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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 24, 2006 | CO | HB 1056 | Vending Machines Requirements for Schools Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| March 24, 2006 | MD | SB 1075 | Governor Cabinet Appointments | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
| March 24, 2006 | MD | SB 293 | Public Charter School Program Reform Bill | Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 24) |
| March 24, 2006 | CO | HB 1056 | Vending Machines Requirements for Schools Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| March 23, 2006 | ID | H 421 | Property Tax-Homestead Exemption | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7) |
| March 23, 2006 | MI | HB 5606 | New Graduation Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 1) |
| March 23, 2006 | ID | H 743 | School Facilities Improvement Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
| March 22, 2006 | KS | SB 418 | Concealed Weapons Permits | Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 10) |
| March 22, 2006 | MS | SB 2310 | Food and Tobacco Taxes | Veto Override Failed - Senate (28 - 22) |
| March 22, 2006 | NH | SB 268 | High School Dropout Age | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| March 21, 2006 | KS | SCS SB 323 | Eminent Domain | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 13) |
| March 20, 2006 | PA | HB 213 | Ecoterrorism Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 10) |
| March 16, 2006 | NH | SB 343 | Emergency Contraceptives Bill | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - Senate (14 - 10) |
| March 16, 2006 | National | S Amdt 3166 | National Defense Funding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (50 - 50) |
| March 16, 2006 | CO | HB 1175 | Colorado Clean Indoor Air Act | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 15) |
| March 16, 2006 | National | S Con Res 83 | 2007 Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 49) |
| March 16, 2006 | National | S Con Res 83 | 2007 Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 49) |
| March 16, 2006 | KS | SB 587 | Gambling Expansion | Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 20) |
| March 15, 2006 | MD | Amendment 553220 | Needle Exchange Funding Prohibition Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 32) |
| March 15, 2006 | MD | Amendment 553220 | Needle Exchange Funding Prohibition Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 32) |
| March 15, 2006 | MD | Amendment 503528 to SB 110 | Funding to Family Planning Programs Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (18 - 29) |
| March 15, 2006 | OK | SB 1372 | Issuing Temporary Teacher Licenses | Bill Failed - Senate (22 - 23) |
| March 14, 2006 | IN | HB 1099 | Fireworks Sales, Regulations, Discharge, Public Safety Fees, and Injuries | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 16) |
| March 14, 2006 | AL | SB 352 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| March 14, 2006 | AZ | SB 1477 | Psychotropic drugs; Testing; Informed Consent | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
| March 13, 2006 | OK | SB 1387 | Physical Education Instruction Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 9) |
| March 11, 2006 | WV | Com Sub SB 205 | Sex Offenders | Nonconcurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| March 10, 2006 | CO | Amendment L.004 | Balanced Teaching Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (14 - 20) |
| March 9, 2006 | OK | SCS SB 1698 | Inmate State ID Cards and Faith-Based Programs in Prisons | Bill Failed - Senate (21 - 23) |
| March 8, 2006 | AZ | SB 1356 | Air Pollutant Regulation | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
| March 8, 2006 | GA | SCS SB 529 | Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 13) |
| March 8, 2006 | WA | 2nd Sub HB 2572 | Health Insurance for Small Businesses | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 23) |
| March 7, 2006 | HI | SB 3102 | Student to Teacher Ratio Reduction | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 2) |
| March 7, 2006 | WI | SJR 5 | Advisory Referendum on the Death Penalty | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
| March 7, 2006 | HI | SB 3195 | Education Appropriation | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 3) |
| March 7, 2006 | WI | AB 1073 | Medical Malpractice Lawsuit Caps | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
| March 7, 2006 | OK | SB 1387 | Physical Education Instruction Requirements | Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 24) |
| March 6, 2006 | OK | SB 1434 | Prescription Drug Reimportation Act | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
| March 6, 2006 | OK | SCS SB 1874 | Senate Committee Substitute for the "Lawsuit Responsibility Act of 2006" | Bill Failed - Senate (21 - 25) |
| March 6, 2006 | OK | SB 1792 | Achieving Classroom Excellence Steering Committee | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 15) |
| March 6, 2006 | AZ | SB 1273 | Border Radar Lease Appropriation | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 6) |
| March 3, 2006 | MS | SB 3084 | Food and Tobacco Taxes | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 19) |
| March 3, 2006 | AK | CSSB 112 | Rural Education Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 8) |
| March 3, 2006 | ID | S 1382 | Idaho Mathematics, Science and Engineering Scholarship Act | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 18) |
| March 3, 2006 | WI | SB 618 | School Voucher Program Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 13) |
| March 2, 2006 | AZ | HB 2064 | English Language Learners | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 13) |
| March 2, 2006 | AZ | HB 2064 | English Language Learners | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 13) |
| March 2, 2006 | GA | SCS SB 396 | Use of Deadly Force | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 13) |
| March 2, 2006 | IN | HB 1099 | Fireworks Sales, Regulations, Discharge, Public Safety Fees, and Injuries | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18) |
| March 1, 2006 | ID | SJR 106 | Right to Hunt, Fish and Trap | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (18 - 16) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/24 | HB 1056 | Vending Machines Requirements for Schools Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| 3/24 | SB 1075 | Governor Cabinet Appointments | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
| 3/24 | SB 293 | Public Charter School Program Reform Bill | Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 24) |
| 3/24 | HB 1056 | Vending Machines Requirements for Schools Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| 3/23 | H 421 | Property Tax-Homestead Exemption | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7) |
| 3/23 | HB 5606 | New Graduation Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 1) |
| 3/23 | H 743 | School Facilities Improvement Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
| 3/22 | SB 418 | Concealed Weapons Permits | Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 10) |
| 3/22 | SB 2310 | Food and Tobacco Taxes | Veto Override Failed - Senate (28 - 22) |
| 3/22 | SB 268 | High School Dropout Age | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| 3/21 | SCS SB 323 | Eminent Domain | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 13) |
| 3/20 | HB 213 | Ecoterrorism Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 10) |
| 3/16 | SB 343 | Emergency Contraceptives Bill | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - Senate (14 - 10) |
| 3/16 | S Amdt 3166 | National Defense Funding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (50 - 50) |
| 3/16 | HB 1175 | Colorado Clean Indoor Air Act | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 15) |
| 3/16 | S Con Res 83 | 2007 Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 49) |
| 3/16 | S Con Res 83 | 2007 Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 49) |
| 3/16 | SB 587 | Gambling Expansion | Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 20) |
| 3/15 | Amendment 553220 | Needle Exchange Funding Prohibition Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 32) |
| 3/15 | Amendment 553220 | Needle Exchange Funding Prohibition Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 32) |
| 3/15 | Amendment 503528 to SB 110 | Funding to Family Planning Programs Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (18 - 29) |
| 3/15 | SB 1372 | Issuing Temporary Teacher Licenses | Bill Failed - Senate (22 - 23) |
| 3/14 | HB 1099 | Fireworks Sales, Regulations, Discharge, Public Safety Fees, and Injuries | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 16) |
| 3/14 | SB 352 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| 3/14 | SB 1477 | Psychotropic drugs; Testing; Informed Consent | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
| 3/13 | SB 1387 | Physical Education Instruction Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 9) |
| 3/11 | Com Sub SB 205 | Sex Offenders | Nonconcurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| 3/10 | Amendment L.004 | Balanced Teaching Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (14 - 20) |
| 3/09 | SCS SB 1698 | Inmate State ID Cards and Faith-Based Programs in Prisons | Bill Failed - Senate (21 - 23) |
| 3/08 | SB 1356 | Air Pollutant Regulation | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
| 3/08 | SCS SB 529 | Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 13) |
| 3/08 | 2nd Sub HB 2572 | Health Insurance for Small Businesses | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 23) |
| 3/07 | SB 3102 | Student to Teacher Ratio Reduction | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 2) |
| 3/07 | SJR 5 | Advisory Referendum on the Death Penalty | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
| 3/07 | SB 3195 | Education Appropriation | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 3) |
| 3/07 | AB 1073 | Medical Malpractice Lawsuit Caps | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
| 3/07 | SB 1387 | Physical Education Instruction Requirements | Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 24) |
| 3/06 | SB 1434 | Prescription Drug Reimportation Act | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
| 3/06 | SCS SB 1874 | Senate Committee Substitute for the "Lawsuit Responsibility Act of 2006" | Bill Failed - Senate (21 - 25) |
| 3/06 | SB 1792 | Achieving Classroom Excellence Steering Committee | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 15) |
| 3/06 | SB 1273 | Border Radar Lease Appropriation | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 6) |
| 3/03 | SB 3084 | Food and Tobacco Taxes | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 19) |
| 3/03 | CSSB 112 | Rural Education Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 8) |
| 3/03 | S 1382 | Idaho Mathematics, Science and Engineering Scholarship Act | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 18) |
| 3/03 | SB 618 | School Voucher Program Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 13) |
| 3/02 | HB 2064 | English Language Learners | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 13) |
| 3/02 | HB 2064 | English Language Learners | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 13) |
| 3/02 | SCS SB 396 | Use of Deadly Force | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 13) |
| 3/02 | HB 1099 | Fireworks Sales, Regulations, Discharge, Public Safety Fees, and Injuries | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18) |
| 3/01 | SJR 106 | Right to Hunt, Fish and Trap | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (18 - 16) |