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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 26, 2007 | National | S Amdt 2405 | REAL ID Funding | Amendment Tabled - Senate (50 - 44) |
| July 26, 2007 | National | S Amdt 2480 | Border Fence and Customs Appropriations | Amendment Adopted - Senate (89 - 1) |
| July 26, 2007 | National | HR 3093 | Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2008 | Bill Passed - House (281 - 142) |
| July 25, 2007 | MI | Sub HB 4869 | Extending Boxing Regulation to Mixed Martial Arts | Bill Passed - House (94 - 14) |
| July 25, 2007 | MI | HB 4870 | Regulation of Unarmed Combat | Bill Passed - House (93 - 13) |
| July 19, 2007 | National | S Amdt 2351 | Sense of the Senate on Guantanamo Bay Detainees | Amendment Adopted - Senate (94 - 3) |
| July 19, 2007 | NC | CS SB 563 | Traffic and Personal Safety Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (80 - 34) |
| July 19, 2007 | National | HR 3043 | Appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies | Bill Passed - House (276 - 140) |
| July 17, 2007 | National | HR 980 | Collective Bargaining for Public Safety Officers | Bill Passed - House (314 - 97) |
| July 17, 2007 | NC | CS SB 563 | Traffic and Personal Safety Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
| July 16, 2007 | PA | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (13 - 36) |
| July 16, 2007 | PA | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (141 - 62) |
| July 11, 2007 | National | S 1701 | Extension of Funding for Transitional Medical Assistance and Abstinence Education | Bill Passed - House (291 - 126) |
| July 9, 2007 | KY | SCS SB 5 | Public Employee Health Insurance Plans | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 6) |
| July 9, 2007 | KY | SCS SB 5 | Public Employee Health Insurance Plans | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 6) |
| June 28, 2007 | National | S 1639 | Second Immigration Act of 2007 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (46 - 53) |
| June 28, 2007 | National | S 1639 | Second Immigration Act of 2007 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (46 - 53) |
| June 28, 2007 | CA | AB 1738 | California Gaming Code Additions | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 6) |
| June 28, 2007 | PA | HB 1631 | Funding for Local County Projects | Bill Passed - House (121 - 77) |
| June 26, 2007 | PA | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17) |
| June 25, 2007 | PA | A 2062 | Exceptions to Clean Indoor Air Act | Amendment Adopted - Senate (29 - 21) |
| June 20, 2007 | AZ | HB 2779 | Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Conference Report Adopted - House (47 - 11) |
| June 20, 2007 | AZ | HB 2779 | Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 4) |
| June 20, 2007 | LA | HB 320 | Extension of Satellite Voting Provisions | Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 21) |
| June 20, 2007 | AZ | HB 2641 | Maturity Requirement for Underage Abortions | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 6) |
| June 19, 2007 | RI | LCO # 2552/4 to H5300Aaa | Repeal of Provision Requiring the Trying Seventeen Year-Olds as Adults in Criminal Cases | Amendment Rejected - Senate (5 - 30) |
| June 19, 2007 | RI | LCO # 2552/4 to H5300Aaa | Repeal of Provision Requiring the Trying Seventeen Year-Olds as Adults in Criminal Cases | Amendment Rejected - Senate (5 - 30) |
| June 19, 2007 | OH | HB 119 | 2008-2009 Budget | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (46 - 53) |
| June 19, 2007 | DE | HA 4 | Amendment to "Child's Victim Act"; State Immunity | Bill Failed - House (17 - 24) |
| June 19, 2007 | NY | A 8590 | Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (85 - 61) |
| June 19, 2007 | RI | H 5127 | Mandatory Minimum Drug Possession Sentence Repeal | Bill Passed - House (54 - 6) |
| June 19, 2007 | RI | H 5127 | Mandatory Minimum Drug Possession Sentence Repeal | Bill Passed - House (54 - 6) |
| June 19, 2007 | NY | A 8590 | Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (85 - 61) |
| June 19, 2007 | DE | HA 4 | Amendment to "Child's Victim Act"; State Immunity | Bill Failed - House (17 - 24) |
