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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 6, 2006 | NE | AM 3142 | Redistricting of Omaha Public Schools | Amendment Adopted - Senate (33 - 6) |
| April 6, 2006 | FL | A 990264 | Education Funding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (34 - 81) |
| April 6, 2006 | AR | SB 18 | Property Tax Interest | Bill Failed - House (46 - 46) |
| April 6, 2006 | IL | SB 3053 | Bond Authorization | Bill Failed - Senate (32 - 26) |
| April 6, 2006 | IL | SB 668 | Funding for Schools, Universities, and Roads | Bill Failed - Senate (32 - 26) |
| April 6, 2006 | MO | HJR 39 | Prayer in Public Schools | Joint Resolution Passed - House (134 - 19) |
| April 5, 2006 | NE | LB 1060 | 2005-2007 Biennium Budget | Veto Override Failed - Senate (14 - 24) |
| April 5, 2006 | OK | SB 1792 | Achieving Classroom Excellence Steering Committee | Bill Passed - House (54 - 42) |
| April 5, 2006 | CO | HB 1375 | Public School Finance Act | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11) |
| April 5, 2006 | ID | H 876 | Property Tax Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (44 - 26) |
| March 30, 2006 | National | H Amdt 772 | Reverse the Raid on Student Aid Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (200 - 220) |
| March 30, 2006 | ME | LD 1640 | Charter School Pilot Program | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 63) |
| March 30, 2006 | KS | Sub HB 2986 | School Finance | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 25) |
| March 30, 2006 | National | HR 609 | College Access and Opportunity Act of 2005 | Bill Passed - House (221 - 199) |
| March 30, 2006 | KS | SB 501 | School Funding | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 20) |
| March 29, 2006 | AL | Executive Amendment 84452-1 to HB 272 | Educational Funds Amendment | Nonconcurrence Vote Passed - House (63 - 38) |
| March 28, 2006 | NE | LB 1060 | 2005-2007 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 7) |
| March 28, 2006 | ID | H 630 | School Grounds - Violence | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 4) |
| March 28, 2006 | OH | HB 530 | Budget Correction Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 3) |
| March 27, 2006 | ME | LD 1640 | Charter School Pilot Program | "Ought Not to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 16) |
| March 27, 2006 | MN | HF 2680 | Teacher Training Program for Qualified Professionals Provided | Bill Failed - House (62 - 70) |
| March 24, 2006 | KS | Sub HB 2986 | School Finance | Bill Passed - House (64 - 61) |
| March 24, 2006 | MD | SB 293 | Public Charter School Program Reform Bill | Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 24) |
| March 24, 2006 | CO | HB 1056 | Vending Machines Requirements for Schools Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| March 23, 2006 | FL | HB 205 | Prohibition of Certain Financial Assistance to International Students | Bill Passed - House (96 - 23) |
| March 23, 2006 | MI | HB 5606 | New Graduation Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 1) |
| March 23, 2006 | ID | H 743 | School Facilities Improvement Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
| March 22, 2006 | MS | SB 2310 | Food and Tobacco Taxes | Veto Override Failed - Senate (28 - 22) |
| March 22, 2006 | NH | SB 268 | High School Dropout Age | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| March 21, 2006 | IA | HF 2709 | School Year Minimum Hours Requirement | Bill Passed - House (55 - 44) |
| March 21, 2006 | KS | SB 139 | Math and Science Academy | Bill Passed - House (76 - 48) |
| March 20, 2006 | ID | H 768 | Public Charter Schools | Bill Failed - House (18 - 46) |
| March 16, 2006 | National | S Con Res 83 | 2007 Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 49) |
| March 16, 2006 | KS | SB 587 | Gambling Expansion | Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 20) |
| March 15, 2006 | IA | H-8178 | Preschool Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (46 - 51) |
| March 15, 2006 | IA | H-8172 | Teacher Salary Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (46 - 51) |
| March 15, 2006 | OK | SB 1372 | Issuing Temporary Teacher Licenses | Bill Failed - Senate (22 - 23) |
| March 15, 2006 | IA | HF 2527 | 2006-2007 Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (53 - 44) |
| March 14, 2006 | OK | HCS HB 3119 | Voter ID, Repealing Tuition Assistance, and Reporting of Illegal Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (63 - 24) |
| March 14, 2006 | OK | HCS HB 2608 | End-of-Instruction Tests | Bill Passed - House (54 - 43) |
| March 14, 2006 | OK | HB 2540 | Alternative Teacher Certification | Bill Passed - House (51 - 46) |
| March 13, 2006 | OK | SB 1387 | Physical Education Instruction Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 9) |
| March 10, 2006 | CO | Amendment L.004 | Balanced Teaching Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (14 - 20) |
| March 10, 2006 | ID | H 751 | Math & Science Teacher Loan Program Bill | Bill Failed - House (31 - 34) |
| March 10, 2006 | ID | H 703 | College Loan Program | Bill Failed - House (27 - 38) |
| March 7, 2006 | KS | Amend HB 2615 | In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (63 - 58) |
| March 7, 2006 | WI | SB 618 | School Voucher Program Expansion | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (59 - 35) |
