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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 30, 2006 | CA | SB 1414 | Health Care Requirements for Large Companies | Bill Passed - House (41 - 37) |
| Aug. 30, 2006 | CA | AB 32 | Greenhouse Gases Emission Limits | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| Aug. 30, 2006 | CA | AB 2076 | Needle Exchange Program | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| Aug. 30, 2006 | CA | AB 2076 | Needle Exchange Program | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| Aug. 29, 2006 | CA | SB 1379 | Biomonitoring Program | Bill Passed - House (47 - 30) |
| Aug. 29, 2006 | CA | SB 1379 | Biomonitoring Program | Bill Passed - House (47 - 30) |
| Aug. 29, 2006 | CA | AB 1953 | Amount of Lead in Plumbing Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
| Aug. 29, 2006 | CA | AB 2496 | Water Conservation: Low-Flush Water Closet | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| Aug. 3, 2006 | National | HR 5970 | Death/Estate Tax and Minimum Wage Bill | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 42) |
| Aug. 1, 2006 | National | S 3711 | Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - Senate (71 - 25) |
| July 29, 2006 | National | HR 5970 | Death/Estate Tax and Minimum Wage Bill | Bill Passed - House (230 - 180) |
| July 27, 2006 | National | HR 4157 | Better Health Information Systems Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (270 - 148) |
| July 25, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4689 | Teen Pregnancy Education Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 51) |
| July 20, 2006 | NC | HB 2699 | Early Childhood Vision Care Program | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (88 - 15) |
| July 19, 2006 | National | HR 810 | Stem Cell Research Bill of 2005 | Veto Override Failed - House (235 - 193) |
| July 19, 2006 | NC | HB 2699 | Early Childhood Vision Care Program | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 11) |
| July 18, 2006 | National | HR 810 | Stem Cell Research Bill of 2005 | Bill Passed - Senate (63 - 37) |
| July 18, 2006 | NC | HB 2873 | Drinking Water From Private Wells Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19) |
| July 18, 2006 | NC | HB 2873 | Drinking Water From Private Wells Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19) |
| July 18, 2006 | National | S 2754 | Alternative Stem Cell Therapies Act | Bill Failed - House (273 - 154) |
| July 13, 2006 | MA | H 4176 | Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes | Veto Override Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| July 13, 2006 | MA | H 4176 | Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes | Veto Override Passed - House (115 - 42) |
| July 13, 2006 | MA | H 4176 | Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes | Veto Override Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| July 13, 2006 | MA | H 4176 | Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes | Veto Override Passed - House (115 - 42) |
| July 8, 2006 | NJ | A 4705 | Tobacco Tax | Bill Passed - House (43 - 36) |
| July 8, 2006 | NJ | A 4707 | Luxury and Fuel Inefficient Automobiles | Bill Passed - House (43 - 36) |
| July 8, 2006 | NJ | A 4707 | Luxury and Fuel Inefficient Automobiles | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19) |
| July 8, 2006 | NJ | A 4705 | Tobacco Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19) |
| June 29, 2006 | DE | SB 60 | Sterile Needle and Syringe Exchange Pilot Program | Bill Passed - House (24 - 14) |
| June 29, 2006 | PA | HB 1588 | Fluoride Content in Water | Bill Passed - House (150 - 42) |
| June 29, 2006 | CA | SB 1 | Solar Energy | Bill Passed - House (49 - 19) |
| June 29, 2006 | DE | SB 60 | Sterile Needle and Syringe Exchange Pilot Program | Bill Passed - House (24 - 14) |
| June 27, 2006 | CA | SB 1137 | Sentences for Non-Violent Drug Offenders | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 2) |
| June 27, 2006 | CA | SB 1137 | Sentences for Non-Violent Drug Offenders | Bill Passed - House (64 - 8) |
| June 18, 2006 | LA | HCR 127 | Louisiana Health Care Redesign Collaborative | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 32) |
| June 15, 2006 | LA | SB 742 | Smoking Ban Bill | Bill Passed - House (58 - 33) |
| June 14, 2006 | LA | Amendment #B-635 | Ethanol Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (67 - 28) |
| June 9, 2006 | National | HR 5522 | Foreign Operations and Export Finance Appropriation Act | Bill Passed - House (373 - 34) |
| June 9, 2006 | National | HR 5522 | Foreign Operations and Export Finance Appropriation Act | Bill Passed - House (373 - 34) |
| June 9, 2006 | National | HR 5522 | Foreign Operations and Export Finance Appropriation Act | Bill Passed - House (373 - 34) |
| June 8, 2006 | AK | CCS SB 2001 | Oil and Gas Tax (Special Session) | Conference Report Rejected - House (13 - 25) |
| June 8, 2006 | AK | CCS SB 2001 | Oil and Gas Tax (Special Session) | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 6) |
| June 7, 2006 | MA | H 4176 | Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| June 7, 2006 | MA | H 4176 | Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| June 6, 2006 | AK | HCS CS SB 2001 | Oil and Gas Tax (Special Session) | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (8 - 12) |
| June 4, 2006 | AK | HCS CS SB 2001 | Oil and Gas Tax (Special Session) | Bill Passed - House (28 - 12) |
| June 1, 2006 | CA | SB 1675 | Renewable Diesel Fuel Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
| May 31, 2006 | WI | AB 4 | Tax Deduction for Health Savings Account | Veto Override Failed - House (61 - 36) |
| May 31, 2006 | CA | AB 2076 | Needle Exchange Program | Bill Passed - House (45 - 34) |
| May 31, 2006 | CA | AB 1899 | Flood Assessment Requirements for Building | Bill Passed - House (42 - 35) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8/30 | SB 1414 | Health Care Requirements for Large Companies | Bill Passed - House (41 - 37) |
| 8/30 | AB 32 | Greenhouse Gases Emission Limits | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| 8/30 | AB 2076 | Needle Exchange Program | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| 8/30 | AB 2076 | Needle Exchange Program | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| 8/29 | SB 1379 | Biomonitoring Program | Bill Passed - House (47 - 30) |
| 8/29 | SB 1379 | Biomonitoring Program | Bill Passed - House (47 - 30) |
| 8/29 | AB 1953 | Amount of Lead in Plumbing Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
| 8/29 | AB 2496 | Water Conservation: Low-Flush Water Closet | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| 8/03 | HR 5970 | Death/Estate Tax and Minimum Wage Bill | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 42) |
| 8/01 | S 3711 | Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - Senate (71 - 25) |
| 7/29 | HR 5970 | Death/Estate Tax and Minimum Wage Bill | Bill Passed - House (230 - 180) |
| 7/27 | HR 4157 | Better Health Information Systems Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (270 - 148) |
| 7/25 | S Amdt 4689 | Teen Pregnancy Education Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 51) |
| 7/20 | HB 2699 | Early Childhood Vision Care Program | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (88 - 15) |
| 7/19 | HR 810 | Stem Cell Research Bill of 2005 | Veto Override Failed - House (235 - 193) |
| 7/19 | HB 2699 | Early Childhood Vision Care Program | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 11) |
| 7/18 | HR 810 | Stem Cell Research Bill of 2005 | Bill Passed - Senate (63 - 37) |
| 7/18 | HB 2873 | Drinking Water From Private Wells Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19) |
| 7/18 | HB 2873 | Drinking Water From Private Wells Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19) |
| 7/18 | S 2754 | Alternative Stem Cell Therapies Act | Bill Failed - House (273 - 154) |
| 7/13 | H 4176 | Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes | Veto Override Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| 7/13 | H 4176 | Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes | Veto Override Passed - House (115 - 42) |
| 7/13 | H 4176 | Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes | Veto Override Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| 7/13 | H 4176 | Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes | Veto Override Passed - House (115 - 42) |
| 7/08 | A 4705 | Tobacco Tax | Bill Passed - House (43 - 36) |
| 7/08 | A 4707 | Luxury and Fuel Inefficient Automobiles | Bill Passed - House (43 - 36) |
| 7/08 | A 4707 | Luxury and Fuel Inefficient Automobiles | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19) |
| 7/08 | A 4705 | Tobacco Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19) |
| 6/29 | SB 60 | Sterile Needle and Syringe Exchange Pilot Program | Bill Passed - House (24 - 14) |
| 6/29 | HB 1588 | Fluoride Content in Water | Bill Passed - House (150 - 42) |
| 6/29 | SB 1 | Solar Energy | Bill Passed - House (49 - 19) |
| 6/29 | SB 60 | Sterile Needle and Syringe Exchange Pilot Program | Bill Passed - House (24 - 14) |
| 6/27 | SB 1137 | Sentences for Non-Violent Drug Offenders | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 2) |
| 6/27 | SB 1137 | Sentences for Non-Violent Drug Offenders | Bill Passed - House (64 - 8) |
| 6/18 | HCR 127 | Louisiana Health Care Redesign Collaborative | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 32) |
| 6/15 | SB 742 | Smoking Ban Bill | Bill Passed - House (58 - 33) |
| 6/14 | Amendment #B-635 | Ethanol Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (67 - 28) |
| 6/09 | HR 5522 | Foreign Operations and Export Finance Appropriation Act | Bill Passed - House (373 - 34) |
| 6/09 | HR 5522 | Foreign Operations and Export Finance Appropriation Act | Bill Passed - House (373 - 34) |
| 6/09 | HR 5522 | Foreign Operations and Export Finance Appropriation Act | Bill Passed - House (373 - 34) |
| 6/08 | CCS SB 2001 | Oil and Gas Tax (Special Session) | Conference Report Rejected - House (13 - 25) |
| 6/08 | CCS SB 2001 | Oil and Gas Tax (Special Session) | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 6) |
| 6/07 | H 4176 | Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| 6/07 | H 4176 | Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| 6/06 | HCS CS SB 2001 | Oil and Gas Tax (Special Session) | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (8 - 12) |
| 6/04 | HCS CS SB 2001 | Oil and Gas Tax (Special Session) | Bill Passed - House (28 - 12) |
| 6/01 | SB 1675 | Renewable Diesel Fuel Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
| 5/31 | AB 4 | Tax Deduction for Health Savings Account | Veto Override Failed - House (61 - 36) |
| 5/31 | AB 2076 | Needle Exchange Program | Bill Passed - House (45 - 34) |
| 5/31 | AB 1899 | Flood Assessment Requirements for Building | Bill Passed - House (42 - 35) |