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.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Dec. 4, 2001 National HR 2299 Department of Transportation Appropriations Act, 2002 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (97 - 2)
July 1, 2006 PA HB 2499 2006-2007 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (28 - 21)
Feb. 13, 2003 National H J Res 2 Consolidated Appropriations Resolution, 2003 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (76 - 20)
Sept. 16, 1999 National HR 2587 District of Columbia FY2000 Appropriations bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (52 - 39)
May 2, 2006 HI HB 3115 Gasoline Industry Controls Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 3)
March 8, 2006 WA SB 6386 2005-2007 Supplemental Biennium Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 19)
March 3, 2006 MS SB 3084 Food and Tobacco Taxes Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 19)
Aug. 21, 2007 CA SB 77 2007-2008 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 12)
Nov. 19, 1999 National HR 3194 District of Columbia FY2000 Appropriations bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (74 - 24)
May 2, 2006 PA HB 39 Property Taxes (Special Session) Conference Report Adopted - Senate (40 - 9)
May 10, 2006 KS HB 2583 Machinery Tax Exemptions Conference Report Adopted - Senate (28 - 11)
March 14, 2008 IN HB 1001 Property Tax Reduction Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 6)
May 8, 2009 FL SB 2600 2009-2010 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 8)
Nov. 8, 1997 National HR 2264 Appropriations bill FY98, Labor, HHS, Education Conference Report Adopted - Senate (91 - 4)
April 29, 2007 IN HB 1001 Operating Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 9)
Oct. 1, 1997 National HR 2378 Appropriations bill FY98, Treasury, Postal Service Conference Report Adopted - Senate (55 - 45)
Sept. 25, 1997 National HR 2266 Defense Department FY98 Appropriations bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (93 - 5)
Sept. 16, 2008 CA AB 1781 2008-2009 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 11)
May 1, 2008 HI SB 2423 Turtle Bay Acquisition Conference Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 11)
May 7, 2008 KS HB 2946 2007-2009 Biennium Budget Amendments Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 11)
April 5, 2008 MD SB 90 2008-2009 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (38 - 7)
May 14, 2007 MN HF 946 Transportation Funding and Gas Tax Conference Report Adopted - Senate (47 - 17)
April 29, 2007 IN HB 1835 Slot Machines at Race Tracks Conference Report Adopted - Senate (33 - 17)
June 27, 2006 CA AB 1801 2006-2007 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (30 - 10)
May 8, 2007 MN SF 1989 2008-2009 Higher Education Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (44 - 21)
May 4, 2007 MN SF 1997 2008-2009 State Government Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (42 - 23)
April 15, 2008 OK SB 1819 Tax Rebates for Sports Franchises Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 21)
May 9, 2006 KS SB 549 2006-2007, 2007-2008, and 2008-2009 Department of Education Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 18)
April 10, 2008 CO HB 1375 2008-2009 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 14)
April 2, 2008 KY HB 406 2008-2010 Biennium Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 3)
May 20, 2006 MN SF 2460 University of Minnesota Football Stadium Conference Report Adopted - Senate (43 - 24)
May 7, 2009 VT H 441 2009-2010 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 10)
May 31, 2006 SC H 4449 Sales and Property Taxes Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 11)
March 14, 2006 IN HB 1008 Indiana Toll Road Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 19)
July 13, 2009 OH HB 1 2009-2011 Biennium Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 15)
June 25, 2009 WI AB 75 2009-2011 Biennium Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 15)
March 14, 2006 IN HB 1099 Fireworks Sales, Regulations, Discharge, Public Safety Fees, and Injuries Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 16)
May 3, 2006 IA HF 2540 2006-2007 Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (47 - 2)
May 12, 2008 MN HF 3391 Health Care Reform Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (53 - 13)
March 13, 2008 VA HB 30 2008-2010 Biennium Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 14)
June 26, 2009 OR HB 2472 Renewable Energy Tax Credit Amendments Conference Report Adopted - Senate (28 - 2)
May 3, 2008 KS SB 81 Health Care Reform Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 1)
May 6, 2008 CO HB 1388 Increasing Education Funding Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 13)
April 29, 2007 IN HB 1678 Employer Health Insurance Plans Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 13)
March 9, 2011 WI AB 11 Collective Bargaining Rights for Public Employees Conference Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 1)
April 22, 2009 NC SB 287 State Health Plan Changes and Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 19)
May 25, 2006 AZ HB 2577 Immigration Law; Employment; Enforcement Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 9)
