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
May 4, 2006 CA AB 140 Disaster Preparedness and Flood Prevention Bond Act Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 1)
May 4, 2006 CA AB 140 Disaster Preparedness and Flood Prevention Bond Act Bill Passed - House (62 - 9)
May 4, 2006 WI SJR 63 Spending Limit Amendment Rejected - Senate (11 - 21)
May 4, 2006 LA HB 669 Special Tax Election Requirements Bill Failed - House (51 - 51)
May 4, 2006 IL HB 1918 Support Horseracing Through Riverboat Casinos in Chicago Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 16)
May 4, 2006 NH HB 76 Charter School Aid Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 8)
May 4, 2006 CA AB 127 Kindergarten-University Public Education Bond Act of 2006 Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 8)
May 4, 2006 MO HCS SS2 SCS SB 1014 Voter Identification and Poll Regulation Bill Passed - House (94 - 65)
May 4, 2006 CA SB 1266 Highway Safety, Traffic Reduction, Air Quality, and Port Security Bond Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (61 - 10)
May 4, 2006 CA SB 1266 Highway Safety, Traffic Reduction, Air Quality, and Port Security Bond Act of 2006 Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 1)
May 4, 2006 CA SB 1689 Housing and Emergency Shelter Trust Fund Act of 2006 Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 11)
May 4, 2006 LA HB 669 Special Tax Election Requirements Bill Failed - House (51 - 51)
May 3, 2006 IA HF 2540 2006-2007 Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (47 - 2)
May 3, 2006 CO HB 1090 Sexual Abuse Prosecution Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 17)
May 3, 2006 IA HF 2540 2006-2007 Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (62 - 32)
May 3, 2006 PA SB 999 Voting Standards Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (36 - 13)
May 3, 2006 IL SB 1520 2006-2007 Budget Bill Passed - House (64 - 49)
May 3, 2006 CO HB 1315 Juvenile Criminal Parole Act Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11)
May 3, 2006 RI H 7720 Sub. A Income Tax Reduction Bill Bill Passed - House (52 - 17)
May 3, 2006 RI S 2486 Ex-Felon's Voting Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 4)
May 3, 2006 RI S 2486 Ex-Felon's Voting Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 4)
May 3, 2006 CO HB 1149 Increasing Lobbyist Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
May 3, 2006 PA SB 999 Voting Standards Bill Passed - House (139 - 59)
May 3, 2006 National HR 4975 527 Reform Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (217 - 213)
May 3, 2006 National HR 4975 527 Reform Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (217 - 213)
May 2, 2006 WI SB 1 Ethics Bill Motion Rejected - House (45 - 51)
May 2, 2006 WI SB 1 Ethics Bill Motion Rejected - House (45 - 51)
May 2, 2006 PA HB 39 Property Taxes (Special Session) Conference Report Adopted - Senate (40 - 9)
May 2, 2006 HI HB 3115 Gasoline Industry Controls Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 3)
May 2, 2006 TX HB 3 Business Tax Revisions Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14)
May 2, 2006 IL SB 2872 Local Government Facility Lease Act Bill Passed - House (65 - 46)
May 2, 2006 FL HB 1037 Campaign Financing Bill Passed - House (81 - 36)
May 2, 2006 MN HF 4142 Property Tax - Rebate Checks Bill Passed - House (86 - 47)
May 2, 2006 IA SF 2408 Elderly Income Tax Reduction Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 4)
May 2, 2006 IA SF 2408 Elderly Income Tax Reduction Bill Passed - House (89 - 6)
May 2, 2006 TX SCS HCS HB 4 Motor Vehicle Taxes Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10)
May 1, 2006 KS HB 2554 DNA Sampling in Felony Cases Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 11)
May 1, 2006 KS HB 3021 2006-2007, 2007-2008, 2008-2009, 2009-2010, 2010-2011 Budget Amendments Bill Passed - House (64 - 58)
May 1, 2006 CO SB 234 Public Construction Bidding Act Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16)
May 1, 2006 IL SB 1445 Election Code Revisions Bill Passed - House (61 - 40)
April 30, 2006 CT LCO # 5212 Death/Estate Tax Exemption Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (60 - 87)
April 30, 2006 CT LCO #5217 One-Time Property Tax Revenue Sharing Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (47 - 99)
April 30, 2006 CT LCO # 5227 Estate/Death and Gift Taxes Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (49 - 98)
April 30, 2006 CT LCO # 5219 Repeal of Estate/Death Tax for Primary Residence & Working Farm Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (63 - 84)
April 28, 2006 ME HCA C to LD 1717 Sentencing Requirements for Certain Sex Offenses Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 3)
April 28, 2006 ME LD 1974 Supplemental Transportation Budget Bill Nonconcurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
April 28, 2006 ME LD 2056 Business Equipment Property Tax Exemption Bill Passed - House (123 - 18)
April 27, 2006 CT LCO # 4811 Chief Justice Powers Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (23 - 13)
