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
Aug. 16, 2006 CA AB 1873 Safe Child Surrender Time Limit Expansion Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9)
Aug. 16, 2006 CA AB 1873 Safe Child Surrender Time Limit Expansion Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9)
Aug. 2, 2006 National S Amdt 4775 Triple-Layered Fencing Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (94 - 3)
July 25, 2006 National S Amdt 4689 Teen Pregnancy Education Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 51)
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 13, 2006 MA H 126 Unsigned Political Posters Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 6)
July 13, 2006 MA H 4176 Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes Veto Override Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
July 13, 2006 National S Amdt 4659 Double-Layered Fencing Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (29 - 71)
July 13, 2006 National S Amdt 4615 Firearm Confiscation Prohibition Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (84 - 16)
July 10, 2006 CO HB 1023 Public Benefits for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
July 10, 2006 CO HB 1017 Employer Verification of Employee Work Status Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8)
July 8, 2006 NJ A 4714 Fur Clothing Tax Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19)
July 8, 2006 CO HB 1020 Business Deductions for Employees Restrictions Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
June 28, 2006 NH SB 318 Use of Deadly Force Veto Override Failed - Senate (11 - 11)
June 28, 2006 NH SB 318 Use of Deadly Force Veto Override Failed - Senate (11 - 11)
June 28, 2006 PA HB 804 Handheld Cell Phone Ban While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 7)
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 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 2)
June 21, 2006 NY S 8446 DNA Database Expansion Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 2)
June 21, 2006 PA HB 2381 Marriage Definition Constitutional Amendment Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (38 - 12)
June 21, 2006 PA HB 2381 Marriage Definition Constitutional Amendment Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (38 - 12)
June 21, 2006 PA HB 2381 Marriage Definition Constitutional Amendment Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (38 - 12)
June 21, 2006 NY S 8446 DNA Database Expansion Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 2)
June 15, 2006 MD HB 2 Mandatory Sentences and Other Penalties for Sex Offenders Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 5)
Date No. Title Outcome
8/16 AB 1873 Safe Child Surrender Time Limit Expansion Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9)
8/16 AB 1873 Safe Child Surrender Time Limit Expansion Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9)
8/02 S Amdt 4775 Triple-Layered Fencing Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (94 - 3)
7/25 S Amdt 4689 Teen Pregnancy Education Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 51)
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)
7/13 H 126 Unsigned Political Posters Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 6)
7/13 H 4176 Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes Veto Override Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
7/13 S Amdt 4659 Double-Layered Fencing Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (29 - 71)
7/13 S Amdt 4615 Firearm Confiscation Prohibition Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (84 - 16)
7/10 HB 1023 Public Benefits for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
7/10 HB 1017 Employer Verification of Employee Work Status Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8)
7/08 A 4714 Fur Clothing Tax Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19)
7/08 HB 1020 Business Deductions for Employees Restrictions Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
6/28 SB 318 Use of Deadly Force Veto Override Failed - Senate (11 - 11)
6/28 SB 318 Use of Deadly Force Veto Override Failed - Senate (11 - 11)
6/28 HB 804 Handheld Cell Phone Ban While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 7)
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 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 2)
6/21 S 8446 DNA Database Expansion Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 2)
6/21 HB 2381 Marriage Definition Constitutional Amendment Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (38 - 12)
6/21 HB 2381 Marriage Definition Constitutional Amendment Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (38 - 12)
6/21 HB 2381 Marriage Definition Constitutional Amendment Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (38 - 12)
6/21 S 8446 DNA Database Expansion Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 2)
6/15 HB 2 Mandatory Sentences and Other Penalties for Sex Offenders Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 5)

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