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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov. 15, 2006 | IL | SB 1275 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 21) |
| Sept. 19, 2006 | National | HR 5684 | U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement Implementation | Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 32) |
| Sept. 13, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4999 | Security of Cargo Containers Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 55) |
| Aug. 31, 2006 | CA | SB 1414 | Health Care Requirements for Large Companies | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 17) |
| Aug. 30, 2006 | CA | AB 32 | Greenhouse Gases Emission Limits | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| Aug. 29, 2006 | CA | AB 1953 | Amount of Lead in Plumbing Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
| Aug. 29, 2006 | CA | AB 2496 | Water Conservation: Low-Flush Water Closet | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| July 14, 2006 | IA | HF 2351 | Eminent Domain | Veto Override Passed - Senate (41 - 8) |
| July 10, 2006 | CO | HB 1017 | Employer Verification of Employee Work Status Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
| July 10, 2006 | NC | HB 2174 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12) |
| July 8, 2006 | NJ | A 4714 | Fur Clothing Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19) |
| July 8, 2006 | NJ | A 4705 | Tobacco Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19) |
| July 8, 2006 | NJ | A 4901 | Sales Tax Bill of 2006 | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| July 8, 2006 | CO | HB 1020 | Business Deductions for Employees Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| June 29, 2006 | National | S 3569 | U.S. -Oman Free Trade Agreement | Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 34) |
| June 27, 2006 | PA | SB 1230 | Slot Supplier Elimination | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21) |
| June 22, 2006 | MA | S 2258 | Massage Therapist Licensing | Veto Override Passed - Senate (29 - 8) |
| June 22, 2006 | PA | SB 1090 | Minimum Wage Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14) |
| June 14, 2006 | MD | SB 1 | Electricity Rates | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 11) |
| June 1, 2006 | RI | LCO # 2854/19 | West Warwick Casino Competative Bidding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (16 - 17) |
| June 1, 2006 | CA | SB 1675 | Renewable Diesel Fuel Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
| June 1, 2006 | RI | H 7935 Sub. A | West Warwick Casino | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| June 1, 2006 | CA | SB 1162 | Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 14) |
| May 31, 2006 | SC | H 4449 | Sales and Property Taxes | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 11) |
| May 31, 2006 | LA | SB 700 | Minimum Wage Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11/15 | SB 1275 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 21) |
| 9/19 | HR 5684 | U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement Implementation | Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 32) |
| 9/13 | S Amdt 4999 | Security of Cargo Containers Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 55) |
| 8/31 | SB 1414 | Health Care Requirements for Large Companies | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 17) |
| 8/30 | AB 32 | Greenhouse Gases Emission Limits | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| 8/29 | AB 1953 | Amount of Lead in Plumbing Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
| 8/29 | AB 2496 | Water Conservation: Low-Flush Water Closet | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| 7/14 | HF 2351 | Eminent Domain | Veto Override Passed - Senate (41 - 8) |
| 7/10 | HB 1017 | Employer Verification of Employee Work Status Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
| 7/10 | HB 2174 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12) |
| 7/08 | A 4714 | Fur Clothing Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19) |
| 7/08 | A 4705 | Tobacco Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19) |
| 7/08 | A 4901 | Sales Tax Bill of 2006 | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| 7/08 | HB 1020 | Business Deductions for Employees Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| 6/29 | S 3569 | U.S. -Oman Free Trade Agreement | Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 34) |
| 6/27 | SB 1230 | Slot Supplier Elimination | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21) |
| 6/22 | S 2258 | Massage Therapist Licensing | Veto Override Passed - Senate (29 - 8) |
| 6/22 | SB 1090 | Minimum Wage Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14) |
| 6/14 | SB 1 | Electricity Rates | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 11) |
| 6/01 | LCO # 2854/19 | West Warwick Casino Competative Bidding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (16 - 17) |
| 6/01 | SB 1675 | Renewable Diesel Fuel Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
| 6/01 | H 7935 Sub. A | West Warwick Casino | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| 6/01 | SB 1162 | Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 14) |
| 5/31 | H 4449 | Sales and Property Taxes | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 11) |
| 5/31 | SB 700 | Minimum Wage Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |