Key Votes

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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:

  1. The vote should be helpful in portraying how a member stands on a particular issue
  2. The vote should be clear for any person to understand
  3. The vote has received media attention
  4. The vote was passed or defeated by a very close margin
  5. Occasionally, if a specific bill is consistently inquired about on the Voter's Research Hotline, the vote will be added

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.


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Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
March 28, 2007 NH HB 774 Medical Marijuana "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (186 - 177)
Jan. 3, 2006 RI H 6052 Sub. A Medical Marijuana Bill Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 5)
Jan. 3, 2006 RI H 6052 Sub. A Medical Marijuana Bill Veto Override Passed - House (59 - 13)
July 13, 2006 MA H 4176 Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes Veto Override Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
March 20, 1997 National S Amdt 25 U.S.- Mexico Drug Trafficking Prevention Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (94 - 5)
June 9, 1998 National S Amdt 2451 Illegal Drug Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 46)
March 15, 2011 DE HA 1 Reduced Punishment for Drug Possession Amendment Adopted - House (21 - 17)
Sept. 16, 1998 National H Amdt 887 Illegal Drug Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (291 - 133)
Aug. 7, 1998 National H Amdt 869 Illegal Drug Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (250 - 169)
May 18, 2006 MI Amend Welfare Restrictions for Drug Felonys Amendment Adopted - House (86 - 16)
Oct. 30, 2007 MI SB 233 2007-2008 State Judiciary Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (102 - 7)
May 10, 2005 National HR 1268 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (100 - 0)
Oct. 29, 2007 MI S Sub for Sub HB 4344 2007-2008 Department of Community Health Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (81 - 28)
May 5, 2005 National HR 1268 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005 Conference Report Adopted - House (368 - 58)
Oct. 30, 2007 MI S Sub for Sub HB 4344 2007-2008 Department of Community Health Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 3)
June 19, 2008 National HR 2642 GI Bill, Funding for Midwest Flood Cleanup, Extension of Unemployment Benefits, and Other Provisions Concurrence Vote Passed - House (268 - 155)
July 15, 2009 NC HB 1185 Habitual DWI Reinstatement after Ten Years Concurrence Vote Passed - House (87 - 29)
May 5, 2008 CO HB 1082 Sealing Criminal Records Concurrence Vote Passed - House (36 - 28)
June 23, 2008 AZ SB 1476 Reducing Probation for Good Behavior Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 4)
June 26, 2008 National HR 2642 Iraq and Afghanistan War Funding, Unemployment Benefits Extension, and GI Bill Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (92 - 6)
June 27, 2006 CA SB 1137 Sentences for Non-Violent Drug Offenders Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 2)
Sept. 27, 2007 National HR 976 State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (67 - 29)
May 18, 2009 MN SF 97 Legalizing Medical Marijuana Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 28)
June 19, 2008 National HR 2642 GI Bill, Funding for Midwest Flood Cleanup, Extension of Unemployment Benefits, and Other Provisions Concurrence Vote Passed - House (416 - 12)
Sept. 25, 2007 National HR 976 State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization Concurrence Vote Passed - House (265 - 159)
May 15, 2008 National HR 2642 Iraq Related Provisions such as a Troop Withdrawal, a Permanent Base Ban, and Limiting Interrogation Techniques Concurrence Vote Passed - House (227 - 196)
Aug. 2, 2007 National HR 976 State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 31)
June 1, 2007 CT HB 6715 Medical Use of Marijuana Bill Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
May 18, 2009 MN SF 97 Legalizing Medical Marijuana Bill Passed - House (70 - 64)
May 2, 2008 CO HB 1082 Sealing Criminal Records Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
April 21, 2005 National HR 1268 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005 Bill Passed - Senate (99 - 0)
May 19, 2008 AZ SB 1476 Reducing Probation for Good Behavior Bill Passed - House (35 - 18)
Aug. 20, 2008 CA AB 2279 Prohibiting Employment Discrimination Against Medical Marijuana Patients Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15)
March 6, 2006 OK SB 1434 Prescription Drug Reimportation Act Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17)
June 9, 2006 National HR 5522 Foreign Operations and Export Finance Appropriation Act Bill Passed - House (373 - 34)
May 3, 2007 MN SF 345 Medical Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 29)
May 31, 2006 CA AB 2076 Needle Exchange Program Bill Passed - House (45 - 34)
Feb. 7, 2007 NM SB 238 Medical Marijuana Legalization Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 7)
June 19, 2007 RI H 5127 Mandatory Minimum Drug Possession Sentence Repeal Bill Passed - House (54 - 6)
Aug. 30, 2006 CA AB 2076 Needle Exchange Program Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
April 27, 2007 TX CSSB 308 Syringe Exchange Program Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 8)
March 8, 2006 MS SB 2511 Parole Eligibility for First-Time Nonviolent Offenders Under Twenty-Five Bill Passed - House (67 - 51)
June 4, 2011 CT SB 1014 Penalties For Certain Nonviolent Drug Offenses Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 18)
April 26, 2006 OK SB 1434 Prescription Drug Reimportation Act Bill Passed - House (83 - 16)
