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 | PA | SB 1090 | Minimum Wage Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14) |
| 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 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 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 8, 2006 | NC | SB 1289 | Cell Phone Use by Drivers Under 18 Prohibited | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 8) |
| June 7, 2006 | National | S J Res 1 | Same Sex Marriage Resolution | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (49 - 48) |
| June 1, 2006 | LA | SB 106 | Labor Unions Bill | Bill Failed - Senate (8 - 26) |
| June 1, 2006 | LA | SB 753 | Hiring of Undocumented Immigrants Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| June 1, 2006 | CA | SB 1162 | Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 14) |
| June 1, 2006 | CA | SB 1160 | Drivers Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| May 31, 2006 | SC | H 4938 | State Guard Emergency Air Wing | Veto Override Failed - Senate (29 - 15) |
| May 31, 2006 | LA | SB 700 | Minimum Wage Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
| May 30, 2006 | CA | SB 1576 | Transitional Housing Services for Foster Youth | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| 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) |
| May 24, 2006 | MA | H 4479 | MassHealth Immigrant Eligibility Veto Override | Veto Override Passed - Senate (34 - 5) |
| May 24, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4095 | H-2C Visa Program Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 49) |
| May 24, 2006 | OK | SB 1807 | Prohibiting Death Sentence For Mentally Retarded Defendant | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 10) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/22 | SB 1090 | Minimum Wage Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14) |
| 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) |
| 6/16 | 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) |
| 6/15 | 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) |
| 6/08 | SB 1289 | Cell Phone Use by Drivers Under 18 Prohibited | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 8) |
| 6/07 | S J Res 1 | Same Sex Marriage Resolution | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (49 - 48) |
| 6/01 | SB 106 | Labor Unions Bill | Bill Failed - Senate (8 - 26) |
| 6/01 | SB 753 | Hiring of Undocumented Immigrants Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| 6/01 | SB 1162 | Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 14) |
| 6/01 | SB 1160 | Drivers Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| 5/31 | H 4938 | State Guard Emergency Air Wing | Veto Override Failed - Senate (29 - 15) |
| 5/31 | SB 700 | Minimum Wage Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
| 5/30 | SB 1576 | Transitional Housing Services for Foster Youth | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| 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) |
| 5/24 | H 4479 | MassHealth Immigrant Eligibility Veto Override | Veto Override Passed - Senate (34 - 5) |
| 5/24 | S Amdt 4095 | H-2C Visa Program Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 49) |
| 5/24 | SB 1807 | Prohibiting Death Sentence For Mentally Retarded Defendant | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 10) |