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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 28, 2007 | NH | HB 774 | Medical Marijuana | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (186 - 177) |
| March 28, 2007 | IA | SF 430 | Recognition of Tribal Court Decisions | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| March 26, 2007 | MD | HB 992 | Parole for Drug Offenders | Bill Passed - House (71 - 66) |
| March 20, 2007 | National | S 214 | United States Attorneys Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - Senate (94 - 2) |
| March 20, 2007 | IL | SB 1296 | Damages in Civil Actions | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 23) |
| March 20, 2007 | TX | CSSB 378 | Deadly Force in Self-Defense | Bill Passed - House (133 - 13) |
| March 20, 2007 | GA | HCS HB 185 | Death Penalty Rules | Bill Passed - House (106 - 65) |
| March 19, 2007 | ID | S 1172 | English as the Official Language | Bill Passed - House (46 - 20) |
| March 15, 2007 | KS | HB 2530 | Physician Liability Exemption | Bill Passed - House (109 - 14) |
| March 13, 2007 | OK | SB 507 | Firearm Injury Liability and Tort Reform | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 5) |
| March 8, 2007 | MS | SB 2391 | Abortion Law Reform | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (49 - 2) |
| March 8, 2007 | AZ | SB 1152 | REAL ID Implementation Prohibition | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 5) |
| March 8, 2007 | AZ | HB 2641 | Maturity Requirement for Underage Abortions | Bill Passed - House (34 - 21) |
| March 7, 2007 | ID | S 1172 | English as the Official Language | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| March 6, 2007 | NY | S 3318 | Sex Offender Management and Treatment Act | Bill Passed - House (127 - 19) |
| March 5, 2007 | NY | S 3318 | Sex Offender Management and Treatment Act | Bill Passed - Senate (53 - 8) |
| Feb. 27, 2007 | MD | SB 61 | Evidence in Sexual Misconduct Trials | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| Feb. 27, 2007 | NM | SB 322 | Requiring Conference Committees to be Public | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 21) |
| Feb. 26, 2007 | AZ | SB 1302 | Use of Force in Self-Defense | Bill Passed - House (42 - 17) |
| Feb. 26, 2007 | CO | HB 1036 | Eminent Domain Over Water Rights | Bill Passed - House (34 - 30) |
| Feb. 22, 2007 | MS | SB 2391 | Abortion Law Reform | Bill Passed - House (97 - 16) |
| Feb. 22, 2007 | MI | HB 4044 | Repealing Drug Company Liability Protection | Bill Passed - House (70 - 39) |
| Feb. 22, 2007 | MI | HB 4046 | Pharmaceutical Company Liability | Bill Passed - House (58 - 49) |
| Feb. 22, 2007 | MI | HB 4045 | Retroactive Drug Manufacturer Liability | Bill Passed - House (60 - 49) |
| Feb. 21, 2007 | NH | HB 143 | Damages in Civil Actions | Bill Passed - House (202 - 150) |
| Feb. 7, 2007 | MS | SB 2391 | Parental Consent Waiver for Abortions | Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 0) |
| Feb. 7, 2007 | IN | HB 1262 | BMV Commission Elimination | Bill Passed - House (51 - 49) |
| Feb. 5, 2007 | WY | HJ 8 | Real ID Act Repeal | Joint Resolution Passed - House (49 - 11) |
| Jan. 29, 2007 | AZ | SB 1032 | Emergency Room Malpractice | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 12) |
| Sept. 29, 2006 | National | S 3930 | Military Commissions Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (250 - 170) |
| Sept. 29, 2006 | National | HR 4772 | Private Property Rights Implementation Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (231 - 181) |
| Sept. 28, 2006 | National | S Amdt 5087 | Habeas Review Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 51) |
| Sept. 28, 2006 | National | S 3930 | Military Commissions Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 34) |
| Sept. 27, 2006 | National | HR 6166 | Military Commissions Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (253 - 168) |
| Sept. 26, 2006 | National | HR 4772 | Private Property Rights Implementation Act of 2005 | Bill Failed - House (234 - 172) |
| Sept. 26, 2006 | National | HR 2679 | Public Expression of Religion Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (244 - 173) |
| Sept. 21, 2006 | National | HR 6095 | Immigration Law Enforcement Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (277 - 140) |
| Sept. 21, 2006 | National | HR 6095 | Immigration Law Enforcement Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (277 - 140) |
| July 25, 2006 | NC | HB 1323 | Establishment of NC Innocence Inquiry Commission | Conference Report Adopted - House (86 - 28) |
| July 19, 2006 | National | HR 2389 | Pledge Protection Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (260 - 167) |
| June 22, 2006 | NJ | A 3257 | Eminent Domain and Redevelopment Programs | Bill Passed - House (51 - 18) |
| June 21, 2006 | NY | S 8446 | DNA Database Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 2) |
| June 21, 2006 | AZ | SB 1430 | Children, Child Protective Services | Bill Failed - House (29 - 27) |
| June 14, 2006 | LA | HB 1379 | Procedures for the Granting of a Divorce When There are Minor Children | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (67 - 20) |
| June 12, 2006 | PA | HB 698 | Mental Retardation Consideration in Murder Cases | Bill Passed - House (169 - 28) |
| May 26, 2006 | OK | SB 1807 | Prohibiting Death Sentence For Mentally Retarded Defendant | Conference Report Adopted - House (91 - 5) |
| May 25, 2006 | SC | Amdt 3 to S 1084 | Inclusion of Unborn Child/Fetus in Definition for Civil Suits Amendment | Amendment Tabled - House (65 - 31) |
