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 9, 2011 UT HB 183 School District Leave Policies Conference Report Adopted - House (42 - 28)
March 9, 2011 UT SB 73 Public School Teacher Tenure Modifications Bill Passed - House (45 - 28)
March 8, 2011 NM HB 172 Prohibiting Corporal Punishment as School Discipline Bill Passed - House (36 - 31)
March 7, 2011 AZ HB 2415 Punishment Guidelines for Bullying in Schools Bill Passed - House (38 - 21)
March 4, 2011 ID H 104a Teacher Union Activities Bill Passed - House (55 - 14)
March 3, 2011 NV AB 183 Revising Payment for Outstanding Bonds in School Districts Bill Passed - House (25 - 16)
March 3, 2011 MN SF 40 Amends Licensing and Codes for Education Conference Report Adopted - House (81 - 50)
March 3, 2011 UT HB 301 School District Property Tax Revisions Bill Passed - House (39 - 31)
March 2, 2011 WV HB 2879 One-Time Pay Raise for State Employees Bill Passed - House (78 - 22)
March 1, 2011 GA HB 326 Amends the HOPE Scholarship Program Bill Passed - House (152 - 22)
Feb. 28, 2011 UT HB 191 Nonresident Tuition Waiver Amendments Bill Passed - House (44 - 28)
Feb. 23, 2011 UT HB 183 School District Leave Policies Bill Passed - House (46 - 22)
Feb. 23, 2011 SC H 3241 Funding for Charter Schools Bill Passed - House (85 - 32)
Feb. 22, 2011 KS HB 2006 Prohibiting Undocumented Immigrants from Receiving In-State Tuition Rates Bill Passed - House (72 - 50)
Feb. 22, 2011 MT HB 456 Sexual Education in K-12 Public Schools Bill Passed - House (67 - 30)
Feb. 21, 2011 ND HB 1263 Athletic Nickname and Logo of the University of North Dakota Bill Passed - House (65 - 28)
Feb. 18, 2011 National H Amdt 94 Prohibits Funds for the Gainful Employment Rule Amendment Adopted - House (289 - 136)
Feb. 18, 2011 ND HB 1258 Contribution Retirement Plans for Teachers Bill Failed - House (38 - 56)
Feb. 18, 2011 ND HB 1412 Teaching Personal Finance in Middle Schools Bill Failed - House (47 - 47)
Feb. 17, 2011 ND HB 1385 Senior Citizens Attending Institutions of Higher Education Bill Passed - House (65 - 29)
Feb. 17, 2011 IA HF 260 House Rule School Governance Bill Passed - House (65 - 30)
Feb. 16, 2011 WY SF 106 School Finances Bill Failed - House (20 - 35)
Feb. 16, 2011 UT HB 75 Guns On School Premises Bill Passed - House (58 - 15)
Feb. 16, 2011 UT HB 75 Guns On School Premises Bill Passed - House (58 - 15)
Feb. 16, 2011 OH HB 30 Reduce Required School Funding Bill Passed - House (59 - 36)
Feb. 11, 2011 ND HB 1470 Higher Education Tuition Bill Failed - House (41 - 51)
Feb. 8, 2011 IN HB 1002 Charter School Amendments Bill Passed - House (59 - 37)
Feb. 8, 2011 WY HB 204 Patriotism in the Classroom Bill Passed - House (52 - 5)
Feb. 8, 2011 VA HB 1465 Excludes Undocumented Immigrants from Public Universities Bill Passed - House (75 - 24)
Feb. 8, 2011 VA HB 2314 Education Improvement Scholarships Bill Passed - House (54 - 45)
Feb. 7, 2011 ID HJM 1 Parental Rights Amendment Joint Resolution Passed - House (49 - 20)
Feb. 1, 2011 VA HJ 593 Free Exercise of Religion Amendment Adopted - House (61 - 33)
Feb. 1, 2011 AR HB 1049 Prohibit Cell Phone Use in School Zones Bill Passed - House (53 - 41)
Jan. 31, 2011 AR HB 1049 Prohibit Cell Phone Use in School Zones Bill Failed - House (46 - 47)
Dec. 8, 2010 National HR 5281 DREAM Act Concurrence Vote Passed - House (216 - 198)
Nov. 15, 2010 PA HB 101 Education Law Amendments Veto Override Passed - House (171 - 24)
Nov. 15, 2010 PA HB 2497 Amends State Employee Pension System Concurrence Vote Passed - House (165 - 31)
Sept. 15, 2010 MI SB 1151 Community College Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - House (56 - 49)
Aug. 31, 2010 CA SB 1381 Increasing Age Requirements for Kindergarten and First Grade Bill Passed - House (51 - 18)
Aug. 30, 2010 CA SB 1317 Parental Crime for Chronic Truancy Bill Passed - House (58 - 17)
Aug. 26, 2010 CA SB 1413 Requiring Free Drinking Water in Public School Cafeterias Bill Passed - House (52 - 22)
Aug. 25, 2010 MI HB 6086 2009-2010 Budget Amendments Bill Passed - House (57 - 47)
Aug. 23, 2010 CA SB 970 College Vote-by-Mail Drop-Off Locations Bill Passed - House (48 - 28)
