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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 15, 2006 | NH | HB 656 | "Do Not Resuscitate" Bill | Bill Passed - House (231 - 118) |
| Feb. 15, 2006 | MI | SB 838 | Medicare Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| Feb. 14, 2006 | MI | Sub for SB 1028 | Changes to the Family Independent Agency | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| Feb. 14, 2006 | VA | Sub SB 677 | In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 3) |
| Feb. 13, 2006 | CO | HB 1175 | Colorado Clean Indoor Air Act | Bill Passed - House (41 - 24) |
| Feb. 13, 2006 | AZ | HB 2254 | Requiring Doctors to Inform Women of Fetal Pain | Bill Passed - House (36 - 21) |
| Feb. 13, 2006 | VA | SB 648 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
| Feb. 13, 2006 | CO | HB 1036 | Auto Insurance Bill | Bill Failed - House (32 - 33) |
| Feb. 10, 2006 | WA | Sub HB 2738 | Minimum Renewable Fuel Content Requirements | Bill Passed - House (70 - 28) |
| Feb. 10, 2006 | SD | HB 1235 | Compulsory High School Education Age to 18 | Bill Passed - House (51 - 14) |
| Feb. 10, 2006 | WA | Sub SB 6475 | Certificate of Academic Achievement Alternative Methods | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 10) |
| Feb. 10, 2006 | WA | Sub HB 2738 | Minimum Renewable Fuel Content Requirements | Bill Passed - House (70 - 28) |
| Feb. 9, 2006 | SD | HB 1194 | Contraceptive Distribution at Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (51 - 17) |
| Feb. 9, 2006 | WA | 3rd Sub HB 1484 | Taxation for School Funding | Bill Passed - House (50 - 48) |
| Feb. 9, 2006 | MS | HB 1115 | Tobacco Settlement Payments | Bill Passed - House (71 - 47) |
| Feb. 9, 2006 | SD | HB 1234 | Mandatory Kindergarten | Bill Passed - House (52 - 15) |
| Feb. 9, 2006 | SD | HB 1215 | Abortion Ban | Bill Passed - House (47 - 22) |
| Feb. 9, 2006 | SD | HB 1194 | Contraceptive Distribution at Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (51 - 17) |
| Feb. 8, 2006 | ME | LD 1798 | Standardized Testing | "Ought Not to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 16) |
| Feb. 8, 2006 | CO | Amendment | Transportation Funding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (29 - 36) |
| Feb. 8, 2006 | VA | SB 648 | Smoking Ban | Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 20) |
| Feb. 8, 2006 | ID | S 1276 | Thermal Generation Power Plant Notification | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| Feb. 8, 2006 | WA | 2nd Sub HB 2572 | Health Insurance for Small Businesses | Bill Passed - House (57 - 41) |
| Feb. 8, 2006 | ID | S 1276 | Thermal Generation Power Plant Notification | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| Feb. 8, 2006 | AK | SB 85 | Off-Road Vehicle Use Near Dalton Highway | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 9) |
| Feb. 8, 2006 | KY | HB 163 | State Request for Federal Drug Importation | Bill Passed - House (58 - 35) |
| Feb. 7, 2006 | KS | Amend HB 2593 | Health Insurance Abortion Restrictions | Amendment Adopted - House (72 - 50) |
| Feb. 7, 2006 | SD | H Amdt 1194rf | Penalties for School Employees for Dispensing Contraceptives Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (37 - 33) |
| Feb. 7, 2006 | SD | H Amdt 1194rf | Penalties for School Employees for Dispensing Contraceptives Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (37 - 33) |
| Feb. 7, 2006 | SD | HB 1217 | Abstinence-Only Sex Education | Bill Passed - House (46 - 24) |
| Feb. 7, 2006 | SD | HB 1217 | Abstinence-Only Sex Education | Bill Passed - House (46 - 24) |
| Feb. 6, 2006 | MS | SB 2119 | School Board Elections, Superintendent Appointments, and Consolidation Issues | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 20) |
| Feb. 6, 2006 | SD | HB 1184 | Medical Treatments that Violate Medical Workers Principles | Bill Failed - House (34 - 35) |
| Feb. 2, 2006 | National | S Amdt 2737 | Military Funding and Tax Cuts Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 53) |
| Feb. 2, 2006 | National | S Amdt 2730 | Medicare Part D Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (52 - 45) |
| Feb. 2, 2006 | National | HR 4297 | Tax Relief Extension Reconciliation Act of 2005 | Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 31) |
| Feb. 2, 2006 | IN | HB 1006 | Allocation of School Resources for Homeless Students | Bill Passed - House (56 - 40) |
| Feb. 2, 2006 | IN | HB 1006 | Allocation of School Resources for Homeless Students | Bill Passed - House (56 - 40) |
| Feb. 2, 2006 | IN | HB 1240 | Statewide Testing Review and ISTEP | Bill Passed - House (52 - 47) |
| Feb. 2, 2006 | VA | Sub HB 262 | College Admission for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (67 - 33) |
| Feb. 2, 2006 | VA | HB 1050 | In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (76 - 23) |
| Feb. 2, 2006 | MS | SB 2604 | Mississippi Adequate Education Program Revisions | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 15) |
| Feb. 1, 2006 | CO | HB 1056 | Vending Machines Requirements for Schools Bill | Bill Passed - House (36 - 28) |
| Feb. 1, 2006 | CO | HB 1056 | Vending Machines Requirements for Schools Bill | Bill Passed - House (36 - 28) |
| Feb. 1, 2006 | MS | SB 2602 | Mississippi Education Reform Act | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
| Jan. 31, 2006 | GA | SB 390 | Classroom First for Georgia Act | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
| Jan. 31, 2006 | NM | SB 258 | Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 6) |
| Jan. 31, 2006 | IN | SB 145 | Vehicle Seizure and Driving While Intoxicated | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 16) |
| Jan. 31, 2006 | IN | SB 145 | Vehicle Seizure and Driving While Intoxicated | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 16) |
| Jan. 31, 2006 | SD | SB 175 | Emergency Contraceptives for Rape Victims | Bill Failed - Senate (9 - 26) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/15 | HB 656 | "Do Not Resuscitate" Bill | Bill Passed - House (231 - 118) |
| 2/15 | SB 838 | Medicare Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| 2/14 | Sub for SB 1028 | Changes to the Family Independent Agency | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| 2/14 | Sub SB 677 | In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 3) |
| 2/13 | HB 1175 | Colorado Clean Indoor Air Act | Bill Passed - House (41 - 24) |
| 2/13 | HB 2254 | Requiring Doctors to Inform Women of Fetal Pain | Bill Passed - House (36 - 21) |
| 2/13 | SB 648 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
| 2/13 | HB 1036 | Auto Insurance Bill | Bill Failed - House (32 - 33) |
| 2/10 | Sub HB 2738 | Minimum Renewable Fuel Content Requirements | Bill Passed - House (70 - 28) |
| 2/10 | HB 1235 | Compulsory High School Education Age to 18 | Bill Passed - House (51 - 14) |
| 2/10 | Sub SB 6475 | Certificate of Academic Achievement Alternative Methods | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 10) |
| 2/10 | Sub HB 2738 | Minimum Renewable Fuel Content Requirements | Bill Passed - House (70 - 28) |
| 2/09 | HB 1194 | Contraceptive Distribution at Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (51 - 17) |
| 2/09 | 3rd Sub HB 1484 | Taxation for School Funding | Bill Passed - House (50 - 48) |
| 2/09 | HB 1115 | Tobacco Settlement Payments | Bill Passed - House (71 - 47) |
| 2/09 | HB 1234 | Mandatory Kindergarten | Bill Passed - House (52 - 15) |
| 2/09 | HB 1215 | Abortion Ban | Bill Passed - House (47 - 22) |
| 2/09 | HB 1194 | Contraceptive Distribution at Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (51 - 17) |
| 2/08 | LD 1798 | Standardized Testing | "Ought Not to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 16) |
| 2/08 | Amendment | Transportation Funding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (29 - 36) |
| 2/08 | SB 648 | Smoking Ban | Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 20) |
| 2/08 | S 1276 | Thermal Generation Power Plant Notification | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| 2/08 | 2nd Sub HB 2572 | Health Insurance for Small Businesses | Bill Passed - House (57 - 41) |
| 2/08 | S 1276 | Thermal Generation Power Plant Notification | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| 2/08 | SB 85 | Off-Road Vehicle Use Near Dalton Highway | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 9) |
| 2/08 | HB 163 | State Request for Federal Drug Importation | Bill Passed - House (58 - 35) |
| 2/07 | Amend HB 2593 | Health Insurance Abortion Restrictions | Amendment Adopted - House (72 - 50) |
| 2/07 | H Amdt 1194rf | Penalties for School Employees for Dispensing Contraceptives Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (37 - 33) |
| 2/07 | H Amdt 1194rf | Penalties for School Employees for Dispensing Contraceptives Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (37 - 33) |
| 2/07 | HB 1217 | Abstinence-Only Sex Education | Bill Passed - House (46 - 24) |
| 2/07 | HB 1217 | Abstinence-Only Sex Education | Bill Passed - House (46 - 24) |
| 2/06 | SB 2119 | School Board Elections, Superintendent Appointments, and Consolidation Issues | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 20) |
| 2/06 | HB 1184 | Medical Treatments that Violate Medical Workers Principles | Bill Failed - House (34 - 35) |
| 2/02 | S Amdt 2737 | Military Funding and Tax Cuts Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 53) |
| 2/02 | S Amdt 2730 | Medicare Part D Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (52 - 45) |
| 2/02 | HR 4297 | Tax Relief Extension Reconciliation Act of 2005 | Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 31) |
| 2/02 | HB 1006 | Allocation of School Resources for Homeless Students | Bill Passed - House (56 - 40) |
| 2/02 | HB 1006 | Allocation of School Resources for Homeless Students | Bill Passed - House (56 - 40) |
| 2/02 | HB 1240 | Statewide Testing Review and ISTEP | Bill Passed - House (52 - 47) |
| 2/02 | Sub HB 262 | College Admission for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (67 - 33) |
| 2/02 | HB 1050 | In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (76 - 23) |
| 2/02 | SB 2604 | Mississippi Adequate Education Program Revisions | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 15) |
| 2/01 | HB 1056 | Vending Machines Requirements for Schools Bill | Bill Passed - House (36 - 28) |
| 2/01 | HB 1056 | Vending Machines Requirements for Schools Bill | Bill Passed - House (36 - 28) |
| 2/01 | SB 2602 | Mississippi Education Reform Act | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
| 1/31 | SB 390 | Classroom First for Georgia Act | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
| 1/31 | SB 258 | Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 6) |
| 1/31 | SB 145 | Vehicle Seizure and Driving While Intoxicated | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 16) |
| 1/31 | SB 145 | Vehicle Seizure and Driving While Intoxicated | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 16) |
| 1/31 | SB 175 | Emergency Contraceptives for Rape Victims | Bill Failed - Senate (9 - 26) |