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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sept. 27, 2007 | National | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (67 - 29) |
| Sept. 25, 2007 | National | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (265 - 159) |
| Aug. 2, 2007 | National | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 31) |
| July 25, 2007 | National | H Amdt 674 | State and Federal Medical Marijuana Law Enforcement and Implementation | Amendment Rejected - House (165 - 262) |
| June 19, 2007 | RI | H 5127 | Mandatory Minimum Drug Possession Sentence Repeal | Bill Passed - House (54 - 6) |
| June 1, 2007 | CT | HB 6715 | Medical Use of Marijuana Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| May 23, 2007 | CT | HB 6715 | Medical Use of Marijuana Bill | Bill Passed - House (89 - 58) |
| May 22, 2007 | NV | AB 150 | Methamphetamine Control Bill | Bill Failed - House (27 - 14) |
| May 3, 2007 | MN | SF 345 | Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 29) |
| April 27, 2007 | TX | CSSB 308 | Syringe Exchange Program | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 8) |
| April 17, 2007 | TX | CSSB 1909 | Treatment for Drug Possession Offenders | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| April 9, 2007 | MD | HB 992 | Parole for Drug Offenders | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
| March 28, 2007 | NH | HB 774 | Medical Marijuana | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (186 - 177) |
| March 26, 2007 | MD | HB 992 | Parole for Drug Offenders | Bill Passed - House (71 - 66) |
| March 8, 2007 | NM | SB 238 | Medical Marijuana Legalization | Bill Failed - House (33 - 36) |
| Feb. 8, 2007 | WY | HB 68 | Prenatal Methamphetamine Exposure | Bill Passed - House (39 - 21) |
| Feb. 7, 2007 | NM | SB 238 | Medical Marijuana Legalization | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 7) |
| Aug. 30, 2006 | CA | AB 2076 | Needle Exchange Program | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| July 13, 2006 | MA | H 4176 | Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes | Veto Override Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| July 13, 2006 | MA | H 4176 | Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes | Veto Override Passed - House (115 - 42) |
| June 29, 2006 | DE | SB 60 | Sterile Needle and Syringe Exchange Pilot Program | Bill Passed - House (24 - 14) |
| June 27, 2006 | CA | SB 1137 | Sentences for Non-Violent Drug Offenders | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 2) |
| June 27, 2006 | CA | SB 1137 | Sentences for Non-Violent Drug Offenders | Bill Passed - House (64 - 8) |
| 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) |
| May 31, 2006 | CA | AB 2076 | Needle Exchange Program | Bill Passed - House (45 - 34) |
| May 24, 2006 | OK | SB 1713 | Trafficking Illegal Drugs | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (23 - 24) |
| May 18, 2006 | MI | Amend | Welfare Restrictions for Drug Felonies | Amendment Adopted - House (86 - 16) |
| May 12, 2006 | MO | SS2 SCS HCS HB 1456 | Unemployment Compensation Changes | Bill Passed - House (90 - 65) |
| May 8, 2006 | NY | A 8098 | Drug Law Reform and Drug Treatment | Bill Passed - House (81 - 59) |
| May 2, 2006 | CO | HB 1100 | Prescription Drug Discount Program | Bill Failed - House (30 - 35) |
| April 26, 2006 | OK | SB 1434 | Prescription Drug Reimportation Act | Bill Passed - House (83 - 16) |
| April 20, 2006 | AZ | SB 1477 | Psychotropic drugs; Testing; Informed Consent | Bill Passed - House (34 - 23) |
| April 17, 2006 | AZ | SB 1477 | Psychotropic drugs; Testing; Informed Consent | Bill Failed - House (25 - 30) |
| April 12, 2006 | AZ | SB 1157 | Trespassing by Undocumented Immigrants | Conference Report Adopted - House (33 - 27) |
| April 12, 2006 | AZ | SB 1157 | Trespassing by Undocumented Immigrants | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 12) |
| March 30, 2006 | AZ | SB 1157 | Trespassing by Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (32 - 26) |
| March 15, 2006 | MD | Amendment 553220 | Needle Exchange Funding Prohibition Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 32) |
| March 14, 2006 | AZ | SB 1477 | Psychotropic drugs; Testing; Informed Consent | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
| March 8, 2006 | MS | SB 2511 | Parole Eligibility for First-Time Nonviolent Offenders Under Twenty-Five | Bill Passed - House (67 - 51) |
| March 6, 2006 | OK | SB 1434 | Prescription Drug Reimportation Act | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
| Feb. 28, 2006 | ID | S 1337 | Controlled Substances Relating to Pregnant Women & Children Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16) |
| Feb. 23, 2006 | SD | SB 1 | Mandatory Bodily Substance Samples in Drunk Driving Arrests | Bill Passed - House (52 - 17) |
| Feb. 16, 2006 | AZ | SB 1157 | Trespassing by Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11) |
| Feb. 14, 2006 | NM | HB 211 | Pseudoephedrine as a Controlled Substance | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 8) |
| Feb. 7, 2006 | MS | SB 2511 | Parole Eligibility for First-Time Nonviolent Offenders Under Twenty-Five | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18) |
| Feb. 4, 2006 | NM | HB 211 | Pseudoephedrine as a Controlled Substance | Bill Passed - House (42 - 20) |
