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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
June 2, 2009 | CA | SB 484 | Ephedrine and Pseudoephedrine Prescription Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
May 27, 2009 | IL | SB 1381 | Legalize Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 28) |
May 18, 2009 | MN | SF 97 | Legalizing Medical Marijuana | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 28) |
May 4, 2009 | MN | SF 97 | Legalizing Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 29) |
April 29, 2009 | NH | HB 648 | Medical Marijuana Legalization | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 10) |
March 30, 2009 | GA | HB 614 | Prescription Tracking Database | Bill Failed - Senate (25 - 29) |
March 19, 2009 | TX | SB 188 | Authorizes Needle Exchange Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 6) |
Feb. 24, 2009 | MT | SB 326 | Medical Marijuana Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22) |
Feb. 23, 2009 | NJ | S 119 | Legalizing Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
Aug. 20, 2008 | CA | AB 2279 | Prohibiting Employment Discrimination Against Medical Marijuana Patients | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
June 26, 2008 | National | HR 2642 | Iraq and Afghanistan War Funding, Unemployment Benefits Extension, and GI Bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (92 - 6) |
June 23, 2008 | AZ | SB 1476 | Reducing Probation for Good Behavior | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 4) |
May 2, 2008 | CO | HB 1082 | Sealing Criminal Records | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
March 10, 2008 | AZ | SB 1476 | Reducing Probation for Good Behavior | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 7) |
March 3, 2008 | WY | HB 73 | Increasing DUI Penalties | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 16) |
Nov. 1, 2007 | National | HR 3963 | Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (CHIP) | Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 30) |
Oct. 30, 2007 | MI | S Sub for Sub HB 4344 | 2007-2008 Department of Community Health Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 3) |
Sept. 27, 2007 | National | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (67 - 29) |
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 3, 2007 | MN | SF 345 | Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 29) |
April 27, 2007 | TX | CSSB 308 | Syringe Exchange Program | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 8) |
April 17, 2007 | TX | CSSB 1909 | Treatment for Drug Possession Offenders | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
April 9, 2007 | MD | HB 992 | Parole for Drug Offenders | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
Feb. 7, 2007 | NM | SB 238 | Medical Marijuana Legalization | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 7) |
Aug. 30, 2006 | CA | AB 2076 | Needle Exchange Program | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
July 13, 2006 | MA | H 4176 | Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes | Veto Override Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
June 27, 2006 | CA | SB 1137 | Sentences for Non-Violent Drug Offenders | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 2) |
June 7, 2006 | MA | H 4176 | Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
May 24, 2006 | OK | SB 1713 | Trafficking Illegal Drugs | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (23 - 24) |
March 15, 2006 | MD | Amendment 553220 | Needle Exchange Funding Prohibition Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 32) |
March 14, 2006 | AZ | SB 1477 | Psychotropic drugs; Testing; Informed Consent | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
March 6, 2006 | OK | SB 1434 | Prescription Drug Reimportation Act | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
Feb. 28, 2006 | ID | S 1337 | Controlled Substances Relating to Pregnant Women & Children Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16) |
Feb. 14, 2006 | NM | HB 211 | Pseudoephedrine as a Controlled Substance | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 8) |
Feb. 7, 2006 | MS | SB 2511 | Parole Eligibility for First-Time Nonviolent Offenders Under Twenty-Five | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18) |
Jan. 31, 2006 | NM | SB 258 | Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 6) |
Jan. 23, 2006 | SD | SB 1 | Mandatory Bodily Substance Samples in Drunk Driving Arrests | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
Jan. 3, 2006 | RI | H 6052 Sub. A | Medical Marijuana Bill | Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
May 10, 2005 | National | HR 1268 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (100 - 0) |
April 21, 2005 | National | HR 1268 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005 | Bill Passed - Senate (99 - 0) |
June 9, 1998 | National | S Amdt 2451 | Illegal Drug Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 46) |
March 20, 1997 | National | S Amdt 25 | U.S.- Mexico Drug Trafficking Prevention Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (94 - 5) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
6/02 | SB 484 | Ephedrine and Pseudoephedrine Prescription Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
5/27 | SB 1381 | Legalize Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 28) |
5/18 | SF 97 | Legalizing Medical Marijuana | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 28) |
5/04 | SF 97 | Legalizing Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 29) |
4/29 | HB 648 | Medical Marijuana Legalization | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 10) |
3/30 | HB 614 | Prescription Tracking Database | Bill Failed - Senate (25 - 29) |
3/19 | SB 188 | Authorizes Needle Exchange Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 6) |
2/24 | SB 326 | Medical Marijuana Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22) |
2/23 | S 119 | Legalizing Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
8/20 | AB 2279 | Prohibiting Employment Discrimination Against Medical Marijuana Patients | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
6/26 | HR 2642 | Iraq and Afghanistan War Funding, Unemployment Benefits Extension, and GI Bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (92 - 6) |
6/23 | SB 1476 | Reducing Probation for Good Behavior | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 4) |
5/02 | HB 1082 | Sealing Criminal Records | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
3/10 | SB 1476 | Reducing Probation for Good Behavior | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 7) |
3/03 | HB 73 | Increasing DUI Penalties | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 16) |
11/01 | HR 3963 | Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (CHIP) | Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 30) |
10/30 | S Sub for Sub HB 4344 | 2007-2008 Department of Community Health Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 3) |
9/27 | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (67 - 29) |
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) |
5/03 | SF 345 | Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 29) |
4/27 | CSSB 308 | Syringe Exchange Program | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 8) |
4/17 | CSSB 1909 | Treatment for Drug Possession Offenders | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
4/09 | HB 992 | Parole for Drug Offenders | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
2/07 | SB 238 | Medical Marijuana Legalization | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 7) |
8/30 | AB 2076 | Needle Exchange Program | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
7/13 | H 4176 | Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes | Veto Override Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
6/27 | SB 1137 | Sentences for Non-Violent Drug Offenders | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 2) |
6/07 | H 4176 | Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
5/24 | SB 1713 | Trafficking Illegal Drugs | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (23 - 24) |
3/15 | Amendment 553220 | Needle Exchange Funding Prohibition Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 32) |
3/14 | SB 1477 | Psychotropic drugs; Testing; Informed Consent | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
3/06 | SB 1434 | Prescription Drug Reimportation Act | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
2/28 | S 1337 | Controlled Substances Relating to Pregnant Women & Children Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16) |
2/14 | HB 211 | Pseudoephedrine as a Controlled Substance | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 8) |
2/07 | SB 2511 | Parole Eligibility for First-Time Nonviolent Offenders Under Twenty-Five | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18) |
1/31 | SB 258 | Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 6) |
1/23 | SB 1 | Mandatory Bodily Substance Samples in Drunk Driving Arrests | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
1/03 | H 6052 Sub. A | Medical Marijuana Bill | Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
5/10 | HR 1268 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (100 - 0) |
4/21 | HR 1268 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005 | Bill Passed - Senate (99 - 0) |
6/09 | S Amdt 2451 | Illegal Drug Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 46) |
3/20 | S Amdt 25 | U.S.- Mexico Drug Trafficking Prevention Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (94 - 5) |