Key Votes

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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
May 18, 2006 MI Amend Probation and Parole Violator Welfare Restriction Amendment Adopted - House (83 - 16)
May 18, 2006 LA HB 1142 Parole Eligibility Bill Failed - House (37 - 48)
May 17, 2006 LA HB 853 Prohibits Discrimination and Harassment in State Government Bill Failed - House (38 - 58)
May 12, 2006 MO SS2 SCS HCS HB 1456 Unemployment Compensation Changes Bill Passed - House (90 - 65)
May 11, 2006 TN SB 1678 Establishing Voting Rights Guidelines for Convicted Felons Bill Passed - House (57 - 40)
May 11, 2006 TN SB 1678 Establishing Voting Rights Guidelines for Convicted Felons Bill Passed - House (57 - 40)
May 10, 2006 KS HB 2118 Conceal and Carry Conference Report Adopted - House (93 - 24)
May 10, 2006 KS HB 2118 Conceal and Carry Conference Report Adopted - House (93 - 24)
May 9, 2006 RI H 7339 Restriction on Political Surveillance Bill Passed - House (36 - 25)
May 8, 2006 NY A 8098 Drug Law Reform and Drug Treatment Bill Passed - House (81 - 59)
May 8, 2006 NY A 8098 Drug Law Reform and Drug Treatment Bill Passed - House (81 - 59)
May 8, 2006 NY A 8098 Drug Law Reform and Drug Treatment Bill Passed - House (81 - 59)
May 5, 2006 VT H 865 Non-Discrimination Bill Concurrence Vote Passed - House (88 - 47)
May 4, 2006 DE HB 368 Hunting License Restrictions for Felons Bill Passed - House (21 - 14)
May 4, 2006 DE HB 368 Hunting License Restrictions for Felons Bill Passed - House (21 - 14)
May 4, 2006 WI SJR 5 Advisory Referendum on the Death Penalty Joint Resolution Passed - House (47 - 45)
May 4, 2006 LA HB 1010 Smoking in Motor Vehicles Ban Bill Passed - House (67 - 31)
May 4, 2006 CO SB 81 Employment Nondiscrimination Expansion Bill Bill Passed - House (39 - 26)
May 4, 2006 AK HCS CS SB 20 Offenses Against a Fetus/Unborn Child Bill Passed - House (30 - 9)
May 3, 2006 CO HB 1125 Seat Belt Enforcement Bill Bill Failed - House (32 - 32)
May 2, 2006 HI SB 3262 Smoking Ban Bill Conference Report Adopted - House (47 - 3)
May 2, 2006 CO HB 1100 Prescription Drug Discount Program Bill Failed - House (30 - 35)
May 1, 2006 TN HA 1232 Removing “Sexual Orientation” Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (55 - 32)
April 28, 2006 ME LD 1789 Environmental Terrorism Protection Bill Passed - House (74 - 66)
April 27, 2006 ME LD 1938 Notification Requirements for Certain Firearm Purchases Concurrence Vote Failed - House (68 - 77)
April 27, 2006 ME LD 1938 Notification Requirements for Certain Firearm Purchases Concurrence Vote Failed - House (68 - 77)
April 27, 2006 CO HB 1315 Juvenile Criminal Parole Act Bill Passed - House (44 - 21)
April 26, 2006 OK SB 1434 Prescription Drug Reimportation Act Bill Passed - House (83 - 16)
April 26, 2006 NH SB 318 Use of Deadly Force Bill Passed - House (193 - 134)
April 26, 2006 NH SB 318 Use of Deadly Force Bill Passed - House (193 - 134)
April 26, 2006 OK SB 1742 Abortion Information Requirements and Changes to the Definition of Homicide Bill Passed - House (84 - 5)
April 25, 2006 MI Sub H-1 Self Defense Bill/ Deadly Force Bill Bill Passed - House (90 - 16)
April 25, 2006 MI Sub H-1 Self Defense Bill/ Deadly Force Bill Bill Passed - House (90 - 16)
April 25, 2006 MI Sub H-1 Self Defense Bill/ Deadly Force Bill Bill Passed - House (90 - 16)
April 24, 2006 CT Sub SB 4 Birth Information for Adult Adoptees Bill Passed - House (79 - 64)
April 20, 2006 OR HB 3511 Minimum Sentence for Some First-Degree Sex Offenders Bill Passed - House (54 - 6)
April 20, 2006 AZ SB 1477 Psychotropic drugs; Testing; Informed Consent Bill Passed - House (34 - 23)
April 19, 2006 VA HB 1106 Possession of Concealed Weapons Veto Override Failed - House (61 - 36)
April 19, 2006 VA HB 493 High School Baccalaureate Ceremonies Veto Override Failed - House (60 - 36)
April 17, 2006 AZ SB 1477 Psychotropic drugs; Testing; Informed Consent Bill Failed - House (25 - 30)
April 17, 2006 CT HB 5212 News Media Information Protection Bill Passed - House (107 - 34)
April 17, 2006 OK HCS SB 806 Tattoo Legalization and Changing Body Piercing Regulations Bill Passed - House (70 - 28)
April 17, 2006 OK HCS SB 806 Tattoo Legalization and Changing Body Piercing Regulations Bill Passed - House (70 - 28)
April 13, 2006 CO HB 1314 Prohibiting Forced Exposure to Employer’s Religious or Political Speech Bill Passed - House (33 - 32)
April 12, 2006 MO HA 9 Eminent Domain Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (23 - 129)
April 12, 2006 AZ SB 1157 Trespassing by Undocumented Immigrants Conference Report Adopted - House (33 - 27)
April 12, 2006 AZ SB 1157 Trespassing by Undocumented Immigrants Conference Report Adopted - House (33 - 27)