| June 18, 2007 | OR | SB 571 | Smoking Ban Expansion | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
| June 18, 2007 | OR | SB 863 | Regulating Automated Phone Calls | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 8) |
| June 15, 2007 | RI | Article 22 of H5300A | Classifying Seventeen Year-Olds as Adults in Criminal Cases | Amendment Adopted - House (48 - 19) |
| June 15, 2007 | RI | Article 22 of H5300A | Classifying Seventeen Year-Olds as Adults in Criminal Cases | Amendment Adopted - House (48 - 19) |
| June 15, 2007 | ME | LD 701 | Slot Machine Authorization | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| June 15, 2007 | OR | SB 571 | Smoking Ban Expansion | Bill Passed - House (38 - 21) |
| June 15, 2007 | ME | LD 701 | Slot Machine Authorization | Bill Passed - House (101 - 38) |
| June 14, 2007 | DE | HB 175 | Emergency Power to Seize Private Firearms | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 3) |
| June 14, 2007 | DE | HB 175 | Emergency Power to Seize Private Firearms | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 3) |
| June 14, 2007 | DE | HB 175 | Emergency Power to Seize Private Firearms | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 3) |
| June 14, 2007 | MA | S 2220 | Constitutional Amendment Defining Marriage | Bill Failed - House (40 - 117) |
| June 14, 2007 | MA | S 2220 | Constitutional Amendment Defining Marriage | Bill Failed - House (40 - 117) |
| June 14, 2007 | OR | HB 2637 | Cyberbullying Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 7) |
| June 14, 2007 | MA | S 2220 | Constitutional Amendment Defining Marriage | Bill Failed - House (40 - 117) |
| June 14, 2007 | MA | S 2220 | Constitutional Amendment Defining Marriage | Bill Failed - Senate (5 - 34) |
| June 14, 2007 | MA | S 2220 | Constitutional Amendment Defining Marriage | Bill Failed - Senate (5 - 34) |
| June 14, 2007 | MA | S 2220 | Constitutional Amendment Defining Marriage | Bill Failed - Senate (5 - 34) |
| June 13, 2007 | LA | HB 747 | Restrictions on All-Terrain Vehicle Use | Bill Failed - House (50 - 50) |
| June 12, 2007 | OR | HB 2967 | Tobacco Tax Increase for Childrens Health Care | Bill Failed - House (35 - 22) |
| June 11, 2007 | National | S J Res 14 | Attorney General No Confidence Vote | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 38) |
| June 11, 2007 | OR | SB 392 | Mandatory School Age | Bill Failed - House (22 - 33) |
| June 7, 2007 | National | S 1348 | Immigration Act of 2007 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (34 - 61) |
| June 7, 2007 | NH | SB 223 | Funeral Protest Ban | Bill Passed - House (299 - 22) |
| June 7, 2007 | National | S 5 | Stem Cell Research Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (247 - 176) |
| June 7, 2007 | NH | HB 184 | Abortion Parental Notification | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 9) |
| June 7, 2007 | CA | SB 7 | Marco Firebaugh Memorial Childrens Health and Safety Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| June 7, 2007 | LA | HB 786 | Teenage Driver Passenger Limit | Bill Failed - House (38 - 60) |
| June 7, 2007 | CA | SB 7 | Marco Firebaugh Memorial Childrens Health and Safety Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| June 7, 2007 | LA | HB 786 | Teenage Driver Passenger Limit | Bill Failed - House (38 - 60) |
| June 7, 2007 | CA | SB 48 | Health Care Coverage and Cost Control Act | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16) |
| June 7, 2007 | CA | SB 32 | Children's Health Care Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| June 7, 2007 | CA | AB 8 | Expanding Subsidized Health Care Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (47 - 32) |
| June 6, 2007 | ME | LD 203 | Student Voter Registration Bill | "Ought Not to Pass" Report Adopted - House (90 - 49) |
| June 6, 2007 | National | S Amdt 1184 | Denying Legal Status for Immigrants Convicted of Certain Crimes | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 51) |
| June 6, 2007 | National | S Amdt 1384 | English as the Common Language | Amendment Adopted - Senate (58 - 39) |
| June 6, 2007 | SC | H 3964 | Concealed Firearms in Schools | Motion Agreed - House (47 - 41) |
| June 6, 2007 | National | S Amdt 1316 | Five Year Expiration for Guest Worker Program | Amendment Adopted - Senate (49 - 48) |
| June 6, 2007 | National | S Amdt 1151 | Declaring English the National Language | Amendment Adopted - Senate (64 - 33) |
| June 6, 2007 | National | S Amdt 1250 | Law Enforcement Review of Z Visa Applications | Amendment Adopted - Senate (57 - 39) |
| June 6, 2007 | National | S Amdt 1250 | Law Enforcement Review of Z Visa Applications | Amendment Adopted - Senate (57 - 39) |
| June 6, 2007 | National | S Amdt 1184 | Denying Legal Status for Immigrants Convicted of Certain Crimes | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 51) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7/26 | S Amdt 2405 | REAL ID Funding | Amendment Tabled - Senate (50 - 44) |
| 7/26 | S Amdt 2480 | Border Fence and Customs Appropriations | Amendment Adopted - Senate (89 - 1) |
| 7/26 | HR 3093 | Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2008 | Bill Passed - House (281 - 142) |
| 7/25 | Sub HB 4869 | Extending Boxing Regulation to Mixed Martial Arts | Bill Passed - House (94 - 14) |
| 7/25 | HB 4870 | Regulation of Unarmed Combat | Bill Passed - House (93 - 13) |
| 7/19 | S Amdt 2351 | Sense of the Senate on Guantanamo Bay Detainees | Amendment Adopted - Senate (94 - 3) |
| 7/19 | CS SB 563 | Traffic and Personal Safety Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (80 - 34) |
| 7/19 | HR 3043 | Appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies | Bill Passed - House (276 - 140) |
| 7/17 | HR 980 | Collective Bargaining for Public Safety Officers | Bill Passed - House (314 - 97) |
| 7/17 | CS SB 563 | Traffic and Personal Safety Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
| 7/16 | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (13 - 36) |
| 7/16 | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (141 - 62) |
| 7/11 | S 1701 | Extension of Funding for Transitional Medical Assistance and Abstinence Education | Bill Passed - House (291 - 126) |
| 7/09 | SCS SB 5 | Public Employee Health Insurance Plans | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 6) |
| 7/09 | SCS SB 5 | Public Employee Health Insurance Plans | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 6) |
| 6/28 | S 1639 | Second Immigration Act of 2007 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (46 - 53) |
| 6/28 | S 1639 | Second Immigration Act of 2007 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (46 - 53) |
| 6/28 | AB 1738 | California Gaming Code Additions | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 6) |
| 6/28 | HB 1631 | Funding for Local County Projects | Bill Passed - House (121 - 77) |
| 6/26 | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17) |
| 6/25 | A 2062 | Exceptions to Clean Indoor Air Act | Amendment Adopted - Senate (29 - 21) |
| 6/20 | HB 2779 | Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Conference Report Adopted - House (47 - 11) |
| 6/20 | HB 2779 | Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 4) |
| 6/20 | HB 320 | Extension of Satellite Voting Provisions | Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 21) |
| 6/20 | HB 2641 | Maturity Requirement for Underage Abortions | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 6) |
| 6/19 | LCO # 2552/4 to H5300Aaa | Repeal of Provision Requiring the Trying Seventeen Year-Olds as Adults in Criminal Cases | Amendment Rejected - Senate (5 - 30) |
| 6/19 | LCO # 2552/4 to H5300Aaa | Repeal of Provision Requiring the Trying Seventeen Year-Olds as Adults in Criminal Cases | Amendment Rejected - Senate (5 - 30) |
| 6/19 | HB 119 | 2008-2009 Budget | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (46 - 53) |
| 6/19 | HA 4 | Amendment to "Child's Victim Act"; State Immunity | Bill Failed - House (17 - 24) |
| 6/19 | A 8590 | Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (85 - 61) |
| 6/19 | H 5127 | Mandatory Minimum Drug Possession Sentence Repeal | Bill Passed - House (54 - 6) |
| 6/19 | H 5127 | Mandatory Minimum Drug Possession Sentence Repeal | Bill Passed - House (54 - 6) |
| 6/19 | A 8590 | Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (85 - 61) |
| 6/19 | HA 4 | Amendment to "Child's Victim Act"; State Immunity | Bill Failed - House (17 - 24) |
| 6/18 | SB 571 | Smoking Ban Expansion | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
| 6/18 | SB 863 | Regulating Automated Phone Calls | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 8) |
| 6/15 | Article 22 of H5300A | Classifying Seventeen Year-Olds as Adults in Criminal Cases | Amendment Adopted - House (48 - 19) |
| 6/15 | Article 22 of H5300A | Classifying Seventeen Year-Olds as Adults in Criminal Cases | Amendment Adopted - House (48 - 19) |
| 6/15 | LD 701 | Slot Machine Authorization | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| 6/15 | SB 571 | Smoking Ban Expansion | Bill Passed - House (38 - 21) |
| 6/15 | LD 701 | Slot Machine Authorization | Bill Passed - House (101 - 38) |
| 6/14 | HB 175 | Emergency Power to Seize Private Firearms | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 3) |
| 6/14 | HB 175 | Emergency Power to Seize Private Firearms | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 3) |
| 6/14 | HB 175 | Emergency Power to Seize Private Firearms | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 3) |
| 6/14 | S 2220 | Constitutional Amendment Defining Marriage | Bill Failed - House (40 - 117) |
| 6/14 | S 2220 | Constitutional Amendment Defining Marriage | Bill Failed - House (40 - 117) |
| 6/14 | HB 2637 | Cyberbullying Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 7) |
| 6/14 | S 2220 | Constitutional Amendment Defining Marriage | Bill Failed - House (40 - 117) |
| 6/14 | S 2220 | Constitutional Amendment Defining Marriage | Bill Failed - Senate (5 - 34) |
| 6/14 | S 2220 | Constitutional Amendment Defining Marriage | Bill Failed - Senate (5 - 34) |
| 6/14 | S 2220 | Constitutional Amendment Defining Marriage | Bill Failed - Senate (5 - 34) |
| 6/13 | HB 747 | Restrictions on All-Terrain Vehicle Use | Bill Failed - House (50 - 50) |
| 6/12 | HB 2967 | Tobacco Tax Increase for Childrens Health Care | Bill Failed - House (35 - 22) |
| 6/11 | S J Res 14 | Attorney General No Confidence Vote | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 38) |
| 6/11 | SB 392 | Mandatory School Age | Bill Failed - House (22 - 33) |
| 6/07 | S 1348 | Immigration Act of 2007 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (34 - 61) |
| 6/07 | SB 223 | Funeral Protest Ban | Bill Passed - House (299 - 22) |
| 6/07 | S 5 | Stem Cell Research Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (247 - 176) |
| 6/07 | HB 184 | Abortion Parental Notification | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 9) |
| 6/07 | SB 7 | Marco Firebaugh Memorial Childrens Health and Safety Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| 6/07 | HB 786 | Teenage Driver Passenger Limit | Bill Failed - House (38 - 60) |
| 6/07 | SB 7 | Marco Firebaugh Memorial Childrens Health and Safety Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| 6/07 | HB 786 | Teenage Driver Passenger Limit | Bill Failed - House (38 - 60) |
| 6/07 | SB 48 | Health Care Coverage and Cost Control Act | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16) |
| 6/07 | SB 32 | Children's Health Care Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| 6/07 | AB 8 | Expanding Subsidized Health Care Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (47 - 32) |
| 6/06 | LD 203 | Student Voter Registration Bill | "Ought Not to Pass" Report Adopted - House (90 - 49) |
| 6/06 | S Amdt 1184 | Denying Legal Status for Immigrants Convicted of Certain Crimes | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 51) |
| 6/06 | S Amdt 1384 | English as the Common Language | Amendment Adopted - Senate (58 - 39) |
| 6/06 | H 3964 | Concealed Firearms in Schools | Motion Agreed - House (47 - 41) |
| 6/06 | S Amdt 1316 | Five Year Expiration for Guest Worker Program | Amendment Adopted - Senate (49 - 48) |
| 6/06 | S Amdt 1151 | Declaring English the National Language | Amendment Adopted - Senate (64 - 33) |
| 6/06 | S Amdt 1250 | Law Enforcement Review of Z Visa Applications | Amendment Adopted - Senate (57 - 39) |
| 6/06 | S Amdt 1250 | Law Enforcement Review of Z Visa Applications | Amendment Adopted - Senate (57 - 39) |
| 6/06 | S Amdt 1184 | Denying Legal Status for Immigrants Convicted of Certain Crimes | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 51) |