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 | MI | SB 838 | Medicare Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| Feb. 14, 2006 | VA | Sub HB 1048 | Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (77 - 22) |
| Feb. 14, 2006 | VA | Sub HB 1048 | Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (77 - 22) |
| Feb. 14, 2006 | ID | S 1327 | Background Checks for Adults Who Work With Children | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| Feb. 14, 2006 | GA | HCS HB 1238 | Requirements for Wiring Money | Bill Passed - House (106 - 60) |
| Feb. 14, 2006 | VA | Sub SB 677 | In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 3) |
| Feb. 14, 2006 | VA | Sub SB 677 | In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 3) |
| Feb. 14, 2006 | MI | Sub for SB 1028 | Changes to the Family Independent Agency | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| Feb. 14, 2006 | MI | Sub for SB 1028 | Changes to the Family Independent Agency | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| Feb. 13, 2006 | UT | 1SHB 10 | Dating Violence Protective Orders Bill | Bill Failed - House (36 - 39) |
| Feb. 13, 2006 | UT | 1SHB 10 | Dating Violence Protective Orders Bill | Bill Failed - House (36 - 39) |
| Feb. 13, 2006 | VA | SB 648 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
| Feb. 13, 2006 | VA | SB 648 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
| Feb. 13, 2006 | VA | HB 782 | Second-Degree Murder Charges | Bill Passed - House (83 - 16) |
| Feb. 13, 2006 | AZ | HB 2254 | Requiring Doctors to Inform Women of Fetal Pain | Bill Passed - House (36 - 21) |
| Feb. 13, 2006 | CO | HB 1175 | Colorado Clean Indoor Air Act | Bill Passed - House (41 - 24) |
| Feb. 11, 2006 | NM | SB 216 | Criminal DNA Collection | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 5) |
| Feb. 10, 2006 | SD | HB 1235 | Compulsory High School Education Age to 18 | Bill Passed - House (51 - 14) |
| Feb. 10, 2006 | NM | SB 294 | Open Committee Meetings | Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 22) |
| Feb. 10, 2006 | WA | Sub SB 6475 | Certificate of Academic Achievement Alternative Methods | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 10) |
| Feb. 9, 2006 | KS | SB 418 | Concealed Weapons Permits | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 11) |
| 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 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. 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. 8, 2006 | ME | LD 1798 | Standardized Testing | "Ought Not to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 16) |
| Feb. 8, 2006 | WA | 2nd Sub HB 2572 | Health Insurance for Small Businesses | Bill Passed - House (57 - 41) |
| Feb. 8, 2006 | VA | SB 648 | Smoking Ban | Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 20) |
| Feb. 8, 2006 | VA | SB 648 | Smoking Ban | Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 20) |
| Feb. 8, 2006 | KY | HB 163 | State Request for Federal Drug Importation | Bill Passed - House (58 - 35) |
| Feb. 8, 2006 | ID | S 1276 | Thermal Generation Power Plant Notification | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| Feb. 7, 2006 | SD | H Amdt 1194rf | Penalties for School Employees for Dispensing Contraceptives Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (37 - 33) |
| 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 | MS | HB 1090 | Juvenile Sentencing | Bill Passed - House (74 - 48) |
| Feb. 7, 2006 | MS | SB 2511 | Parole Eligibility for First-Time Nonviolent Offenders Under Twenty-Five | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18) |
| 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. 7, 2006 | MS | HB 300 | Revised Marriage License Requirements | Bill Passed - House (66 - 55) |
| Feb. 6, 2006 | ID | HJR 2 | Marriage Amendment Ballot Question | Bill Passed - House (53 - 17) |
| 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. 6, 2006 | VA | Sub SB 313 | DMV Reporting Requirements for Non-citizens | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15) |
| Feb. 3, 2006 | VA | HB 45 | Death Penalty Age Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (63 - 34) |
| Feb. 3, 2006 | VA | HB 45 | Death Penalty Age Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (63 - 34) |
| Feb. 2, 2006 | National | S Amdt 2730 | Medicare Part D Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (52 - 45) |
| Feb. 2, 2006 | VA | SB 253 | Mandatory Reporting of Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/15 | SB 838 | Medicare Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| 2/14 | Sub HB 1048 | Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (77 - 22) |
| 2/14 | Sub HB 1048 | Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (77 - 22) |
| 2/14 | S 1327 | Background Checks for Adults Who Work With Children | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 2/14 | HCS HB 1238 | Requirements for Wiring Money | Bill Passed - House (106 - 60) |
| 2/14 | Sub SB 677 | In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 3) |
| 2/14 | Sub SB 677 | In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 3) |
| 2/14 | Sub for SB 1028 | Changes to the Family Independent Agency | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| 2/14 | Sub for SB 1028 | Changes to the Family Independent Agency | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| 2/13 | 1SHB 10 | Dating Violence Protective Orders Bill | Bill Failed - House (36 - 39) |
| 2/13 | 1SHB 10 | Dating Violence Protective Orders Bill | Bill Failed - House (36 - 39) |
| 2/13 | SB 648 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
| 2/13 | SB 648 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
| 2/13 | HB 782 | Second-Degree Murder Charges | Bill Passed - House (83 - 16) |
| 2/13 | HB 2254 | Requiring Doctors to Inform Women of Fetal Pain | Bill Passed - House (36 - 21) |
| 2/13 | HB 1175 | Colorado Clean Indoor Air Act | Bill Passed - House (41 - 24) |
| 2/11 | SB 216 | Criminal DNA Collection | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 5) |
| 2/10 | HB 1235 | Compulsory High School Education Age to 18 | Bill Passed - House (51 - 14) |
| 2/10 | SB 294 | Open Committee Meetings | Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 22) |
| 2/10 | Sub SB 6475 | Certificate of Academic Achievement Alternative Methods | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 10) |
| 2/09 | SB 418 | Concealed Weapons Permits | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 11) |
| 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 1215 | Abortion Ban | Bill Passed - House (47 - 22) |
| 2/09 | HB 1194 | Contraceptive Distribution at Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (51 - 17) |
| 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) |
| 2/08 | LD 1798 | Standardized Testing | "Ought Not to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 16) |
| 2/08 | 2nd Sub HB 2572 | Health Insurance for Small Businesses | Bill Passed - House (57 - 41) |
| 2/08 | SB 648 | Smoking Ban | Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 20) |
| 2/08 | SB 648 | Smoking Ban | Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 20) |
| 2/08 | HB 163 | State Request for Federal Drug Importation | Bill Passed - House (58 - 35) |
| 2/08 | S 1276 | Thermal Generation Power Plant Notification | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| 2/07 | H Amdt 1194rf | Penalties for School Employees for Dispensing Contraceptives Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (37 - 33) |
| 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 | HB 1090 | Juvenile Sentencing | Bill Passed - House (74 - 48) |
| 2/07 | SB 2511 | Parole Eligibility for First-Time Nonviolent Offenders Under Twenty-Five | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18) |
| 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) |
| 2/07 | HB 300 | Revised Marriage License Requirements | Bill Passed - House (66 - 55) |
| 2/06 | HJR 2 | Marriage Amendment Ballot Question | Bill Passed - House (53 - 17) |
| 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) |
| 2/06 | Sub SB 313 | DMV Reporting Requirements for Non-citizens | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15) |
| 2/03 | HB 45 | Death Penalty Age Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (63 - 34) |
| 2/03 | HB 45 | Death Penalty Age Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (63 - 34) |
| 2/02 | S Amdt 2730 | Medicare Part D Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (52 - 45) |
| 2/02 | SB 253 | Mandatory Reporting of Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |