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. 21, 2006 | MS | SB 3084 | Food and Tobacco Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
| Feb. 15, 2006 | PA | HB 1318 | Voter Identification Requirements | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 20) |
| Feb. 15, 2006 | LA | HB 12 | Elections; Voting; State of Emergency | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (66 - 32) |
| Feb. 15, 2006 | MI | Sub for HB 5498 | Horse Racing Industry Development Funds | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| Feb. 15, 2006 | LA | SB 22 | State of Emergency Voting Reform | Bill Passed - House (72 - 29) |
| 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 | KS | HB 2619 | Property Taxes | Bill Passed - House (108 - 14) |
| Feb. 15, 2006 | NH | HB 656 | "Do Not Resuscitate" Bill | Bill Passed - House (231 - 118) |
| 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 638 | Executive Branch Salaries | Bill Passed - House (64 - 55) |
| Feb. 9, 2006 | WA | 3rd Sub HB 1484 | Taxation for School Funding | Bill Passed - House (50 - 48) |
| 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 1115 | Tobacco Settlement Payments | Bill Passed - House (71 - 47) |
| Feb. 9, 2006 | MS | SB 2309 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18) |
| Feb. 9, 2006 | MS | HB 638 | Executive Branch Salaries | Bill Passed - House (64 - 55) |
| 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 | MS | HB 300 | Revised Marriage License Requirements | Bill Passed - House (66 - 55) |
| Feb. 7, 2006 | MI | Sub for HB 5498 | Horse Racing Industry Development Funds | Bill Passed - House (59 - 46) |
| 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 | NH | HB 345 | Photo ID for Voting | Bill Passed - House (211 - 149) |
| Feb. 1, 2006 | MS | SB 2602 | Mississippi Education Reform Act | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
| Feb. 1, 2006 | PA | HB 1318 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (106 - 85) |
| Feb. 1, 2006 | NH | HB 621 | Disclosure of Campaign Contributions by Lobbyists | Bill Passed - House (198 - 144) |
| 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 | 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. 31, 2006 | IA | HF 2045 | Senior Citizen Tax Revision | Bill Passed - House (81 - 18) |
| 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 | UT | HB 109 | Sales and Use Tax on Food | Bill Passed - House (57 - 17) |
| 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 | VA | HB 568 | Flat Tax on Communication Services | Bill Passed - House (62 - 35) |
| 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) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/21 | SB 3084 | Food and Tobacco Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
| 2/15 | HB 1318 | Voter Identification Requirements | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 20) |
| 2/15 | HB 12 | Elections; Voting; State of Emergency | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (66 - 32) |
| 2/15 | Sub for HB 5498 | Horse Racing Industry Development Funds | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| 2/15 | SB 22 | State of Emergency Voting Reform | Bill Passed - House (72 - 29) |
| 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 | HB 2619 | Property Taxes | Bill Passed - House (108 - 14) |
| 2/15 | HB 656 | "Do Not Resuscitate" Bill | Bill Passed - House (231 - 118) |
| 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 638 | Executive Branch Salaries | Bill Passed - House (64 - 55) |
| 2/09 | 3rd Sub HB 1484 | Taxation for School Funding | Bill Passed - House (50 - 48) |
| 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 1115 | Tobacco Settlement Payments | Bill Passed - House (71 - 47) |
| 2/09 | SB 2309 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18) |
| 2/09 | HB 638 | Executive Branch Salaries | Bill Passed - House (64 - 55) |
| 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 | HB 300 | Revised Marriage License Requirements | Bill Passed - House (66 - 55) |
| 2/07 | Sub for HB 5498 | Horse Racing Industry Development Funds | Bill Passed - House (59 - 46) |
| 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 | HB 345 | Photo ID for Voting | Bill Passed - House (211 - 149) |
| 2/01 | SB 2602 | Mississippi Education Reform Act | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
| 2/01 | HB 1318 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (106 - 85) |
| 2/01 | HB 621 | Disclosure of Campaign Contributions by Lobbyists | Bill Passed - House (198 - 144) |
| 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 | SB 386 | State Senatorial District Composition | Bill Passed - House (100 - 69) |
| 1/31 | SB 386 | State Senatorial District Composition | Bill Passed - House (100 - 69) |
| 1/31 | HF 2045 | Senior Citizen Tax Revision | Bill Passed - House (81 - 18) |
| 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 109 | Sales and Use Tax on Food | Bill Passed - House (57 - 17) |
| 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 568 | Flat Tax on Communication Services | Bill Passed - House (62 - 35) |
| 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) |