Key Votes

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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:

  1. The vote should be helpful in portraying how a member stands on a particular issue
  2. The vote should be clear for any person to understand
  3. The vote has received media attention
  4. The vote was passed or defeated by a very close margin
  5. Occasionally, if a specific bill is consistently inquired about on the Voter's Research Hotline, the vote will be added

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.


results per page:
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 Driver’s 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 Legislator’s 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 Driver’s 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 Legislator’s 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)

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