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
March 19, 2012 ID H 426 Establishes a Program for High School Students to Obtain an Associate's Degree Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7)
March 19, 2012 ID H 426 Establishes a Program for High School Students to Obtain an Associate's Degree Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7)
March 15, 2012 OK HB 1551 Authorizes the Instruction of Various Scientific Theories Bill Passed - House (56 - 12)
March 15, 2012 ID H 481 Repeals Limit on Charter Schools Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
March 15, 2012 MD HB 650 Reduces Prison Sentences for Inmates Seeking Education Bill Passed - House (81 - 54)
March 15, 2012 MN HF 2083 Requires State Reserve Funds to be Used to Reduce School Debt Bill Passed - House (74 - 59)
March 15, 2012 ID S 1358 Amends Bullying Laws Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8)
March 14, 2012 MS HB 638 Authorizes Prayer in Schools Bill Passed - House (93 - 24)
March 13, 2012 WI SB 237 Amending Sexual Education Guidelines Bill Passed - House (60 - 34)
March 13, 2012 IA HF 2385 Authorizes Professionals to Teach Certain High School Courses Bill Passed - House (61 - 36)
March 13, 2012 IA HF 2380 Amends Education Provisions Bill Passed - House (53 - 46)
March 13, 2012 IA HF 2380 Amends Education Provisions Bill Passed - House (53 - 46)
March 9, 2012 FL HB 5001 2012-2013 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 8)
March 9, 2012 FL HB 5001 2012-2013 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 8)
March 9, 2012 FL HB 5001 2012-2013 Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (80 - 37)
March 9, 2012 FL HB 5001 2012-2013 Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (80 - 37)
March 9, 2012 FL HB 859 School Voucher Program Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 8)
March 9, 2012 FL SB 1718 Authorizes Parent Involvement in School Turnaround Decisions Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 20)
March 8, 2012 AZ SB 1462 Expands Penalties for Bullying Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 12)
March 8, 2012 NH HB 1654 Reduces Sentences of Prisoners Pursuing Degrees Bill Failed - House (152 - 171)
March 7, 2012 MI HB 4929 Prohibits Union Dues Deductions from School Employee Paychecks Concurrence Vote Passed - House (56 - 54)
March 7, 2012 MI HB 4929 Prohibits Union Dues Deductions from School Employee Paychecks Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18)
March 7, 2012 FL HB 859 School Voucher Program Bill Passed - House (92 - 24)
March 7, 2012 NH HB 1146 Requires Students to Stand for the Pledge of Allegiance Bill Failed - House (155 - 170)
March 7, 2012 GA SB 312 Require Development Activities for Certain Public Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 14)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/19 H 426 Establishes a Program for High School Students to Obtain an Associate's Degree Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7)
3/19 H 426 Establishes a Program for High School Students to Obtain an Associate's Degree Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7)
3/15 HB 1551 Authorizes the Instruction of Various Scientific Theories Bill Passed - House (56 - 12)
3/15 H 481 Repeals Limit on Charter Schools Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
3/15 HB 650 Reduces Prison Sentences for Inmates Seeking Education Bill Passed - House (81 - 54)
3/15 HF 2083 Requires State Reserve Funds to be Used to Reduce School Debt Bill Passed - House (74 - 59)
3/15 S 1358 Amends Bullying Laws Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8)
3/14 HB 638 Authorizes Prayer in Schools Bill Passed - House (93 - 24)
3/13 SB 237 Amending Sexual Education Guidelines Bill Passed - House (60 - 34)
3/13 HF 2385 Authorizes Professionals to Teach Certain High School Courses Bill Passed - House (61 - 36)
3/13 HF 2380 Amends Education Provisions Bill Passed - House (53 - 46)
3/13 HF 2380 Amends Education Provisions Bill Passed - House (53 - 46)
3/09 HB 5001 2012-2013 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 8)
3/09 HB 5001 2012-2013 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 8)
3/09 HB 5001 2012-2013 Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (80 - 37)
3/09 HB 5001 2012-2013 Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (80 - 37)
3/09 HB 859 School Voucher Program Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 8)
3/09 SB 1718 Authorizes Parent Involvement in School Turnaround Decisions Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 20)
3/08 SB 1462 Expands Penalties for Bullying Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 12)
3/08 HB 1654 Reduces Sentences of Prisoners Pursuing Degrees Bill Failed - House (152 - 171)
3/07 HB 4929 Prohibits Union Dues Deductions from School Employee Paychecks Concurrence Vote Passed - House (56 - 54)
3/07 HB 4929 Prohibits Union Dues Deductions from School Employee Paychecks Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18)
3/07 HB 859 School Voucher Program Bill Passed - House (92 - 24)
3/07 HB 1146 Requires Students to Stand for the Pledge of Allegiance Bill Failed - House (155 - 170)
3/07 SB 312 Require Development Activities for Certain Public Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 14)

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