Jan. 23, 2006 SD SB 1 Mandatory Bodily Substance Samples in Drunk Driving Arrests Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
June 27, 2006 CA SB 1137 Sentences for Non-Violent Drug Offenders Bill Passed - House (64 - 8)
March 2, 2011 WV HB 2946 Prescriptions for Methamphetamine Chemical Precursors Bill Passed - House (77 - 23)
Feb. 23, 2006 SD SB 1 Mandatory Bodily Substance Samples in Drunk Driving Arrests Bill Passed - House (52 - 17)
April 20, 2006 AZ SB 1477 Psychotropic drugs; Testing; Informed Consent Bill Passed - House (34 - 23)
April 10, 2010 MD SB 627 Establishes Medical Marijuana Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 12)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/28 HB 774 Medical Marijuana "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (186 - 177)
1/03 H 6052 Sub. A Medical Marijuana Bill Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 5)
1/03 H 6052 Sub. A Medical Marijuana Bill Veto Override Passed - House (59 - 13)
7/13 H 4176 Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes Veto Override Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
3/20 S Amdt 25 U.S.- Mexico Drug Trafficking Prevention Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (94 - 5)
6/09 S Amdt 2451 Illegal Drug Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 46)
3/15 HA 1 Reduced Punishment for Drug Possession Amendment Adopted - House (21 - 17)
9/16 H Amdt 887 Illegal Drug Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (291 - 133)
8/07 H Amdt 869 Illegal Drug Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (250 - 169)
5/18 Amend Welfare Restrictions for Drug Felonys Amendment Adopted - House (86 - 16)
10/30 SB 233 2007-2008 State Judiciary Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (102 - 7)
5/10 HR 1268 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (100 - 0)
10/29 S Sub for Sub HB 4344 2007-2008 Department of Community Health Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (81 - 28)
5/05 HR 1268 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005 Conference Report Adopted - House (368 - 58)
10/30 S Sub for Sub HB 4344 2007-2008 Department of Community Health Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 3)
6/19 HR 2642 GI Bill, Funding for Midwest Flood Cleanup, Extension of Unemployment Benefits, and Other Provisions Concurrence Vote Passed - House (268 - 155)
7/15 HB 1185 Habitual DWI Reinstatement after Ten Years Concurrence Vote Passed - House (87 - 29)
5/05 HB 1082 Sealing Criminal Records Concurrence Vote Passed - House (36 - 28)
6/23 SB 1476 Reducing Probation for Good Behavior Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 4)
6/26 HR 2642 Iraq and Afghanistan War Funding, Unemployment Benefits Extension, and GI Bill Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (92 - 6)
6/27 SB 1137 Sentences for Non-Violent Drug Offenders Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 2)
9/27 HR 976 State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (67 - 29)
5/18 SF 97 Legalizing Medical Marijuana Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 28)
6/19 HR 2642 GI Bill, Funding for Midwest Flood Cleanup, Extension of Unemployment Benefits, and Other Provisions Concurrence Vote Passed - House (416 - 12)
9/25 HR 976 State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization Concurrence Vote Passed - House (265 - 159)
5/15 HR 2642 Iraq Related Provisions such as a Troop Withdrawal, a Permanent Base Ban, and Limiting Interrogation Techniques Concurrence Vote Passed - House (227 - 196)
8/02 HR 976 State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 31)
6/01 HB 6715 Medical Use of Marijuana Bill Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
5/18 SF 97 Legalizing Medical Marijuana Bill Passed - House (70 - 64)
5/02 HB 1082 Sealing Criminal Records Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
4/21 HR 1268 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005 Bill Passed - Senate (99 - 0)
5/19 SB 1476 Reducing Probation for Good Behavior Bill Passed - House (35 - 18)
8/20 AB 2279 Prohibiting Employment Discrimination Against Medical Marijuana Patients Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15)
3/06 SB 1434 Prescription Drug Reimportation Act Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17)
6/09 HR 5522 Foreign Operations and Export Finance Appropriation Act Bill Passed - House (373 - 34)
5/03 SF 345 Medical Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 29)
5/31 AB 2076 Needle Exchange Program Bill Passed - House (45 - 34)
2/07 SB 238 Medical Marijuana Legalization Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 7)
6/19 H 5127 Mandatory Minimum Drug Possession Sentence Repeal Bill Passed - House (54 - 6)
8/30 AB 2076 Needle Exchange Program Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
4/27 CSSB 308 Syringe Exchange Program Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 8)
3/08 SB 2511 Parole Eligibility for First-Time Nonviolent Offenders Under Twenty-Five Bill Passed - House (67 - 51)
6/04 SB 1014 Penalties For Certain Nonviolent Drug Offenses Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 18)
4/26 SB 1434 Prescription Drug Reimportation Act Bill Passed - House (83 - 16)
1/23 SB 1 Mandatory Bodily Substance Samples in Drunk Driving Arrests Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
6/27 SB 1137 Sentences for Non-Violent Drug Offenders Bill Passed - House (64 - 8)
3/02 HB 2946 Prescriptions for Methamphetamine Chemical Precursors Bill Passed - House (77 - 23)
2/23 SB 1 Mandatory Bodily Substance Samples in Drunk Driving Arrests Bill Passed - House (52 - 17)
4/20 SB 1477 Psychotropic drugs; Testing; Informed Consent Bill Passed - House (34 - 23)
4/10 SB 627 Establishes Medical Marijuana Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 12)

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