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 6, 2014 | ID | S 1254 | Authorizes the Concealed Carry of Firearms on College or University Campuses | Bill Passed - House (50 - 19) |
| March 5, 2014 | AZ | SB 1310 | Prohibits the Implementation of Common Core Standards | Bill Failed - Senate (12 - 18) |
| March 4, 2014 | IN | HB 1036 | Expands Voucher Eligibility Requirements for Child Care Providers | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 12) |
| Feb. 27, 2014 | IN | SB 91 | Repeals Common Core Standards | Bill Passed - House (67 - 26) |
| Feb. 26, 2014 | VA | SB 236 | Authorizes Religious Expression in Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (64 - 34) |
| Feb. 25, 2014 | GA | SB 167 | Prohibits Common Core Curriculum Standards | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 16) |
| Feb. 20, 2014 | AL | HB 45 | Authorizes Display of the Ten Commandments on State Property | Amendment Adopted - House (77 - 19) |
| Feb. 18, 2014 | WA | SB 6523 | Authorizes In-State Tuition for Non-Citizen Individuals | Bill Passed - House (75 - 22) |
| Feb. 18, 2014 | ID | S 1254 | Authorizes the Concealed Carry of Firearms on College or University Campuses | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| Feb. 18, 2014 | GA | HB 875 | Authorizes Individuals to Carry Weapons in Previously Prohibited Locations | Bill Passed - House (119 - 56) |
| Feb. 18, 2014 | NM | SB 347 | Appropriates Funds to the Lottery Tuition Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 11) |
| Feb. 18, 2014 | NM | SB 347 | Appropriates Funds to the Lottery Tuition Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 11) |
| Feb. 13, 2014 | MS | SB 2325 | Establishes Individualized Education Funds for Certain Individuals | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| Feb. 13, 2014 | AL | SB 18 | Authorizes a School District to Educate on Traditional Winter Celebrations | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 7) |
| Feb. 12, 2014 | MS | S Amdt 2 | Repeals August School Start Date Requirement | Amendment Adopted - Senate (31 - 15) |
| Feb. 11, 2014 | MS | S Amdt 7 | Prohibits Abortion Counseling in Pregnancy Prevention Programs | Amendment Rejected - Senate (22 - 23) |
| Feb. 11, 2014 | MS | SB 2563 | Requires Universities to Develop a Plan of Action for Unplanned Pregnancies | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 11) |
| Feb. 11, 2014 | UT | HB 96 | Establishes a School Readiness Board | Bill Passed - House (49 - 24) |
| Feb. 6, 2014 | VA | HB 11 | Requires New Textbooks to Refer to The East Sea | Bill Passed - House (81 - 15) |
| Feb. 5, 2014 | MS | HB 504 | Increases Teacher Salaries | Bill Passed - House (86 - 26) |
| Feb. 5, 2014 | IA | SF 2079 | Increases School Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| Feb. 4, 2014 | IN | SB 91 | Repeals Common Core Standards | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 12) |
| Feb. 4, 2014 | IN | SB 264 | Authorizes Annual Stipends for Certain Teachers | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 14) |
| Feb. 4, 2014 | VA | SB 324 | Extends Deadline for Implementation of a School Performance Grading System | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 17) |
| Jan. 31, 2014 | WA | SB 6523 | Authorizes In-State Tuition for Non-Citizen Individuals | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 10) |
| Jan. 30, 2014 | IN | HB 1321 | Authorizes Certain School Corporations to Establish Innovation Network Schools | Bill Passed - House (54 - 37) |
| Jan. 30, 2014 | VA | HB 63 | Authorizes Home-Schooled Students to Participate in Public School Interscholastic Programs | Bill Passed - House (60 - 39) |
| Jan. 29, 2014 | SD | HCR 1008 | Prohibits Expansion of Common Core State Standards | Joint Resolution Failed - House (31 - 35) |
| Jan. 29, 2014 | KY | HB 154 | Requires Periodic Public School Financial Reports | Bill Passed - House (58 - 41) |
| Jan. 28, 2014 | ME | LD 1254 | Requires State Institutions to Purchase Foods Produced in Maine | Veto Override Failed - Senate (20 - 13) |
| Jan. 28, 2014 | ME | LD 1254 | Requires State Institutions to Purchase Foods Produced in Maine | Veto Override Failed - Senate (20 - 13) |
| Jan. 28, 2014 | IN | HB 1036 | Expands Voucher Eligibility Requirements for Child Care Providers | Bill Passed - House (71 - 24) |
| Jan. 23, 2014 | IN | SB 113 | Requires Cursive Writing to be Taught in School | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 9) |
| Jan. 22, 2014 | OH | HB 8 | Authorizes Certain Employees to Carry Concealed Firearms on School Property | Bill Passed - House (63 - 29) |
| Jan. 21, 2014 | VA | SB 236 | Authorizes Religious Expression in Public Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
| Jan. 16, 2014 | IN | HB 1004 | Establishes Preschool Scholarship System for Certain Individuals | Bill Passed - House (87 - 9) |
| Jan. 14, 2014 | ME | LD 1254 | Requires State Institutions to Purchase Foods Produced in Maine | Veto Override Passed - House (94 - 46) |
| Jan. 14, 2014 | ME | LD 1254 | Requires State Institutions to Purchase Foods Produced in Maine | Veto Override Passed - House (94 - 46) |
| Jan. 13, 2014 | PA | HB 1741 | Requires a School Board to Provide Public Notice Prior to Certain Votes | Bill Passed - House (102 - 98) |
| Jan. 13, 2014 | PA | HB 1411 | Requires Schools To Make Their Expenses Public | Bill Passed - House (119 - 81) |
| Dec. 11, 2013 | MI | HB 4369 | Expands the Education Achievement Authority | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
| Dec. 3, 2013 | IL | SB 1 | Amends State Employee Pension Plans | Conference Report Adopted - House (62 - 53) |
| Dec. 3, 2013 | IL | SB 1 | Amends State Employee Pension Plans | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (30 - 24) |
| Nov. 5, 2013 | WI | AB 297 | Amends Laws Concerning the Use of Race-Based Nicknames, Logos, Mascots, and Team Names | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
| Oct. 15, 2013 | WI | AB 297 | Amends Laws Concerning the Use of Race-Based Nicknames, Logos, Mascots, and Team Names | Bill Passed - House (52 - 41) |
| Oct. 8, 2013 | National | H J Res 84 | Head Start Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Joint Resolution Passed - House (248 - 168) |
| Sept. 12, 2013 | CA | AB 375 | Amends Teacher Dismissal Requirements | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 22) |
| Sept. 12, 2013 | CA | AB 375 | Amends Teacher Dismissal Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| Sept. 11, 2013 | CA | AB 484 | Amends State School Testing Programs | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 22) |
| Sept. 10, 2013 | CA | AB 484 | Amends State School Testing Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |