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 29, 2006 | OH | Am Sub SB 265 | Air Pollution | Bill Passed - House (67 - 29) |
| March 28, 2006 | OH | Am Sub SB 265 | Air Pollution | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| March 24, 2006 | MD | SB 257 | Little Blackwater River Golf Course Conservation Bill | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 27) |
| March 20, 2006 | PA | HB 213 | Ecoterrorism Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 10) |
| March 20, 2006 | PA | HB 213 | Ecoterrorism Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 10) |
| March 20, 2006 | ID | S 1393 | Biodegradable Fuel | Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 23) |
| March 20, 2006 | ID | S 1393 | Biodegradable Fuel | Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 23) |
| March 20, 2006 | ID | H 544 | Irrigation Voting Procedure | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| March 20, 2006 | ID | H 544 | Irrigation Voting Procedure | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| March 16, 2006 | National | S Amdt 3103 | Natural Resources and Environment Funding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 49) |
| March 16, 2006 | National | S Amdt 3128 | ANWR Revenues Amendment | Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 49) |
| March 16, 2006 | National | HR 4939 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2006 | Bill Passed - House (348 - 71) |
| 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 | National | S Con Res 83 | 2007 Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 49) |
| March 9, 2006 | WI | ASA 3 | Ethanol Bill | Motion Agreed - Senate (17 - 15) |
| March 9, 2006 | WI | ASA 3 | Ethanol Bill | Motion Agreed - Senate (17 - 15) |
| March 9, 2006 | WI | ASA 3 | Ethanol Bill | Motion Agreed - Senate (17 - 15) |
| March 8, 2006 | VA | SB 262 | Virginia Energy Plan | Bill Passed - House (74 - 21) |
| March 8, 2006 | VA | SB 262 | Virginia Energy Plan | Bill Passed - House (74 - 21) |
| March 8, 2006 | AZ | SB 1356 | Air Pollutant Regulation | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
| March 8, 2006 | MS | HB 1089 | Wildlife Feeding Regulation | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 12) |
| March 8, 2006 | MS | HB 1089 | Wildlife Feeding Regulation | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 12) |
| March 7, 2006 | HI | HB 3115 | Gasoline Industry Controls | Bill Passed - House (49 - 1) |
| March 7, 2006 | HI | HB 3115 | Gasoline Industry Controls | Bill Passed - House (49 - 1) |
| March 6, 2006 | IA | HF 2540 | 2006-2007 Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget | Bill Passed - House (52 - 47) |
| March 6, 2006 | IA | HF 2540 | 2006-2007 Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget | Bill Passed - House (52 - 47) |
| March 1, 2006 | UT | HB 328 | Eliminating The Age Requirement For Hunting Small Game | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 7) |
| March 1, 2006 | ID | SJR 106 | Right to Hunt, Fish and Trap | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (18 - 16) |
| Feb. 27, 2006 | MO | SA 5 | Renewable Energy Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (10 - 22) |
| Feb. 27, 2006 | MO | SA 5 | Renewable Energy Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (10 - 22) |
| Feb. 23, 2006 | WY | SF 84 | Wyoming Pipeline Authority | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 4) |
| Feb. 22, 2006 | NH | HB 1269 | Red Deer or Elk Farming and Hunting | Bill Passed - House (217 - 98) |
| Feb. 22, 2006 | NH | HB 1269 | Red Deer or Elk Farming and Hunting | Bill Passed - House (217 - 98) |
| Feb. 22, 2006 | GA | HCS HB 1325 | Natural Gas Distribution Regulations | Bill Passed - House (110 - 59) |
| Feb. 15, 2006 | PA | SB 1025 | PA Clean Vehicles Program | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| Feb. 15, 2006 | PA | SB 1025 | PA Clean Vehicles Program | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| Feb. 10, 2006 | WA | Sub HB 2738 | Minimum Renewable Fuel Content Requirements | Bill Passed - House (70 - 28) |
| Feb. 10, 2006 | WA | Sub HB 2738 | Minimum Renewable Fuel Content Requirements | Bill Passed - House (70 - 28) |
| Feb. 8, 2006 | ID | S 1276 | Thermal Generation Power Plant Notification | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| Feb. 8, 2006 | AK | SB 85 | Off-Road Vehicle Use Near Dalton Highway | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 9) |
| Feb. 8, 2006 | AK | SB 85 | Off-Road Vehicle Use Near Dalton Highway | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 9) |
| Feb. 7, 2006 | MI | Sub for HB 5453 | Changes to the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act | Bill Passed - House (63 - 42) |
| Feb. 3, 2006 | MS | HB 1089 | Deer Baiting | Bill Passed - House (63 - 46) |
| Feb. 3, 2006 | MS | HB 1089 | Deer Baiting | Bill Passed - House (63 - 46) |
| Jan. 30, 2006 | IN | SB 354 | Forestry Classifications | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20) |
| Jan. 30, 2006 | IN | SB 354 | Forestry Classifications | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20) |
| Jan. 26, 2006 | MS | HB 1318 | Hurricane Katrina Response and Recovery Oversight Act | Bill Passed - House (79 - 42) |
| Jan. 26, 2006 | CA | AB 802 | Local Governments Assessment of Flood Risks | Bill Passed - House (41 - 34) |
| Jan. 24, 2006 | SD | SB 27 | State Fair Appropriation | Bill Passed - House (61 - 7) |
| Jan. 17, 2006 | SD | SB 27 | State Fair Appropriation | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 4) |
| Jan. 5, 2006 | NJ | S 2907 | Reimbursement for Contaminated Sites | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/29 | Am Sub SB 265 | Air Pollution | Bill Passed - House (67 - 29) |
| 3/28 | Am Sub SB 265 | Air Pollution | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| 3/24 | SB 257 | Little Blackwater River Golf Course Conservation Bill | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 27) |
| 3/20 | HB 213 | Ecoterrorism Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 10) |
| 3/20 | HB 213 | Ecoterrorism Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 10) |
| 3/20 | S 1393 | Biodegradable Fuel | Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 23) |
| 3/20 | S 1393 | Biodegradable Fuel | Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 23) |
| 3/20 | H 544 | Irrigation Voting Procedure | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| 3/20 | H 544 | Irrigation Voting Procedure | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| 3/16 | S Amdt 3103 | Natural Resources and Environment Funding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 49) |
| 3/16 | S Amdt 3128 | ANWR Revenues Amendment | Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 49) |
| 3/16 | HR 4939 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2006 | Bill Passed - House (348 - 71) |
| 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 | S Con Res 83 | 2007 Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 49) |
| 3/09 | ASA 3 | Ethanol Bill | Motion Agreed - Senate (17 - 15) |
| 3/09 | ASA 3 | Ethanol Bill | Motion Agreed - Senate (17 - 15) |
| 3/09 | ASA 3 | Ethanol Bill | Motion Agreed - Senate (17 - 15) |
| 3/08 | SB 262 | Virginia Energy Plan | Bill Passed - House (74 - 21) |
| 3/08 | SB 262 | Virginia Energy Plan | Bill Passed - House (74 - 21) |
| 3/08 | SB 1356 | Air Pollutant Regulation | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
| 3/08 | HB 1089 | Wildlife Feeding Regulation | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 12) |
| 3/08 | HB 1089 | Wildlife Feeding Regulation | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 12) |
| 3/07 | HB 3115 | Gasoline Industry Controls | Bill Passed - House (49 - 1) |
| 3/07 | HB 3115 | Gasoline Industry Controls | Bill Passed - House (49 - 1) |
| 3/06 | HF 2540 | 2006-2007 Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget | Bill Passed - House (52 - 47) |
| 3/06 | HF 2540 | 2006-2007 Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget | Bill Passed - House (52 - 47) |
| 3/01 | HB 328 | Eliminating The Age Requirement For Hunting Small Game | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 7) |
| 3/01 | SJR 106 | Right to Hunt, Fish and Trap | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (18 - 16) |
| 2/27 | SA 5 | Renewable Energy Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (10 - 22) |
| 2/27 | SA 5 | Renewable Energy Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (10 - 22) |
| 2/23 | SF 84 | Wyoming Pipeline Authority | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 4) |
| 2/22 | HB 1269 | Red Deer or Elk Farming and Hunting | Bill Passed - House (217 - 98) |
| 2/22 | HB 1269 | Red Deer or Elk Farming and Hunting | Bill Passed - House (217 - 98) |
| 2/22 | HCS HB 1325 | Natural Gas Distribution Regulations | Bill Passed - House (110 - 59) |
| 2/15 | SB 1025 | PA Clean Vehicles Program | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| 2/15 | SB 1025 | PA Clean Vehicles Program | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| 2/10 | Sub HB 2738 | Minimum Renewable Fuel Content Requirements | Bill Passed - House (70 - 28) |
| 2/10 | Sub HB 2738 | Minimum Renewable Fuel Content Requirements | Bill Passed - House (70 - 28) |
| 2/08 | S 1276 | Thermal Generation Power Plant Notification | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| 2/08 | SB 85 | Off-Road Vehicle Use Near Dalton Highway | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 9) |
| 2/08 | SB 85 | Off-Road Vehicle Use Near Dalton Highway | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 9) |
| 2/07 | Sub for HB 5453 | Changes to the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act | Bill Passed - House (63 - 42) |
| 2/03 | HB 1089 | Deer Baiting | Bill Passed - House (63 - 46) |
| 2/03 | HB 1089 | Deer Baiting | Bill Passed - House (63 - 46) |
| 1/30 | SB 354 | Forestry Classifications | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20) |
| 1/30 | SB 354 | Forestry Classifications | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20) |
| 1/26 | HB 1318 | Hurricane Katrina Response and Recovery Oversight Act | Bill Passed - House (79 - 42) |
| 1/26 | AB 802 | Local Governments Assessment of Flood Risks | Bill Passed - House (41 - 34) |
| 1/24 | SB 27 | State Fair Appropriation | Bill Passed - House (61 - 7) |
| 1/17 | SB 27 | State Fair Appropriation | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 4) |
| 1/05 | S 2907 | Reimbursement for Contaminated Sites | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15) |