April 12, 2006 AZ HB 2074 Concealed Weapons; Training Requirement; Renewal Concurrence Vote Passed - House (38 - 19)
April 12, 2006 AZ HB 2142 Human Eggs; Sale; Prohibition Concurrence Vote Passed - House (38 - 21)
April 11, 2006 VA Amdt Item 391-4h New Anti-Gang Initiatives Funding Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (59 - 36)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/18 Amend Probation and Parole Violator Welfare Restriction Amendment Adopted - House (83 - 16)
5/18 HB 1142 Parole Eligibility Bill Failed - House (37 - 48)
5/17 HB 853 Prohibits Discrimination and Harassment in State Government Bill Failed - House (38 - 58)
5/12 SS2 SCS HCS HB 1456 Unemployment Compensation Changes Bill Passed - House (90 - 65)
5/11 SB 1678 Establishing Voting Rights Guidelines for Convicted Felons Bill Passed - House (57 - 40)
5/11 SB 1678 Establishing Voting Rights Guidelines for Convicted Felons Bill Passed - House (57 - 40)
5/10 HB 2118 Conceal and Carry Conference Report Adopted - House (93 - 24)
5/10 HB 2118 Conceal and Carry Conference Report Adopted - House (93 - 24)
5/09 H 7339 Restriction on Political Surveillance Bill Passed - House (36 - 25)
5/08 A 8098 Drug Law Reform and Drug Treatment Bill Passed - House (81 - 59)
5/08 A 8098 Drug Law Reform and Drug Treatment Bill Passed - House (81 - 59)
5/08 A 8098 Drug Law Reform and Drug Treatment Bill Passed - House (81 - 59)
5/05 H 865 Non-Discrimination Bill Concurrence Vote Passed - House (88 - 47)
5/04 HB 368 Hunting License Restrictions for Felons Bill Passed - House (21 - 14)
5/04 HB 368 Hunting License Restrictions for Felons Bill Passed - House (21 - 14)
5/04 SJR 5 Advisory Referendum on the Death Penalty Joint Resolution Passed - House (47 - 45)
5/04 HB 1010 Smoking in Motor Vehicles Ban Bill Passed - House (67 - 31)
5/04 SB 81 Employment Nondiscrimination Expansion Bill Bill Passed - House (39 - 26)
5/04 HCS CS SB 20 Offenses Against a Fetus/Unborn Child Bill Passed - House (30 - 9)
5/03 HB 1125 Seat Belt Enforcement Bill Bill Failed - House (32 - 32)
5/02 SB 3262 Smoking Ban Bill Conference Report Adopted - House (47 - 3)
5/02 HB 1100 Prescription Drug Discount Program Bill Failed - House (30 - 35)
5/01 HA 1232 Removing “Sexual Orientation” Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (55 - 32)
4/28 LD 1789 Environmental Terrorism Protection Bill Passed - House (74 - 66)
4/27 LD 1938 Notification Requirements for Certain Firearm Purchases Concurrence Vote Failed - House (68 - 77)
4/27 LD 1938 Notification Requirements for Certain Firearm Purchases Concurrence Vote Failed - House (68 - 77)
4/27 HB 1315 Juvenile Criminal Parole Act Bill Passed - House (44 - 21)
4/26 SB 1434 Prescription Drug Reimportation Act Bill Passed - House (83 - 16)
4/26 SB 318 Use of Deadly Force Bill Passed - House (193 - 134)
4/26 SB 318 Use of Deadly Force Bill Passed - House (193 - 134)
4/26 SB 1742 Abortion Information Requirements and Changes to the Definition of Homicide Bill Passed - House (84 - 5)
4/25 Sub H-1 Self Defense Bill/ Deadly Force Bill Bill Passed - House (90 - 16)
4/25 Sub H-1 Self Defense Bill/ Deadly Force Bill Bill Passed - House (90 - 16)
4/25 Sub H-1 Self Defense Bill/ Deadly Force Bill Bill Passed - House (90 - 16)
4/24 Sub SB 4 Birth Information for Adult Adoptees Bill Passed - House (79 - 64)
4/20 HB 3511 Minimum Sentence for Some First-Degree Sex Offenders Bill Passed - House (54 - 6)
4/20 SB 1477 Psychotropic drugs; Testing; Informed Consent Bill Passed - House (34 - 23)
4/19 HB 1106 Possession of Concealed Weapons Veto Override Failed - House (61 - 36)
4/19 HB 493 High School Baccalaureate Ceremonies Veto Override Failed - House (60 - 36)
4/17 SB 1477 Psychotropic drugs; Testing; Informed Consent Bill Failed - House (25 - 30)
4/17 HB 5212 News Media Information Protection Bill Passed - House (107 - 34)
4/17 HCS SB 806 Tattoo Legalization and Changing Body Piercing Regulations Bill Passed - House (70 - 28)
4/17 HCS SB 806 Tattoo Legalization and Changing Body Piercing Regulations Bill Passed - House (70 - 28)
4/13 HB 1314 Prohibiting Forced Exposure to Employer’s Religious or Political Speech Bill Passed - House (33 - 32)
4/12 HA 9 Eminent Domain Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (23 - 129)
4/12 SB 1157 Trespassing by Undocumented Immigrants Conference Report Adopted - House (33 - 27)
4/12 SB 1157 Trespassing by Undocumented Immigrants Conference Report Adopted - House (33 - 27)
4/12 HB 2074 Concealed Weapons; Training Requirement; Renewal Concurrence Vote Passed - House (38 - 19)
4/12 HB 2142 Human Eggs; Sale; Prohibition Concurrence Vote Passed - House (38 - 21)
4/11 Amdt Item 391-4h New Anti-Gang Initiatives Funding Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (59 - 36)

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