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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 7, 2006 | HI | SB 3102 | Student to Teacher Ratio Reduction | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 2) |
| March 7, 2006 | OK | HCS HB 2138 | Release From School to Attend Religious Instruction | Bill Passed - House (70 - 25) |
| March 6, 2006 | ID | H 630 | School Grounds - Violence | Bill Passed - House (49 - 12) |
| March 6, 2006 | OK | SB 1792 | Achieving Classroom Excellence Steering Committee | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 15) |
| March 6, 2006 | IA | HF 2540 | 2006-2007 Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget | Bill Passed - House (52 - 47) |
| March 3, 2006 | AK | CSSB 112 | Rural Education Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 8) |
| March 3, 2006 | WI | SB 618 | School Voucher Program Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 13) |
| March 3, 2006 | ID | S 1382 | Idaho Mathematics, Science and Engineering Scholarship Act | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 18) |
| March 2, 2006 | AZ | HB 2064 | English Language Learners | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 13) |
| March 2, 2006 | MI | HB 5606 | New Graduation Requirements | Bill Passed - House (70 - 31) |
| March 2, 2006 | OK | HB 2107 | Science Instruction | Bill Passed - House (77 - 10) |
| Feb. 28, 2006 | OK | SCS SB 1993 | Financial Aid Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 10) |
| Feb. 28, 2006 | IN | SB 111 | Student Nutrition and Physical Activity | Bill Passed - House (72 - 24) |
| Feb. 28, 2006 | CO | HB 1289 | Colorado Student Assessment Program Penalty Removal | Bill Passed - House (37 - 28) |
| Feb. 27, 2006 | AZ | HB 2064 | English Language Learners | Conference Report Adopted - House (31 - 27) |
| Feb. 27, 2006 | UT | 3SSB 96 | Origin of Species Curriculum Requirement Bill | Bill Failed - House (28 - 46) |
| Feb. 27, 2006 | ID | H 624 | School Property Disposal | Bill Passed - House (48 - 18) |
| Feb. 24, 2006 | WY | SF 87 | Board of Education Membership Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
| Feb. 23, 2006 | UT | 1SSB 97 | Student Organizations | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11) |
| Feb. 22, 2006 | UT | 1SHB 181 | Education Reform Bill | Bill Passed - House (44 - 31) |
| Feb. 21, 2006 | SD | HB 1235 | Compulsory High School Education Age to 18 | Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 23) |
| Feb. 21, 2006 | MI | HB 4278 | Community Service Graduation Requirement | Bill Passed - House (60 - 43) |
| Feb. 21, 2006 | IN | HB 1006 | Allocation of School Resources for Homeless Students | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15) |
| Feb. 21, 2006 | MS | HB 1643 | Food and Tobacco Taxes | Bill Passed - House (94 - 28) |
| Feb. 20, 2006 | CO | SB 66 | Employee Leave for Academic Activities | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| Feb. 20, 2006 | UT | 1SHB 107 | Full-Day Kindergarten | Bill Passed - House (43 - 29) |
| Feb. 20, 2006 | VA | HB 968 | Membership of the Board of Correctional Education | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 20) |
| Feb. 16, 2006 | GA | HCS SB 390 | Classroom First Act for Georgia | Bill Passed - House (102 - 70) |
| Feb. 15, 2006 | KY | HB 394 | School Traffic Signal Bill | Bill Passed - House (68 - 29) |
| Feb. 14, 2006 | VA | Sub SB 677 | In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 3) |
| Feb. 10, 2006 | WA | Sub SB 6475 | Certificate of Academic Achievement Alternative Methods | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 10) |
| Feb. 10, 2006 | SD | HB 1235 | Compulsory High School Education Age to 18 | Bill Passed - House (51 - 14) |
| Feb. 9, 2006 | WA | 3rd Sub HB 1484 | Taxation for School Funding | Bill Passed - House (50 - 48) |
| Feb. 9, 2006 | SD | HB 1194 | Contraceptive Distribution at Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (51 - 17) |
| Feb. 9, 2006 | SD | HB 1234 | Mandatory Kindergarten | Bill Passed - House (52 - 15) |
| Feb. 8, 2006 | ME | LD 1798 | Standardized Testing | "Ought Not to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 16) |
| Feb. 7, 2006 | SD | H Amdt 1194rf | Penalties for School Employees for Dispensing Contraceptives Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (37 - 33) |
| Feb. 7, 2006 | SD | HB 1217 | Abstinence-Only Sex Education | Bill Passed - House (46 - 24) |
| Feb. 6, 2006 | MS | SB 2119 | School Board Elections, Superintendent Appointments, and Consolidation Issues | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 20) |
| Feb. 2, 2006 | National | HR 4297 | Tax Relief Extension Reconciliation Act of 2005 | Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 31) |
| Feb. 2, 2006 | MS | SB 2604 | Mississippi Adequate Education Program Revisions | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 15) |
| Feb. 2, 2006 | IN | HB 1006 | Allocation of School Resources for Homeless Students | Bill Passed - House (56 - 40) |
| Feb. 2, 2006 | IN | HB 1240 | Statewide Testing Review and ISTEP | Bill Passed - House (52 - 47) |
| Feb. 2, 2006 | VA | HB 1050 | In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (76 - 23) |
| Feb. 2, 2006 | VA | Sub HB 262 | College Admission for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (67 - 33) |
| Feb. 1, 2006 | CO | HB 1056 | Vending Machines Requirements for Schools Bill | Bill Passed - House (36 - 28) |
| Feb. 1, 2006 | MS | SB 2602 | Mississippi Education Reform Act | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