| March 7, 2006 | ME | LD 1798 | Standardized Testing | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (73 - 68) |
| March 7, 2006 | HI | SB 3102 | Student to Teacher Ratio Reduction | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 2) |
| March 7, 2006 | OK | SB 1387 | Physical Education Instruction Requirements | Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 24) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/06 | AM 3142 | Redistricting of Omaha Public Schools | Amendment Adopted - Senate (33 - 6) |
| 4/06 | A 990264 | Education Funding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (34 - 81) |
| 4/06 | SB 18 | Property Tax Interest | Bill Failed - House (46 - 46) |
| 4/06 | SB 3053 | Bond Authorization | Bill Failed - Senate (32 - 26) |
| 4/06 | SB 668 | Funding for Schools, Universities, and Roads | Bill Failed - Senate (32 - 26) |
| 4/06 | HJR 39 | Prayer in Public Schools | Joint Resolution Passed - House (134 - 19) |
| 4/05 | LB 1060 | 2005-2007 Biennium Budget | Veto Override Failed - Senate (14 - 24) |
| 4/05 | SB 1792 | Achieving Classroom Excellence Steering Committee | Bill Passed - House (54 - 42) |
| 4/05 | HB 1375 | Public School Finance Act | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11) |
| 4/05 | H 876 | Property Tax Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (44 - 26) |
| 3/30 | H Amdt 772 | Reverse the Raid on Student Aid Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (200 - 220) |
| 3/30 | LD 1640 | Charter School Pilot Program | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 63) |
| 3/30 | Sub HB 2986 | School Finance | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 25) |
| 3/30 | HR 609 | College Access and Opportunity Act of 2005 | Bill Passed - House (221 - 199) |
| 3/30 | SB 501 | School Funding | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 20) |
| 3/29 | Executive Amendment 84452-1 to HB 272 | Educational Funds Amendment | Nonconcurrence Vote Passed - House (63 - 38) |
| 3/28 | LB 1060 | 2005-2007 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 7) |
| 3/28 | H 630 | School Grounds - Violence | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 4) |
| 3/28 | HB 530 | Budget Correction Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 3) |
| 3/27 | LD 1640 | Charter School Pilot Program | "Ought Not to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 16) |
| 3/27 | HF 2680 | Teacher Training Program for Qualified Professionals Provided | Bill Failed - House (62 - 70) |
| 3/24 | Sub HB 2986 | School Finance | Bill Passed - House (64 - 61) |
| 3/24 | SB 293 | Public Charter School Program Reform Bill | Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 24) |
| 3/24 | HB 1056 | Vending Machines Requirements for Schools Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| 3/23 | HB 205 | Prohibition of Certain Financial Assistance to International Students | Bill Passed - House (96 - 23) |
| 3/23 | HB 5606 | New Graduation Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 1) |
| 3/23 | H 743 | School Facilities Improvement Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
| 3/22 | SB 2310 | Food and Tobacco Taxes | Veto Override Failed - Senate (28 - 22) |
| 3/22 | SB 268 | High School Dropout Age | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| 3/21 | HF 2709 | School Year Minimum Hours Requirement | Bill Passed - House (55 - 44) |
| 3/21 | SB 139 | Math and Science Academy | Bill Passed - House (76 - 48) |
| 3/20 | H 768 | Public Charter Schools | Bill Failed - House (18 - 46) |
| 3/16 | S Con Res 83 | 2007 Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 49) |
| 3/16 | SB 587 | Gambling Expansion | Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 20) |
| 3/15 | H-8178 | Preschool Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (46 - 51) |
| 3/15 | H-8172 | Teacher Salary Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (46 - 51) |
| 3/15 | SB 1372 | Issuing Temporary Teacher Licenses | Bill Failed - Senate (22 - 23) |
| 3/15 | HF 2527 | 2006-2007 Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (53 - 44) |
| 3/14 | HCS HB 3119 | Voter ID, Repealing Tuition Assistance, and Reporting of Illegal Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (63 - 24) |
| 3/14 | HCS HB 2608 | End-of-Instruction Tests | Bill Passed - House (54 - 43) |
| 3/14 | HB 2540 | Alternative Teacher Certification | Bill Passed - House (51 - 46) |
| 3/13 | SB 1387 | Physical Education Instruction Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 9) |
| 3/10 | Amendment L.004 | Balanced Teaching Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (14 - 20) |
| 3/10 | H 751 | Math & Science Teacher Loan Program Bill | Bill Failed - House (31 - 34) |
| 3/10 | H 703 | College Loan Program | Bill Failed - House (27 - 38) |
| 3/07 | Amend HB 2615 | In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (63 - 58) |
| 3/07 | SB 618 | School Voucher Program Expansion | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (59 - 35) |
| 3/07 | LD 1798 | Standardized Testing | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (73 - 68) |
| 3/07 | SB 3102 | Student to Teacher Ratio Reduction | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 2) |
| 3/07 | SB 1387 | Physical Education Instruction Requirements | Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 24) |