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) |
| Nov. 15, 2006 | IL | SB 1275 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 21) |
| Aug. 31, 2006 | CA | AB 32 | Greenhouse Gases Emission Limits | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 32) |
| Aug. 31, 2006 | CA | SB 1414 | Health Care Requirements for Large Companies | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 17) |
| Aug. 31, 2006 | CA | SB 1675 | Renewable Diesel Fuel Requirements | Bill Failed - House (33 - 40) |
| Aug. 30, 2006 | CA | AB 1953 | Amount of Lead in Plumbing Requirements | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (42 - 36) |
| Aug. 30, 2006 | CA | AB 32 | Greenhouse Gases Emission Limits | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| Aug. 30, 2006 | CA | SB 1414 | Health Care Requirements for Large Companies | Bill Passed - House (41 - 37) |
| 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) |
| Aug. 28, 2006 | CA | AB 2536 | Overtime Pay for Personal Attendants | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 31) |
| Aug. 23, 2006 | CA | AB 2536 | Overtime Pay for Personal Attendants | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| Aug. 17, 2006 | CA | AB 2555 | Wage Discrimination Penalties | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| Aug. 3, 2006 | National | HR 5970 | Death/Estate Tax and Minimum Wage Bill | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 42) |
| July 29, 2006 | National | HR 5970 | Death/Estate Tax and Minimum Wage Bill | Bill Passed - House (230 - 180) |
| July 28, 2006 | National | HR 4 | Pension Reform Bill | Bill Passed - House (279 - 131) |
| July 14, 2006 | IA | HF 2351 | Eminent Domain | Veto Override Passed - House (90 - 8) |
| 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 | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (45 - 18) |
| 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 4705 | Tobacco Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19) |
| July 8, 2006 | NJ | A 4901 | Sales Tax Bill of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (41 - 38) |
| July 8, 2006 | NJ | A 4714 | Fur Clothing Tax | Bill Passed - House (44 - 32) |
| July 8, 2006 | CO | HB 1020 | Business Deductions for Employees Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| July 8, 2006 | NJ | A 4714 | Fur Clothing 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 | NJ | A 4705 | Tobacco Tax | Bill Passed - House (43 - 36) |
| June 30, 2006 | PA | SB 1090 | Minimum Wage Bill | Bill Passed - House (161 - 37) |
| June 30, 2006 | PA | SB 1090 | Minimum Wage Bill | Bill Passed - House (161 - 37) |
| June 29, 2006 | MA | S 2258 | Massage Therapist Licensing | Veto Override Passed - House (134 - 22) |
| June 29, 2006 | CA | SB 1 | Solar Energy | Bill Passed - House (49 - 19) |
| June 28, 2006 | PA | HB 243 | Flood Insurance Premium Assistance Program | Bill Passed - House (180 - 13) |
| June 27, 2006 | PA | SB 1230 | Slot Supplier Elimination | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21) |
| June 23, 2006 | MD | SB 1 | Electricity Rates | Veto Override Passed - House (87 - 37) |
| 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 22, 2006 | PA | SB 1090 | Minimum Wage Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14) |
| June 21, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4376 | Increasing Minimum Wage Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 53) |
| June 21, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4322 | Minimum Wage Adjustment Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 46) |
| June 20, 2006 | MI | HB 6213 | Overtime Provisions | Bill Passed - House (57 - 49) |
| June 19, 2006 | RI | Article 24 to H 7120 Sub A | Article 24 Relating to Tuition Tax Credits | Motion Agreed - House (62 - 8) |
| June 19, 2006 | RI | LCO # 2167/2 | Tax Credits for Contributions to Scholarship Programs | Amendment Rejected - House (32 - 39) |
| 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 16, 2006 | LA | SB 753 | Hiring of Undocumented Immigrants Bill | Bill Passed - House (91 - 5) |
| June 15, 2006 | DE | HA 5 | Minimum Wage Exception Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (16 - 24) |
| June 15, 2006 | DE | HA 5 | Minimum Wage Exception Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (16 - 24) |
| June 15, 2006 | DE | SB 62 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - House (26 - 14) |