| Feb. 1, 2006 | AK | HB 149 | Controlled Substance Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (15 - 23) |
| Jan. 31, 2006 | NM | SB 258 | Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 6) |
| Jan. 23, 2006 | SD | SB 1 | Mandatory Bodily Substance Samples in Drunk Driving Arrests | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9/27 | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (67 - 29) |
| 9/25 | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (265 - 159) |
| 8/02 | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 31) |
| 7/25 | H Amdt 674 | State and Federal Medical Marijuana Law Enforcement and Implementation | Amendment Rejected - House (165 - 262) |
| 6/19 | H 5127 | Mandatory Minimum Drug Possession Sentence Repeal | Bill Passed - House (54 - 6) |
| 6/01 | HB 6715 | Medical Use of Marijuana Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| 5/23 | HB 6715 | Medical Use of Marijuana Bill | Bill Passed - House (89 - 58) |
| 5/22 | AB 150 | Methamphetamine Control Bill | Bill Failed - House (27 - 14) |
| 5/03 | SF 345 | Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 29) |
| 4/27 | CSSB 308 | Syringe Exchange Program | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 8) |
| 4/17 | CSSB 1909 | Treatment for Drug Possession Offenders | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| 4/09 | HB 992 | Parole for Drug Offenders | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
| 3/28 | HB 774 | Medical Marijuana | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (186 - 177) |
| 3/26 | HB 992 | Parole for Drug Offenders | Bill Passed - House (71 - 66) |
| 3/08 | SB 238 | Medical Marijuana Legalization | Bill Failed - House (33 - 36) |
| 2/08 | HB 68 | Prenatal Methamphetamine Exposure | Bill Passed - House (39 - 21) |
| 2/07 | SB 238 | Medical Marijuana Legalization | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 7) |
| 8/30 | AB 2076 | Needle Exchange Program | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| 7/13 | H 4176 | Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes | Veto Override Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| 7/13 | H 4176 | Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes | Veto Override Passed - House (115 - 42) |
| 6/29 | SB 60 | Sterile Needle and Syringe Exchange Pilot Program | Bill Passed - House (24 - 14) |
| 6/27 | SB 1137 | Sentences for Non-Violent Drug Offenders | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 2) |
| 6/27 | SB 1137 | Sentences for Non-Violent Drug Offenders | Bill Passed - House (64 - 8) |
| 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) |
| 5/31 | AB 2076 | Needle Exchange Program | Bill Passed - House (45 - 34) |
| 5/24 | SB 1713 | Trafficking Illegal Drugs | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (23 - 24) |
| 5/18 | Amend | Welfare Restrictions for Drug Felonies | Amendment Adopted - House (86 - 16) |
| 5/12 | SS2 SCS HCS HB 1456 | Unemployment Compensation Changes | Bill Passed - House (90 - 65) |
| 5/08 | A 8098 | Drug Law Reform and Drug Treatment | Bill Passed - House (81 - 59) |
| 5/02 | HB 1100 | Prescription Drug Discount Program | Bill Failed - House (30 - 35) |
| 4/26 | SB 1434 | Prescription Drug Reimportation Act | Bill Passed - House (83 - 16) |
| 4/20 | SB 1477 | Psychotropic drugs; Testing; Informed Consent | Bill Passed - House (34 - 23) |
| 4/17 | SB 1477 | Psychotropic drugs; Testing; Informed Consent | Bill Failed - House (25 - 30) |
| 4/12 | SB 1157 | Trespassing by Undocumented Immigrants | Conference Report Adopted - House (33 - 27) |
| 4/12 | SB 1157 | Trespassing by Undocumented Immigrants | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 12) |
| 3/30 | SB 1157 | Trespassing by Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (32 - 26) |
| 3/15 | Amendment 553220 | Needle Exchange Funding Prohibition Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 32) |
| 3/14 | SB 1477 | Psychotropic drugs; Testing; Informed Consent | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
| 3/08 | SB 2511 | Parole Eligibility for First-Time Nonviolent Offenders Under Twenty-Five | Bill Passed - House (67 - 51) |
| 3/06 | SB 1434 | Prescription Drug Reimportation Act | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
| 2/28 | S 1337 | Controlled Substances Relating to Pregnant Women & Children Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16) |
| 2/23 | SB 1 | Mandatory Bodily Substance Samples in Drunk Driving Arrests | Bill Passed - House (52 - 17) |
| 2/16 | SB 1157 | Trespassing by Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11) |
| 2/14 | HB 211 | Pseudoephedrine as a Controlled Substance | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 8) |
| 2/07 | SB 2511 | Parole Eligibility for First-Time Nonviolent Offenders Under Twenty-Five | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18) |
| 2/04 | HB 211 | Pseudoephedrine as a Controlled Substance | Bill Passed - House (42 - 20) |
| 2/01 | HB 149 | Controlled Substance Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (15 - 23) |
| 1/31 | SB 258 | Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 6) |
| 1/23 | SB 1 | Mandatory Bodily Substance Samples in Drunk Driving Arrests | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |