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. 11, 2007 WI SB 176 Compensation for Discharged Police Officers Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 3)
Nov. 19, 2007 MD HB 1 2007-2008 Budget Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 13)
Oct. 1, 2007 MI H Sub for S Sub SB 546 Public School Employee Retirement Benefits Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
Oct. 1, 2007 MI H Sub for Sub SB 547 Public School Employee Retirement Plan Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 17)
Aug. 30, 2007 MI Sub SB 689 State Employees' Retirement Act Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16)
July 16, 2007 PA SB 246 Smoking Ban Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (13 - 36)
July 3, 2007 NC SCS HB 973 Mental Health Insurance Coverage Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 12)
June 26, 2007 National HR 800 Union Organization Bill Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 48)
June 26, 2007 MI Sub for SB 547 Public School Employee Retirement Plan Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 17)
June 26, 2007 PA SB 246 Smoking Ban Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17)
June 25, 2007 LA HB 489 Salary Increase for Statewide Elected Officials Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
June 20, 2007 AZ HB 2779 Employment of Undocumented Immigrants Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 4)
June 19, 2007 RI LCO # 2572/2 to H5300A Privatization of State Services Repeal Amendment Rejected - Senate (9 - 24)
June 18, 2007 OR SB 571 Smoking Ban Expansion Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 12)
June 14, 2007 DE SB 36 State Employee Collective Bargaining Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 6)
June 7, 2007 CA SB 456 Diacetyl Toxic Substance Ban Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18)
May 31, 2007 CT Sub SB 847 Workers' Compensation Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15)
May 24, 2007 National HR 2206 Emergency Departmental Supplemental Appropriations Bill of 2007 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (80 - 14)
May 24, 2007 TN SB 1325 Indoor Smoking Ban Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 5)
May 23, 2007 AZ HB 2779 Employment of Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 4)
May 21, 2007 CA SB 180 Collective Bargaining Representation for Agricultural Workers Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15)
May 19, 2007 MN HF 464 School District Health Insurance Pool Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 16)
May 11, 2007 MN SF 238 Smoking Ban Conference Report Adopted - Senate (43 - 21)
April 29, 2007 IN HB 1678 Employer Health Insurance Plans Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 13)
April 26, 2007 NH HB 514 Minimum Wage Increase Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 5)
April 24, 2007 AZ HB 2589 Labor Solicitation and Criminal Trespass Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13)
April 23, 2007 MN SF 875 Minimum Wage Increase Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 23)
April 10, 2007 SC S 332 Workers' Compensation Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 7)
April 9, 2007 MD HB 430 State Living Wage Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 16)
April 5, 2007 MD HB 359 Indoor Smoking Ban Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14)
March 29, 2007 IL SB 500 Smoke Free Illinois Act Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 23)
March 28, 2007 MN SF 276 School District Health Insurance Pool Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 23)
March 27, 2007 MN SF 238 Smoking Ban Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 24)
March 27, 2007 KS SB 385 State Employee Pay Increase Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 11)
March 26, 2007 MD SB 91 Indoor Smoking Ban Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 13)
March 15, 2007 NJ A 1044 Notification of Job Loss and Plant Closures Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12)
March 8, 2007 IA SF 413 “Fair Share” Union Fees Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21)
Feb. 13, 2007 ND SB 2122 Minimum Wage Increase Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 26)
Feb. 12, 2007 SD SB 207 Minimum Wage Increase Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6)
Feb. 5, 2007 VA Sub SB 1327 Minimum Wage Increase Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 8)
Feb. 5, 2007 CO HB 1072 Termination of All-Union Agreements Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 15)
Feb. 2, 2007 NM SB 324 Minimum Wage Increase Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 7)
Jan. 24, 2007 IA HF 1 Minimum Wage Increase Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 8)
Date No. Title Outcome
12/11 SB 176 Compensation for Discharged Police Officers Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 3)
11/19 HB 1 2007-2008 Budget Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 13)
10/01 H Sub for S Sub SB 546 Public School Employee Retirement Benefits Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
10/01 H Sub for Sub SB 547 Public School Employee Retirement Plan Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 17)
8/30 Sub SB 689 State Employees' Retirement Act Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16)
7/16 SB 246 Smoking Ban Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (13 - 36)
7/03 SCS HB 973 Mental Health Insurance Coverage Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 12)
6/26 HR 800 Union Organization Bill Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 48)
6/26 Sub for SB 547 Public School Employee Retirement Plan Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 17)
6/26 SB 246 Smoking Ban Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17)
6/25 HB 489 Salary Increase for Statewide Elected Officials Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
6/20 HB 2779 Employment of Undocumented Immigrants Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 4)
6/19 LCO # 2572/2 to H5300A Privatization of State Services Repeal Amendment Rejected - Senate (9 - 24)
6/18 SB 571 Smoking Ban Expansion Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 12)
6/14 SB 36 State Employee Collective Bargaining Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 6)
6/07 SB 456 Diacetyl Toxic Substance Ban Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18)
5/31 Sub SB 847 Workers' Compensation Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15)
5/24 HR 2206 Emergency Departmental Supplemental Appropriations Bill of 2007 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (80 - 14)
5/24 SB 1325 Indoor Smoking Ban Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 5)
5/23 HB 2779 Employment of Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 4)
5/21 SB 180 Collective Bargaining Representation for Agricultural Workers Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15)
5/19 HF 464 School District Health Insurance Pool Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 16)
5/11 SF 238 Smoking Ban Conference Report Adopted - Senate (43 - 21)
4/29 HB 1678 Employer Health Insurance Plans Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 13)
4/26 HB 514 Minimum Wage Increase Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 5)
4/24 HB 2589 Labor Solicitation and Criminal Trespass Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13)
4/23 SF 875 Minimum Wage Increase Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 23)
4/10 S 332 Workers' Compensation Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 7)
4/09 HB 430 State Living Wage Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 16)
4/05 HB 359 Indoor Smoking Ban Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14)
3/29 SB 500 Smoke Free Illinois Act Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 23)
3/28 SF 276 School District Health Insurance Pool Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 23)
3/27 SF 238 Smoking Ban Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 24)
3/27 SB 385 State Employee Pay Increase Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 11)
3/26 SB 91 Indoor Smoking Ban Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 13)
3/15 A 1044 Notification of Job Loss and Plant Closures Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12)
3/08 SF 413 “Fair Share” Union Fees Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21)
2/13 SB 2122 Minimum Wage Increase Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 26)
2/12 SB 207 Minimum Wage Increase Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6)
2/05 Sub SB 1327 Minimum Wage Increase Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 8)
2/05 HB 1072 Termination of All-Union Agreements Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 15)
2/02 SB 324 Minimum Wage Increase Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 7)
1/24 HF 1 Minimum Wage Increase Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 8)

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