| June 15, 2006 | DE | SB 62 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - House (26 - 14) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11/15 | SB 1275 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 21) |
| 11/15 | SB 1275 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 21) |
| 8/31 | AB 32 | Greenhouse Gases Emission Limits | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 32) |
| 8/31 | SB 1414 | Health Care Requirements for Large Companies | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 17) |
| 8/31 | SB 1675 | Renewable Diesel Fuel Requirements | Bill Failed - House (33 - 40) |
| 8/30 | AB 1953 | Amount of Lead in Plumbing Requirements | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (42 - 36) |
| 8/30 | AB 32 | Greenhouse Gases Emission Limits | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| 8/30 | SB 1414 | Health Care Requirements for Large Companies | Bill Passed - House (41 - 37) |
| 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) |
| 8/28 | AB 2536 | Overtime Pay for Personal Attendants | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 31) |
| 8/23 | AB 2536 | Overtime Pay for Personal Attendants | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| 8/17 | AB 2555 | Wage Discrimination Penalties | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 8/03 | HR 5970 | Death/Estate Tax and Minimum Wage Bill | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 42) |
| 7/29 | HR 5970 | Death/Estate Tax and Minimum Wage Bill | Bill Passed - House (230 - 180) |
| 7/28 | HR 4 | Pension Reform Bill | Bill Passed - House (279 - 131) |
| 7/14 | HF 2351 | Eminent Domain | Veto Override Passed - House (90 - 8) |
| 7/14 | HF 2351 | Eminent Domain | Veto Override Passed - Senate (41 - 8) |
| 7/10 | HB 1017 | Employer Verification of Employee Work Status Requirements | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (45 - 18) |
| 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 4705 | Tobacco Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19) |
| 7/08 | A 4901 | Sales Tax Bill of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (41 - 38) |
| 7/08 | A 4714 | Fur Clothing Tax | Bill Passed - House (44 - 32) |
| 7/08 | HB 1020 | Business Deductions for Employees Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| 7/08 | A 4714 | Fur Clothing Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19) |
| 7/08 | A 4901 | Sales Tax Bill of 2006 | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| 7/08 | A 4705 | Tobacco Tax | Bill Passed - House (43 - 36) |
| 6/30 | SB 1090 | Minimum Wage Bill | Bill Passed - House (161 - 37) |
| 6/30 | SB 1090 | Minimum Wage Bill | Bill Passed - House (161 - 37) |
| 6/29 | S 2258 | Massage Therapist Licensing | Veto Override Passed - House (134 - 22) |
| 6/29 | SB 1 | Solar Energy | Bill Passed - House (49 - 19) |
| 6/28 | HB 243 | Flood Insurance Premium Assistance Program | Bill Passed - House (180 - 13) |
| 6/27 | SB 1230 | Slot Supplier Elimination | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21) |
| 6/23 | SB 1 | Electricity Rates | Veto Override Passed - House (87 - 37) |
| 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) |
| 6/22 | SB 1090 | Minimum Wage Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14) |
| 6/21 | S Amdt 4376 | Increasing Minimum Wage Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 53) |
| 6/21 | S Amdt 4322 | Minimum Wage Adjustment Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 46) |
| 6/20 | HB 6213 | Overtime Provisions | Bill Passed - House (57 - 49) |
| 6/19 | Article 24 to H 7120 Sub A | Article 24 Relating to Tuition Tax Credits | Motion Agreed - House (62 - 8) |
| 6/19 | LCO # 2167/2 | Tax Credits for Contributions to Scholarship Programs | Amendment Rejected - House (32 - 39) |
| 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) |
| 6/16 | SB 753 | Hiring of Undocumented Immigrants Bill | Bill Passed - House (91 - 5) |
| 6/15 | HA 5 | Minimum Wage Exception Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (16 - 24) |
| 6/15 | HA 5 | Minimum Wage Exception Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (16 - 24) |
| 6/15 | SB 62 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - House (26 - 14) |
| 6/15 | SB 62 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - House (26 - 14) |