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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan. 30, 2008 | TN | SJR 127 | Abortion Not Protected by State Constitution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (23 - 9) |
| Jan. 29, 2008 | SD | SB 88 | Offering Sonograms to Women Considering Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
| Jan. 29, 2008 | IN | SB 3 | Authorizing Physicians to Refuse Prescriptions | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18) |
| Jan. 29, 2008 | IN | SB 146 | Pre-Abortion Notification Requirement | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 9) |
| Jan. 28, 2008 | CO | SB 3 | Medicaid Funded Family Planning | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| Jan. 24, 2008 | IN | SB 3 | Authorizing Physicians to Refuse Prescriptions | Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 24) |
| Jan. 22, 2008 | MI | SB 776 | Late-Term/Partial-Birth Abortion Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
| Jan. 22, 2008 | MI | SB 776 | Late-Term/Partial-Birth Abortion Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
| Dec. 18, 2007 | National | HR 2764 | Inclusion of Iraq and Afghanistan Military Operations Funding with the Consolidated Appropriations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (76 - 17) |
| Nov. 1, 2007 | National | HR 3963 | Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (CHIP) | Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 30) |
| Nov. 1, 2007 | National | HR 3963 | Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (CHIP) | Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 30) |
| Oct. 31, 2007 | MI | SB 232 | 2007-2008 Department of Human Services Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 16) |
| Sept. 27, 2007 | National | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (67 - 29) |
| Sept. 6, 2007 | National | S Amdt 2707 | Prohibiting U.S. Assistance for Groups that Support Coercive Abortion | Amendment Adopted - Senate (48 - 45) |
| Aug. 2, 2007 | National | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 31) |
| July 9, 2007 | KY | SCS SB 5 | Public Employee Health Insurance Plans | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 6) |
| June 14, 2007 | MA | S 2220 | Constitutional Amendment Defining Marriage | Bill Failed - Senate (5 - 34) |
| May 23, 2007 | CT | Sub SB 1044 | Gender Identification Nondiscrimination Act | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 4) |
| May 2, 2007 | MN | SF 1398 | Domestic Partnership Visitation Rights | Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 22) |
| May 1, 2007 | CO | HB 1301 | Cervical Cancer Immunization Act | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 9) |
| April 30, 2007 | MN | S Amendment | Domestic Partner Visitation Rights | Amendment Rejected - Senate (31 - 34) |
| April 26, 2007 | NH | HB 437 | Same-Sex Civil Unions | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 10) |
| April 25, 2007 | IA | SF 427 | Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity Discrimination | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (34 - 16) |
| April 19, 2007 | NV | SB 409 | HPV Vaccine Coverage Act | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 7) |
| April 17, 2007 | CO | SB 25 | Sexual Orientation Workplace Discrimination | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| March 26, 2007 | IA | SF 427 | Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity Discrimination | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17) |
| March 24, 2007 | MN | SF 1997 | 2008-2009 State Government Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 20) |
| March 16, 2007 | MD | SB 533 | Removal of Remarriage Barriers | Bill Failed - Senate (22 - 22) |
| March 13, 2007 | AR | SB 959 | Adoption and Foster Care Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 7) |
| March 5, 2007 | NM | SB 1174 | HPV Vaccine Requirement for Sixth Graders | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 3) |
| March 1, 2007 | WA | Sub SB 5336 | Legal Benefits for Domestic Partners | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 19) |
| Feb. 12, 2007 | IN | SB 327 | HPV Immunization | Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 5) |
| Jan. 31, 2007 | WY | SF 13 | Same Sex Marriages | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
| Aug. 17, 2006 | CA | AB 2555 | Wage Discrimination Penalties | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| July 25, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4689 | Teen Pregnancy Education Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 51) |
| May 23, 2006 | LA | SB 347 | Sexual Orientation Discrimination in State Government | Bill Failed - Senate (10 - 24) |
| April 20, 2006 | CO | SB 81 | Employment Nondiscrimination Expansion Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| April 11, 2006 | AZ | HB 2142 | Human Eggs; Sale; Prohibition | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11) |
| April 4, 2006 | AZ | HB 2254 | Requiring Doctors to Inform Women of Fetal Pain | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13) |
| March 31, 2006 | CO | HB 1212 | Allows Pharmacists to Prescribe Emergency Contraception | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| March 2, 2006 | AZ | SB 1325 | Public Funds; Abortion; Prohibition | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12) |
| March 1, 2006 | IL | SB 1991 | Minority and Female Investors in Casinos | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 23) |
| Feb. 22, 2006 | SD | S Amdt 1215cb | Exception to Abortion Ban in Cases Where the Health of the Woman is Seriously Threatened | Amendment Rejected - Senate (13 - 22) |
| Feb. 22, 2006 | SD | S Amdt 1215ca | Exceptions to Abortion Ban in Cases of Rape or Incest Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (14 - 21) |
| Feb. 22, 2006 | SD | HB 1215 | Abortion Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| Jan. 27, 2006 | WA | Sub HB 2661 | Expanding the Jurisdiction of the Human Rights Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 23) |
| March 17, 2005 | National | S Amdt 244 | Unintended Pregnancy Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 53) |
| March 25, 2004 | National | HR 1997 | Unborn Victims of Violence Act 2004 | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 38) |
| July 14, 1999 | National | S Amdt 1241 | Women's Health and Cancer Rights Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (55 - 45) |
| April 30, 1996 | National | S Amdt 3820 | Legal Immigrants Assistance Eligibility Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53) |
| Feb. 8, 1994 | National | S Amdt 1390 | Contraceptives Distribution Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (34 - 59) |
| April 2, 1992 | National | S Amdt 1757 | Prohibiting Federal Funding of Human Sexual Behavior Surveys | Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 46) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/30 | SJR 127 | Abortion Not Protected by State Constitution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (23 - 9) |
| 1/29 | SB 88 | Offering Sonograms to Women Considering Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
| 1/29 | SB 3 | Authorizing Physicians to Refuse Prescriptions | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18) |
| 1/29 | SB 146 | Pre-Abortion Notification Requirement | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 9) |
| 1/28 | SB 3 | Medicaid Funded Family Planning | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| 1/24 | SB 3 | Authorizing Physicians to Refuse Prescriptions | Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 24) |
| 1/22 | SB 776 | Late-Term/Partial-Birth Abortion Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
| 1/22 | SB 776 | Late-Term/Partial-Birth Abortion Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
| 12/18 | HR 2764 | Inclusion of Iraq and Afghanistan Military Operations Funding with the Consolidated Appropriations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (76 - 17) |
| 11/01 | HR 3963 | Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (CHIP) | Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 30) |
| 11/01 | HR 3963 | Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (CHIP) | Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 30) |
| 10/31 | SB 232 | 2007-2008 Department of Human Services Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 16) |
| 9/27 | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (67 - 29) |
| 9/06 | S Amdt 2707 | Prohibiting U.S. Assistance for Groups that Support Coercive Abortion | Amendment Adopted - Senate (48 - 45) |
| 8/02 | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 31) |
| 7/09 | SCS SB 5 | Public Employee Health Insurance Plans | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 6) |
| 6/14 | S 2220 | Constitutional Amendment Defining Marriage | Bill Failed - Senate (5 - 34) |
| 5/23 | Sub SB 1044 | Gender Identification Nondiscrimination Act | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 4) |
| 5/02 | SF 1398 | Domestic Partnership Visitation Rights | Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 22) |
| 5/01 | HB 1301 | Cervical Cancer Immunization Act | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 9) |
| 4/30 | S Amendment | Domestic Partner Visitation Rights | Amendment Rejected - Senate (31 - 34) |
| 4/26 | HB 437 | Same-Sex Civil Unions | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 10) |
| 4/25 | SF 427 | Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity Discrimination | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (34 - 16) |
| 4/19 | SB 409 | HPV Vaccine Coverage Act | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 7) |
| 4/17 | SB 25 | Sexual Orientation Workplace Discrimination | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| 3/26 | SF 427 | Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity Discrimination | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17) |
| 3/24 | SF 1997 | 2008-2009 State Government Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 20) |
| 3/16 | SB 533 | Removal of Remarriage Barriers | Bill Failed - Senate (22 - 22) |
| 3/13 | SB 959 | Adoption and Foster Care Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 7) |
| 3/05 | SB 1174 | HPV Vaccine Requirement for Sixth Graders | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 3) |
| 3/01 | Sub SB 5336 | Legal Benefits for Domestic Partners | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 19) |
| 2/12 | SB 327 | HPV Immunization | Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 5) |
| 1/31 | SF 13 | Same Sex Marriages | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
| 8/17 | AB 2555 | Wage Discrimination Penalties | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 7/25 | S Amdt 4689 | Teen Pregnancy Education Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 51) |
| 5/23 | SB 347 | Sexual Orientation Discrimination in State Government | Bill Failed - Senate (10 - 24) |
| 4/20 | SB 81 | Employment Nondiscrimination Expansion Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| 4/11 | HB 2142 | Human Eggs; Sale; Prohibition | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11) |
| 4/04 | HB 2254 | Requiring Doctors to Inform Women of Fetal Pain | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13) |
| 3/31 | HB 1212 | Allows Pharmacists to Prescribe Emergency Contraception | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| 3/02 | SB 1325 | Public Funds; Abortion; Prohibition | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12) |
| 3/01 | SB 1991 | Minority and Female Investors in Casinos | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 23) |
| 2/22 | S Amdt 1215cb | Exception to Abortion Ban in Cases Where the Health of the Woman is Seriously Threatened | Amendment Rejected - Senate (13 - 22) |
| 2/22 | S Amdt 1215ca | Exceptions to Abortion Ban in Cases of Rape or Incest Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (14 - 21) |
| 2/22 | HB 1215 | Abortion Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 1/27 | Sub HB 2661 | Expanding the Jurisdiction of the Human Rights Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 23) |
| 3/17 | S Amdt 244 | Unintended Pregnancy Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 53) |
| 3/25 | HR 1997 | Unborn Victims of Violence Act 2004 | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 38) |
| 7/14 | S Amdt 1241 | Women's Health and Cancer Rights Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (55 - 45) |
| 4/30 | S Amdt 3820 | Legal Immigrants Assistance Eligibility Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53) |
| 2/08 | S Amdt 1390 | Contraceptives Distribution Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (34 - 59) |
| 4/02 | S Amdt 1757 | Prohibiting Federal Funding of Human Sexual Behavior Surveys | Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 46) |