May 13, 2008 MN HF 6 2008 Education Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (55 - 10)
April 17, 2006 CO HB 1375 Public School Finance Act Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 4)
July 16, 2007 PA HB 1286 2007-2008 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (46 - 2)
Date No. Title Outcome
12/04 HR 2299 Department of Transportation Appropriations Act, 2002 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (97 - 2)
7/01 HB 2499 2006-2007 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (28 - 21)
2/13 H J Res 2 Consolidated Appropriations Resolution, 2003 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (76 - 20)
9/16 HR 2587 District of Columbia FY2000 Appropriations bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (52 - 39)
5/02 HB 3115 Gasoline Industry Controls Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 3)
3/08 SB 6386 2005-2007 Supplemental Biennium Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 19)
3/03 SB 3084 Food and Tobacco Taxes Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 19)
8/21 SB 77 2007-2008 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 12)
11/19 HR 3194 District of Columbia FY2000 Appropriations bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (74 - 24)
5/02 HB 39 Property Taxes (Special Session) Conference Report Adopted - Senate (40 - 9)
5/10 HB 2583 Machinery Tax Exemptions Conference Report Adopted - Senate (28 - 11)
3/14 HB 1001 Property Tax Reduction Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 6)
5/08 SB 2600 2009-2010 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 8)
11/08 HR 2264 Appropriations bill FY98, Labor, HHS, Education Conference Report Adopted - Senate (91 - 4)
4/29 HB 1001 Operating Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 9)
10/01 HR 2378 Appropriations bill FY98, Treasury, Postal Service Conference Report Adopted - Senate (55 - 45)
9/25 HR 2266 Defense Department FY98 Appropriations bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (93 - 5)
9/16 AB 1781 2008-2009 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 11)
5/01 SB 2423 Turtle Bay Acquisition Conference Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 11)
5/07 HB 2946 2007-2009 Biennium Budget Amendments Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 11)
4/05 SB 90 2008-2009 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (38 - 7)
5/14 HF 946 Transportation Funding and Gas Tax Conference Report Adopted - Senate (47 - 17)
4/29 HB 1835 Slot Machines at Race Tracks Conference Report Adopted - Senate (33 - 17)
6/27 AB 1801 2006-2007 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (30 - 10)
5/08 SF 1989 2008-2009 Higher Education Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (44 - 21)
5/04 SF 1997 2008-2009 State Government Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (42 - 23)
4/15 SB 1819 Tax Rebates for Sports Franchises Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 21)
5/09 SB 549 2006-2007, 2007-2008, and 2008-2009 Department of Education Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 18)
4/10 HB 1375 2008-2009 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 14)
4/02 HB 406 2008-2010 Biennium Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 3)
5/20 SF 2460 University of Minnesota Football Stadium Conference Report Adopted - Senate (43 - 24)
5/07 H 441 2009-2010 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 10)
5/31 H 4449 Sales and Property Taxes Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 11)
3/14 HB 1008 Indiana Toll Road Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 19)
7/13 HB 1 2009-2011 Biennium Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 15)
6/25 AB 75 2009-2011 Biennium Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 15)
3/14 HB 1099 Fireworks Sales, Regulations, Discharge, Public Safety Fees, and Injuries Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 16)
5/03 HF 2540 2006-2007 Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (47 - 2)
5/12 HF 3391 Health Care Reform Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (53 - 13)
3/13 HB 30 2008-2010 Biennium Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 14)
6/26 HB 2472 Renewable Energy Tax Credit Amendments Conference Report Adopted - Senate (28 - 2)
5/03 SB 81 Health Care Reform Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 1)
5/06 HB 1388 Increasing Education Funding Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 13)
4/29 HB 1678 Employer Health Insurance Plans Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 13)
3/09 AB 11 Collective Bargaining Rights for Public Employees Conference Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 1)
4/22 SB 287 State Health Plan Changes and Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 19)
5/25 HB 2577 Immigration Law; Employment; Enforcement Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 9)
5/13 HF 6 2008 Education Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (55 - 10)
4/17 HB 1375 Public School Finance Act Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 4)
7/16 HB 1286 2007-2008 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (46 - 2)

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