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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 4, 2007 | VA | Sub HB 2348 | Extension of "Triggerman Rule" | Veto Override Failed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| April 4, 2007 | VA | Sub HB 2348 | Extension of "Triggerman Rule" | Veto Override Failed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| April 4, 2007 | VA | HB 2347 | Capital Murder of a Witness | Veto Override Passed - Senate (29 - 10) |
| April 4, 2007 | VA | HB 2347 | Capital Murder of a Witness | Veto Override Passed - Senate (29 - 10) |
| April 4, 2007 | VA | HB 2347 | Capital Murder of a Witness | Veto Override Passed - House (83 - 16) |
| April 4, 2007 | VA | Sub HB 2750 | Capital Murder of a Judge | Veto Override Passed - House (82 - 18) |
| April 4, 2007 | VA | Sub HB 2750 | Capital Murder of a Judge | Veto Override Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| April 4, 2007 | VA | Governor's Recommendation: Restaurant Smoking Ban | Amendment Rejected - House (40 - 59) | |
| Jan. 26, 2007 | VA | Sub HB 1665 | Forced or Coerced Abortion Ban | Bill Passed - House (71 - 27) |
| Jan. 25, 2007 | VA | SJ 307 | Voting Rights of Nonviolent Felons | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (29 - 10) |
| Jan. 23, 2007 | VA | Sub SB 1116 | Capital Murder of a Judge or Witness | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 10) |
| Jan. 23, 2007 | VA | Sub SB 1116 | Capital Murder of a Judge or Witness | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 10) |
| April 19, 2006 | VA | HB 493 | High School Baccalaureate Ceremonies | Veto Override Failed - House (60 - 36) |
| April 19, 2006 | VA | HB 1106 | Possession of Concealed Weapons | Veto Override Failed - House (61 - 36) |
| April 11, 2006 | VA | Amdt Item 391-4h | New Anti-Gang Initiatives Funding Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (59 - 36) |
| March 7, 2006 | VA | SB 526 | Defining Marriage | Bill Passed - House (85 - 12) |
| Feb. 20, 2006 | VA | HB 968 | Membership of the Board of Correctional Education | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 20) |
| Feb. 14, 2006 | VA | Sub HB 1048 | Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (77 - 22) |
| Feb. 13, 2006 | VA | HB 782 | Second-Degree Murder Charges | Bill Passed - House (83 - 16) |
| Feb. 3, 2006 | VA | HB 45 | Death Penalty Age Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (63 - 34) |
| Feb. 2, 2006 | VA | SB 253 | Mandatory Reporting of Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
| Jan. 31, 2006 | VA | SB 362 | Death Penalty Age Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 3) |
| Jan. 25, 2006 | VA | SB 526 | Defining Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 11) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/04 | Sub HB 2348 | Extension of "Triggerman Rule" | Veto Override Failed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| 4/04 | Sub HB 2348 | Extension of "Triggerman Rule" | Veto Override Failed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| 4/04 | HB 2347 | Capital Murder of a Witness | Veto Override Passed - Senate (29 - 10) |
| 4/04 | HB 2347 | Capital Murder of a Witness | Veto Override Passed - Senate (29 - 10) |
| 4/04 | HB 2347 | Capital Murder of a Witness | Veto Override Passed - House (83 - 16) |
| 4/04 | Sub HB 2750 | Capital Murder of a Judge | Veto Override Passed - House (82 - 18) |
| 4/04 | Sub HB 2750 | Capital Murder of a Judge | Veto Override Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| 4/04 | Governor's Recommendation: Restaurant Smoking Ban | Amendment Rejected - House (40 - 59) | |
| 1/26 | Sub HB 1665 | Forced or Coerced Abortion Ban | Bill Passed - House (71 - 27) |
| 1/25 | SJ 307 | Voting Rights of Nonviolent Felons | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (29 - 10) |
| 1/23 | Sub SB 1116 | Capital Murder of a Judge or Witness | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 10) |
| 1/23 | Sub SB 1116 | Capital Murder of a Judge or Witness | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 10) |
| 4/19 | HB 493 | High School Baccalaureate Ceremonies | Veto Override Failed - House (60 - 36) |
| 4/19 | HB 1106 | Possession of Concealed Weapons | Veto Override Failed - House (61 - 36) |
| 4/11 | Amdt Item 391-4h | New Anti-Gang Initiatives Funding Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (59 - 36) |
| 3/07 | SB 526 | Defining Marriage | Bill Passed - House (85 - 12) |
| 2/20 | HB 968 | Membership of the Board of Correctional Education | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 20) |
| 2/14 | Sub HB 1048 | Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (77 - 22) |
| 2/13 | HB 782 | Second-Degree Murder Charges | Bill Passed - House (83 - 16) |
| 2/03 | HB 45 | Death Penalty Age Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (63 - 34) |
| 2/02 | SB 253 | Mandatory Reporting of Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
| 1/31 | SB 362 | Death Penalty Age Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 3) |
| 1/25 | SB 526 | Defining Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 11) |