Aug. 10, 2010 National HR 1586 Aid To States for Medicaid, Teacher Employment, and Other Purposes Concurrence Vote Passed - House (247 - 161)
June 28, 2010 NJ S 2094 Limiting State Alternate Benefit Program for Higher Education Faculty Bill Passed - House (41 - 36)
June 23, 2010 PA HB 704 Special Education Funding Bill Passed - House (173 - 25)
June 20, 2010 LA HB 519 Limiting "Retire-Rehire" Benefits in Public Schools Concurrence Vote Passed - House (71 - 19)
June 20, 2010 LA HB 1171 Standards for Colleges and Universities Concurrence Vote Passed - House (74 - 23)
June 18, 2010 LA SB 584 Louisiana Statewide Education Facilities Authority Bill Passed - House (75 - 23)
June 18, 2010 NY A 9709 Omnibus Appropriations Bill Passed - House (79 - 52)
June 16, 2010 LA HB 303 Authorizing Home School Student Athletic Participation Concurrence Vote Passed - House (82 - 13)
June 16, 2010 PA HB 2497 Amends State Employee Pension System Bill Passed - House (192 - 6)
June 10, 2010 RI H 8094 Education Funding Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (46 - 10)
June 3, 2010 CA AB 2047 Expanding Authorized University Admission Considerations Amendment Adopted - House (48 - 28)
June 2, 2010 OH SB 210 Establishing Health and Nutrition Standards in Schools Bill Passed - House (77 - 21)
May 28, 2010 NY A 11310 Education Law Amendments Concerning Charter Schools Bill Passed - House (93 - 42)
May 27, 2010 LA HB 1033 Evaluation and Assessment Programs Concurrence Vote Passed - House (68 - 23)
May 26, 2010 NC SB 704 School Change Models Bill Passed - House (70 - 43)
May 13, 2010 LA HB 1368 Exempts Local School Districts from Various Rules and Regulations Bill Passed - House (68 - 20)
May 12, 2010 CO SB 191 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (36 - 29)
May 10, 2010 LA HB 1033 Evaluation and Assessment Programs Bill Passed - House (68 - 26)
May 10, 2010 LA HB 942 School Board and Superintendent Contracts Bill Passed - House (76 - 16)
May 6, 2010 IL SB 642 Public University Borrowing Bill Passed - House (87 - 28)
May 5, 2010 CT SB 438 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (106 - 38)
May 4, 2010 CT HB 5423 Classroom Experiments and Dissections on Animals Bill Passed - House (81 - 67)
April 30, 2010 CT HB 5033 Partial Refund of Sales Tax Imposed on the Sale of School Buses with Seat Belts Bill Passed - House (125 - 18)
April 29, 2010 AZ HB 2281 Ethnic Studies Ban Concurrence Vote Passed - House (32 - 26)
April 28, 2010 MO HB 2003 Higher Education Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - House (115 - 34)
April 28, 2010 MO HB 2002 2010-2010 Education Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (87 - 64)
April 28, 2010 HI HB 2377 Board of Education Selection Advisory Council Conference Report Adopted - House (40 - 11)
April 27, 2010 HI HB 2376 Requiring Board of Education Members be Appointed Conference Report Adopted - House (44 - 7)
April 27, 2010 DE HB 347 Raising the Reporting Age for Misdemeanors by Students Bill Passed - House (22 - 9)
April 27, 2010 LA HB 251 Superintendent of Education Qualifications Bill Passed - House (75 - 16)
April 22, 2010 WI SB 437 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (50 - 47)
April 21, 2010 AL SB 162 PACT Funding and Tuition Restrictions Conference Report Adopted - House (85 - 7)
April 21, 2010 AL HB 105 Required Physical Education Concurrence Vote Passed - House (72 - 7)
April 21, 2010 VA Amdt 18 Reducing Funding for Public Media Amendment Rejected - House (43 - 52)
April 14, 2010 LA Amdt 2565 Limiting the Number of Terms School Board Members May Serve Amendment Rejected - House (30 - 65)
April 14, 2010 LA HB 410 School Board Term Limits Bill Passed - House (77 - 21)
April 10, 2010 MD SB 778 Prohibits Public Schools from Sending Vocational Test Scores to Military Recruiters Bill Passed - House (95 - 42)
April 9, 2010 MD SB 590 Establishes a Public School Labor Relations Board Bill Passed - House (103 - 35)
April 9, 2010 FL SB 6 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (64 - 55)
March 29, 2010 SD SB 121 Deaf and Hearing-Impaired Education Promotion Programs Veto Override Failed - House (33 - 34)
