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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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) |