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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 15, 2006 | LA | HB 12 | Elections; Voting; State of Emergency | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (66 - 32) |
| Feb. 15, 2006 | LA | SB 22 | State of Emergency Voting Reform | Bill Passed - House (72 - 29) |
| Feb. 15, 2006 | NH | HB 656 | "Do Not Resuscitate" Bill | Bill Passed - House (231 - 118) |
| Feb. 15, 2006 | KS | Sub HB 2525 | Taxation | Bill Passed - House (106 - 15) |
| Feb. 15, 2006 | MI | SB 839 | Reduce Amount of Auto Sales Tax Going to Comprehensive Transportation Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
| Feb. 15, 2006 | MI | Sub for HB 5498 | Horse Racing Industry Development Funds | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| Feb. 15, 2006 | KS | HB 2619 | Property Taxes | Bill Passed - House (108 - 14) |
| Feb. 14, 2006 | PA | HB 1318 | Voter Identification Requirements | Conference Report Adopted - House (106 - 91) |
| Feb. 14, 2006 | LA | HB 12 | Elections; Voting; State of Emergency | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 16) |
| Feb. 14, 2006 | MI | Sub for SB 1028 | Changes to the Family Independent Agency | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| Feb. 10, 2006 | NM | SB 294 | Open Committee Meetings | Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 22) |
| Feb. 9, 2006 | MS | HB 1115 | Tobacco Settlement Payments | Bill Passed - House (71 - 47) |
| Feb. 9, 2006 | WA | 3rd Sub HB 1484 | Taxation for School Funding | Bill Passed - House (50 - 48) |
| Feb. 9, 2006 | MS | HB 638 | Executive Branch Salaries | Bill Passed - House (64 - 55) |
| Feb. 9, 2006 | MS | HB 638 | Executive Branch Salaries | Bill Passed - House (64 - 55) |
| Feb. 9, 2006 | MS | SB 2309 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18) |
| Feb. 9, 2006 | NM | SB 344 | Campaign Contributions by Procurement Contractors | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 4) |
| Feb. 9, 2006 | NM | SB 344 | Campaign Contributions by Procurement Contractors | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 4) |
| Feb. 9, 2006 | MS | HB 199 | Juvenile Delinquent Program Changes | Bill Passed - House (74 - 47) |
| Feb. 8, 2006 | CO | Amendment | Transportation Funding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (29 - 36) |
| Feb. 8, 2006 | SC | H 4449 | Sales and Property Taxes | Bill Passed - House (86 - 31) |
| Feb. 7, 2006 | MS | HB 300 - Amendment 1 | Marriage Counseling Requirement | Amendment Rejected - House (45 - 74) |
| Feb. 7, 2006 | MI | Sub for HB 5498 | Horse Racing Industry Development Funds | Bill Passed - House (59 - 46) |
| Feb. 7, 2006 | MS | HB 300 | Revised Marriage License Requirements | Bill Passed - House (66 - 55) |
| Feb. 6, 2006 | MS | SB 2119 | School Board Elections, Superintendent Appointments, and Consolidation Issues | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 20) |
| Feb. 6, 2006 | VA | Sub SB 313 | DMV Reporting Requirements for Non-citizens | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15) |
| Feb. 2, 2006 | MS | SB 2604 | Mississippi Adequate Education Program Revisions | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 15) |
| Feb. 1, 2006 | NH | HB 621 | Disclosure of Campaign Contributions by Lobbyists | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Failed - House (168 - 169) |
| Feb. 1, 2006 | MS | SB 2602 | Mississippi Education Reform Act | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
| Feb. 1, 2006 | NH | HB 621 | Disclosure of Campaign Contributions by Lobbyists | Bill Passed - House (198 - 144) |
| Feb. 1, 2006 | NH | HB 345 | Photo ID for Voting | Bill Passed - House (211 - 149) |
| Feb. 1, 2006 | PA | HB 1318 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (106 - 85) |
| Jan. 31, 2006 | National | PN 1059 | Samuel Alito, Associate Justice | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (58 - 42) |
| Jan. 31, 2006 | OH | HB 3 | Election Law Reform Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (57 - 40) |
| Jan. 31, 2006 | OH | HB 3 | Election Law Reform Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 12) |
