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 National HR 4939 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2006 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (98 - 1)
June 15, 2006 MD HB 2 Mandatory Sentences and Other Penalties for Sex Offenders Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 5)
June 13, 2006 National HR 4939 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2006 Conference Report Adopted - House (351 - 67)
June 13, 2006 NY S 6771 Death Penalty and Life Imprisonment Bill Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 23)
June 12, 2006 PA HB 698 Mental Retardation Consideration in Murder Cases Bill Passed - House (169 - 28)
June 9, 2006 National HR 5522 Foreign Operations and Export Finance Appropriation Act Bill Passed - House (373 - 34)
June 7, 2006 MA H 4176 Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8)
June 6, 2006 PA HB 2381 Marriage Definition Constitutional Amendment Joint Resolution Passed - House (136 - 61)
June 6, 2006 National HR 5441 Department of Homeland Security Appropriation Act, 2007 Bill Passed - House (389 - 9)
June 6, 2006 MI HB 5143 "Self-Defense Act" Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10)
June 6, 2006 MI HB 5143 "Self-Defense Act" Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10)
June 6, 2006 MI HB 5143 "Self-Defense Act" Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10)
May 31, 2006 SC S 1267 Death Penalty for Repeat Sex Offenders Concurrence Vote Passed - House (84 - 27)
May 31, 2006 CA AB 2076 Needle Exchange Program Bill Passed - House (45 - 34)
May 31, 2006 LA SB 33 Prohibits Abortion Except When Necessary to Save the Life or Health of the Woman Bill Passed - House (85 - 17)
May 30, 2006 MI HB 6085 Disclosure of Citizenship on Driver's License Bill Passed - House (76 - 27)
May 26, 2006 National PN 1552 Michael Hayden, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency Nomination Confirmed - Senate (78 - 15)
May 26, 2006 OK SB 1800 Death Penalty for Second Offender Sex Offenders Conference Report Adopted - House (88 - 8)
May 26, 2006 OK SB 1807 Prohibiting Death Sentence For Mentally Retarded Defendant Conference Report Adopted - House (91 - 5)
May 26, 2006 OK SB 1807 Prohibiting Death Sentence For Mentally Retarded Defendant Conference Report Adopted - House (91 - 5)
May 25, 2006 SC Amdt 3 to S 1084 Inclusion of Unborn Child/Fetus in Definition for Civil Suits Amendment Amendment Tabled - House (65 - 31)
May 25, 2006 AZ HB 2577 Immigration Law; Employment; Enforcement Conference Report Adopted - House (33 - 22)
May 25, 2006 AZ HB 2577 Immigration Law; Employment; Enforcement Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 9)
May 25, 2006 OH Sub HB 184 U.S. and Ohio Mottos in Schools Concurrence Vote Passed - House (82 - 13)
May 25, 2006 National S 2611 Immigration Reform Bill Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 36)
Date No. Title Outcome
6/15 HR 4939 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2006 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (98 - 1)
6/15 HB 2 Mandatory Sentences and Other Penalties for Sex Offenders Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 5)
6/13 HR 4939 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2006 Conference Report Adopted - House (351 - 67)
6/13 S 6771 Death Penalty and Life Imprisonment Bill Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 23)
6/12 HB 698 Mental Retardation Consideration in Murder Cases Bill Passed - House (169 - 28)
6/09 HR 5522 Foreign Operations and Export Finance Appropriation Act Bill Passed - House (373 - 34)
6/07 H 4176 Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8)
6/06 HB 2381 Marriage Definition Constitutional Amendment Joint Resolution Passed - House (136 - 61)
6/06 HR 5441 Department of Homeland Security Appropriation Act, 2007 Bill Passed - House (389 - 9)
6/06 HB 5143 "Self-Defense Act" Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10)
6/06 HB 5143 "Self-Defense Act" Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10)
6/06 HB 5143 "Self-Defense Act" Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10)
5/31 S 1267 Death Penalty for Repeat Sex Offenders Concurrence Vote Passed - House (84 - 27)
5/31 AB 2076 Needle Exchange Program Bill Passed - House (45 - 34)
5/31 SB 33 Prohibits Abortion Except When Necessary to Save the Life or Health of the Woman Bill Passed - House (85 - 17)
5/30 HB 6085 Disclosure of Citizenship on Driver's License Bill Passed - House (76 - 27)
5/26 PN 1552 Michael Hayden, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency Nomination Confirmed - Senate (78 - 15)
5/26 SB 1800 Death Penalty for Second Offender Sex Offenders Conference Report Adopted - House (88 - 8)
5/26 SB 1807 Prohibiting Death Sentence For Mentally Retarded Defendant Conference Report Adopted - House (91 - 5)
5/26 SB 1807 Prohibiting Death Sentence For Mentally Retarded Defendant Conference Report Adopted - House (91 - 5)
5/25 Amdt 3 to S 1084 Inclusion of Unborn Child/Fetus in Definition for Civil Suits Amendment Amendment Tabled - House (65 - 31)
5/25 HB 2577 Immigration Law; Employment; Enforcement Conference Report Adopted - House (33 - 22)
5/25 HB 2577 Immigration Law; Employment; Enforcement Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 9)
5/25 Sub HB 184 U.S. and Ohio Mottos in Schools Concurrence Vote Passed - House (82 - 13)
5/25 S 2611 Immigration Reform Bill Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 36)

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