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 28, 2007 | MN | SF 276 | School District Health Insurance Pool | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 23) |
| March 28, 2007 | ID | H 121 | Smoking Ban in Bowling Alleys | Veto Override Passed - Senate (29 - 6) |
| March 27, 2007 | MN | SF 238 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 24) |
| March 26, 2007 | MD | SB 91 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 13) |
| March 26, 2007 | CO | HB 1269 | Casino Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16) |
| March 26, 2007 | IA | SF 427 | Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity Discrimination | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17) |
| March 24, 2007 | MN | SF 1997 | 2008-2009 State Government Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 20) |
| March 23, 2007 | MD | SB 488 | Felon Voting Rights | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 19) |
| March 23, 2007 | National | S Con Res 21 | 2008 Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (52 - 47) |
| March 22, 2007 | MN | SF 1989 | 2008-2009 Higher Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 2) |
| March 22, 2007 | MN | SF 1989 | 2008-2009 Higher Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 2) |
| March 20, 2007 | KS | HB 2140 | English as the Official Language | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 8) |
| March 20, 2007 | National | S 214 | United States Attorneys Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - Senate (94 - 2) |
| March 20, 2007 | NE | LB 476 | Elimination of the Death Penalty | Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 25) |
| March 20, 2007 | GA | SB 148 | Umbilical Cord Blood and Stem Cell Banks | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 15) |
| March 20, 2007 | GA | SB 174 | Physical Fitness Standards for State Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 1) |
| March 19, 2007 | IA | HF 5 | Maximum Title Loan Finance Charge | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 16) |
| March 16, 2007 | MD | SB 533 | Removal of Remarriage Barriers | Bill Failed - Senate (22 - 22) |
| March 15, 2007 | NH | SB 18 | Raising the Compulsory School Age | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| March 13, 2007 | OK | SB 714 | Ban on State-Funded Abortions | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13) |
| March 13, 2007 | ID | H 121 | Smoking Ban in Bowling Alleys | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 4) |
| March 8, 2007 | MS | SB 2391 | Abortion Law Reform | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (49 - 2) |
| March 8, 2007 | NM | HB 283 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
| March 8, 2007 | AZ | SB 1132 | Volunteer Homeland Security Force | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 8) |
| March 7, 2007 | ID | S 1172 | English as the Official Language | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| 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 | IA | SF 128 | Tobacco Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 14) |
| March 6, 2007 | MD | SB 160 | Discrimination Against the Homeless | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 9) |
| 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 | 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 5, 2007 | TN | SB 201 | English-Only Driver's License Exam | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 6) |
| March 1, 2007 | SD | HB 1082 | School District Consolidation | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| March 1, 2007 | WA | Sub SB 5336 | Legal Benefits for Domestic Partners | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 19) |
| Feb. 28, 2007 | MT | SB 500 | CHIP Contraception Coverage | Bill Failed - Senate (25 - 25) |
| Feb. 28, 2007 | WV | Com Sub SB 544 | Parental Notification of Juvenile Abortions | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 4) |
| Feb. 27, 2007 | MD | SB 61 | Evidence in Sexual Misconduct Trials | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| 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. 24, 2007 | MT | SB 306 | Eliminate Death Penalty | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
| Feb. 23, 2007 | IL | SB 4 | Stem Cell Research and Human Cloning | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 23) |
| Feb. 23, 2007 | IL | SB 4 | Stem Cell Research and Human Cloning | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 23) |
| Feb. 22, 2007 | NH | SB 42 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| Feb. 22, 2007 | IN | SB 567 | Full-Day Kindergarten | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12) |
| Feb. 21, 2007 | WV | Com Sub for Com Sub SB 219 | Ban on Smoking in a Vehicle with a Minor | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9) |
| Feb. 20, 2007 | AZ | SB 1180 | No Child Left Behind Opt-Out | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/28 | SF 276 | School District Health Insurance Pool | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 23) |
| 3/28 | H 121 | Smoking Ban in Bowling Alleys | Veto Override Passed - Senate (29 - 6) |
| 3/27 | SF 238 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 24) |
| 3/26 | SB 91 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 13) |
| 3/26 | HB 1269 | Casino Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16) |
| 3/26 | SF 427 | Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity Discrimination | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17) |
| 3/24 | SF 1997 | 2008-2009 State Government Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 20) |
| 3/23 | SB 488 | Felon Voting Rights | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 19) |
| 3/23 | S Con Res 21 | 2008 Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (52 - 47) |
| 3/22 | SF 1989 | 2008-2009 Higher Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 2) |
| 3/22 | SF 1989 | 2008-2009 Higher Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 2) |
| 3/20 | HB 2140 | English as the Official Language | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 8) |
| 3/20 | S 214 | United States Attorneys Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - Senate (94 - 2) |
| 3/20 | LB 476 | Elimination of the Death Penalty | Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 25) |
| 3/20 | SB 148 | Umbilical Cord Blood and Stem Cell Banks | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 15) |
| 3/20 | SB 174 | Physical Fitness Standards for State Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 1) |
| 3/19 | HF 5 | Maximum Title Loan Finance Charge | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 16) |
| 3/16 | SB 533 | Removal of Remarriage Barriers | Bill Failed - Senate (22 - 22) |
| 3/15 | SB 18 | Raising the Compulsory School Age | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| 3/13 | SB 714 | Ban on State-Funded Abortions | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13) |
| 3/13 | H 121 | Smoking Ban in Bowling Alleys | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 4) |
| 3/08 | SB 2391 | Abortion Law Reform | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (49 - 2) |
| 3/08 | HB 283 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
| 3/08 | SB 1132 | Volunteer Homeland Security Force | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 8) |
| 3/07 | S 1172 | English as the Official Language | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| 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 | SF 128 | Tobacco Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 14) |
| 3/06 | SB 160 | Discrimination Against the Homeless | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 9) |
| 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 | 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) |
| 3/05 | SB 201 | English-Only Driver's License Exam | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 6) |
| 3/01 | HB 1082 | School District Consolidation | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| 3/01 | Sub SB 5336 | Legal Benefits for Domestic Partners | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 19) |
| 2/28 | SB 500 | CHIP Contraception Coverage | Bill Failed - Senate (25 - 25) |
| 2/28 | Com Sub SB 544 | Parental Notification of Juvenile Abortions | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 4) |
| 2/27 | SB 61 | Evidence in Sexual Misconduct Trials | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| 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) |
| 2/24 | SB 306 | Eliminate Death Penalty | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
| 2/23 | SB 4 | Stem Cell Research and Human Cloning | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 23) |
| 2/23 | SB 4 | Stem Cell Research and Human Cloning | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 23) |
| 2/22 | SB 42 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| 2/22 | SB 567 | Full-Day Kindergarten | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12) |
| 2/21 | Com Sub for Com Sub SB 219 | Ban on Smoking in a Vehicle with a Minor | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9) |
| 2/20 | SB 1180 | No Child Left Behind Opt-Out | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11) |