| Jan. 31, 2006 | IA | HF 2045 | Senior Citizen Tax Revision | Bill Passed - House (81 - 18) |
| Jan. 31, 2006 | GA | SB 386 | State Senatorial District Composition | Bill Passed - House (100 - 69) |
| Jan. 31, 2006 | GA | SB 386 | State Senatorial District Composition | Bill Passed - House (100 - 69) |
| Jan. 30, 2006 | IN | SB 354 | Forestry Classifications | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20) |
| Jan. 30, 2006 | CA | AB 583 | California Clean Money and Fair Elections Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (47 - 31) |
| Jan. 27, 2006 | WA | Sub HB 2661 | Expanding the Jurisdiction of the Human Rights Commission | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (61 - 37) |
| Jan. 27, 2006 | WA | Sub HB 2661 | Expanding the Jurisdiction of the Human Rights Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 23) |
| Jan. 26, 2006 | VA | HB 568 | Flat Tax on Communication Services | Bill Passed - House (62 - 35) |
| Jan. 26, 2006 | AZ | HB 2661 | State Employees; Pay Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 2) |
| Jan. 26, 2006 | RI | H 6700 Sub A | Driver Refusal of Chemical Tests | Bill Passed - House (64 - 6) |
| Jan. 26, 2006 | UT | HB 109 | Sales and Use Tax on Food | Bill Passed - House (57 - 17) |
| Jan. 25, 2006 | GA | SB 84 | Voter Identification | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (111 - 60) |
| Jan. 25, 2006 | MI | SB 957 | Single Tax Credit: Alternative Tax Rate and Percentage Reduction in Liability | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| Jan. 25, 2006 | VA | SB 526 | Defining Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 11) |
| Jan. 25, 2006 | AZ | HB 2661 | State Employees; Pay Increase | Bill Passed - House (42 - 15) |
| Jan. 25, 2006 | MA | S 1074 | Disclosure of Religious Funds Bill | Bill Failed - House (3 - 147) |
| Jan. 24, 2006 | GA | SB 84 | Voter Identification | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 22) |
| Jan. 24, 2006 | MI | SB 957 | Single Tax Credit: Alternative Tax Rate and Percentage Reduction in Liability | Bill Passed - House (65 - 40) |
| Jan. 23, 2006 | WA | 2nd Sub HB 2292 | Addressing Health Care Liability Reform | Bill Passed - House (54 - 43) |
| Jan. 23, 2006 | SD | SB 1 | Mandatory Bodily Substance Samples in Drunk Driving Arrests | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| Jan. 20, 2006 | WA | Sub HB 2661 | Expanding the Jurisdiction of the Human Rights Commission | Bill Passed - House (60 - 37) |
| Jan. 19, 2006 | WI | AB 766 | Medical Malpractice Lawsuit Caps | Veto Override Failed - House (63 - 36) |
| Jan. 19, 2006 | MI | SB 957 | Single Tax Credit: Alternative Tax Rate and Percentage Reduction in Liability | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| Jan. 17, 2006 | SC | H 3702 | School Transportation | Bill Passed - House (58 - 47) |
| Jan. 17, 2006 | MS | HB 519 | Campaign Finance Reform | Bill Passed - House (99 - 22) |
| Jan. 12, 2006 | GA | SB 84 | Voter Identification | Bill Passed - House (110 - 64) |
| Jan. 12, 2006 | GA | SB 386 | State Senatorial District Composition | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18) |
| Jan. 12, 2006 | GA | SB 386 | State Senatorial District Composition | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18) |
| Jan. 11, 2006 | MS | SB 2310 | Food and Tobacco Taxes | Bill Passed - House (90 - 30) |
| Jan. 9, 2006 | NJ | S 2083 | Domestic Partner Surviving Rights | Bill Passed - House (67 - 8) |
| Jan. 6, 2006 | MS | SB 2310 | Food and Tobacco Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 15) |
| Jan. 5, 2006 | NJ | S 2907 | Reimbursement for Contaminated Sites | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| Jan. 5, 2006 | NJ | S 1412 | Development Subsidies Application and Reporting Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| Jan. 5, 2006 | MS | HB 206 | Bonds for Economic Development | Bill Passed - House (77 - 40) |
| Dec. 21, 2005 | National | S 1932 | Budget Reconciliation Bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (51 - 50) |
