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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 9, 2007 | ND | SB 2417 | Verifying Employee Work Status | Bill Failed - House (18 - 70) |
| March 8, 2007 | MS | SB 2391 | Abortion Law Reform | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (49 - 2) |
| March 8, 2007 | AZ | SB 1132 | Volunteer Homeland Security Force | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 8) |
| March 8, 2007 | AZ | HB 2589 | Labor Solicitation and Criminal Trespass | Bill Passed - House (35 - 23) |
| March 8, 2007 | NM | SB 238 | Medical Marijuana Legalization | Bill Failed - House (33 - 36) |
| March 8, 2007 | NM | HB 283 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
| March 7, 2007 | KY | SB 1 | Replacing Student Testing System | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| March 7, 2007 | WA | Sub SB 5297 | Sexual Health Education | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
| March 7, 2007 | WA | Sub SB 5297 | Sexual Health Education | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
| March 7, 2007 | ID | S 1172 | English as the Official Language | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| March 7, 2007 | IA | SF 128 | Tobacco Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 14) |
| March 7, 2007 | NH | HB 184 | Abortion Parental Notification | Bill Passed - House (226 - 130) |
| March 7, 2007 | OK | HCS HB 1734 | Photo Identification Voting Requirement | Bill Passed - House (58 - 38) |
| March 6, 2007 | WA | 2nd Sub SB 5093 | Affordable Health Care Coverage for Children | Bill Passed - House (68 - 28) |
| March 6, 2007 | OR | HB 2589 | Lobbyist Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (38 - 22) |
| March 6, 2007 | NY | S 3318 | Sex Offender Management and Treatment Act | Bill Passed - House (127 - 19) |
| March 6, 2007 | MD | SB 160 | Discrimination Against the Homeless | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 9) |
| March 6, 2007 | NY | S 3318 | Sex Offender Management and Treatment Act | Bill Passed - House (127 - 19) |
| March 6, 2007 | TX | HB 8 | Punishment of Sex Offenders | Bill Passed - House (119 - 25) |
| March 5, 2007 | NM | SB 1174 | HPV Vaccine Requirement for Sixth Graders | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 3) |
| March 5, 2007 | NM | SB 1174 | HPV Vaccine Requirement for Sixth Graders | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 3) |
| March 5, 2007 | ID | HCR 18 | Early Childhood Learning Standards | Resolution Failed - House (27 - 43) |
| March 5, 2007 | TN | SB 201 | English-Only Driver's License Exam | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 6) |
| March 5, 2007 | NY | S 3318 | Sex Offender Management and Treatment Act | Bill Passed - Senate (53 - 8) |
| March 5, 2007 | NY | S 3318 | Sex Offender Management and Treatment Act | Bill Passed - Senate (53 - 8) |
| March 2, 2007 | ND | HCR 3052 | In-State Lottery | Joint Resolution Failed - House (14 - 75) |
| March 1, 2007 | SD | HB 1082 | School District Consolidation | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| March 1, 2007 | MO | HB 269 | College Admission of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (120 - 35) |
| March 1, 2007 | IL | HB 138 | Stem Cell Research and Human Cloning | Bill Passed - House (67 - 46) |
| March 1, 2007 | ND | SB 2138 | Repeal of Cohabitation Laws | Bill Passed - House (48 - 41) |
| March 1, 2007 | WA | Sub SB 5336 | Legal Benefits for Domestic Partners | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 19) |
| March 1, 2007 | MO | HB 269 | College Admission of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (120 - 35) |
| Feb. 28, 2007 | SD | SB 199 | Mandatory School Attendance | Bill Passed - House (46 - 23) |
| Feb. 28, 2007 | MT | SB 500 | CHIP Contraception Coverage | Bill Failed - Senate (25 - 25) |
| Feb. 28, 2007 | CO | HB 1292 | Sex Education Curriculum | Bill Passed - House (39 - 26) |
| Feb. 28, 2007 | CO | HB 1292 | Sex Education Curriculum | Bill Passed - House (39 - 26) |
| Feb. 28, 2007 | SD | SB 95 | Control of Technical Institutes | Bill Passed - House (50 - 19) |
| Feb. 28, 2007 | CO | HB 1269 | Casino Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (36 - 29) |
| Feb. 28, 2007 | WV | Com Sub SB 544 | Parental Notification of Juvenile Abortions | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 4) |
| Feb. 27, 2007 | WY | SF 152 | Methamphetamine Lab Decontamination | Bill Failed - House (30 - 30) |
| Feb. 27, 2007 | WY | SF 152 | Methamphetamine Lab Decontamination | Bill Failed - House (30 - 30) |
| Feb. 27, 2007 | WY | SF 152 | Methamphetamine Lab Decontamination | Bill Failed - House (30 - 30) |
| Feb. 27, 2007 | MD | SB 61 | Evidence in Sexual Misconduct Trials | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| Feb. 27, 2007 | IN | HB 1008 | Tobacco Tax to Fund Health Coverage | Bill Failed - House (44 - 52) |
| Feb. 26, 2007 | WY | HB 95 | Quality Childcare | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12) |
| Feb. 26, 2007 | SD | HB 1139 | Tobacco Tax Funds | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| Feb. 26, 2007 | SD | HB 1139 | Tobacco Tax Funds | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| Feb. 26, 2007 | AZ | SB 1302 | Use of Force in Self-Defense | Bill Passed - House (42 - 17) |
| Feb. 24, 2007 | MT | HB 712 | Authority of the United Nations | Bill Passed - House (50 - 49) |
| Feb. 24, 2007 | MT | SB 306 | Eliminate Death Penalty | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/09 | SB 2417 | Verifying Employee Work Status | Bill Failed - House (18 - 70) |
| 3/08 | SB 2391 | Abortion Law Reform | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (49 - 2) |
| 3/08 | SB 1132 | Volunteer Homeland Security Force | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 8) |
| 3/08 | HB 2589 | Labor Solicitation and Criminal Trespass | Bill Passed - House (35 - 23) |
| 3/08 | SB 238 | Medical Marijuana Legalization | Bill Failed - House (33 - 36) |
| 3/08 | HB 283 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
| 3/07 | SB 1 | Replacing Student Testing System | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| 3/07 | Sub SB 5297 | Sexual Health Education | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
| 3/07 | Sub SB 5297 | Sexual Health Education | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
| 3/07 | S 1172 | English as the Official Language | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| 3/07 | SF 128 | Tobacco Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 14) |
| 3/07 | HB 184 | Abortion Parental Notification | Bill Passed - House (226 - 130) |
| 3/07 | HCS HB 1734 | Photo Identification Voting Requirement | Bill Passed - House (58 - 38) |
| 3/06 | 2nd Sub SB 5093 | Affordable Health Care Coverage for Children | Bill Passed - House (68 - 28) |
| 3/06 | HB 2589 | Lobbyist Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (38 - 22) |
| 3/06 | S 3318 | Sex Offender Management and Treatment Act | Bill Passed - House (127 - 19) |
| 3/06 | SB 160 | Discrimination Against the Homeless | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 9) |
| 3/06 | S 3318 | Sex Offender Management and Treatment Act | Bill Passed - House (127 - 19) |
| 3/06 | HB 8 | Punishment of Sex Offenders | Bill Passed - House (119 - 25) |
| 3/05 | SB 1174 | HPV Vaccine Requirement for Sixth Graders | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 3) |
| 3/05 | SB 1174 | HPV Vaccine Requirement for Sixth Graders | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 3) |
| 3/05 | HCR 18 | Early Childhood Learning Standards | Resolution Failed - House (27 - 43) |
| 3/05 | SB 201 | English-Only Driver's License Exam | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 6) |
| 3/05 | S 3318 | Sex Offender Management and Treatment Act | Bill Passed - Senate (53 - 8) |
| 3/05 | S 3318 | Sex Offender Management and Treatment Act | Bill Passed - Senate (53 - 8) |
| 3/02 | HCR 3052 | In-State Lottery | Joint Resolution Failed - House (14 - 75) |
| 3/01 | HB 1082 | School District Consolidation | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| 3/01 | HB 269 | College Admission of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (120 - 35) |
| 3/01 | HB 138 | Stem Cell Research and Human Cloning | Bill Passed - House (67 - 46) |
| 3/01 | SB 2138 | Repeal of Cohabitation Laws | Bill Passed - House (48 - 41) |
| 3/01 | Sub SB 5336 | Legal Benefits for Domestic Partners | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 19) |
| 3/01 | HB 269 | College Admission of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (120 - 35) |
| 2/28 | SB 199 | Mandatory School Attendance | Bill Passed - House (46 - 23) |
| 2/28 | SB 500 | CHIP Contraception Coverage | Bill Failed - Senate (25 - 25) |
| 2/28 | HB 1292 | Sex Education Curriculum | Bill Passed - House (39 - 26) |
| 2/28 | HB 1292 | Sex Education Curriculum | Bill Passed - House (39 - 26) |
| 2/28 | SB 95 | Control of Technical Institutes | Bill Passed - House (50 - 19) |
| 2/28 | HB 1269 | Casino Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (36 - 29) |
| 2/28 | Com Sub SB 544 | Parental Notification of Juvenile Abortions | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 4) |
| 2/27 | SF 152 | Methamphetamine Lab Decontamination | Bill Failed - House (30 - 30) |
| 2/27 | SF 152 | Methamphetamine Lab Decontamination | Bill Failed - House (30 - 30) |
| 2/27 | SF 152 | Methamphetamine Lab Decontamination | Bill Failed - House (30 - 30) |
| 2/27 | SB 61 | Evidence in Sexual Misconduct Trials | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| 2/27 | HB 1008 | Tobacco Tax to Fund Health Coverage | Bill Failed - House (44 - 52) |
| 2/26 | HB 95 | Quality Childcare | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12) |
| 2/26 | HB 1139 | Tobacco Tax Funds | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| 2/26 | HB 1139 | Tobacco Tax Funds | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| 2/26 | SB 1302 | Use of Force in Self-Defense | Bill Passed - House (42 - 17) |
| 2/24 | HB 712 | Authority of the United Nations | Bill Passed - House (50 - 49) |
| 2/24 | SB 306 | Eliminate Death Penalty | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |