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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Oct. 3, 2007 | IL | SB 1463 | Silent Reflection and Student Prayer | Veto Override Passed - Senate (42 - 9) |
June 25, 2007 | PA | A 2062 | Exceptions to Clean Indoor Air Act | Amendment Adopted - Senate (29 - 21) |
July 19, 2007 | National | S Amdt 2351 | Sense of the Senate on Guantanamo Bay Detainees | Amendment Adopted - Senate (94 - 3) |
May 11, 2007 | MN | SF 238 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (43 - 21) |
April 25, 2007 | IA | SF 427 | Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity Discrimination | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (34 - 16) |
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) |
Aug. 30, 2007 | CA | SB 33 | Underage Driver Cellphone Ban | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
April 5, 2007 | MD | HB 359 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
March 22, 2007 | IN | HB 1237 | Seat Belt Requirement | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 17) |
May 23, 2007 | CT | Sub SB 1044 | Gender Identification Nondiscrimination Act | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 4) |
May 23, 2007 | TX | CSHB 3678 | Religious Expression at Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 3) |
March 28, 2007 | KS | HB 2019 | Voter Identification | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 14) |
May 31, 2007 | CT | Sub SB 167 | Restricting Eminent Domain | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 3) |
June 14, 2007 | DE | HB 175 | Emergency Power to Seize Private Firearms | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 3) |
March 26, 2007 | IA | SF 427 | Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity Discrimination | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17) |
March 27, 2007 | MN | SF 238 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 24) |
March 29, 2007 | IL | SB 500 | Smoke Free Illinois Act | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 23) |
April 12, 2007 | CO | HB 1330 | Second Parent Adoption | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
April 16, 2007 | TN | SB 227 | Voter ID Act | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10) |
April 17, 2007 | CO | SB 25 | Sexual Orientation Workplace Discrimination | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
May 1, 2007 | TX | CSSB 966 | Journalist Confidentiality Protection | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 4) |
May 10, 2007 | RI | S 21 | Telephone Political Solicitation Act | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
May 24, 2007 | TN | SB 1325 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 5) |
June 4, 2007 | CA | SB 1019 | Access to Police Misconduct Investigations | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11) |
June 7, 2007 | CA | SB 7 | Marco Firebaugh Memorial Childrens Health and Safety Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
Oct. 18, 2007 | MI | S Sub for Sub HB 4749 | Motorcycle Helmet Law | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
Jan. 25, 2007 | VA | SJ 307 | Voting Rights of Nonviolent Felons | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (29 - 10) |
Jan. 31, 2007 | WY | SF 13 | Same Sex Marriages | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
Feb. 6, 2007 | WY | SF 101 | Sex Offender Tracking | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12) |
Feb. 7, 2007 | MS | SB 2617 | Voter Identification Requirement | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 15) |
Feb. 21, 2007 | WV | Com Sub for Com Sub SB 219 | Ban on Smoking in a Vehicle with a Minor | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9) |
Feb. 23, 2007 | MT | SB 300 | Seat Belt Requirement | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21) |
March 6, 2007 | MD | SB 160 | Discrimination Against the Homeless | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 9) |
March 8, 2007 | AZ | SB 1152 | REAL ID Implementation Prohibition | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 5) |
March 8, 2007 | NM | HB 283 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
March 13, 2007 | AR | SB 959 | Adoption and Foster Care Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 7) |
March 20, 2007 | GA | SB 174 | Physical Fitness Standards for State Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 1) |
March 23, 2007 | MD | SB 488 | Felon Voting Rights | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 19) |
March 26, 2007 | CO | HB 1269 | Casino Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16) |
March 26, 2007 | MD | SB 91 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 13) |
June 26, 2007 | PA | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17) |
July 9, 2007 | KY | SCS SB 5 | Public Employee Health Insurance Plans | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 6) |
July 17, 2007 | NC | CS SB 563 | Traffic and Personal Safety Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
Jan. 25, 2007 | MT | SB 15 | Funeral Picketing Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 14) |
March 28, 2007 | ID | H 121 | Smoking Ban in Bowling Alleys | Veto Override Passed - Senate (29 - 6) |
March 13, 2007 | ID | H 121 | Smoking Ban in Bowling Alleys | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 4) |
Sept. 19, 2007 | National | S Amdt 2022 | Habeas Corpus for Detainees of the United States | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 43) |
July 16, 2007 | PA | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (13 - 36) |
