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, 2006 | IN | SB 354 | Forestry Classifications | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20) |
| Jan. 30, 2006 | IN | SB 354 | Forestry Classifications | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20) |
| Jan. 27, 2006 | MS | HB 409 | Seat Belt Law | Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 4) |
| Jan. 27, 2006 | UT | 1SHB 85 | Parental Consent for Minors Abortion Bill | Bill Passed - House (65 - 8) |
| Jan. 26, 2006 | CA | AB 802 | Local Governments Assessment of Flood Risks | Bill Passed - House (41 - 34) |
| Jan. 26, 2006 | RI | H 6700 Sub A | Driver Refusal of Chemical Tests | Bill Passed - House (64 - 6) |
| Jan. 25, 2006 | MS | HB 123 | Smoking Ban in Government Buildings | Bill Passed - House (83 - 37) |
| Jan. 25, 2006 | WV | HB 4021 SUB | Health Care Changes | Bill Passed - House (80 - 14) |
| Jan. 24, 2006 | AZ | HB 2002 | English Language Learners; Structured English Immersion Models; Budget Requests | Bill Passed - House (33 - 23) |
| Jan. 24, 2006 | IN | SB 60 | Public School Transfer Program | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
| Jan. 24, 2006 | SD | SB 27 | State Fair Appropriation | Bill Passed - House (61 - 7) |
| Jan. 24, 2006 | AZ | HB 2002 | English Language Learners; Structured English Immersion Models; Budget Requests | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
| Jan. 24, 2006 | IN | SB 88 | Seat Belt Requirement | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21) |
| Jan. 23, 2006 | UT | SB 96 | Origin of Species Curriculum Requirement Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 12) |
| Jan. 23, 2006 | WA | 2nd Sub HB 2292 | Addressing Health Care Liability Reform | Bill Passed - House (54 - 43) |
| Jan. 20, 2006 | UT | SB 19 | Additions to Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12) |
| Jan. 19, 2006 | WI | AB 766 | Medical Malpractice Lawsuit Caps | Veto Override Failed - House (63 - 36) |
| Jan. 19, 2006 | IN | SB 111 | Student Nutrition and Physical Activity | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 7) |
| Jan. 19, 2006 | MA | H 229 | Primary Seat Belt Bill | Bill Passed - House (76 - 74) |
| Jan. 19, 2006 | IN | SB 111 | Student Nutrition and Physical Activity | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 7) |
| Jan. 17, 2006 | SD | SB 27 | State Fair Appropriation | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 4) |
| Jan. 17, 2006 | SC | H 3702 | School Transportation | Bill Passed - House (58 - 47) |
| Jan. 17, 2006 | SC | H 3702 | School Transportation | Bill Passed - House (58 - 47) |
| Jan. 12, 2006 | MD | SB 790 | Health Care for Large Companies | Veto Override Passed - House (88 - 50) |
| Jan. 12, 2006 | MD | SB 790 | Health Care for Large Companies | Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
| Jan. 12, 2006 | MS | HB 409 | Seat Belt Law | Bill Passed - House (95 - 25) |
| Jan. 11, 2006 | MA | H 1230 | In State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Failed - House (57 - 96) |
| Jan. 11, 2006 | MS | SB 2310 | Food and Tobacco Taxes | Bill Passed - House (90 - 30) |
| Jan. 9, 2006 | NJ | S 2783 | Age Restrictions for the Purchase of Tobacco Products | Bill Passed - House (58 - 16) |
| Jan. 6, 2006 | MS | SB 2310 | Food and Tobacco Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 15) |
| Jan. 3, 2006 | RI | H 6052 Sub. A | Medical Marijuana Bill | Veto Override Passed - House (59 - 13) |
| Jan. 3, 2006 | RI | H 6052 Sub. A | Medical Marijuana Bill | Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
| Dec. 21, 2005 | National | HR 2863 | Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 44) |
| Dec. 21, 2005 | National | HR 2863 | Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (93 - 0) |
| Dec. 21, 2005 | National | S Con Res 74 | Removal of ANWR Provision from HR 2863 | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (48 - 45) |
| Dec. 19, 2005 | National | HR 2863 | Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (308 - 106) |
| Dec. 19, 2005 | National | S 1932 | Budget Reconciliation Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (212 - 206) |
| Dec. 19, 2005 | National | HR 1815 | Defense Department FY2006 Authorization Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (374 - 41) |
| Dec. 19, 2005 | National | S 1932 | Budget Reconciliation Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (212 - 206) |
| Dec. 14, 2005 | National | HR 3010 | Labor, HHS and Education FY 2006 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (215 - 213) |
| Dec. 8, 2005 | National | HR 4297 | Tax Relief Extension Reconciliation Act of 2005 | Bill Passed - House (234 - 197) |
| Nov. 17, 2005 | National | S Amdt 2601 | Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (51 - 47) |
| Nov. 17, 2005 | National | HR 3010 | Labor, HHS and Education FY 2006 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Rejected - House (209 - 224) |
| Nov. 15, 2005 | National | S Amdt 2523 | Judicial Review of Detainees Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 54) |
| Nov. 15, 2005 | National | S Amdt 2519 | Reporting Matters in Iraq Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 58) |
| Nov. 15, 2005 | National | S Amdt 2524 | Guantanamo Bay Detainees Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (84 - 14) |
| Nov. 15, 2005 | National | S Amdt 2518 | Iraq Progress Reports Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (79 - 19) |
| Nov. 15, 2005 | National | S 1042 | Defense Department FY2006 Authorization Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (98 - 0) |
| Nov. 10, 2005 | National | S Amdt 2516 | Detainees at Guantanamo Bay Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (49 - 42) |
| Nov. 10, 2005 | National | S Amdt 2476 | Investigating Contracts in Iraq Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 53) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/30 | SB 354 | Forestry Classifications | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20) |
| 1/30 | SB 354 | Forestry Classifications | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20) |
| 1/27 | HB 409 | Seat Belt Law | Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 4) |
| 1/27 | 1SHB 85 | Parental Consent for Minors Abortion Bill | Bill Passed - House (65 - 8) |
| 1/26 | AB 802 | Local Governments Assessment of Flood Risks | Bill Passed - House (41 - 34) |
| 1/26 | H 6700 Sub A | Driver Refusal of Chemical Tests | Bill Passed - House (64 - 6) |
| 1/25 | HB 123 | Smoking Ban in Government Buildings | Bill Passed - House (83 - 37) |
| 1/25 | HB 4021 SUB | Health Care Changes | Bill Passed - House (80 - 14) |
| 1/24 | HB 2002 | English Language Learners; Structured English Immersion Models; Budget Requests | Bill Passed - House (33 - 23) |
| 1/24 | SB 60 | Public School Transfer Program | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
| 1/24 | SB 27 | State Fair Appropriation | Bill Passed - House (61 - 7) |
| 1/24 | HB 2002 | English Language Learners; Structured English Immersion Models; Budget Requests | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
| 1/24 | SB 88 | Seat Belt Requirement | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21) |
| 1/23 | SB 96 | Origin of Species Curriculum Requirement Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 12) |
| 1/23 | 2nd Sub HB 2292 | Addressing Health Care Liability Reform | Bill Passed - House (54 - 43) |
| 1/20 | SB 19 | Additions to Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12) |
| 1/19 | AB 766 | Medical Malpractice Lawsuit Caps | Veto Override Failed - House (63 - 36) |
| 1/19 | SB 111 | Student Nutrition and Physical Activity | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 7) |
| 1/19 | H 229 | Primary Seat Belt Bill | Bill Passed - House (76 - 74) |
| 1/19 | SB 111 | Student Nutrition and Physical Activity | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 7) |
| 1/17 | SB 27 | State Fair Appropriation | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 4) |
| 1/17 | H 3702 | School Transportation | Bill Passed - House (58 - 47) |
| 1/17 | H 3702 | School Transportation | Bill Passed - House (58 - 47) |
| 1/12 | SB 790 | Health Care for Large Companies | Veto Override Passed - House (88 - 50) |
| 1/12 | SB 790 | Health Care for Large Companies | Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
| 1/12 | HB 409 | Seat Belt Law | Bill Passed - House (95 - 25) |
| 1/11 | H 1230 | In State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Failed - House (57 - 96) |
| 1/11 | SB 2310 | Food and Tobacco Taxes | Bill Passed - House (90 - 30) |
| 1/09 | S 2783 | Age Restrictions for the Purchase of Tobacco Products | Bill Passed - House (58 - 16) |
| 1/06 | SB 2310 | Food and Tobacco Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 15) |
| 1/03 | H 6052 Sub. A | Medical Marijuana Bill | Veto Override Passed - House (59 - 13) |
| 1/03 | H 6052 Sub. A | Medical Marijuana Bill | Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
| 12/21 | HR 2863 | Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 44) |
| 12/21 | HR 2863 | Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (93 - 0) |
| 12/21 | S Con Res 74 | Removal of ANWR Provision from HR 2863 | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (48 - 45) |
| 12/19 | HR 2863 | Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (308 - 106) |
| 12/19 | S 1932 | Budget Reconciliation Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (212 - 206) |
| 12/19 | HR 1815 | Defense Department FY2006 Authorization Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (374 - 41) |
| 12/19 | S 1932 | Budget Reconciliation Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (212 - 206) |
| 12/14 | HR 3010 | Labor, HHS and Education FY 2006 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (215 - 213) |
| 12/08 | HR 4297 | Tax Relief Extension Reconciliation Act of 2005 | Bill Passed - House (234 - 197) |
| 11/17 | S Amdt 2601 | Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (51 - 47) |
| 11/17 | HR 3010 | Labor, HHS and Education FY 2006 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Rejected - House (209 - 224) |
| 11/15 | S Amdt 2523 | Judicial Review of Detainees Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 54) |
| 11/15 | S Amdt 2519 | Reporting Matters in Iraq Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 58) |
| 11/15 | S Amdt 2524 | Guantanamo Bay Detainees Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (84 - 14) |
| 11/15 | S Amdt 2518 | Iraq Progress Reports Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (79 - 19) |
| 11/15 | S 1042 | Defense Department FY2006 Authorization Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (98 - 0) |
| 11/10 | S Amdt 2516 | Detainees at Guantanamo Bay Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (49 - 42) |
| 11/10 | S Amdt 2476 | Investigating Contracts in Iraq Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 53) |