| Nov. 17, 2005 | National | S Amdt 2602 | Hurricane Victims Tax Benefit Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 55) |
| Nov. 3, 2005 | National | S Amdt 2351 | Pay As You Go Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (50 - 49) |
| Nov. 2, 2005 | National | HR 1606 | Online Freedom of Speech Act | Bill Failed - House (225 - 182) |
| Oct. 20, 2005 | National | HR 3058 | Transportation, Treasury, HUD and Judiciary Appropriation | Bill Passed - Senate (93 - 1) |
| Oct. 18, 2005 | National | S Amdt 2062 | Congressional Pay Raise Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (92 - 6) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/15 | HB 12 | Elections; Voting; State of Emergency | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (66 - 32) |
| 2/15 | SB 22 | State of Emergency Voting Reform | Bill Passed - House (72 - 29) |
| 2/15 | HB 656 | "Do Not Resuscitate" Bill | Bill Passed - House (231 - 118) |
| 2/15 | Sub HB 2525 | Taxation | Bill Passed - House (106 - 15) |
| 2/15 | SB 839 | Reduce Amount of Auto Sales Tax Going to Comprehensive Transportation Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
| 2/15 | Sub for HB 5498 | Horse Racing Industry Development Funds | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| 2/15 | HB 2619 | Property Taxes | Bill Passed - House (108 - 14) |
| 2/14 | HB 1318 | Voter Identification Requirements | Conference Report Adopted - House (106 - 91) |
| 2/14 | HB 12 | Elections; Voting; State of Emergency | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 16) |
| 2/14 | Sub for SB 1028 | Changes to the Family Independent Agency | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| 2/10 | SB 294 | Open Committee Meetings | Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 22) |
| 2/09 | HB 1115 | Tobacco Settlement Payments | Bill Passed - House (71 - 47) |
| 2/09 | 3rd Sub HB 1484 | Taxation for School Funding | Bill Passed - House (50 - 48) |
| 2/09 | HB 638 | Executive Branch Salaries | Bill Passed - House (64 - 55) |
| 2/09 | HB 638 | Executive Branch Salaries | Bill Passed - House (64 - 55) |
| 2/09 | SB 2309 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18) |
| 2/09 | SB 344 | Campaign Contributions by Procurement Contractors | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 4) |
| 2/09 | SB 344 | Campaign Contributions by Procurement Contractors | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 4) |
| 2/09 | HB 199 | Juvenile Delinquent Program Changes | Bill Passed - House (74 - 47) |
| 2/08 | Amendment | Transportation Funding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (29 - 36) |
| 2/08 | H 4449 | Sales and Property Taxes | Bill Passed - House (86 - 31) |
| 2/07 | HB 300 - Amendment 1 | Marriage Counseling Requirement | Amendment Rejected - House (45 - 74) |
| 2/07 | Sub for HB 5498 | Horse Racing Industry Development Funds | Bill Passed - House (59 - 46) |
| 2/07 | HB 300 | Revised Marriage License Requirements | Bill Passed - House (66 - 55) |
| 2/06 | SB 2119 | School Board Elections, Superintendent Appointments, and Consolidation Issues | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 20) |
| 2/06 | Sub SB 313 | DMV Reporting Requirements for Non-citizens | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15) |
| 2/02 | SB 2604 | Mississippi Adequate Education Program Revisions | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 15) |
| 2/01 | HB 621 | Disclosure of Campaign Contributions by Lobbyists | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Failed - House (168 - 169) |
| 2/01 | SB 2602 | Mississippi Education Reform Act | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
| 2/01 | HB 621 | Disclosure of Campaign Contributions by Lobbyists | Bill Passed - House (198 - 144) |
| 2/01 | HB 345 | Photo ID for Voting | Bill Passed - House (211 - 149) |
| 2/01 | HB 1318 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (106 - 85) |
| 1/31 | PN 1059 | Samuel Alito, Associate Justice | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (58 - 42) |
| 1/31 | HB 3 | Election Law Reform Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (57 - 40) |
