 | SB 207 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6) |
| 2/08 | SB 2164 | Public Smoking Ban | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 30) |
| 2/08 | SB 190 | Liquor License Development Districts | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 20) |
| 2/05 | HB 1072 | Termination of All-Union Agreements | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 15) |
| 2/05 | Sub SB 1327 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 8) |
| 2/05 | SB 1161 | Virginia Smoke-Free Air Act | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16) |
| 2/02 | SB 324 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 7) |
| 1/26 | SB 1014 | Payday Lending Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 2) |
| 1/22 | CS HB 1A | Hurricane Insurance | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (40 - 0) |
| 11/15 | SB 1275 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 21) |
| 9/19 | HR 5684 | U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement Implementation | Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 32) |
| 9/13 | S Amdt 4999 | Security of Cargo Containers Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 55) |
| 8/31 | SB 1414 | Health Care Requirements for Large Companies | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 17) |
| 8/30 | AB 32 | Greenhouse Gases Emission Limits | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| 8/29 | AB 1953 | Amount of Lead in Plumbing Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
| 8/29 | AB 2496 | Water Conservation: Low-Flush Water Closet | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| 7/14 | HF 2351 | Eminent Domain | Veto Override Passed - Senate (41 - 8) |
| 7/10 | HB 2174 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12) |
| 7/10 | HB 1017 | Employer Verification of Employee Work Status Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
| 7/08 | A 4901 | Sales Tax Bill of 2006 | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| 7/08 | A 4705 | Tobacco Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19) |
| 7/08 | A 4714 | Fur Clothing Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19) |
| 7/08 | HB 1020 | Business Deductions for Employees Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| 6/29 | S 3569 | U.S. -Oman Free Trade Agreement | Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 34) |
| 6/27 | SB 1230 | Slot Supplier Elimination | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21) |
| 6/22 | S 2258 | Massage Therapist Licensing | Veto Override Passed - Senate (29 - 8) |
| 6/22 | SB 1090 | Minimum Wage Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14) |
| 6/14 | SB 1 | Electricity Rates | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 11) |