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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 12, 2006 | PA | HB 698 | Mental Retardation Consideration in Murder Cases | Bill Passed - House (169 - 28) |
| June 9, 2006 | National | HR 5522 | Foreign Operations and Export Finance Appropriation Act | Bill Passed - House (373 - 34) |
| June 8, 2006 | MI | Sub for SB 861 | Michigan Merit Award Scholarship Act | Bill Passed - House (61 - 40) |
| June 6, 2006 | RI | H 6874 | Ballot Questions from Governor | Veto Override Passed - House (50 - 23) |
| June 6, 2006 | LA | HB 194 | Minimum Wage for State Employees | Bill Passed - House (66 - 35) |
| June 6, 2006 | PA | HB 2381 | Marriage Definition Constitutional Amendment | Joint Resolution Passed - House (136 - 61) |
| May 31, 2006 | WI | AB 4 | Tax Deduction for Health Savings Account | Veto Override Failed - House (61 - 36) |
| May 31, 2006 | SC | S 1267 | Death Penalty for Repeat Sex Offenders | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (84 - 27) |
| May 31, 2006 | LA | HB 1108 | Lower Ninth Ward Improvement Authority | Bill Passed - House (60 - 39) |
| May 31, 2006 | CA | AB 2076 | Needle Exchange Program | Bill Passed - House (45 - 34) |
| May 31, 2006 | CA | AB 2378 | Affordable Housing Bill | Bill Passed - House (49 - 27) |
| May 31, 2006 | LA | SB 33 | Prohibits Abortion Except When Necessary to Save the Life or Health of the Woman | Bill Passed - House (85 - 17) |
| May 31, 2006 | CA | AB 1899 | Flood Assessment Requirements for Building | Bill Passed - House (42 - 35) |
| May 31, 2006 | LA | HB 1108 | Lower Ninth Ward Improvement Authority | Bill Passed - House (60 - 39) |
| May 30, 2006 | MI | HB 6085 | Disclosure of Citizenship on Driver's License | Bill Passed - House (76 - 27) |
| May 27, 2006 | TN | SB 3178 | State Legislators Pension Plan | Conference Report Adopted - House (67 - 12) |
| May 26, 2006 | TN | HA 1609 to HB 1114 | Primary Election Regulations Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (48 - 45) |
| May 26, 2006 | OK | SB 1800 | Death Penalty for Second Offender Sex Offenders | Conference Report Adopted - House (88 - 8) |
| May 26, 2006 | OK | SB 1807 | Prohibiting Death Sentence For Mentally Retarded Defendant | Conference Report Adopted - House (91 - 5) |
| May 26, 2006 | OK | SB 1807 | Prohibiting Death Sentence For Mentally Retarded Defendant | Conference Report Adopted - House (91 - 5) |
| May 25, 2006 | AZ | HB 2577 | Immigration Law; Employment; Enforcement | Conference Report Adopted - House (33 - 22) |
| May 25, 2006 | AZ | HB 2577 | Immigration Law; Employment; Enforcement | Conference Report Adopted - House (33 - 22) |
| May 25, 2006 | OH | Sub HB 184 | U.S. and Ohio Mottos in Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (82 - 13) |
| May 25, 2006 | OH | HJR 13 | Redistricting Commission | Joint Resolution Failed - House (53 - 42) |
| May 25, 2006 | SC | S 1084 | Penalties For Harming An Unborn Child/Fetus | Bill Passed - House (81 - 18) |
| May 25, 2006 | OH | HJR 13 | Redistricting Commission | Joint Resolution Failed - House (58 - 37) |
| May 25, 2006 | SC | S 229 | Cockfighting And Hog Dog Fighting | Bill Passed - House (78 - 15) |
| May 24, 2006 | ME | HCA A to LD 1845 | Dirigo Health Insurance Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (73 - 73) |
| May 24, 2006 | OH | Am Sub SB 185 | Mortgage Lending Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (84 - 7) |
| May 24, 2006 | NH | HB 656 | "Do Not Resuscitate" Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (168 - 165) |
| May 24, 2006 | OK | SB 1337 | Cities and Towns, Modifying Provisions For Clean Up of Agricultural Property. | Bill Passed - House (60 - 41) |