June 20, 2007 | LA | HB 320 | Extension of Satellite Voting Provisions | Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 21) |
June 14, 2007 | MA | S 2220 | Constitutional Amendment Defining Marriage | Bill Failed - Senate (5 - 34) |
March 16, 2007 | MD | SB 533 | Removal of Remarriage Barriers | Bill Failed - Senate (22 - 22) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
10/03 | SB 1463 | Silent Reflection and Student Prayer | Veto Override Passed - Senate (42 - 9) |
6/25 | A 2062 | Exceptions to Clean Indoor Air Act | Amendment Adopted - Senate (29 - 21) |
7/19 | S Amdt 2351 | Sense of the Senate on Guantanamo Bay Detainees | Amendment Adopted - Senate (94 - 3) |
5/11 | SF 238 | Smoking Ban | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (43 - 21) |
4/25 | SF 427 | Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity Discrimination | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (34 - 16) |
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) |
8/30 | SB 33 | Underage Driver Cellphone Ban | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
4/05 | HB 359 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
3/22 | HB 1237 | Seat Belt Requirement | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 17) |
5/23 | Sub SB 1044 | Gender Identification Nondiscrimination Act | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 4) |
5/23 | CSHB 3678 | Religious Expression at Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 3) |
3/28 | HB 2019 | Voter Identification | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 14) |
5/31 | Sub SB 167 | Restricting Eminent Domain | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 3) |
6/14 | HB 175 | Emergency Power to Seize Private Firearms | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 3) |
3/26 | SF 427 | Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity Discrimination | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17) |
3/27 | SF 238 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 24) |
3/29 | SB 500 | Smoke Free Illinois Act | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 23) |
4/12 | HB 1330 | Second Parent Adoption | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
4/16 | SB 227 | Voter ID Act | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10) |
4/17 | SB 25 | Sexual Orientation Workplace Discrimination | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
5/01 | CSSB 966 | Journalist Confidentiality Protection | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 4) |
5/10 | S 21 | Telephone Political Solicitation Act | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
5/24 | SB 1325 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 5) |
6/04 | SB 1019 | Access to Police Misconduct Investigations | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11) |
6/07 | SB 7 | Marco Firebaugh Memorial Childrens Health and Safety Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
10/18 | S Sub for Sub HB 4749 | Motorcycle Helmet Law | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
1/25 | SJ 307 | Voting Rights of Nonviolent Felons | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (29 - 10) |
1/31 | SF 13 | Same Sex Marriages | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
2/06 | SF 101 | Sex Offender Tracking | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12) |
2/07 | SB 2617 | Voter Identification Requirement | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 15) |
2/21 | Com Sub for Com Sub SB 219 | Ban on Smoking in a Vehicle with a Minor | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9) |
2/23 | SB 300 | Seat Belt Requirement | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21) |
3/06 | SB 160 | Discrimination Against the Homeless | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 9) |
3/08 | SB 1152 | REAL ID Implementation Prohibition | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 5) |
3/08 | HB 283 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
3/13 | SB 959 | Adoption and Foster Care Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 7) |
3/20 | SB 174 | Physical Fitness Standards for State Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 1) |
3/23 | SB 488 | Felon Voting Rights | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 19) |
3/26 | HB 1269 | Casino Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16) |
3/26 | SB 91 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 13) |
6/26 | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17) |
7/09 | SCS SB 5 | Public Employee Health Insurance Plans | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 6) |
7/17 | CS SB 563 | Traffic and Personal Safety Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
1/25 | SB 15 | Funeral Picketing Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 14) |
3/28 | H 121 | Smoking Ban in Bowling Alleys | Veto Override Passed - Senate (29 - 6) |
3/13 | H 121 | Smoking Ban in Bowling Alleys | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 4) |
9/19 | S Amdt 2022 | Habeas Corpus for Detainees of the United States | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 43) |
7/16 | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (13 - 36) |
6/20 | HB 320 | Extension of Satellite Voting Provisions | Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 21) |
6/14 | S 2220 | Constitutional Amendment Defining Marriage | Bill Failed - Senate (5 - 34) |
3/16 | SB 533 | Removal of Remarriage Barriers | Bill Failed - Senate (22 - 22) |