Key Votes

Chamber

Keyword Search

Search string must be longer than 3 characters.

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:

  1. The vote should be helpful in portraying how a member stands on a particular issue
  2. The vote should be clear for any person to understand
  3. The vote has received media attention
  4. The vote was passed or defeated by a very close margin
  5. Occasionally, if a specific bill is consistently inquired about on the Voter's Research Hotline, the vote will be added

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.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
April 6, 2006 MO HJR 39 Prayer in Public Schools Joint Resolution Passed - House (134 - 19)
March 28, 2006 MD SB 539 Hate Crimes Against Homeless Persons Bill Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 25)
March 27, 2006 CO HB 1344 Same-Sex Partnership Benefits Act Bill Passed - House (38 - 27)
March 27, 2006 MD SB 539 Hate Crimes Against Homeless Persons Bill Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 22)
March 24, 2006 GA SCS SB 396 Use of Deadly Force Bill Passed - House (115 - 42)
March 23, 2006 KS SB 418 Concealed Weapons Permits Veto Override Passed - House (91 - 33)
March 22, 2006 KS SB 418 Concealed Weapons Permits Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 10)
March 21, 2006 NH CACR 34 Marriage Definition "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (207 - 125)
March 21, 2006 NH Maj AM 1172h Smoking Ban Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (177 - 164)
March 21, 2006 OH HCR 36 Apportioning U.S. House Seats Resolution Passed - House (71 - 23)
March 21, 2006 NH HB 1177 Smoking Ban Bill Passed - House (189 - 156)
March 17, 2006 CO HB 1175 Colorado Clean Indoor Air Act Conference Report Adopted - House (38 - 24)
March 16, 2006 NH SB 343 Emergency Contraceptives Bill "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - Senate (14 - 10)
March 16, 2006 CO HB 1175 Colorado Clean Indoor Air Act Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 15)
March 14, 2006 IN HB 1099 Fireworks Sales, Regulations, Discharge, Public Safety Fees, and Injuries Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 16)
March 14, 2006 IN HB 1099 Fireworks Sales, Regulations, Discharge, Public Safety Fees, and Injuries Conference Report Adopted - House (59 - 35)
March 14, 2006 KS SB 418 Concealed Weapons Permits Bill Passed - House (90 - 33)
March 10, 2006 CO Amendment L.004 Balanced Teaching Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (14 - 20)
March 10, 2006 CO HB 1125 Seat Belt Enforcement Bill Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14)
March 9, 2006 NH HB 1492 Emergency Contraceptives and Pharmacists "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (215 - 106)
March 9, 2006 AZ HB 2696 Adoption Preference for Married Couples Bill Passed - House (32 - 25)
March 7, 2006 OK HCS HB 2138 Release From School to Attend Religious Instruction Bill Passed - House (70 - 25)
March 7, 2006 VA SB 526 Defining Marriage Bill Passed - House (85 - 12)
March 2, 2006 National HR 3199 PATRIOT Act Reauthorization Conference Report Adopted - Senate (89 - 10)
March 2, 2006 GA SCS SB 396 Use of Deadly Force Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 13)
Date No. Title Outcome
4/06 HJR 39 Prayer in Public Schools Joint Resolution Passed - House (134 - 19)
3/28 SB 539 Hate Crimes Against Homeless Persons Bill Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 25)
3/27 HB 1344 Same-Sex Partnership Benefits Act Bill Passed - House (38 - 27)
3/27 SB 539 Hate Crimes Against Homeless Persons Bill Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 22)
3/24 SCS SB 396 Use of Deadly Force Bill Passed - House (115 - 42)
3/23 SB 418 Concealed Weapons Permits Veto Override Passed - House (91 - 33)
3/22 SB 418 Concealed Weapons Permits Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 10)
3/21 CACR 34 Marriage Definition "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (207 - 125)
3/21 Maj AM 1172h Smoking Ban Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (177 - 164)
3/21 HCR 36 Apportioning U.S. House Seats Resolution Passed - House (71 - 23)
3/21 HB 1177 Smoking Ban Bill Passed - House (189 - 156)
3/17 HB 1175 Colorado Clean Indoor Air Act Conference Report Adopted - House (38 - 24)
3/16 SB 343 Emergency Contraceptives Bill "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - Senate (14 - 10)
3/16 HB 1175 Colorado Clean Indoor Air Act Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 15)
3/14 HB 1099 Fireworks Sales, Regulations, Discharge, Public Safety Fees, and Injuries Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 16)
3/14 HB 1099 Fireworks Sales, Regulations, Discharge, Public Safety Fees, and Injuries Conference Report Adopted - House (59 - 35)
3/14 SB 418 Concealed Weapons Permits Bill Passed - House (90 - 33)
3/10 Amendment L.004 Balanced Teaching Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (14 - 20)
3/10 HB 1125 Seat Belt Enforcement Bill Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14)
3/09 HB 1492 Emergency Contraceptives and Pharmacists "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (215 - 106)
3/09 HB 2696 Adoption Preference for Married Couples Bill Passed - House (32 - 25)
3/07 HCS HB 2138 Release From School to Attend Religious Instruction Bill Passed - House (70 - 25)
3/07 SB 526 Defining Marriage Bill Passed - House (85 - 12)
3/02 HR 3199 PATRIOT Act Reauthorization Conference Report Adopted - Senate (89 - 10)
3/02 SCS SB 396 Use of Deadly Force Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 13)

arrow_upward