April 27, 2006 CT LCO # 4811 Chief Justice Powers Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (23 - 13)
April 27, 2006 MA C Amdt "H" Local Education Funding Amendments Amendment Adopted - House (144 - 13)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/04 AB 140 Disaster Preparedness and Flood Prevention Bond Act Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 1)
5/04 AB 140 Disaster Preparedness and Flood Prevention Bond Act Bill Passed - House (62 - 9)
5/04 SJR 63 Spending Limit Amendment Rejected - Senate (11 - 21)
5/04 HB 669 Special Tax Election Requirements Bill Failed - House (51 - 51)
5/04 HB 1918 Support Horseracing Through Riverboat Casinos in Chicago Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 16)
5/04 HB 76 Charter School Aid Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 8)
5/04 AB 127 Kindergarten-University Public Education Bond Act of 2006 Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 8)
5/04 HCS SS2 SCS SB 1014 Voter Identification and Poll Regulation Bill Passed - House (94 - 65)
5/04 SB 1266 Highway Safety, Traffic Reduction, Air Quality, and Port Security Bond Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (61 - 10)
5/04 SB 1266 Highway Safety, Traffic Reduction, Air Quality, and Port Security Bond Act of 2006 Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 1)
5/04 SB 1689 Housing and Emergency Shelter Trust Fund Act of 2006 Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 11)
5/04 HB 669 Special Tax Election Requirements Bill Failed - House (51 - 51)
5/03 HF 2540 2006-2007 Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (47 - 2)
5/03 HB 1090 Sexual Abuse Prosecution Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 17)
5/03 HF 2540 2006-2007 Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (62 - 32)
5/03 SB 999 Voting Standards Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (36 - 13)
5/03 SB 1520 2006-2007 Budget Bill Passed - House (64 - 49)
5/03 HB 1315 Juvenile Criminal Parole Act Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11)
5/03 H 7720 Sub. A Income Tax Reduction Bill Bill Passed - House (52 - 17)
5/03 S 2486 Ex-Felon's Voting Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 4)
5/03 S 2486 Ex-Felon's Voting Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 4)
5/03 HB 1149 Increasing Lobbyist Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
5/03 SB 999 Voting Standards Bill Passed - House (139 - 59)
5/03 HR 4975 527 Reform Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (217 - 213)
5/03 HR 4975 527 Reform Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (217 - 213)
5/02 SB 1 Ethics Bill Motion Rejected - House (45 - 51)
5/02 SB 1 Ethics Bill Motion Rejected - House (45 - 51)
5/02 HB 39 Property Taxes (Special Session) Conference Report Adopted - Senate (40 - 9)
5/02 HB 3115 Gasoline Industry Controls Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 3)
5/02 HB 3 Business Tax Revisions Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14)
5/02 SB 2872 Local Government Facility Lease Act Bill Passed - House (65 - 46)
5/02 HB 1037 Campaign Financing Bill Passed - House (81 - 36)
5/02 HF 4142 Property Tax - Rebate Checks Bill Passed - House (86 - 47)
5/02 SF 2408 Elderly Income Tax Reduction Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 4)
5/02 SF 2408 Elderly Income Tax Reduction Bill Passed - House (89 - 6)
5/02 SCS HCS HB 4 Motor Vehicle Taxes Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10)
5/01 HB 2554 DNA Sampling in Felony Cases Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 11)
5/01 HB 3021 2006-2007, 2007-2008, 2008-2009, 2009-2010, 2010-2011 Budget Amendments Bill Passed - House (64 - 58)
5/01 SB 234 Public Construction Bidding Act Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16)
5/01 SB 1445 Election Code Revisions Bill Passed - House (61 - 40)
4/30 LCO # 5212 Death/Estate Tax Exemption Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (60 - 87)
4/30 LCO #5217 One-Time Property Tax Revenue Sharing Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (47 - 99)
4/30 LCO # 5227 Estate/Death and Gift Taxes Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (49 - 98)
4/30 LCO # 5219 Repeal of Estate/Death Tax for Primary Residence & Working Farm Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (63 - 84)
4/28 HCA C to LD 1717 Sentencing Requirements for Certain Sex Offenses Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 3)
4/28 LD 1974 Supplemental Transportation Budget Bill Nonconcurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
4/28 LD 2056 Business Equipment Property Tax Exemption Bill Passed - House (123 - 18)
4/27 LCO # 4811 Chief Justice Powers Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (23 - 13)
4/27 LCO # 4811 Chief Justice Powers Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (23 - 13)
4/27 C Amdt "H" Local Education Funding Amendments Amendment Adopted - House (144 - 13)

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