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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 10, 2007 | SC | S 332 | Workers' Compensation | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 7) |
| April 9, 2007 | MD | HB 430 | State Living Wage | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (91 - 49) |
| April 9, 2007 | MD | HB 430 | State Living Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 16) |
| April 6, 2007 | MD | HB 430 | State Living Wage | Bill Passed - House (88 - 50) |
| April 5, 2007 | MD | HB 359 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
| April 4, 2007 | NH | HB 514 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - House (286 - 69) |
| April 3, 2007 | MD | SB 91 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (99 - 39) |
| March 29, 2007 | IL | SB 500 | Smoke Free Illinois Act | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 23) |
| March 28, 2007 | MN | SF 276 | School District Health Insurance Pool | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 23) |
| March 27, 2007 | KS | SB 385 | State Employee Pay Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 11) |
| March 27, 2007 | MN | SF 238 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 24) |
| March 26, 2007 | MD | SB 91 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 13) |
| March 24, 2007 | MD | HB 359 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (98 - 40) |
| March 23, 2007 | VT | H. 353 | Amending Unionization Requirements for State Employees | Bill Passed - House (78 - 59) |
| March 15, 2007 | NJ | A 1044 | Notification of Job Loss and Plant Closures | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12) |
| March 15, 2007 | AZ | HB 2779 | Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (46 - 13) |
| March 9, 2007 | ND | SB 2417 | Verifying Employee Work Status | Bill Failed - House (18 - 70) |
| March 8, 2007 | IA | SF 413 | Fair Share Union Fees | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21) |
| March 8, 2007 | AZ | HB 2589 | Labor Solicitation and Criminal Trespass | Bill Passed - House (35 - 23) |
| March 2, 2007 | SD | SB 207 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - House (62 - 8) |
| March 1, 2007 | NM | SB 324 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - House (39 - 29) |
| March 1, 2007 | National | HR 800 | Union Organization Bill | Bill Passed - House (241 - 185) |
| Feb. 21, 2007 | KY | HCS HB 305 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - House (89 - 10) |
| 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. 7, 2007 | IN | HB 1132 | Notification of Plant Closure or Mass Layoff | Bill Passed - House (51 - 49) |
| Feb. 7, 2007 | IN | HB 1088 | Collective Bargaining for Public Employees | Bill Passed - House (51 - 49) |
| Feb. 5, 2007 | VA | Sub SB 1327 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 8) |
| Feb. 5, 2007 | CO | HB 1072 | Termination of All-Union Agreements | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 15) |
| Feb. 2, 2007 | NM | SB 324 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 7) |
| Jan. 31, 2007 | ND | HB 1177 | School District Salary Cap Exemptions | Bill Passed - House (73 - 17) |
| Jan. 30, 2007 | IN | HB 1027 | Minimum Wage Increase and Estate/Death Tax Cut | Bill Passed - House (71 - 29) |
| Jan. 24, 2007 | IA | HF 1 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 8) |
| Jan. 23, 2007 | IA | HF 1 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - House (79 - 19) |
| Jan. 22, 2007 | CO | HB 1072 | Termination of All-Union Agreements | Bill Passed - House (35 - 29) |
| Jan. 10, 2007 | National | HR 2 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - House (315 - 116) |
| Jan. 9, 2007 | MS | HB 237 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - House (68 - 50) |
| Jan. 8, 2007 | NJ | A 1044 | Notification of Job Loss and Plant Closures | Bill Passed - House (52 - 24) |
| Nov. 15, 2006 | IL | SB 1275 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 21) |
| Nov. 15, 2006 | IL | SB 1275 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 21) |
| Aug. 31, 2006 | CA | SB 1414 | Health Care Requirements for Large Companies | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 17) |
| Aug. 30, 2006 | CA | SB 1414 | Health Care Requirements for Large Companies | Bill Passed - House (41 - 37) |
| Aug. 28, 2006 | CA | AB 2536 | Overtime Pay for Personal Attendants | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 31) |
| Aug. 28, 2006 | CA | AB 2536 | Overtime Pay for Personal Attendants | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 31) |
| Aug. 23, 2006 | CA | AB 2536 | Overtime Pay for Personal Attendants | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| Aug. 23, 2006 | CA | AB 2536 | Overtime Pay for Personal Attendants | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| Aug. 17, 2006 | CA | AB 2555 | Wage Discrimination Penalties | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| Aug. 17, 2006 | CA | AB 2555 | Wage Discrimination Penalties | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| Aug. 3, 2006 | National | HR 5970 | Death/Estate Tax and Minimum Wage Bill | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 42) |
