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 22, 2006 | NJ | A 3257 | Eminent Domain and Redevelopment Programs | Bill Passed - House (51 - 18) |
| June 22, 2006 | PA | SB 1090 | Minimum Wage Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14) |
| June 22, 2006 | National | HR 4890 | Line Item Veto Bill | Bill Passed - House (247 - 172) |
| June 21, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4322 | Minimum Wage Adjustment Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 46) |
| June 21, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4376 | Increasing Minimum Wage Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 53) |
| June 21, 2006 | PA | HB 2381 | Marriage Definition Constitutional Amendment | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (38 - 12) |
| June 21, 2006 | NY | S 8446 | DNA Database Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 2) |
| June 21, 2006 | AZ | SB 1430 | Children, Child Protective Services | Bill Failed - House (29 - 27) |
| June 21, 2006 | AZ | SB 1430 | Children, Child Protective Services | Bill Failed - House (29 - 27) |
| June 20, 2006 | MI | HB 6213 | Overtime Provisions | Bill Passed - House (57 - 49) |
| June 20, 2006 | National | HR 5631 | Defense Department FY2007 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (407 - 19) |
| June 16, 2006 | LA | HB 194 | Minimum Wage for State Employees | Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 18) |
| June 16, 2006 | LA | HB 194 | Minimum Wage for State Employees | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 19) |
| June 16, 2006 | LA | SB 753 | Hiring of Undocumented Immigrants Bill | Bill Passed - House (91 - 5) |
| June 16, 2006 | National | H Res 861 | Global War on Terror | Resolution Passed - House (256 - 153) |
| June 15, 2006 | DE | HA 5 | Minimum Wage Exception Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (16 - 24) |
| June 15, 2006 | DE | SB 62 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - House (26 - 14) |
| June 15, 2006 | MD | HB 2 | Mandatory Sentences and Other Penalties for Sex Offenders | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 5) |
| June 14, 2006 | SC | H 3726 | ATV Use Regulations | Veto Override Failed - Senate (19 - 22) |
| June 14, 2006 | SC | H 3726 | ATV Use Regulations | Veto Override Passed - House (74 - 31) |
| June 14, 2006 | LA | HB 1379 | Procedures for the Granting of a Divorce When There are Minor Children | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (67 - 20) |
| June 14, 2006 | LA | HB 1379 | Procedures for the Granting of a Divorce When There are Minor Children | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (67 - 20) |
| June 12, 2006 | PA | HB 698 | Mental Retardation Consideration in Murder Cases | Bill Passed - House (169 - 28) |
| June 8, 2006 | NC | SB 1289 | Cell Phone Use by Drivers Under 18 Prohibited | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 8) |
| June 8, 2006 | LA | HB 144 | Equal Pay Bill | Bill Failed - House (40 - 54) |
| June 7, 2006 | National | S J Res 1 | Same Sex Marriage Resolution | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (49 - 48) |
| June 7, 2006 | National | HR 5521 | Legislative Branch FY 2007 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (361 - 53) |
| June 6, 2006 | PA | HB 2381 | Marriage Definition Constitutional Amendment | Joint Resolution Passed - House (136 - 61) |
| June 6, 2006 | LA | HB 194 | Minimum Wage for State Employees | Bill Passed - House (66 - 35) |
| 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) |
| June 1, 2006 | LA | SB 106 | Labor Unions Bill | Bill Failed - Senate (8 - 26) |
| June 1, 2006 | CA | SB 1162 | Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 14) |
| May 31, 2006 | SC | H 4938 | State Guard Emergency Air Wing | Veto Override Failed - Senate (29 - 15) |
| May 31, 2006 | SC | S 1267 | Death Penalty for Repeat Sex Offenders | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (84 - 27) |
| May 31, 2006 | CA | AB 2378 | Affordable Housing Bill | Bill Passed - House (49 - 27) |
| May 31, 2006 | CA | AB 2205 | Food Stamp Eligibility for Medi-Cal Recipients | Bill Passed - House (48 - 32) |
| May 31, 2006 | CA | AB 2205 | Food Stamp Eligibility for Medi-Cal Recipients | Bill Passed - House (48 - 32) |
| May 31, 2006 | CA | AB 3029 | CalWorks and Food Stamp Program | Bill Passed - House (49 - 31) |
| May 31, 2006 | CA | AB 3029 | CalWorks and Food Stamp Program | Bill Passed - House (49 - 31) |
| May 31, 2006 | LA | SB 700 | Minimum Wage Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
| May 31, 2006 | CA | AB 2555 | Wage Discrimination Penalties | Bill Passed - House (48 - 32) |
| May 31, 2006 | CA | AB 2555 | Wage Discrimination Penalties | Bill Passed - House (48 - 32) |
| May 30, 2006 | NC | HB 2174 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - House (72 - 43) |
| May 30, 2006 | CA | SB 1576 | Transitional Housing Services for Foster Youth | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| May 30, 2006 | MI | HB 6085 | Disclosure of Citizenship on Driver's License | Bill Passed - House (76 - 27) |
| May 26, 2006 | OK | SB 1807 | Prohibiting Death Sentence For Mentally Retarded Defendant | Conference Report Adopted - House (91 - 5) |
| May 26, 2006 | OK | SB 1800 | Death Penalty for Second Offender Sex Offenders | Conference Report Adopted - House (88 - 8) |
| May 26, 2006 | TN | HB 3402 | Tennessee Minimum Wage Act | Bill Passed - House (52 - 43) |
| May 25, 2006 | SC | Amdt 3 to S 1084 | Inclusion of Unborn Child/Fetus in Definition for Civil Suits Amendment | Amendment Tabled - House (65 - 31) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/22 | A 3257 | Eminent Domain and Redevelopment Programs | Bill Passed - House (51 - 18) |
| 6/22 | SB 1090 | Minimum Wage Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14) |
| 6/22 | HR 4890 | Line Item Veto Bill | Bill Passed - House (247 - 172) |
| 6/21 | S Amdt 4322 | Minimum Wage Adjustment Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 46) |
| 6/21 | S Amdt 4376 | Increasing Minimum Wage Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 53) |
| 6/21 | HB 2381 | Marriage Definition Constitutional Amendment | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (38 - 12) |
| 6/21 | S 8446 | DNA Database Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 2) |
| 6/21 | SB 1430 | Children, Child Protective Services | Bill Failed - House (29 - 27) |
| 6/21 | SB 1430 | Children, Child Protective Services | Bill Failed - House (29 - 27) |
| 6/20 | HB 6213 | Overtime Provisions | Bill Passed - House (57 - 49) |
| 6/20 | HR 5631 | Defense Department FY2007 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (407 - 19) |
| 6/16 | HB 194 | Minimum Wage for State Employees | Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 18) |
| 6/16 | HB 194 | Minimum Wage for State Employees | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 19) |
| 6/16 | SB 753 | Hiring of Undocumented Immigrants Bill | Bill Passed - House (91 - 5) |
| 6/16 | H Res 861 | Global War on Terror | Resolution Passed - House (256 - 153) |
| 6/15 | HA 5 | Minimum Wage Exception Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (16 - 24) |
| 6/15 | SB 62 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - House (26 - 14) |
| 6/15 | HB 2 | Mandatory Sentences and Other Penalties for Sex Offenders | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 5) |
| 6/14 | H 3726 | ATV Use Regulations | Veto Override Failed - Senate (19 - 22) |
| 6/14 | H 3726 | ATV Use Regulations | Veto Override Passed - House (74 - 31) |
| 6/14 | HB 1379 | Procedures for the Granting of a Divorce When There are Minor Children | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (67 - 20) |
| 6/14 | HB 1379 | Procedures for the Granting of a Divorce When There are Minor Children | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (67 - 20) |
| 6/12 | HB 698 | Mental Retardation Consideration in Murder Cases | Bill Passed - House (169 - 28) |
| 6/08 | SB 1289 | Cell Phone Use by Drivers Under 18 Prohibited | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 8) |
| 6/08 | HB 144 | Equal Pay Bill | Bill Failed - House (40 - 54) |
| 6/07 | S J Res 1 | Same Sex Marriage Resolution | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (49 - 48) |
| 6/07 | HR 5521 | Legislative Branch FY 2007 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (361 - 53) |
| 6/06 | HB 2381 | Marriage Definition Constitutional Amendment | Joint Resolution Passed - House (136 - 61) |
| 6/06 | HB 194 | Minimum Wage for State Employees | Bill Passed - House (66 - 35) |
| 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) |
| 6/01 | SB 106 | Labor Unions Bill | Bill Failed - Senate (8 - 26) |
| 6/01 | SB 1162 | Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 14) |
| 5/31 | H 4938 | State Guard Emergency Air Wing | Veto Override Failed - Senate (29 - 15) |
| 5/31 | S 1267 | Death Penalty for Repeat Sex Offenders | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (84 - 27) |
| 5/31 | AB 2378 | Affordable Housing Bill | Bill Passed - House (49 - 27) |
| 5/31 | AB 2205 | Food Stamp Eligibility for Medi-Cal Recipients | Bill Passed - House (48 - 32) |
| 5/31 | AB 2205 | Food Stamp Eligibility for Medi-Cal Recipients | Bill Passed - House (48 - 32) |
| 5/31 | AB 3029 | CalWorks and Food Stamp Program | Bill Passed - House (49 - 31) |
| 5/31 | AB 3029 | CalWorks and Food Stamp Program | Bill Passed - House (49 - 31) |
| 5/31 | SB 700 | Minimum Wage Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
| 5/31 | AB 2555 | Wage Discrimination Penalties | Bill Passed - House (48 - 32) |
| 5/31 | AB 2555 | Wage Discrimination Penalties | Bill Passed - House (48 - 32) |
| 5/30 | HB 2174 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - House (72 - 43) |
| 5/30 | SB 1576 | Transitional Housing Services for Foster Youth | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| 5/30 | HB 6085 | Disclosure of Citizenship on Driver's License | Bill Passed - House (76 - 27) |
| 5/26 | SB 1807 | Prohibiting Death Sentence For Mentally Retarded Defendant | Conference Report Adopted - House (91 - 5) |
| 5/26 | SB 1800 | Death Penalty for Second Offender Sex Offenders | Conference Report Adopted - House (88 - 8) |
| 5/26 | HB 3402 | Tennessee Minimum Wage Act | Bill Passed - House (52 - 43) |
| 5/25 | Amdt 3 to S 1084 | Inclusion of Unborn Child/Fetus in Definition for Civil Suits Amendment | Amendment Tabled - House (65 - 31) |