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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 5, 2006 | VT | H 861 | Health Care Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 4) |
| May 5, 2006 | CA | AB 127 | Kindergarten-University Public Education Bond Act of 2006 | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (58 - 12) |
| May 5, 2006 | VT | H 865 | Non-Discrimination Bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (88 - 47) |
| May 5, 2006 | VT | H 865 | Non-Discrimination Bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (88 - 47) |
| May 5, 2006 | CO | SB 227 | Healthcare Disclosure Act | Bill Passed - House (33 - 32) |
| May 5, 2006 | CO | HB 1283 | Required School Expenditures Act | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| May 5, 2006 | CA | SB 1689 | Housing and Emergency Shelter Trust Fund Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (54 - 16) |
| May 5, 2006 | CO | SB 234 | Public Construction Bidding Act | Bill Passed - House (36 - 29) |
| May 4, 2006 | MA | H 4479 | Health Care Access & Affordability Bill Section 113 | Veto Override Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
| May 4, 2006 | MA | H 4479 | Health Care Access & Affordability Bill Section 113 | Veto Override Passed - Senate (37 - 2) |
| May 4, 2006 | NH | HB 76 | Charter School Aid | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 8) |
| May 4, 2006 | WI | SB 567 | Limit Public Assistance to Citizens or Legal Residents of the United States | Bill Passed - House (51 - 42) |
| May 4, 2006 | DE | HB 368 | Hunting License Restrictions for Felons | Bill Passed - House (21 - 14) |
| May 4, 2006 | WI | SJR 5 | Advisory Referendum on the Death Penalty | Joint Resolution Passed - House (47 - 45) |
| May 4, 2006 | CA | AB 140 | Disaster Preparedness and Flood Prevention Bond Act | Bill Passed - House (62 - 9) |
| May 4, 2006 | CA | AB 127 | Kindergarten-University Public Education Bond Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 8) |
| May 4, 2006 | LA | HB 1010 | Smoking in Motor Vehicles Ban | Bill Passed - House (67 - 31) |
| May 4, 2006 | CA | SB 1689 | Housing and Emergency Shelter Trust Fund Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 11) |
| May 4, 2006 | CO | HB 1344 | Same-Sex Partnership Benefits Act | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| May 4, 2006 | CO | SB 81 | Employment Nondiscrimination Expansion Bill | Bill Passed - House (39 - 26) |
| May 4, 2006 | AK | HCS CS SB 20 | Offenses Against a Fetus/Unborn Child | Bill Passed - House (30 - 9) |
| May 4, 2006 | CA | AB 140 | Disaster Preparedness and Flood Prevention Bond Act | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 1) |
| May 3, 2006 | National | S Amdt 3688 | Influenza Vaccine Injury Compensation Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 46) |
| May 3, 2006 | IA | HF 2540 | 2006-2007 Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (62 - 32) |
| May 3, 2006 | CO | HB 1090 | Sexual Abuse Prosecution Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 17) |
| May 3, 2006 | KS | SB 528 | Abortion and Live Birth Reporting | Conference Report Adopted - House (89 - 34) |
| May 3, 2006 | IA | HF 2540 | 2006-2007 Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (47 - 2) |
| May 3, 2006 | KS | SB 528 | Abortion and Live Birth Reporting | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 15) |
| May 3, 2006 | WI | AB 414 | Smoking Ban Expansion | Nonconcurrence Vote Passed - Senate (17 - 14) |
| May 3, 2006 | OK | HCS SB 806 | Tattoo Legalization and Changing Body Piercing Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 15) |
| May 3, 2006 | OK | HCS SB 806 | Tattoo Legalization and Changing Body Piercing Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 15) |
| May 3, 2006 | CO | HB 1315 | Juvenile Criminal Parole Act | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11) |
| May 3, 2006 | CO | HB 1149 | Increasing Lobbyist Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| May 3, 2006 | RI | S 2486 | Ex-Felon's Voting Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 4) |
| May 2, 2006 | WI | SB 1 | Ethics Bill | Motion Rejected - House (45 - 51) |
| May 2, 2006 | PA | HB 39 | Property Taxes (Special Session) | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (40 - 9) |
| May 2, 2006 | HI | SB 3262 | Smoking Ban Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 3) |
| May 2, 2006 | HI | SB 3262 | Smoking Ban Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (47 - 3) |
| May 2, 2006 | PA | HB 39 | Property Taxes (Special Session) | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (40 - 9) |
| May 2, 2006 | TX | HB 3 | Business Tax Revisions | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
| May 2, 2006 | FL | HJR 447 | Classroom Size Requirements and 65 Percent of School Funding for Classroom Instruction | Amendment Adopted - House (74 - 40) |
| May 2, 2006 | CO | HB 1100 | Prescription Drug Discount Program | Bill Failed - House (30 - 35) |
| May 2, 2006 | MN | HF 4142 | Property Tax - Rebate Checks | Bill Passed - House (86 - 47) |
| May 1, 2006 | KS | HB 2554 | DNA Sampling in Felony Cases | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 11) |
| May 1, 2006 | LA | SB 693 | Insurance Rate Increases Approval | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
| May 1, 2006 | CO | SB 227 | Healthcare Disclosure Act | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| May 1, 2006 | LA | HB 1164 | Eminent Domain | Bill Passed - House (53 - 42) |