| Jan. 31, 2006 | GA | SB 390 | Classroom First for Georgia Act | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
| Jan. 24, 2006 | IN | SB 60 | Public School Transfer Program | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
| Jan. 24, 2006 | AZ | HB 2002 | English Language Learners; Structured English Immersion Models; Budget Requests | Bill Passed - House (33 - 23) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/07 | SB 3102 | Student to Teacher Ratio Reduction | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 2) |
| 3/07 | HCS HB 2138 | Release From School to Attend Religious Instruction | Bill Passed - House (70 - 25) |
| 3/06 | H 630 | School Grounds - Violence | Bill Passed - House (49 - 12) |
| 3/06 | SB 1792 | Achieving Classroom Excellence Steering Committee | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 15) |
| 3/06 | HF 2540 | 2006-2007 Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget | Bill Passed - House (52 - 47) |
| 3/03 | CSSB 112 | Rural Education Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 8) |
| 3/03 | SB 618 | School Voucher Program Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 13) |
| 3/03 | S 1382 | Idaho Mathematics, Science and Engineering Scholarship Act | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 18) |
| 3/02 | HB 2064 | English Language Learners | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 13) |
| 3/02 | HB 5606 | New Graduation Requirements | Bill Passed - House (70 - 31) |
| 3/02 | HB 2107 | Science Instruction | Bill Passed - House (77 - 10) |
| 2/28 | SCS SB 1993 | Financial Aid Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 10) |
| 2/28 | SB 111 | Student Nutrition and Physical Activity | Bill Passed - House (72 - 24) |
| 2/28 | HB 1289 | Colorado Student Assessment Program Penalty Removal | Bill Passed - House (37 - 28) |
| 2/27 | HB 2064 | English Language Learners | Conference Report Adopted - House (31 - 27) |
| 2/27 | 3SSB 96 | Origin of Species Curriculum Requirement Bill | Bill Failed - House (28 - 46) |
| 2/27 | H 624 | School Property Disposal | Bill Passed - House (48 - 18) |
| 2/24 | SF 87 | Board of Education Membership Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
| 2/23 | 1SSB 97 | Student Organizations | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11) |
| 2/22 | 1SHB 181 | Education Reform Bill | Bill Passed - House (44 - 31) |
| 2/21 | HB 1235 | Compulsory High School Education Age to 18 | Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 23) |
| 2/21 | HB 4278 | Community Service Graduation Requirement | Bill Passed - House (60 - 43) |
| 2/21 | HB 1006 | Allocation of School Resources for Homeless Students | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15) |
| 2/21 | HB 1643 | Food and Tobacco Taxes | Bill Passed - House (94 - 28) |
| 2/20 | SB 66 | Employee Leave for Academic Activities | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| 2/20 | 1SHB 107 | Full-Day Kindergarten | Bill Passed - House (43 - 29) |
| 2/20 | HB 968 | Membership of the Board of Correctional Education | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 20) |
| 2/16 | HCS SB 390 | Classroom First Act for Georgia | Bill Passed - House (102 - 70) |
| 2/15 | HB 394 | School Traffic Signal Bill | Bill Passed - House (68 - 29) |
| 2/14 | Sub SB 677 | In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 3) |
| 2/10 | Sub SB 6475 | Certificate of Academic Achievement Alternative Methods | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 10) |
| 2/10 | HB 1235 | Compulsory High School Education Age to 18 | Bill Passed - House (51 - 14) |
| 2/09 | 3rd Sub HB 1484 | Taxation for School Funding | Bill Passed - House (50 - 48) |
| 2/09 | HB 1194 | Contraceptive Distribution at Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (51 - 17) |
| 2/09 | HB 1234 | Mandatory Kindergarten | Bill Passed - House (52 - 15) |
| 2/08 | LD 1798 | Standardized Testing | "Ought Not to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 16) |
| 2/07 | H Amdt 1194rf | Penalties for School Employees for Dispensing Contraceptives Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (37 - 33) |
| 2/07 | HB 1217 | Abstinence-Only Sex Education | Bill Passed - House (46 - 24) |
| 2/06 | SB 2119 | School Board Elections, Superintendent Appointments, and Consolidation Issues | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 20) |
| 2/02 | HR 4297 | Tax Relief Extension Reconciliation Act of 2005 | Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 31) |
| 2/02 | SB 2604 | Mississippi Adequate Education Program Revisions | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 15) |
| 2/02 | HB 1006 | Allocation of School Resources for Homeless Students | Bill Passed - House (56 - 40) |
| 2/02 | HB 1240 | Statewide Testing Review and ISTEP | Bill Passed - House (52 - 47) |
| 2/02 | HB 1050 | In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (76 - 23) |
| 2/02 | Sub HB 262 | College Admission for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (67 - 33) |
| 2/01 | HB 1056 | Vending Machines Requirements for Schools Bill | Bill Passed - House (36 - 28) |
| 2/01 | SB 2602 | Mississippi Education Reform Act | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
| 1/31 | SB 390 | Classroom First for Georgia Act | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
| 1/24 | SB 60 | Public School Transfer Program | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
| 1/24 | HB 2002 | English Language Learners; Structured English Immersion Models; Budget Requests | Bill Passed - House (33 - 23) |