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 23, 2006 | RI | H 6885 | International Trade Agreements | Veto Override Passed - Senate (26 - 4) |
| June 21, 2006 | NY | S 8446 | DNA Database Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 2) |
| June 21, 2006 | PA | HB 2381 | Marriage Definition Constitutional Amendment | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (38 - 12) |
| June 16, 2006 | LA | HB 194 | Minimum Wage for State Employees | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 19) |
| June 16, 2006 | LA | HB 194 | Minimum Wage for State Employees | Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 18) |
| June 15, 2006 | MD | HB 2 | Mandatory Sentences and Other Penalties for Sex Offenders | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 5) |
| June 14, 2006 | SC | H 4410 | Campaign Finance Reporting Requirements Bill | Veto Override Failed - Senate (8 - 29) |
| June 14, 2006 | MD | SB 52 | Maryland Transportation Authority | Veto Override Passed - Senate (34 - 13) |
| June 13, 2006 | RI | H 6874 | Ballot Questions from Governor | Veto Override Passed - Senate (28 - 9) |
| June 13, 2006 | NY | S 6771 | Death Penalty and Life Imprisonment Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 23) |
| June 7, 2006 | MA | H 4176 | Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| June 6, 2006 | MI | HB 5143 | "Self-Defense Act" | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| June 1, 2006 | LA | SB 753 | Hiring of Undocumented Immigrants Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| June 1, 2006 | CA | SB 1160 | Drivers Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| May 31, 2006 | SC | H 4449 | Sales and Property Taxes | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 11) |
| May 30, 2006 | CA | SB 1576 | Transitional Housing Services for Foster Youth | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| May 30, 2006 | CA | SB 1796 | Overhaul Flood and Levee Board | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| May 30, 2006 | CA | SB 1383 | Cal Grant Eligibility Without Passing High School Exit Exam | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| May 30, 2006 | CA | SB 1796 | Overhaul Flood and Levee Board | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| May 27, 2006 | TN | SB 3178 | State Legislators Pension Plan | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 8) |
| May 25, 2006 | KS | SB 528 | Abortion and Live Birth Reporting | Veto Override Failed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| May 25, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4097 | Confidentiality Requirement Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (49 - 49) |
| May 25, 2006 | AZ | HB 2577 | Immigration Law; Employment; Enforcement | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 9) |
| May 25, 2006 | AZ | HB 2577 | Immigration Law; Employment; Enforcement | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 9) |
| May 25, 2006 | National | S 2611 | Immigration Reform Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 36) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/23 | H 6885 | International Trade Agreements | Veto Override Passed - Senate (26 - 4) |
| 6/21 | S 8446 | DNA Database Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 2) |
| 6/21 | HB 2381 | Marriage Definition Constitutional Amendment | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (38 - 12) |
| 6/16 | HB 194 | Minimum Wage for State Employees | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 19) |
| 6/16 | HB 194 | Minimum Wage for State Employees | Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 18) |
| 6/15 | HB 2 | Mandatory Sentences and Other Penalties for Sex Offenders | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 5) |
| 6/14 | H 4410 | Campaign Finance Reporting Requirements Bill | Veto Override Failed - Senate (8 - 29) |
| 6/14 | SB 52 | Maryland Transportation Authority | Veto Override Passed - Senate (34 - 13) |
| 6/13 | H 6874 | Ballot Questions from Governor | Veto Override Passed - Senate (28 - 9) |
| 6/13 | S 6771 | Death Penalty and Life Imprisonment Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 23) |
| 6/07 | H 4176 | Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| 6/06 | HB 5143 | "Self-Defense Act" | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| 6/01 | SB 753 | Hiring of Undocumented Immigrants Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| 6/01 | SB 1160 | Drivers Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| 5/31 | H 4449 | Sales and Property Taxes | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 11) |
| 5/30 | SB 1576 | Transitional Housing Services for Foster Youth | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| 5/30 | SB 1796 | Overhaul Flood and Levee Board | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 5/30 | SB 1383 | Cal Grant Eligibility Without Passing High School Exit Exam | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| 5/30 | SB 1796 | Overhaul Flood and Levee Board | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 5/27 | SB 3178 | State Legislators Pension Plan | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 8) |
| 5/25 | SB 528 | Abortion and Live Birth Reporting | Veto Override Failed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 5/25 | S Amdt 4097 | Confidentiality Requirement Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (49 - 49) |
| 5/25 | HB 2577 | Immigration Law; Employment; Enforcement | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 9) |
| 5/25 | HB 2577 | Immigration Law; Employment; Enforcement | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 9) |
| 5/25 | S 2611 | Immigration Reform Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 36) |