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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 21, 2006 | KS | SCS SB 323 | Eminent Domain | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 13) |
| March 20, 2006 | ID | H 544 | Irrigation Voting Procedure | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| March 20, 2006 | NJ | A 2813 | New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| March 20, 2006 | ID | S 1393 | Biodegradable Fuel | Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 23) |
| March 20, 2006 | ID | S 1393 | Biodegradable Fuel | Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 23) |
| March 20, 2006 | PA | HB 213 | Ecoterrorism Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 10) |
| March 17, 2006 | MI | Sub for SB 297 | Motorcycle Helmets | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| March 16, 2006 | NH | SB 343 | Emergency Contraceptives Bill | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - Senate (14 - 10) |
| March 16, 2006 | National | S Amdt 3166 | National Defense Funding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (50 - 50) |
| March 16, 2006 | CO | HB 1175 | Colorado Clean Indoor Air Act | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 15) |
| March 16, 2006 | National | S Con Res 83 | 2007 Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 49) |
| March 16, 2006 | KS | SB 587 | Gambling Expansion | Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 20) |
| March 16, 2006 | National | S Amdt 3128 | ANWR Revenues Amendment | Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 49) |
| March 16, 2006 | ID | H 609 | Motor Vehicle Special License Plate Program | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 18) |
| March 16, 2006 | National | S Con Res 83 | 2007 Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 49) |
| March 16, 2006 | National | S Con Res 83 | 2007 Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 49) |
| March 16, 2006 | National | S Con Res 83 | 2007 Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 49) |
| March 16, 2006 | National | S Con Res 83 | 2007 Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 49) |
| March 15, 2006 | MD | Amendment 503528 to SB 110 | Funding to Family Planning Programs Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (18 - 29) |
| March 15, 2006 | MD | Amendment 553220 | Needle Exchange Funding Prohibition Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 32) |
| March 15, 2006 | OK | SB 1372 | Issuing Temporary Teacher Licenses | Bill Failed - Senate (22 - 23) |
| March 14, 2006 | National | S Amdt 3013 | Reinstate Pay-As-You-Go through 2011 Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (50 - 50) |
| March 14, 2006 | IN | HB 1008 | Indiana Toll Road | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 19) |
| March 14, 2006 | AL | SB 352 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| March 14, 2006 | AZ | SB 1477 | Psychotropic drugs; Testing; Informed Consent | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
| March 13, 2006 | OK | SB 1387 | Physical Education Instruction Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 9) |
| 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 9, 2006 | WI | ASA 3 | Ethanol Bill | Motion Agreed - Senate (17 - 15) |
| March 9, 2006 | WI | ASA 3 | Ethanol Bill | Motion Agreed - Senate (17 - 15) |
| March 9, 2006 | WI | ASA 3 | Ethanol Bill | Motion Agreed - Senate (17 - 15) |
| March 8, 2006 | AZ | SB 1356 | Air Pollutant Regulation | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
| March 8, 2006 | OK | SB 1420 | Oklahoma Mandatory Seat Belt Use Act | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 20) |
| March 8, 2006 | WA | 2nd Sub HB 2572 | Health Insurance for Small Businesses | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 23) |
| March 7, 2006 | WI | AB 1073 | Medical Malpractice Lawsuit Caps | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
| March 7, 2006 | HI | SB 3195 | Education Appropriation | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 3) |
| March 7, 2006 | HI | SB 3102 | Student to Teacher Ratio Reduction | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 2) |
| March 7, 2006 | OK | SB 1387 | Physical Education Instruction Requirements | Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 24) |
| March 6, 2006 | OK | SB 1792 | Achieving Classroom Excellence Steering Committee | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 15) |
| March 6, 2006 | OK | SB 1434 | Prescription Drug Reimportation Act | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
| March 6, 2006 | OK | SB 1792 | Achieving Classroom Excellence Steering Committee | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 15) |
| March 6, 2006 | OK | SCS SB 1874 | Senate Committee Substitute for the "Lawsuit Responsibility Act of 2006" | Bill Failed - Senate (21 - 25) |
| March 3, 2006 | MS | SB 3084 | Food and Tobacco Taxes | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 19) |
| March 3, 2006 | AK | CSSB 112 | Rural Education Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 8) |
| March 3, 2006 | WI | SB 618 | School Voucher Program Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 13) |
| March 3, 2006 | ID | S 1382 | Idaho Mathematics, Science and Engineering Scholarship Act | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 18) |
| March 2, 2006 | AZ | HB 2064 | English Language Learners | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 13) |
| March 1, 2006 | ID | SJR 106 | Right to Hunt, Fish and Trap | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (18 - 16) |
| Feb. 28, 2006 | OK | SCS SB 1993 | Financial Aid Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 10) |
| Feb. 28, 2006 | CO | HB 1175 | Colorado Clean Indoor Air Act | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/21 | SCS SB 323 | Eminent Domain | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 13) |
| 3/20 | H 544 | Irrigation Voting Procedure | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| 3/20 | A 2813 | New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| 3/20 | S 1393 | Biodegradable Fuel | Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 23) |
| 3/20 | S 1393 | Biodegradable Fuel | Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 23) |
| 3/20 | HB 213 | Ecoterrorism Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 10) |
| 3/17 | Sub for SB 297 | Motorcycle Helmets | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 3/16 | SB 343 | Emergency Contraceptives Bill | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - Senate (14 - 10) |
| 3/16 | S Amdt 3166 | National Defense Funding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (50 - 50) |
| 3/16 | HB 1175 | Colorado Clean Indoor Air Act | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 15) |
| 3/16 | S Con Res 83 | 2007 Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 49) |
| 3/16 | SB 587 | Gambling Expansion | Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 20) |
| 3/16 | S Amdt 3128 | ANWR Revenues Amendment | Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 49) |
| 3/16 | H 609 | Motor Vehicle Special License Plate Program | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 18) |
| 3/16 | S Con Res 83 | 2007 Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 49) |
| 3/16 | S Con Res 83 | 2007 Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 49) |
| 3/16 | S Con Res 83 | 2007 Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 49) |
| 3/16 | S Con Res 83 | 2007 Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 49) |
| 3/15 | Amendment 503528 to SB 110 | Funding to Family Planning Programs Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (18 - 29) |
| 3/15 | Amendment 553220 | Needle Exchange Funding Prohibition Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 32) |
| 3/15 | SB 1372 | Issuing Temporary Teacher Licenses | Bill Failed - Senate (22 - 23) |
| 3/14 | S Amdt 3013 | Reinstate Pay-As-You-Go through 2011 Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (50 - 50) |
| 3/14 | HB 1008 | Indiana Toll Road | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 19) |
| 3/14 | SB 352 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| 3/14 | SB 1477 | Psychotropic drugs; Testing; Informed Consent | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
| 3/13 | SB 1387 | Physical Education Instruction Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 9) |
| 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) |
| 3/09 | ASA 3 | Ethanol Bill | Motion Agreed - Senate (17 - 15) |
| 3/09 | ASA 3 | Ethanol Bill | Motion Agreed - Senate (17 - 15) |
| 3/09 | ASA 3 | Ethanol Bill | Motion Agreed - Senate (17 - 15) |
| 3/08 | SB 1356 | Air Pollutant Regulation | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
| 3/08 | SB 1420 | Oklahoma Mandatory Seat Belt Use Act | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 20) |
| 3/08 | 2nd Sub HB 2572 | Health Insurance for Small Businesses | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 23) |
| 3/07 | AB 1073 | Medical Malpractice Lawsuit Caps | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
| 3/07 | SB 3195 | Education Appropriation | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 3) |
| 3/07 | SB 3102 | Student to Teacher Ratio Reduction | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 2) |
| 3/07 | SB 1387 | Physical Education Instruction Requirements | Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 24) |
| 3/06 | SB 1792 | Achieving Classroom Excellence Steering Committee | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 15) |
| 3/06 | SB 1434 | Prescription Drug Reimportation Act | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
| 3/06 | SB 1792 | Achieving Classroom Excellence Steering Committee | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 15) |
| 3/06 | SCS SB 1874 | Senate Committee Substitute for the "Lawsuit Responsibility Act of 2006" | Bill Failed - Senate (21 - 25) |
| 3/03 | SB 3084 | Food and Tobacco Taxes | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 19) |
| 3/03 | CSSB 112 | Rural Education Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 8) |
| 3/03 | SB 618 | School Voucher Program Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 13) |
| 3/03 | S 1382 | Idaho Mathematics, Science and Engineering Scholarship Act | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 18) |
| 3/02 | HB 2064 | English Language Learners | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 13) |
| 3/01 | SJR 106 | Right to Hunt, Fish and Trap | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (18 - 16) |
| 2/28 | SCS SB 1993 | Financial Aid Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 10) |
| 2/28 | HB 1175 | Colorado Clean Indoor Air Act | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |