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 8, 2007 | AZ | SB 1132 | Volunteer Homeland Security Force | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 8) |
| 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 | ID | S 1172 | English as the Official Language | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| 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 | 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 1, 2007 | WA | Sub SB 5336 | Legal Benefits for Domestic Partners | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 19) |
| Feb. 27, 2007 | MD | SB 61 | Evidence in Sexual Misconduct Trials | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| Feb. 27, 2007 | NM | SB 322 | Requiring Conference Committees to be Public | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 21) |
| Feb. 26, 2007 | WY | HB 95 | Quality Childcare | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12) |
| Feb. 23, 2007 | MT | SB 300 | Seat Belt Requirement | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21) |
| Feb. 22, 2007 | KS | Sub SB 152 | Elections for Senate Vacancies | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15) |
| 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 | SD | SB 208 | Tanning Restrictions | Bill Failed - Senate (10 - 24) |
| Feb. 13, 2007 | ND | SB 2122 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 26) |
| Feb. 12, 2007 | IN | SJR 7 | Definition of Marriage | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (39 - 10) |
| Feb. 12, 2007 | IN | SB 327 | HPV Immunization | Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 5) |
| Feb. 12, 2007 | IN | SB 327 | HPV Immunization | Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 5) |
| Feb. 12, 2007 | SD | SB 207 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6) |
| Feb. 9, 2007 | UT | HB 148 | Parent Choice in Education Act | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10) |
| Feb. 7, 2007 | MS | SB 2391 | Parental Consent Waiver for Abortions | Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 0) |
| Feb. 7, 2007 | MS | SB 2391 | Parental Consent Waiver for Abortions | Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 0) |
| Feb. 6, 2007 | SD | SJR 7 | Extension of Term Limits | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (17 - 18) |
| Feb. 6, 2007 | WY | SF 101 | Sex Offender Tracking | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12) |
| Feb. 5, 2007 | CO | HB 1072 | Termination of All-Union Agreements | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 15) |
| Feb. 5, 2007 | VA | Sub SB 1327 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 8) |
| Feb. 2, 2007 | NM | SB 324 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 7) |
| Feb. 2, 2007 | VA | Sub SB 905 | Refusal of Medical Treatment for Children | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 8) |
| Jan. 31, 2007 | WY | SF 13 | Same Sex Marriages | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
| Jan. 31, 2007 | WY | SF 13 | Same Sex Marriages | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
| Jan. 29, 2007 | AZ | SB 1032 | Emergency Room Malpractice | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 12) |
| Jan. 25, 2007 | WY | SF 104 | Sexual Abuse of Minors | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5) |
| Jan. 24, 2007 | SC | S 284 | The Appointment of the Adjutant General | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (27 - 18) |
| Jan. 24, 2007 | SC | S 287 | The Appointment of the Commissioner of Agriculture | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (30 - 15) |
| Jan. 24, 2007 | IA | HF 1 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 8) |
| Jan. 24, 2007 | SC | S 285 | The Appointment of the Comptroller General | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (32 - 11) |
| Jan. 24, 2007 | SC | S 101 | Reorganization of the State Government | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (22 - 23) |
| Jan. 24, 2007 | SC | S 288 | Appointment of the Secretary of State | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (30 - 13) |
| Jan. 24, 2007 | SC | S 286 | Appointment of the Superintendent of Education | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (27 - 19) |
| Jan. 23, 2007 | VA | SB 1204 | In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 8) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/08 | SB 1132 | Volunteer Homeland Security Force | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 8) |
| 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 | S 1172 | English as the Official Language | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| 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 | 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) |
| 3/01 | Sub SB 5336 | Legal Benefits for Domestic Partners | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 19) |
| 2/27 | SB 61 | Evidence in Sexual Misconduct Trials | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| 2/27 | SB 322 | Requiring Conference Committees to be Public | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 21) |
| 2/26 | HB 95 | Quality Childcare | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12) |
| 2/23 | SB 300 | Seat Belt Requirement | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21) |
| 2/22 | Sub SB 152 | Elections for Senate Vacancies | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15) |
| 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 208 | Tanning Restrictions | Bill Failed - Senate (10 - 24) |
| 2/13 | SB 2122 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 26) |
| 2/12 | SJR 7 | Definition of Marriage | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (39 - 10) |
| 2/12 | SB 327 | HPV Immunization | Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 5) |
| 2/12 | SB 327 | HPV Immunization | Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 5) |
| 2/12 | SB 207 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6) |
| 2/09 | HB 148 | Parent Choice in Education Act | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10) |
| 2/07 | SB 2391 | Parental Consent Waiver for Abortions | Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 0) |
| 2/07 | SB 2391 | Parental Consent Waiver for Abortions | Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 0) |
| 2/06 | SJR 7 | Extension of Term Limits | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (17 - 18) |
| 2/06 | SF 101 | Sex Offender Tracking | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12) |
| 2/05 | HB 1072 | Termination of All-Union Agreements | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 15) |
| 2/05 | Sub SB 1327 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 8) |
| 2/02 | SB 324 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 7) |
| 2/02 | Sub SB 905 | Refusal of Medical Treatment for Children | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 8) |
| 1/31 | SF 13 | Same Sex Marriages | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
| 1/31 | SF 13 | Same Sex Marriages | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
| 1/29 | SB 1032 | Emergency Room Malpractice | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 12) |
| 1/25 | SF 104 | Sexual Abuse of Minors | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5) |
| 1/24 | S 284 | The Appointment of the Adjutant General | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (27 - 18) |
| 1/24 | S 287 | The Appointment of the Commissioner of Agriculture | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (30 - 15) |
| 1/24 | HF 1 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 8) |
| 1/24 | S 285 | The Appointment of the Comptroller General | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (32 - 11) |
| 1/24 | S 101 | Reorganization of the State Government | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (22 - 23) |
| 1/24 | S 288 | Appointment of the Secretary of State | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (30 - 13) |
| 1/24 | S 286 | Appointment of the Superintendent of Education | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (27 - 19) |
| 1/23 | SB 1204 | In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 8) |