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
May 10, 2006 KS HB 2118 Conceal and Carry Conference Report Adopted - Senate (30 - 9)
May 8, 2006 CO HB 1314 Prohibiting Forced Exposure to Employer’s Religious or Political Speech Conference Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 16)
May 4, 2006 CO HB 1344 Same-Sex Partnership Benefits Act Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16)
May 3, 2006 OK HCS SB 806 Tattoo Legalization and Changing Body Piercing Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 15)
May 3, 2006 RI S 2486 Ex-Felon's Voting Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 4)
May 2, 2006 HI SB 3262 Smoking Ban Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 3)
April 27, 2006 CT Sub SB 4 Birth Information for Adult Adoptees Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 8)
April 27, 2006 CA SCR 113 The Great American Boycott 2006 Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 13)
April 20, 2006 MN SF 1070 Seat Belt Law Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 20)
April 20, 2006 CO SB 81 Employment Nondiscrimination Expansion Bill Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
April 17, 2006 AZ HB 2696 Adoption Preference for Married Couples Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 13)
April 6, 2006 NH HB 1177 Smoking Ban "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - Senate (12 - 11)
March 28, 2006 MD SB 539 Hate Crimes Against Homeless Persons Bill Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 25)
March 27, 2006 MD SB 539 Hate Crimes Against Homeless Persons Bill Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 22)
March 22, 2006 KS SB 418 Concealed Weapons Permits Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 10)
March 16, 2006 NH SB 343 Emergency Contraceptives Bill "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - Senate (14 - 10)
March 16, 2006 CO HB 1175 Colorado Clean Indoor Air Act Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 15)
March 14, 2006 IN HB 1099 Fireworks Sales, Regulations, Discharge, Public Safety Fees, and Injuries Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 16)
March 10, 2006 CO Amendment L.004 Balanced Teaching Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (14 - 20)
March 10, 2006 CO HB 1125 Seat Belt Enforcement Bill Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14)
March 2, 2006 National HR 3199 PATRIOT Act Reauthorization Conference Report Adopted - Senate (89 - 10)
March 2, 2006 GA SCS SB 396 Use of Deadly Force Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 13)
March 2, 2006 IN HB 1099 Fireworks Sales, Regulations, Discharge, Public Safety Fees, and Injuries Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18)
March 1, 2006 UT HB 328 Eliminating The Age Requirement For Hunting Small Game Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 7)
March 1, 2006 ID SJR 106 Right to Hunt, Fish and Trap Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (18 - 16)
Feb. 28, 2006 CO HB 1175 Colorado Clean Indoor Air Act Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
Feb. 23, 2006 UT 1SSB 97 Student Organizations Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11)
Feb. 15, 2006 ID HJR 2 Marriage Amendment Ballot Question Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
Feb. 9, 2006 KS SB 418 Concealed Weapons Permits Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 11)
Jan. 27, 2006 WA Sub HB 2661 Expanding the Jurisdiction of the Human Rights Commission Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 23)
Jan. 27, 2006 MS HB 409 Seat Belt Law Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 4)
Jan. 25, 2006 VA SB 526 Defining Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 11)
Jan. 24, 2006 IN SB 88 Seat Belt Requirement Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21)
Dec. 16, 2005 National HR 3199 PATRIOT Act Reauthorization Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 47)
March 8, 2005 National S Amdt 47 Violent Protestor Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53)
July 14, 2004 National S J Res 40 Federal Marriage Amendment Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (48 - 50)
Oct. 16, 2002 National HR 3295 Help America Vote Act of 2002 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 2)
April 11, 2002 National S 565 Equal Protection of Voting Rights Act of 2001 Bill Passed - Senate (99 - 1)
Feb. 27, 2002 National S Amdt 2937 Allowing Signatures for Voter Registration by Mail Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (46 - 51)
Oct. 25, 2001 National HR 3162 USA Patriot Act of 2001 Bill Passed - Senate (98 - 1)
June 20, 2000 National S Amdt 3473 Hate Crimes Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (57 - 42)
March 29, 2000 National S J Res 14 Flag Desecration amendment Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (63 - 37)
July 22, 1998 National S Amdt 3263 Phone Recording Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (50 - 50)
June 6, 1996 National H J Res 1 Balanced Budget Proposed Constitutional Amendment Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (64 - 35)
April 23, 1996 National S J Res 21 Term Limits bill Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 42)
Dec. 12, 1995 National S J Res 31 Flag Desecration Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (63 - 36)
June 6, 1995 National S Amdt 1215 Anti-terrorism Wiretaps Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (77 - 19)
March 2, 1995 National H J Res 1 Balanced Budget Proposed Constitutional Amendment Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (65 - 35)
May 12, 1994 National S 636 Abortion Clinic Access bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (69 - 30)
March 1, 1994 National S J Res 41 Balanced Budget amendment Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (63 - 37)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/10 HB 2118 Conceal and Carry Conference Report Adopted - Senate (30 - 9)
5/08 HB 1314 Prohibiting Forced Exposure to Employer’s Religious or Political Speech Conference Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 16)
5/04 HB 1344 Same-Sex Partnership Benefits Act Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16)
5/03 HCS SB 806 Tattoo Legalization and Changing Body Piercing Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 15)
5/03 S 2486 Ex-Felon's Voting Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 4)
5/02 SB 3262 Smoking Ban Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 3)
4/27 Sub SB 4 Birth Information for Adult Adoptees Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 8)
4/27 SCR 113 The Great American Boycott 2006 Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 13)
4/20 SF 1070 Seat Belt Law Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 20)
4/20 SB 81 Employment Nondiscrimination Expansion Bill Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
4/17 HB 2696 Adoption Preference for Married Couples Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 13)
4/06 HB 1177 Smoking Ban "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - Senate (12 - 11)
3/28 SB 539 Hate Crimes Against Homeless Persons Bill Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 25)
3/27 SB 539 Hate Crimes Against Homeless Persons Bill Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 22)
3/22 SB 418 Concealed Weapons Permits Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 10)
3/16 SB 343 Emergency Contraceptives Bill "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - Senate (14 - 10)
3/16 HB 1175 Colorado Clean Indoor Air Act Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 15)
3/14 HB 1099 Fireworks Sales, Regulations, Discharge, Public Safety Fees, and Injuries Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 16)
3/10 Amendment L.004 Balanced Teaching Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (14 - 20)
3/10 HB 1125 Seat Belt Enforcement Bill Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14)
3/02 HR 3199 PATRIOT Act Reauthorization Conference Report Adopted - Senate (89 - 10)
3/02 SCS SB 396 Use of Deadly Force Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 13)
3/02 HB 1099 Fireworks Sales, Regulations, Discharge, Public Safety Fees, and Injuries Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18)
3/01 HB 328 Eliminating The Age Requirement For Hunting Small Game Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 7)
3/01 SJR 106 Right to Hunt, Fish and Trap Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (18 - 16)
2/28 HB 1175 Colorado Clean Indoor Air Act Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
2/23 1SSB 97 Student Organizations Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11)
2/15 HJR 2 Marriage Amendment Ballot Question Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
2/09 SB 418 Concealed Weapons Permits Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 11)
1/27 Sub HB 2661 Expanding the Jurisdiction of the Human Rights Commission Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 23)
1/27 HB 409 Seat Belt Law Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 4)
1/25 SB 526 Defining Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 11)
1/24 SB 88 Seat Belt Requirement Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21)
12/16 HR 3199 PATRIOT Act Reauthorization Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 47)
3/08 S Amdt 47 Violent Protestor Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53)
7/14 S J Res 40 Federal Marriage Amendment Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (48 - 50)
10/16 HR 3295 Help America Vote Act of 2002 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 2)
4/11 S 565 Equal Protection of Voting Rights Act of 2001 Bill Passed - Senate (99 - 1)
2/27 S Amdt 2937 Allowing Signatures for Voter Registration by Mail Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (46 - 51)
10/25 HR 3162 USA Patriot Act of 2001 Bill Passed - Senate (98 - 1)
6/20 S Amdt 3473 Hate Crimes Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (57 - 42)
3/29 S J Res 14 Flag Desecration amendment Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (63 - 37)
7/22 S Amdt 3263 Phone Recording Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (50 - 50)
6/06 H J Res 1 Balanced Budget Proposed Constitutional Amendment Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (64 - 35)
4/23 S J Res 21 Term Limits bill Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 42)
12/12 S J Res 31 Flag Desecration Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (63 - 36)
6/06 S Amdt 1215 Anti-terrorism Wiretaps Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (77 - 19)
3/02 H J Res 1 Balanced Budget Proposed Constitutional Amendment Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (65 - 35)
5/12 S 636 Abortion Clinic Access bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (69 - 30)
3/01 S J Res 41 Balanced Budget amendment Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (63 - 37)

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