| May 24, 2006 | MA | H 4988 | Nurse Staffing Bill | Bill Passed - House (133 - 20) |
| May 23, 2006 | National | HR 5384 | Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA Appropriations Act | Bill Passed - House (378 - 46) |
| May 22, 2006 | CA | AJR 51 | Endorsing Federal Amendments to Immigration Law | Joint Resolution Passed - House (43 - 27) |
| May 22, 2006 | ME | LD 1481 | Procedures for Citizen Proposed Initiatives | Bill Passed - House (75 - 66) |
| May 20, 2006 | MN | SF 2460 | University of Minnesota Football Stadium | Conference Report Adopted - House (96 - 37) |
| May 18, 2006 | MI | Amend | Probation and Parole Violator Welfare Restriction | Amendment Adopted - House (83 - 16) |
| May 18, 2006 | MI | Amend | Welfare Restrictions for Drug Felonies | Amendment Adopted - House (86 - 16) |
| May 18, 2006 | National | HR 5386 | Interior Department FY2007 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (293 - 128) |
| May 18, 2006 | LA | HB 1142 | Parole Eligibility | Bill Failed - House (37 - 48) |
| May 17, 2006 | TN | SB 3895 | Revisions to TennCare | Bill Passed - House (78 - 19) |
| May 17, 2006 | LA | HB 853 | Prohibits Discrimination and Harassment in State Government | Bill Failed - House (38 - 58) |
| May 17, 2006 | LA | HB 853 | Prohibits Discrimination and Harassment in State Government | Bill Failed - House (38 - 58) |
| May 16, 2006 | MI | HB 5633 | English as the Official Language Bill | Bill Passed - House (73 - 32) |
| May 16, 2006 | MI | HB 5633 | English as the Official Language Bill | Bill Passed - House (73 - 32) |
| May 15, 2006 | TX | HB 2 | Property Tax Reduction | Conference Report Adopted - House (89 - 56) |
| May 15, 2006 | TX | HB 2 | Property Tax Reduction | Conference Report Adopted - House (89 - 56) |
| May 15, 2006 | MN | SF 2460 | University of Minnesota Football Stadium | Bill Passed - House (101 - 31) |
| May 15, 2006 | CA | AB 813 | Medi-Cal: Emergency Drug Benefits | Bill Passed - House (66 - 5) |
| May 12, 2006 | MO | HJR 55 | Salaries and State Pensions for Public Officials | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (115 - 40) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/12 | HB 698 | Mental Retardation Consideration in Murder Cases | Bill Passed - House (169 - 28) |
| 6/09 | HR 5522 | Foreign Operations and Export Finance Appropriation Act | Bill Passed - House (373 - 34) |
| 6/08 | Sub for SB 861 | Michigan Merit Award Scholarship Act | Bill Passed - House (61 - 40) |
| 6/06 | H 6874 | Ballot Questions from Governor | Veto Override Passed - House (50 - 23) |
| 6/06 | HB 194 | Minimum Wage for State Employees | Bill Passed - House (66 - 35) |
| 6/06 | HB 2381 | Marriage Definition Constitutional Amendment | Joint Resolution Passed - House (136 - 61) |
| 5/31 | AB 4 | Tax Deduction for Health Savings Account | Veto Override Failed - House (61 - 36) |
| 5/31 | S 1267 | Death Penalty for Repeat Sex Offenders | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (84 - 27) |
| 5/31 | HB 1108 | Lower Ninth Ward Improvement Authority | Bill Passed - House (60 - 39) |
| 5/31 | AB 2076 | Needle Exchange Program | Bill Passed - House (45 - 34) |
| 5/31 | AB 2378 | Affordable Housing Bill | Bill Passed - House (49 - 27) |
| 5/31 | SB 33 | Prohibits Abortion Except When Necessary to Save the Life or Health of the Woman | Bill Passed - House (85 - 17) |
| 5/31 | AB 1899 | Flood Assessment Requirements for Building | Bill Passed - House (42 - 35) |
| 5/31 | HB 1108 | Lower Ninth Ward Improvement Authority | Bill Passed - House (60 - 39) |
