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
March 20, 2007 GA SB 174 Physical Fitness Standards for State Employees Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 1)
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 13, 2007 ID H 121 Smoking Ban in Bowling Alleys Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 4)
March 8, 2007 AZ SB 1152 REAL ID Implementation Prohibition Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 5)
March 8, 2007 NM HB 283 Indoor Smoking Ban Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9)
March 6, 2007 MD SB 160 Discrimination Against the Homeless Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 9)
Feb. 23, 2007 MT SB 300 Seat Belt Requirement Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
Feb. 21, 2007 WV Com Sub for Com Sub SB 219 Ban on Smoking in a Vehicle with a Minor Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9)
Feb. 7, 2007 MS SB 2617 Voter Identification Requirement Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 15)
Feb. 6, 2007 WY SF 101 Sex Offender Tracking Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12)
Jan. 31, 2007 WY SF 13 Same Sex Marriages Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8)
Jan. 25, 2007 VA SJ 307 Voting Rights of Nonviolent Felons Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (29 - 10)
Jan. 25, 2007 MT SB 15 Funeral Picketing Ban Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 14)
Sept. 28, 2006 National S Amdt 5087 Habeas Review Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 51)
Sept. 28, 2006 National S Amdt 5095 Oversight of CIA Interrogation and Detention Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53)
Sept. 28, 2006 National S 3930 Military Commissions Act of 2006 Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 34)
July 13, 2006 MA H 126 Unsigned Political Posters Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 6)
June 28, 2006 NH SB 318 Use of Deadly Force Veto Override Failed - Senate (11 - 11)
June 27, 2006 National S J Res 12 Flag Desecration Constitutional Amendment Resolution Failed - Senate (66 - 34)
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 7, 2006 National S J Res 1 Same Sex Marriage Resolution Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (49 - 48)
June 6, 2006 MI HB 5143 "Self-Defense Act" Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10)
May 24, 2006 OK SB 1807 Prohibiting Death Sentence For Mentally Retarded Defendant Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 10)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/20 SB 174 Physical Fitness Standards for State Employees Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 1)
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)
3/13 H 121 Smoking Ban in Bowling Alleys Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 4)
3/08 SB 1152 REAL ID Implementation Prohibition Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 5)
3/08 HB 283 Indoor Smoking Ban Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9)
3/06 SB 160 Discrimination Against the Homeless Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 9)
2/23 SB 300 Seat Belt Requirement Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
2/21 Com Sub for Com Sub SB 219 Ban on Smoking in a Vehicle with a Minor Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9)
2/07 SB 2617 Voter Identification Requirement Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 15)
2/06 SF 101 Sex Offender Tracking Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12)
1/31 SF 13 Same Sex Marriages Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8)
1/25 SJ 307 Voting Rights of Nonviolent Felons Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (29 - 10)
1/25 SB 15 Funeral Picketing Ban Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 14)
9/28 S Amdt 5087 Habeas Review Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 51)
9/28 S Amdt 5095 Oversight of CIA Interrogation and Detention Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53)
9/28 S 3930 Military Commissions Act of 2006 Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 34)
7/13 H 126 Unsigned Political Posters Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 6)
6/28 SB 318 Use of Deadly Force Veto Override Failed - Senate (11 - 11)
6/27 S J Res 12 Flag Desecration Constitutional Amendment Resolution Failed - Senate (66 - 34)
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)
6/07 S J Res 1 Same Sex Marriage Resolution Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (49 - 48)
6/06 HB 5143 "Self-Defense Act" Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10)
5/24 SB 1807 Prohibiting Death Sentence For Mentally Retarded Defendant Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 10)

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