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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 18, 2009 | ND | HB 1348 | Allowing Concealed Firearms on Campuses | Bill Passed - House (48 - 46) |
| Feb. 18, 2009 | SD | HB 1171 | Exemptions from School District Minimum Size Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12) |
| Feb. 17, 2009 | SD | SB 106 | School Funding Formula Revision | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| Feb. 13, 2009 | UT | SB 48 | Amending Requirements for Obtaining Teaching Licenses | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10) |
| Feb. 12, 2009 | MS | HB 234 | Sex Education Pilot Program | Bill Passed - House (79 - 40) |
| Feb. 12, 2009 | KS | SB 23 | 2008-2009, 2009-2010, and 2010-2011Budget Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - House (70 - 51) |
| Feb. 12, 2009 | KS | SB 23 | 2008-2009, 2009-2010, and 2010-2011Budget Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 11) |
| Feb. 10, 2009 | KY | SB 3 | Allowing Early High School Graduation | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12) |
| Feb. 10, 2009 | WY | HB 218 | Amending Hathaway Scholarship Requirements | Bill Failed - House (29 - 30) |
| Feb. 10, 2009 | IN | HB 1723 | 2009-2010 Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (52 - 46) |
| Feb. 9, 2009 | WY | HB 170 | State Lottery for Scholarship Funding | Bill Failed - House (25 - 35) |
| Feb. 9, 2009 | ND | SB 2238 | Higher Education Tuition Increase Limits | Bill Failed - Senate (21 - 22) |
| Feb. 9, 2009 | CO | HB 1057 | Mandatory Unpaid Parental Work Leave for Education Activities | Bill Passed - House (35 - 30) |
| Feb. 5, 2009 | VA | HB 1826 | Driver's License Suspension for Unexcused School Absences | Bill Passed - House (68 - 28) |
| Feb. 5, 2009 | KS | SB 23 | 2008-2009, 2009-2010, and 2010-2011 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (74 - 48) |
| Feb. 5, 2009 | OR | SB 338 | Authorizing Bonds for Public-Works Projects | Bill Passed - House (39 - 21) |
| Feb. 4, 2009 | SD | HB 1171 | Exemptions from School District Minimum Size Requirements | Bill Passed - House (36 - 34) |
| Feb. 2, 2009 | UT | SB 4 | 2008-2009 Education Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (57 - 17) |
| Feb. 2, 2009 | UT | SB 4 | 2008-2009 Education Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5) |
| Feb. 2, 2009 | MT | SB 80 | Board of Regents Elections | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 30) |
| Feb. 2, 2009 | MT | SB 81 | Board of Public Education Elections | Bill Failed - Senate (21 - 29) |
| Jan. 30, 2009 | ND | SB 2087 | Secrecy in Public University Hiring | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 15) |
| Jan. 29, 2009 | KS | SB 23 | 2008-2009, 2009-2010, and 2010-2011 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 14) |
| Jan. 28, 2009 | OR | SB 338 | Authorizing Bonds for Public-Works Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| Jan. 26, 2009 | MS | SB 2664 | Dual Charter School System | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 11) |
| Jan. 14, 2009 | FL | SB 2-A | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - House (74 - 43) |
| Jan. 14, 2009 | FL | SB 2-A | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 13) |
| Jan. 7, 2009 | MS | HB 290 | 2008-2009 Higher Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (87 - 34) |
| Dec. 19, 2008 | MI | SB 861 | Tuition Assistance for Students in High Poverty Areas | Bill Passed - House (61 - 34) |
| Dec. 18, 2008 | CA | ABx1 4 | Reducing Education Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 8) |
| Dec. 15, 2008 | NJ | A 3373 | Amending NJ STARS/NJ STARS II Scholarship Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 4) |
| Dec. 15, 2008 | NJ | A 3373 | Amending NJ STARS/NJ STARS II Scholarship Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (63 - 10) |
| Dec. 11, 2008 | MI | HB 4141 | Expanding the Use of School Sinking Funds | Bill Passed - House (71 - 28) |
| Dec. 10, 2008 | MI | SB 861 | Tuition Assistance for Students in High Poverty Areas | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
| Dec. 4, 2008 | MI | HB 5765 | Reducing Pupil Count for First Class School Districts | Bill Passed - House (59 - 42) |
| Sept. 26, 2008 | National | HR 7060 | Renewable Energy Credits and Other Business and Individual Credits | Bill Passed - House (257 - 166) |
| Sept. 10, 2008 | MO | SB 873 | Voting Student Curator on the University of Missouri Board of Curators | Veto Override Failed - Senate (16 - 17) |
| Aug. 31, 2008 | CA | SB 1301 | Extending Student Financial Aid Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (46 - 29) |
| Aug. 13, 2008 | CA | AB 86 | Cyber-Bullying Enforcement | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 22) |
| Aug. 11, 2008 | CA | AB 86 | Cyber-Bullying Enforcement | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| Aug. 8, 2008 | NY | S 8736 | School District Property Tax Cap | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 20) |
| Aug. 7, 2008 | CA | AB 2567 | Creation of "Harvey Milk Day" | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 27) |
| Aug. 5, 2008 | CA | AB 2567 | Creation of "Harvey Milk Day" | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| July 31, 2008 | National | HR 4137 | Higher Education Act Amendments and Extensions | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (83 - 8) |
| July 31, 2008 | National | HR 4137 | Higher Education Act Amendments and Extensions | Conference Report Adopted - House (380 - 49) |
| July 8, 2008 | NC | HB 2436 | 2008-2009 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (97 - 20) |
| July 8, 2008 | NC | HB 2436 | 2008-2009 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 14) |
| July 4, 2008 | PA | HB 1067 | Omnibus Education Bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (191 - 11) |
| July 1, 2008 | DE | SB 300 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 6) |
| July 1, 2008 | DE | SB 300 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - House (33 - 7) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/18 | HB 1348 | Allowing Concealed Firearms on Campuses | Bill Passed - House (48 - 46) |
| 2/18 | HB 1171 | Exemptions from School District Minimum Size Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12) |
| 2/17 | SB 106 | School Funding Formula Revision | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| 2/13 | SB 48 | Amending Requirements for Obtaining Teaching Licenses | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10) |
| 2/12 | HB 234 | Sex Education Pilot Program | Bill Passed - House (79 - 40) |
| 2/12 | SB 23 | 2008-2009, 2009-2010, and 2010-2011Budget Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - House (70 - 51) |
| 2/12 | SB 23 | 2008-2009, 2009-2010, and 2010-2011Budget Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 11) |
| 2/10 | SB 3 | Allowing Early High School Graduation | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12) |
| 2/10 | HB 218 | Amending Hathaway Scholarship Requirements | Bill Failed - House (29 - 30) |
| 2/10 | HB 1723 | 2009-2010 Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (52 - 46) |
| 2/09 | HB 170 | State Lottery for Scholarship Funding | Bill Failed - House (25 - 35) |
| 2/09 | SB 2238 | Higher Education Tuition Increase Limits | Bill Failed - Senate (21 - 22) |
| 2/09 | HB 1057 | Mandatory Unpaid Parental Work Leave for Education Activities | Bill Passed - House (35 - 30) |
| 2/05 | HB 1826 | Driver's License Suspension for Unexcused School Absences | Bill Passed - House (68 - 28) |
| 2/05 | SB 23 | 2008-2009, 2009-2010, and 2010-2011 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (74 - 48) |
| 2/05 | SB 338 | Authorizing Bonds for Public-Works Projects | Bill Passed - House (39 - 21) |
| 2/04 | HB 1171 | Exemptions from School District Minimum Size Requirements | Bill Passed - House (36 - 34) |
| 2/02 | SB 4 | 2008-2009 Education Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (57 - 17) |
| 2/02 | SB 4 | 2008-2009 Education Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5) |
| 2/02 | SB 80 | Board of Regents Elections | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 30) |
| 2/02 | SB 81 | Board of Public Education Elections | Bill Failed - Senate (21 - 29) |
| 1/30 | SB 2087 | Secrecy in Public University Hiring | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 15) |
| 1/29 | SB 23 | 2008-2009, 2009-2010, and 2010-2011 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 14) |
| 1/28 | SB 338 | Authorizing Bonds for Public-Works Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| 1/26 | SB 2664 | Dual Charter School System | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 11) |
| 1/14 | SB 2-A | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - House (74 - 43) |
| 1/14 | SB 2-A | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 13) |
| 1/07 | HB 290 | 2008-2009 Higher Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (87 - 34) |
| 12/19 | SB 861 | Tuition Assistance for Students in High Poverty Areas | Bill Passed - House (61 - 34) |
| 12/18 | ABx1 4 | Reducing Education Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 8) |
| 12/15 | A 3373 | Amending NJ STARS/NJ STARS II Scholarship Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 4) |
| 12/15 | A 3373 | Amending NJ STARS/NJ STARS II Scholarship Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (63 - 10) |
| 12/11 | HB 4141 | Expanding the Use of School Sinking Funds | Bill Passed - House (71 - 28) |
| 12/10 | SB 861 | Tuition Assistance for Students in High Poverty Areas | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
| 12/04 | HB 5765 | Reducing Pupil Count for First Class School Districts | Bill Passed - House (59 - 42) |
| 9/26 | HR 7060 | Renewable Energy Credits and Other Business and Individual Credits | Bill Passed - House (257 - 166) |
| 9/10 | SB 873 | Voting Student Curator on the University of Missouri Board of Curators | Veto Override Failed - Senate (16 - 17) |
| 8/31 | SB 1301 | Extending Student Financial Aid Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (46 - 29) |
| 8/13 | AB 86 | Cyber-Bullying Enforcement | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 22) |
| 8/11 | AB 86 | Cyber-Bullying Enforcement | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| 8/08 | S 8736 | School District Property Tax Cap | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 20) |
| 8/07 | AB 2567 | Creation of "Harvey Milk Day" | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 27) |
| 8/05 | AB 2567 | Creation of "Harvey Milk Day" | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| 7/31 | HR 4137 | Higher Education Act Amendments and Extensions | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (83 - 8) |
| 7/31 | HR 4137 | Higher Education Act Amendments and Extensions | Conference Report Adopted - House (380 - 49) |
| 7/08 | HB 2436 | 2008-2009 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (97 - 20) |
| 7/08 | HB 2436 | 2008-2009 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 14) |
| 7/04 | HB 1067 | Omnibus Education Bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (191 - 11) |
| 7/01 | SB 300 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 6) |
| 7/01 | SB 300 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - House (33 - 7) |