| 1/31 | HB 3 | Election Law Reform Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 12) |
| 1/31 | HF 2045 | Senior Citizen Tax Revision | Bill Passed - House (81 - 18) |
| 1/31 | SB 386 | State Senatorial District Composition | Bill Passed - House (100 - 69) |
| 1/31 | SB 386 | State Senatorial District Composition | Bill Passed - House (100 - 69) |
| 1/30 | SB 354 | Forestry Classifications | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20) |
| 1/30 | AB 583 | California Clean Money and Fair Elections Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (47 - 31) |
| 1/27 | Sub HB 2661 | Expanding the Jurisdiction of the Human Rights Commission | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (61 - 37) |
| 1/27 | Sub HB 2661 | Expanding the Jurisdiction of the Human Rights Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 23) |
| 1/26 | HB 568 | Flat Tax on Communication Services | Bill Passed - House (62 - 35) |
| 1/26 | HB 2661 | State Employees; Pay Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 2) |
| 1/26 | H 6700 Sub A | Driver Refusal of Chemical Tests | Bill Passed - House (64 - 6) |
| 1/26 | HB 109 | Sales and Use Tax on Food | Bill Passed - House (57 - 17) |
| 1/25 | SB 84 | Voter Identification | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (111 - 60) |
| 1/25 | SB 957 | Single Tax Credit: Alternative Tax Rate and Percentage Reduction in Liability | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| 1/25 | SB 526 | Defining Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 11) |
| 1/25 | HB 2661 | State Employees; Pay Increase | Bill Passed - House (42 - 15) |
| 1/25 | S 1074 | Disclosure of Religious Funds Bill | Bill Failed - House (3 - 147) |
| 1/24 | SB 84 | Voter Identification | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 22) |
| 1/24 | SB 957 | Single Tax Credit: Alternative Tax Rate and Percentage Reduction in Liability | Bill Passed - House (65 - 40) |
| 1/23 | 2nd Sub HB 2292 | Addressing Health Care Liability Reform | Bill Passed - House (54 - 43) |
| 1/23 | SB 1 | Mandatory Bodily Substance Samples in Drunk Driving Arrests | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| 1/20 | Sub HB 2661 | Expanding the Jurisdiction of the Human Rights Commission | Bill Passed - House (60 - 37) |
| 1/19 | AB 766 | Medical Malpractice Lawsuit Caps | Veto Override Failed - House (63 - 36) |
| 1/19 | SB 957 | Single Tax Credit: Alternative Tax Rate and Percentage Reduction in Liability | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| 1/17 | H 3702 | School Transportation | Bill Passed - House (58 - 47) |
| 1/17 | HB 519 | Campaign Finance Reform | Bill Passed - House (99 - 22) |
| 1/12 | SB 84 | Voter Identification | Bill Passed - House (110 - 64) |
| 1/12 | SB 386 | State Senatorial District Composition | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18) |
| 1/12 | SB 386 | State Senatorial District Composition | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18) |
| 1/11 | SB 2310 | Food and Tobacco Taxes | Bill Passed - House (90 - 30) |
| 1/09 | S 2083 | Domestic Partner Surviving Rights | Bill Passed - House (67 - 8) |
| 1/06 | SB 2310 | Food and Tobacco Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 15) |
| 1/05 | S 2907 | Reimbursement for Contaminated Sites | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| 1/05 | S 1412 | Development Subsidies Application and Reporting Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| 1/05 | HB 206 | Bonds for Economic Development | Bill Passed - House (77 - 40) |
| 12/21 | S 1932 | Budget Reconciliation Bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (51 - 50) |
| 11/17 | S Amdt 2602 | Hurricane Victims Tax Benefit Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 55) |
| 11/03 | S Amdt 2351 | Pay As You Go Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (50 - 49) |
| 11/02 | HR 1606 | Online Freedom of Speech Act | Bill Failed - House (225 - 182) |
| 10/20 | HR 3058 | Transportation, Treasury, HUD and Judiciary Appropriation | Bill Passed - Senate (93 - 1) |
| 10/18 | S Amdt 2062 | Congressional Pay Raise Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (92 - 6) |