| May 1, 2006 | FL | CS for CS for CS for SJR 2170 | School Vouchers Constitutional Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (23 - 16) |
| May 1, 2006 | MO | SCS HCS HB 1022 | State College and University Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| April 30, 2006 | CT | LCO # 5212 | Death/Estate Tax Exemption Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (60 - 87) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/05 | H 861 | Health Care Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 4) |
| 5/05 | AB 127 | Kindergarten-University Public Education Bond Act of 2006 | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (58 - 12) |
| 5/05 | H 865 | Non-Discrimination Bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (88 - 47) |
| 5/05 | H 865 | Non-Discrimination Bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (88 - 47) |
| 5/05 | SB 227 | Healthcare Disclosure Act | Bill Passed - House (33 - 32) |
| 5/05 | HB 1283 | Required School Expenditures Act | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| 5/05 | SB 1689 | Housing and Emergency Shelter Trust Fund Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (54 - 16) |
| 5/05 | SB 234 | Public Construction Bidding Act | Bill Passed - House (36 - 29) |
| 5/04 | H 4479 | Health Care Access & Affordability Bill Section 113 | Veto Override Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
| 5/04 | H 4479 | Health Care Access & Affordability Bill Section 113 | Veto Override Passed - Senate (37 - 2) |
| 5/04 | HB 76 | Charter School Aid | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 8) |
| 5/04 | SB 567 | Limit Public Assistance to Citizens or Legal Residents of the United States | Bill Passed - House (51 - 42) |
| 5/04 | HB 368 | Hunting License Restrictions for Felons | Bill Passed - House (21 - 14) |
| 5/04 | SJR 5 | Advisory Referendum on the Death Penalty | Joint Resolution Passed - House (47 - 45) |
| 5/04 | AB 140 | Disaster Preparedness and Flood Prevention Bond Act | Bill Passed - House (62 - 9) |
| 5/04 | AB 127 | Kindergarten-University Public Education Bond Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 8) |
| 5/04 | HB 1010 | Smoking in Motor Vehicles Ban | Bill Passed - House (67 - 31) |
| 5/04 | SB 1689 | Housing and Emergency Shelter Trust Fund Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 11) |
| 5/04 | HB 1344 | Same-Sex Partnership Benefits Act | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| 5/04 | SB 81 | Employment Nondiscrimination Expansion Bill | Bill Passed - House (39 - 26) |
| 5/04 | HCS CS SB 20 | Offenses Against a Fetus/Unborn Child | Bill Passed - House (30 - 9) |
| 5/04 | AB 140 | Disaster Preparedness and Flood Prevention Bond Act | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 1) |
| 5/03 | S Amdt 3688 | Influenza Vaccine Injury Compensation Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 46) |
| 5/03 | HF 2540 | 2006-2007 Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (62 - 32) |
| 5/03 | HB 1090 | Sexual Abuse Prosecution Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 17) |
| 5/03 | SB 528 | Abortion and Live Birth Reporting | Conference Report Adopted - House (89 - 34) |
| 5/03 | HF 2540 | 2006-2007 Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (47 - 2) |
| 5/03 | SB 528 | Abortion and Live Birth Reporting | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 15) |
| 5/03 | AB 414 | Smoking Ban Expansion | Nonconcurrence Vote Passed - Senate (17 - 14) |
| 5/03 | HCS SB 806 | Tattoo Legalization and Changing Body Piercing Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 15) |
| 5/03 | HCS SB 806 | Tattoo Legalization and Changing Body Piercing Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 15) |
| 5/03 | HB 1315 | Juvenile Criminal Parole Act | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11) |
| 5/03 | HB 1149 | Increasing Lobbyist Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| 5/03 | S 2486 | Ex-Felon's Voting Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 4) |
| 5/02 | SB 1 | Ethics Bill | Motion Rejected - House (45 - 51) |
| 5/02 | HB 39 | Property Taxes (Special Session) | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (40 - 9) |
| 5/02 | SB 3262 | Smoking Ban Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 3) |
| 5/02 | SB 3262 | Smoking Ban Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (47 - 3) |
| 5/02 | HB 39 | Property Taxes (Special Session) | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (40 - 9) |
| 5/02 | HB 3 | Business Tax Revisions | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
| 5/02 | HJR 447 | Classroom Size Requirements and 65 Percent of School Funding for Classroom Instruction | Amendment Adopted - House (74 - 40) |
| 5/02 | HB 1100 | Prescription Drug Discount Program | Bill Failed - House (30 - 35) |
| 5/02 | HF 4142 | Property Tax - Rebate Checks | Bill Passed - House (86 - 47) |
| 5/01 | HB 2554 | DNA Sampling in Felony Cases | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 11) |
| 5/01 | SB 693 | Insurance Rate Increases Approval | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
| 5/01 | SB 227 | Healthcare Disclosure Act | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| 5/01 | HB 1164 | Eminent Domain | Bill Passed - House (53 - 42) |
| 5/01 | CS for CS for CS for SJR 2170 | School Vouchers Constitutional Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (23 - 16) |
| 5/01 | SCS HCS HB 1022 | State College and University Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| 4/30 | LCO # 5212 | Death/Estate Tax Exemption Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (60 - 87) |