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. 13, 2007 | IA | SF 61 | Harassment In Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (36 - 14) |
| Feb. 12, 2007 | IN | SB 327 | HPV Immunization | Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 5) |
| Feb. 12, 2007 | SD | SB 199 | Mandatory School Attendance | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
| Feb. 12, 2007 | IN | SB 327 | HPV Immunization | Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 5) |
| Feb. 12, 2007 | IN | SB 1 | Indiana Commerce Connector and Illiana Expressway | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 13) |
| Feb. 9, 2007 | UT | HB 148 | Parent Choice in Education Act | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10) |
| Feb. 8, 2007 | ND | SB 2164 | Public Smoking Ban | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 30) |
| Feb. 7, 2007 | MS | SB 2391 | Parental Consent Waiver for Abortions | Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 0) |
| Feb. 7, 2007 | NM | SB 238 | Medical Marijuana Legalization | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 7) |
| Feb. 5, 2007 | VA | SB 1161 | Virginia Smoke-Free Air Act | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16) |
| Feb. 5, 2007 | NJ | A 1 | Property Tax Relief and Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| Feb. 2, 2007 | VA | Sub SB 905 | Refusal of Medical Treatment for Children | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 8) |
| Jan. 31, 2007 | GA | SCS SB 10 | Special Needs Scholarship Act | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 23) |
| Jan. 30, 2007 | CO | SB 60 | Emergency Contraception for Sexual Assault Survivors | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| Jan. 30, 2007 | IA | SF 61 | Harassment In Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14) |
| Jan. 29, 2007 | AZ | SB 1032 | Emergency Room Malpractice | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 12) |
| Jan. 26, 2007 | CO | SB 1 | Discounted Prescription Drugs | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6) |
| Jan. 24, 2007 | SD | SB 74 | Allowing Friends to Make Medical Decisions | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10) |
| Jan. 23, 2007 | VA | SB 1204 | In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 8) |
| Jan. 22, 2007 | CO | SB 26 | Funding Full-Day Kindergarten | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| Dec. 7, 2006 | National | PN 1396 | Andrew von Eschenbach, Commissioner of Food and Drugs | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (80 - 11) |
| Dec. 6, 2006 | National | PN 2191 | Robert Gates, Secretary of Defense | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (95 - 2) |
| Sept. 28, 2006 | National | S Amdt 5095 | Oversight of CIA Interrogation and Detention Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53) |
| Sept. 28, 2006 | National | S Amdt 5104 | Military Commissions Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 52) |
| Sept. 28, 2006 | National | S 3930 | Military Commissions Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 34) |
| Sept. 13, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4999 | Security of Cargo Containers Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 55) |
| Sept. 13, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4936 | National Security Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (41 - 57) |
| Sept. 7, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4909 | Media in the Middle East Amendment | Bill Tabled - Senate (51 - 44) |
| Sept. 6, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4882 | Cluster Munitions Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (30 - 70) |
| Aug. 31, 2006 | CA | SB 1379 | Biomonitoring Program | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| Aug. 31, 2006 | CA | SB 1613 | Prohibition on Wireless Phone Use While Driving | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| Aug. 31, 2006 | CA | SB 1414 | Health Care Requirements for Large Companies | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 17) |
| Aug. 30, 2006 | CA | AB 2076 | Needle Exchange Program | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| Aug. 29, 2006 | CA | AB 1953 | Amount of Lead in Plumbing Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
| Aug. 29, 2006 | CA | AB 1953 | Amount of Lead in Plumbing Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
| Aug. 22, 2006 | CA | AB 2108 | Child Booster and Seat Belt Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| July 19, 2006 | NC | HB 2699 | Early Childhood Vision Care Program | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 11) |
| July 19, 2006 | NC | HB 2699 | Early Childhood Vision Care Program | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 11) |
| July 18, 2006 | NC | HB 2873 | Drinking Water From Private Wells Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19) |
| July 18, 2006 | NC | HB 2873 | Drinking Water From Private Wells Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19) |
| July 14, 2006 | IA | HF 2351 | Eminent Domain | Veto Override Passed - Senate (41 - 8) |
| July 13, 2006 | MA | H 4176 | Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes | Veto Override Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| July 12, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4587 | Transit Security Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (50 - 50) |
| July 12, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4553 | Rail and Transit Security Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (50 - 50) |
| July 8, 2006 | NJ | A 4705 | Tobacco Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19) |
| July 8, 2006 | NJ | A 4707 | Luxury and Fuel Inefficient Automobiles | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19) |
| June 28, 2006 | PA | HB 804 | Handheld Cell Phone Ban While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 7) |