| 5/30 | HB 6085 | Disclosure of Citizenship on Driver's License | Bill Passed - House (76 - 27) |
| 5/27 | SB 3178 | State Legislators Pension Plan | Conference Report Adopted - House (67 - 12) |
| 5/26 | HA 1609 to HB 1114 | Primary Election Regulations Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (48 - 45) |
| 5/26 | SB 1800 | Death Penalty for Second Offender Sex Offenders | Conference Report Adopted - House (88 - 8) |
| 5/26 | SB 1807 | Prohibiting Death Sentence For Mentally Retarded Defendant | Conference Report Adopted - House (91 - 5) |
| 5/26 | SB 1807 | Prohibiting Death Sentence For Mentally Retarded Defendant | Conference Report Adopted - House (91 - 5) |
| 5/25 | HB 2577 | Immigration Law; Employment; Enforcement | Conference Report Adopted - House (33 - 22) |
| 5/25 | HB 2577 | Immigration Law; Employment; Enforcement | Conference Report Adopted - House (33 - 22) |
| 5/25 | Sub HB 184 | U.S. and Ohio Mottos in Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (82 - 13) |
| 5/25 | HJR 13 | Redistricting Commission | Joint Resolution Failed - House (53 - 42) |
| 5/25 | S 1084 | Penalties For Harming An Unborn Child/Fetus | Bill Passed - House (81 - 18) |
| 5/25 | HJR 13 | Redistricting Commission | Joint Resolution Failed - House (58 - 37) |
| 5/25 | S 229 | Cockfighting And Hog Dog Fighting | Bill Passed - House (78 - 15) |
| 5/24 | HCA A to LD 1845 | Dirigo Health Insurance Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (73 - 73) |
| 5/24 | Am Sub SB 185 | Mortgage Lending Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (84 - 7) |
| 5/24 | HB 656 | "Do Not Resuscitate" Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (168 - 165) |
| 5/24 | SB 1337 | Cities and Towns, Modifying Provisions For Clean Up of Agricultural Property. | Bill Passed - House (60 - 41) |
| 5/24 | H 4988 | Nurse Staffing Bill | Bill Passed - House (133 - 20) |
| 5/23 | HR 5384 | Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA Appropriations Act | Bill Passed - House (378 - 46) |
| 5/22 | AJR 51 | Endorsing Federal Amendments to Immigration Law | Joint Resolution Passed - House (43 - 27) |
| 5/22 | LD 1481 | Procedures for Citizen Proposed Initiatives | Bill Passed - House (75 - 66) |
| 5/20 | SF 2460 | University of Minnesota Football Stadium | Conference Report Adopted - House (96 - 37) |
| 5/18 | Amend | Probation and Parole Violator Welfare Restriction | Amendment Adopted - House (83 - 16) |
| 5/18 | Amend | Welfare Restrictions for Drug Felonies | Amendment Adopted - House (86 - 16) |
| 5/18 | HR 5386 | Interior Department FY2007 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (293 - 128) |
| 5/18 | HB 1142 | Parole Eligibility | Bill Failed - House (37 - 48) |
| 5/17 | SB 3895 | Revisions to TennCare | Bill Passed - House (78 - 19) |
| 5/17 | HB 853 | Prohibits Discrimination and Harassment in State Government | Bill Failed - House (38 - 58) |
| 5/17 | HB 853 | Prohibits Discrimination and Harassment in State Government | Bill Failed - House (38 - 58) |
| 5/16 | HB 5633 | English as the Official Language Bill | Bill Passed - House (73 - 32) |
| 5/16 | HB 5633 | English as the Official Language Bill | Bill Passed - House (73 - 32) |
| 5/15 | HB 2 | Property Tax Reduction | Conference Report Adopted - House (89 - 56) |
| 5/15 | HB 2 | Property Tax Reduction | Conference Report Adopted - House (89 - 56) |
| 5/15 | SF 2460 | University of Minnesota Football Stadium | Bill Passed - House (101 - 31) |
| 5/15 | AB 813 | Medi-Cal: Emergency Drug Benefits | Bill Passed - House (66 - 5) |
| 5/12 | HJR 55 | Salaries and State Pensions for Public Officials | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (115 - 40) |