| May 25, 2006 | SC | S 1084 | Penalties For Harming An Unborn Child/Fetus | Bill Passed - House (81 - 18) |
| May 24, 2006 | NH | HB 656 | "Do Not Resuscitate" Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (168 - 165) |
| May 24, 2006 | OK | SB 1807 | Prohibiting Death Sentence For Mentally Retarded Defendant | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 10) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/28 | HB 774 | Medical Marijuana | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (186 - 177) |
| 3/28 | SF 430 | Recognition of Tribal Court Decisions | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| 3/26 | HB 992 | Parole for Drug Offenders | Bill Passed - House (71 - 66) |
| 3/20 | S 214 | United States Attorneys Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - Senate (94 - 2) |
| 3/20 | SB 1296 | Damages in Civil Actions | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 23) |
| 3/20 | CSSB 378 | Deadly Force in Self-Defense | Bill Passed - House (133 - 13) |
| 3/20 | HCS HB 185 | Death Penalty Rules | Bill Passed - House (106 - 65) |
| 3/19 | S 1172 | English as the Official Language | Bill Passed - House (46 - 20) |
| 3/15 | HB 2530 | Physician Liability Exemption | Bill Passed - House (109 - 14) |
| 3/13 | SB 507 | Firearm Injury Liability and Tort Reform | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 5) |
| 3/08 | SB 2391 | Abortion Law Reform | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (49 - 2) |
| 3/08 | SB 1152 | REAL ID Implementation Prohibition | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 5) |
| 3/08 | HB 2641 | Maturity Requirement for Underage Abortions | Bill Passed - House (34 - 21) |
| 3/07 | S 1172 | English as the Official Language | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| 3/06 | S 3318 | Sex Offender Management and Treatment Act | Bill Passed - House (127 - 19) |
| 3/05 | S 3318 | Sex Offender Management and Treatment Act | Bill Passed - Senate (53 - 8) |
| 2/27 | SB 61 | Evidence in Sexual Misconduct Trials | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| 2/27 | SB 322 | Requiring Conference Committees to be Public | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 21) |
| 2/26 | SB 1302 | Use of Force in Self-Defense | Bill Passed - House (42 - 17) |
| 2/26 | HB 1036 | Eminent Domain Over Water Rights | Bill Passed - House (34 - 30) |
| 2/22 | SB 2391 | Abortion Law Reform | Bill Passed - House (97 - 16) |
| 2/22 | HB 4044 | Repealing Drug Company Liability Protection | Bill Passed - House (70 - 39) |
| 2/22 | HB 4046 | Pharmaceutical Company Liability | Bill Passed - House (58 - 49) |
| 2/22 | HB 4045 | Retroactive Drug Manufacturer Liability | Bill Passed - House (60 - 49) |
| 2/21 | HB 143 | Damages in Civil Actions | Bill Passed - House (202 - 150) |
| 2/07 | SB 2391 | Parental Consent Waiver for Abortions | Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 0) |
| 2/07 | HB 1262 | BMV Commission Elimination | Bill Passed - House (51 - 49) |
| 2/05 | HJ 8 | Real ID Act Repeal | Joint Resolution Passed - House (49 - 11) |
| 1/29 | SB 1032 | Emergency Room Malpractice | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 12) |
| 9/29 | S 3930 | Military Commissions Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (250 - 170) |
| 9/29 | HR 4772 | Private Property Rights Implementation Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (231 - 181) |
| 9/28 | S Amdt 5087 | Habeas Review Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 51) |
| 9/28 | S 3930 | Military Commissions Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 34) |
| 9/27 | HR 6166 | Military Commissions Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (253 - 168) |
| 9/26 | HR 4772 | Private Property Rights Implementation Act of 2005 | Bill Failed - House (234 - 172) |
| 9/26 | HR 2679 | Public Expression of Religion Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (244 - 173) |
| 9/21 | HR 6095 | Immigration Law Enforcement Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (277 - 140) |
| 9/21 | HR 6095 | Immigration Law Enforcement Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (277 - 140) |
| 7/25 | HB 1323 | Establishment of NC Innocence Inquiry Commission | Conference Report Adopted - House (86 - 28) |
| 7/19 | HR 2389 | Pledge Protection Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (260 - 167) |
| 6/22 | A 3257 | Eminent Domain and Redevelopment Programs | Bill Passed - House (51 - 18) |
| 6/21 | S 8446 | DNA Database Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 2) |
| 6/21 | SB 1430 | Children, Child Protective Services | Bill Failed - House (29 - 27) |
| 6/14 | HB 1379 | Procedures for the Granting of a Divorce When There are Minor Children | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (67 - 20) |
| 6/12 | HB 698 | Mental Retardation Consideration in Murder Cases | Bill Passed - House (169 - 28) |
| 5/26 | SB 1807 | Prohibiting Death Sentence For Mentally Retarded Defendant | Conference Report Adopted - House (91 - 5) |
| 5/25 | Amdt 3 to S 1084 | Inclusion of Unborn Child/Fetus in Definition for Civil Suits Amendment | Amendment Tabled - House (65 - 31) |
| 5/25 | S 1084 | Penalties For Harming An Unborn Child/Fetus | Bill Passed - House (81 - 18) |
| 5/24 | HB 656 | "Do Not Resuscitate" Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (168 - 165) |
| 5/24 | SB 1807 | Prohibiting Death Sentence For Mentally Retarded Defendant | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 10) |