| June 22, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4442 | Troop Redeployment Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (13 - 86) |
| June 22, 2006 | National | S 2766 | Defense Department FY 2007 Authorization bill | Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 0) |
| June 15, 2006 | National | HR 4939 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2006 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (98 - 1) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/13 | SF 61 | Harassment In Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (36 - 14) |
| 2/12 | SB 327 | HPV Immunization | Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 5) |
| 2/12 | SB 199 | Mandatory School Attendance | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
| 2/12 | SB 327 | HPV Immunization | Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 5) |
| 2/12 | SB 1 | Indiana Commerce Connector and Illiana Expressway | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 13) |
| 2/09 | HB 148 | Parent Choice in Education Act | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10) |
| 2/08 | SB 2164 | Public Smoking Ban | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 30) |
| 2/07 | SB 2391 | Parental Consent Waiver for Abortions | Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 0) |
| 2/07 | SB 238 | Medical Marijuana Legalization | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 7) |
| 2/05 | SB 1161 | Virginia Smoke-Free Air Act | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16) |
| 2/05 | A 1 | Property Tax Relief and Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| 2/02 | Sub SB 905 | Refusal of Medical Treatment for Children | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 8) |
| 1/31 | SCS SB 10 | Special Needs Scholarship Act | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 23) |
| 1/30 | SB 60 | Emergency Contraception for Sexual Assault Survivors | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| 1/30 | SF 61 | Harassment In Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14) |
| 1/29 | SB 1032 | Emergency Room Malpractice | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 12) |
| 1/26 | SB 1 | Discounted Prescription Drugs | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6) |
| 1/24 | SB 74 | Allowing Friends to Make Medical Decisions | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10) |
| 1/23 | SB 1204 | In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 8) |
| 1/22 | SB 26 | Funding Full-Day Kindergarten | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| 12/07 | PN 1396 | Andrew von Eschenbach, Commissioner of Food and Drugs | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (80 - 11) |
| 12/06 | PN 2191 | Robert Gates, Secretary of Defense | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (95 - 2) |
| 9/28 | S Amdt 5095 | Oversight of CIA Interrogation and Detention Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53) |
| 9/28 | S Amdt 5104 | Military Commissions Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 52) |
| 9/28 | S 3930 | Military Commissions Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 34) |
| 9/13 | S Amdt 4999 | Security of Cargo Containers Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 55) |
| 9/13 | S Amdt 4936 | National Security Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (41 - 57) |
| 9/07 | S Amdt 4909 | Media in the Middle East Amendment | Bill Tabled - Senate (51 - 44) |
| 9/06 | S Amdt 4882 | Cluster Munitions Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (30 - 70) |
| 8/31 | SB 1379 | Biomonitoring Program | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| 8/31 | SB 1613 | Prohibition on Wireless Phone Use While Driving | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| 8/31 | SB 1414 | Health Care Requirements for Large Companies | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 17) |
| 8/30 | AB 2076 | Needle Exchange Program | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| 8/29 | AB 1953 | Amount of Lead in Plumbing Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
| 8/29 | AB 1953 | Amount of Lead in Plumbing Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
| 8/22 | AB 2108 | Child Booster and Seat Belt Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 7/19 | HB 2699 | Early Childhood Vision Care Program | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 11) |
| 7/19 | HB 2699 | Early Childhood Vision Care Program | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 11) |
| 7/18 | HB 2873 | Drinking Water From Private Wells Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19) |
| 7/18 | HB 2873 | Drinking Water From Private Wells Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19) |
| 7/14 | HF 2351 | Eminent Domain | Veto Override Passed - Senate (41 - 8) |
| 7/13 | H 4176 | Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes | Veto Override Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| 7/12 | S Amdt 4587 | Transit Security Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (50 - 50) |
| 7/12 | S Amdt 4553 | Rail and Transit Security Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (50 - 50) |
| 7/08 | A 4705 | Tobacco Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19) |
| 7/08 | A 4707 | Luxury and Fuel Inefficient Automobiles | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19) |
| 6/28 | HB 804 | Handheld Cell Phone Ban While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 7) |
| 6/22 | S Amdt 4442 | Troop Redeployment Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (13 - 86) |
| 6/22 | S 2766 | Defense Department FY 2007 Authorization bill | Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 0) |
| 6/15 | HR 4939 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2006 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (98 - 1) |