Key Votes

Chamber

Keyword Search

Search string must be longer than 3 characters.

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
Feb. 14, 2013 AL HB 84 Authorizes Schools to Apply for Waivers from State Laws Bill Passed - House (65 - 37)
Feb. 14, 2013 KY HB 131 Authorizes Immigrants to Remain Enrolled in High School up to Age 23 Bill Passed - House (71 - 26)
Feb. 14, 2013 IA SF 162 Establishes the School Budget Growth for Fiscal Year 2014-2015 Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22)
Feb. 12, 2013 MT HB 315 Establishes Public Charter Schools Bill Failed - House (49 - 50)
Feb. 11, 2013 VA HB 1617 Authorizes Student Organizations to Limit Membership Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18)
Feb. 7, 2013 MT HB 239 Requires Parental Consent for Sex Education Bill Passed - House (56 - 41)
Feb. 7, 2013 IN HB 1005 Changes Eligibility for College Financial Aid Bill Passed - House (86 - 13)
Feb. 5, 2013 VA SB 1324 Establishes Education Institution and Board Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20)
Feb. 5, 2013 WY HB 230 Appropriates Funds for Schools to Hire School Resource Officers Bill Passed - House (38 - 22)
Feb. 5, 2013 IN HB 1357 Amends Licensing Requirements for Superintendents Bill Passed - House (57 - 41)
Feb. 4, 2013 VA HB 1999 Requires the Development of a School Grading System Bill Passed - House (54 - 40)
Feb. 1, 2013 WY HB 105 Authorizes the Carrying of Firearms on School Property Bill Passed - House (46 - 13)
Jan. 31, 2013 WY HB 130 Authorizes Public Schools to Offer Elective Bible Study Classes Bill Passed - House (44 - 15)
Jan. 31, 2013 VA HB 1442 Authorizes Home-Schooled Students To Participate In Interscholastic Programs Bill Passed - House (56 - 43)
Jan. 31, 2013 VA HB 1617 Authorizes Student Organizations to Limit Membership Bill Passed - House (80 - 19)
Jan. 30, 2013 IA SF 52 Establishes the School Budget Growth for Fiscal Year 2013-2014 Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23)
Jan. 29, 2013 SD HB 1087 Authorizes School Sentinel Programs Bill Passed - House (42 - 27)
Jan. 25, 2013 WY SF 104 Establishes the Director Position in the Department of Education Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 9)
Jan. 25, 2013 WY SF 104 Establishes the Director Position in the Department of Education Bill Passed - House (39 - 20)
Jan. 16, 2013 MS SB 2189 Expands Charter School Authorization Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 17)
Dec. 13, 2012 MI SB 865 Authorizes Local Officials to Solve Fiscal Crisis Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
Dec. 12, 2012 MI SB 865 Authorizes Local Officials to Solve Fiscal Crisis Bill Passed - House (64 - 45)
Oct. 16, 2012 PA SB 1115 Amends Charter School Laws Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 16)
Aug. 29, 2012 CA AB 2132 Encourages State Universities to Include Public Service in Tenure Policy Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 27)
Aug. 28, 2012 CA AB 2132 Encourages State Universities to Include Public Service in Tenure Policy Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/14 HB 84 Authorizes Schools to Apply for Waivers from State Laws Bill Passed - House (65 - 37)
2/14 HB 131 Authorizes Immigrants to Remain Enrolled in High School up to Age 23 Bill Passed - House (71 - 26)
2/14 SF 162 Establishes the School Budget Growth for Fiscal Year 2014-2015 Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22)
2/12 HB 315 Establishes Public Charter Schools Bill Failed - House (49 - 50)
2/11 HB 1617 Authorizes Student Organizations to Limit Membership Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18)
2/07 HB 239 Requires Parental Consent for Sex Education Bill Passed - House (56 - 41)
2/07 HB 1005 Changes Eligibility for College Financial Aid Bill Passed - House (86 - 13)
2/05 SB 1324 Establishes Education Institution and Board Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20)
2/05 HB 230 Appropriates Funds for Schools to Hire School Resource Officers Bill Passed - House (38 - 22)
2/05 HB 1357 Amends Licensing Requirements for Superintendents Bill Passed - House (57 - 41)
2/04 HB 1999 Requires the Development of a School Grading System Bill Passed - House (54 - 40)
2/01 HB 105 Authorizes the Carrying of Firearms on School Property Bill Passed - House (46 - 13)
1/31 HB 130 Authorizes Public Schools to Offer Elective Bible Study Classes Bill Passed - House (44 - 15)
1/31 HB 1442 Authorizes Home-Schooled Students To Participate In Interscholastic Programs Bill Passed - House (56 - 43)
1/31 HB 1617 Authorizes Student Organizations to Limit Membership Bill Passed - House (80 - 19)
1/30 SF 52 Establishes the School Budget Growth for Fiscal Year 2013-2014 Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23)
1/29 HB 1087 Authorizes School Sentinel Programs Bill Passed - House (42 - 27)
1/25 SF 104 Establishes the Director Position in the Department of Education Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 9)
1/25 SF 104 Establishes the Director Position in the Department of Education Bill Passed - House (39 - 20)
1/16 SB 2189 Expands Charter School Authorization Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 17)
12/13 SB 865 Authorizes Local Officials to Solve Fiscal Crisis Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
12/12 SB 865 Authorizes Local Officials to Solve Fiscal Crisis Bill Passed - House (64 - 45)
10/16 SB 1115 Amends Charter School Laws Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 16)
8/29 AB 2132 Encourages State Universities to Include Public Service in Tenure Policy Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 27)
8/28 AB 2132 Encourages State Universities to Include Public Service in Tenure Policy Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14)

arrow_upward