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
June 28, 2006 NH SB 318 Use of Deadly Force Veto Override Failed - Senate (11 - 11)
June 28, 2006 NH SB 318 Use of Deadly Force Veto Override Failed - Senate (11 - 11)
June 28, 2006 PA HB 804 Handheld Cell Phone Ban While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 7)
June 27, 2006 CA SB 1137 Sentences for Non-Violent Drug Offenders Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 2)
June 27, 2006 CA SB 1137 Sentences for Non-Violent Drug Offenders Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 2)
June 21, 2006 NY S 8446 DNA Database Expansion Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 2)
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 15, 2006 National HR 4939 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2006 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (98 - 1)
June 15, 2006 MD HB 2 Mandatory Sentences and Other Penalties for Sex Offenders Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 5)
June 13, 2006 NY S 6771 Death Penalty and Life Imprisonment Bill Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 23)
June 7, 2006 MA H 4176 Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8)
June 6, 2006 MI HB 5143 "Self-Defense Act" Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10)
June 6, 2006 MI HB 5143 "Self-Defense Act" Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10)
June 6, 2006 MI HB 5143 "Self-Defense Act" Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10)
May 26, 2006 National PN 1552 Michael Hayden, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency Nomination Confirmed - Senate (78 - 15)
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 OK SB 1713 Trafficking Illegal Drugs Conference Report Rejected - Senate (23 - 24)
May 24, 2006 OK SB 1800 Death Penalty for Second Offender Sex Offenders Conference Report Adopted - Senate (39 - 8)
May 24, 2006 OK SB 1713 Trafficking Illegal Drugs Conference Report Rejected - Senate (23 - 24)
May 24, 2006 OK SB 1807 Prohibiting Death Sentence For Mentally Retarded Defendant Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 10)
May 24, 2006 OK SB 1807 Prohibiting Death Sentence For Mentally Retarded Defendant Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 10)
May 24, 2006 MI Sub for HB 5192 Hunting License Program and Firearms Age Restriction Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9)
May 23, 2006 LA SB 652 Cockfighting Ban Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 4)
Date No. Title Outcome
6/28 SB 318 Use of Deadly Force Veto Override Failed - Senate (11 - 11)
6/28 SB 318 Use of Deadly Force Veto Override Failed - Senate (11 - 11)
6/28 HB 804 Handheld Cell Phone Ban While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 7)
6/27 SB 1137 Sentences for Non-Violent Drug Offenders Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 2)
6/27 SB 1137 Sentences for Non-Violent Drug Offenders Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 2)
6/21 S 8446 DNA Database Expansion Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 2)
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)
6/15 HR 4939 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2006 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (98 - 1)
6/15 HB 2 Mandatory Sentences and Other Penalties for Sex Offenders Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 5)
6/13 S 6771 Death Penalty and Life Imprisonment Bill Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 23)
6/07 H 4176 Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8)
6/06 HB 5143 "Self-Defense Act" Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10)
6/06 HB 5143 "Self-Defense Act" Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10)
6/06 HB 5143 "Self-Defense Act" Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10)
5/26 PN 1552 Michael Hayden, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency Nomination Confirmed - Senate (78 - 15)
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 SB 1713 Trafficking Illegal Drugs Conference Report Rejected - Senate (23 - 24)
5/24 SB 1800 Death Penalty for Second Offender Sex Offenders Conference Report Adopted - Senate (39 - 8)
5/24 SB 1713 Trafficking Illegal Drugs Conference Report Rejected - Senate (23 - 24)
5/24 SB 1807 Prohibiting Death Sentence For Mentally Retarded Defendant Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 10)
5/24 SB 1807 Prohibiting Death Sentence For Mentally Retarded Defendant Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 10)
5/24 Sub for HB 5192 Hunting License Program and Firearms Age Restriction Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9)
5/23 SB 652 Cockfighting Ban Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 4)

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