| July 29, 2006 | National | HR 5970 | Death/Estate Tax and Minimum Wage Bill | Bill Passed - House (230 - 180) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/10 | S 332 | Workers' Compensation | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 7) |
| 4/09 | HB 430 | State Living Wage | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (91 - 49) |
| 4/09 | HB 430 | State Living Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 16) |
| 4/06 | HB 430 | State Living Wage | Bill Passed - House (88 - 50) |
| 4/05 | HB 359 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
| 4/04 | HB 514 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - House (286 - 69) |
| 4/03 | SB 91 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (99 - 39) |
| 3/29 | SB 500 | Smoke Free Illinois Act | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 23) |
| 3/28 | SF 276 | School District Health Insurance Pool | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 23) |
| 3/27 | SB 385 | State Employee Pay Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 11) |
| 3/27 | SF 238 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 24) |
| 3/26 | SB 91 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 13) |
| 3/24 | HB 359 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (98 - 40) |
| 3/23 | H. 353 | Amending Unionization Requirements for State Employees | Bill Passed - House (78 - 59) |
| 3/15 | A 1044 | Notification of Job Loss and Plant Closures | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12) |
| 3/15 | HB 2779 | Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (46 - 13) |
| 3/09 | SB 2417 | Verifying Employee Work Status | Bill Failed - House (18 - 70) |
| 3/08 | SF 413 | Fair Share Union Fees | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21) |
| 3/08 | HB 2589 | Labor Solicitation and Criminal Trespass | Bill Passed - House (35 - 23) |
| 3/02 | SB 207 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - House (62 - 8) |
| 3/01 | SB 324 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - House (39 - 29) |
| 3/01 | HR 800 | Union Organization Bill | Bill Passed - House (241 - 185) |
| 2/21 | HCS HB 305 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - House (89 - 10) |
| 2/13 | SB 2122 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 26) |
| 2/12 | SB 207 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6) |
| 2/07 | HB 1132 | Notification of Plant Closure or Mass Layoff | Bill Passed - House (51 - 49) |
| 2/07 | HB 1088 | Collective Bargaining for Public Employees | Bill Passed - House (51 - 49) |
| 2/05 | Sub SB 1327 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 8) |
| 2/05 | HB 1072 | Termination of All-Union Agreements | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 15) |
| 2/02 | SB 324 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 7) |
| 1/31 | HB 1177 | School District Salary Cap Exemptions | Bill Passed - House (73 - 17) |
| 1/30 | HB 1027 | Minimum Wage Increase and Estate/Death Tax Cut | Bill Passed - House (71 - 29) |
| 1/24 | HF 1 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 8) |
| 1/23 | HF 1 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - House (79 - 19) |
| 1/22 | HB 1072 | Termination of All-Union Agreements | Bill Passed - House (35 - 29) |
| 1/10 | HR 2 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - House (315 - 116) |
| 1/09 | HB 237 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - House (68 - 50) |
| 1/08 | A 1044 | Notification of Job Loss and Plant Closures | Bill Passed - House (52 - 24) |
| 11/15 | SB 1275 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 21) |
| 11/15 | SB 1275 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 21) |
| 8/31 | SB 1414 | Health Care Requirements for Large Companies | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 17) |
| 8/30 | SB 1414 | Health Care Requirements for Large Companies | Bill Passed - House (41 - 37) |
| 8/28 | AB 2536 | Overtime Pay for Personal Attendants | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 31) |
| 8/28 | AB 2536 | Overtime Pay for Personal Attendants | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 31) |
| 8/23 | AB 2536 | Overtime Pay for Personal Attendants | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| 8/23 | AB 2536 | Overtime Pay for Personal Attendants | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| 8/17 | AB 2555 | Wage Discrimination Penalties | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 8/17 | AB 2555 | Wage Discrimination Penalties | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 8/03 | HR 5970 | Death/Estate Tax and Minimum Wage Bill | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 42) |
| 7/29 | HR 5970 | Death/Estate Tax and Minimum Wage Bill | Bill Passed - House (230 - 180) |