March 27, 2010 MS SB 2293 Allowing "Under-Performing" Schools to Become Charter Schools Conference Report Adopted - House (85 - 31)
March 25, 2010 National HR 4872 Health Care Reconciliation Act Concurrence Vote Passed - House (220 - 207)
March 25, 2010 National HR 4872 Health Care Reconciliation Act Concurrence Vote Passed - House (220 - 207)
March 25, 2010 KY SB 178 Closed-Session School Superintendent Evaluations Bill Passed - House (67 - 29)
March 24, 2010 KS HB 2685 Authorizing Concealed Weapons on Campus Bill Passed - House (65 - 57)
March 22, 2010 IA SF 2376 2010-2011 Education Budget Bill Passed - House (55 - 44)
March 22, 2010 IA Amdt 8522 Allowing Cuts to Teacher Salary Supplement Amendment Rejected - House (49 - 50)
March 22, 2010 IL HB 4886 Authorizing 4-Day School Week Bill Passed - House (81 - 21)
March 21, 2010 National HR 4872 Health Care Reconciliation Act Bill Passed - House (220 - 211)
March 21, 2010 National HR 4872 Health Care Reconciliation Act Bill Passed - House (220 - 211)
March 17, 2010 MO Amdt 4 Deleting an Education Foundation Formula Modification Amendment Rejected - House (73 - 83)
March 13, 2010 WV HB 4652 School Calendar Committees Concurrence Vote Passed - House (86 - 12)
March 11, 2010 VA SB 737 Requiring Department of Education Review of Charter School Applications Bill Passed - House (62 - 34)
March 3, 2010 IL HB 4685 Eliminating General Assembly Scholarship Program Bill Passed - House (80 - 36)
March 1, 2010 SD HCR 1009 Urges Changes to the Public School Environmental Curriculum Concurrence Vote Passed - House (37 - 33)
March 1, 2010 SD SB 63 Pilot Charter School Bill Passed - House (49 - 20)
Feb. 25, 2010 WI AB 35 Complaint Process for Race-Based Names, Logos and Mascots of Schools Bill Passed - House (51 - 42)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/09 HB 183 School District Leave Policies Conference Report Adopted - House (42 - 28)
3/09 SB 73 Public School Teacher Tenure Modifications Bill Passed - House (45 - 28)
3/08 HB 172 Prohibiting Corporal Punishment as School Discipline Bill Passed - House (36 - 31)
3/07 HB 2415 Punishment Guidelines for Bullying in Schools Bill Passed - House (38 - 21)
3/04 H 104a Teacher Union Activities Bill Passed - House (55 - 14)
3/03 AB 183 Revising Payment for Outstanding Bonds in School Districts Bill Passed - House (25 - 16)
3/03 SF 40 Amends Licensing and Codes for Education Conference Report Adopted - House (81 - 50)
3/03 HB 301 School District Property Tax Revisions Bill Passed - House (39 - 31)
3/02 HB 2879 One-Time Pay Raise for State Employees Bill Passed - House (78 - 22)
3/01 HB 326 Amends the HOPE Scholarship Program Bill Passed - House (152 - 22)
2/28 HB 191 Nonresident Tuition Waiver Amendments Bill Passed - House (44 - 28)
2/23 HB 183 School District Leave Policies Bill Passed - House (46 - 22)
2/23 H 3241 Funding for Charter Schools Bill Passed - House (85 - 32)
2/22 HB 2006 Prohibiting Undocumented Immigrants from Receiving In-State Tuition Rates Bill Passed - House (72 - 50)
2/22 HB 456 Sexual Education in K-12 Public Schools Bill Passed - House (67 - 30)
2/21 HB 1263 Athletic Nickname and Logo of the University of North Dakota Bill Passed - House (65 - 28)
2/18 H Amdt 94 Prohibits Funds for the Gainful Employment Rule Amendment Adopted - House (289 - 136)
2/18 HB 1258 Contribution Retirement Plans for Teachers Bill Failed - House (38 - 56)
2/18 HB 1412 Teaching Personal Finance in Middle Schools Bill Failed - House (47 - 47)
2/17 HB 1385 Senior Citizens Attending Institutions of Higher Education Bill Passed - House (65 - 29)
2/17 HF 260 House Rule School Governance Bill Passed - House (65 - 30)
2/16 SF 106 School Finances Bill Failed - House (20 - 35)
2/16 HB 75 Guns On School Premises Bill Passed - House (58 - 15)
2/16 HB 75 Guns On School Premises Bill Passed - House (58 - 15)
2/16 HB 30 Reduce Required School Funding Bill Passed - House (59 - 36)
2/11 HB 1470 Higher Education Tuition Bill Failed - House (41 - 51)
2/08 HB 1002 Charter School Amendments Bill Passed - House (59 - 37)
2/08 HB 204 Patriotism in the Classroom Bill Passed - House (52 - 5)
2/08 HB 1465 Excludes Undocumented Immigrants from Public Universities Bill Passed - House (75 - 24)
2/08 HB 2314 Education Improvement Scholarships Bill Passed - House (54 - 45)
2/07 HJM 1 Parental Rights Amendment Joint Resolution Passed - House (49 - 20)
2/01 HJ 593 Free Exercise of Religion Amendment Adopted - House (61 - 33)
2/01 HB 1049 Prohibit Cell Phone Use in School Zones Bill Passed - House (53 - 41)
1/31 HB 1049 Prohibit Cell Phone Use in School Zones Bill Failed - House (46 - 47)
12/08 HR 5281 DREAM Act Concurrence Vote Passed - House (216 - 198)
11/15 HB 101 Education Law Amendments Veto Override Passed - House (171 - 24)
11/15 HB 2497 Amends State Employee Pension System Concurrence Vote Passed - House (165 - 31)
9/15 SB 1151 Community College Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - House (56 - 49)
8/31 SB 1381 Increasing Age Requirements for Kindergarten and First Grade Bill Passed - House (51 - 18)
8/30 SB 1317 Parental Crime for Chronic Truancy Bill Passed - House (58 - 17)
8/26 SB 1413 Requiring Free Drinking Water in Public School Cafeterias Bill Passed - House (52 - 22)
8/25 HB 6086 2009-2010 Budget Amendments Bill Passed - House (57 - 47)
8/23 SB 970 College Vote-by-Mail Drop-Off Locations Bill Passed - House (48 - 28)
8/10 HR 1586 Aid To States for Medicaid, Teacher Employment, and Other Purposes Concurrence Vote Passed - House (247 - 161)
6/28 S 2094 Limiting State Alternate Benefit Program for Higher Education Faculty Bill Passed - House (41 - 36)
6/23 HB 704 Special Education Funding Bill Passed - House (173 - 25)
6/20 HB 519 Limiting "Retire-Rehire" Benefits in Public Schools Concurrence Vote Passed - House (71 - 19)
6/20 HB 1171 Standards for Colleges and Universities Concurrence Vote Passed - House (74 - 23)
6/18 SB 584 Louisiana Statewide Education Facilities Authority Bill Passed - House (75 - 23)
6/18 A 9709 Omnibus Appropriations Bill Passed - House (79 - 52)
6/16 HB 303 Authorizing Home School Student Athletic Participation Concurrence Vote Passed - House (82 - 13)
6/16 HB 2497 Amends State Employee Pension System Bill Passed - House (192 - 6)
6/10 H 8094 Education Funding Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (46 - 10)
6/03 AB 2047 Expanding Authorized University Admission Considerations Amendment Adopted - House (48 - 28)
6/02 SB 210 Establishing Health and Nutrition Standards in Schools Bill Passed - House (77 - 21)
5/28 A 11310 Education Law Amendments Concerning Charter Schools Bill Passed - House (93 - 42)
5/27 HB 1033 Evaluation and Assessment Programs Concurrence Vote Passed - House (68 - 23)
5/26 SB 704 School Change Models Bill Passed - House (70 - 43)
5/13 HB 1368 Exempts Local School Districts from Various Rules and Regulations Bill Passed - House (68 - 20)
5/12 SB 191 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (36 - 29)
5/10 HB 1033 Evaluation and Assessment Programs Bill Passed - House (68 - 26)
5/10 HB 942 School Board and Superintendent Contracts Bill Passed - House (76 - 16)
5/06 SB 642 Public University Borrowing Bill Passed - House (87 - 28)
5/05 SB 438 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (106 - 38)
5/04 HB 5423 Classroom Experiments and Dissections on Animals Bill Passed - House (81 - 67)
4/30 HB 5033 Partial Refund of Sales Tax Imposed on the Sale of School Buses with Seat Belts Bill Passed - House (125 - 18)
4/29 HB 2281 Ethnic Studies Ban Concurrence Vote Passed - House (32 - 26)
4/28 HB 2003 Higher Education Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - House (115 - 34)
4/28 HB 2002 2010-2010 Education Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (87 - 64)
4/28 HB 2377 Board of Education Selection Advisory Council Conference Report Adopted - House (40 - 11)
4/27 HB 2376 Requiring Board of Education Members be Appointed Conference Report Adopted - House (44 - 7)
4/27 HB 347 Raising the Reporting Age for Misdemeanors by Students Bill Passed - House (22 - 9)
4/27 HB 251 Superintendent of Education Qualifications Bill Passed - House (75 - 16)
4/22 SB 437 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (50 - 47)
4/21 SB 162 PACT Funding and Tuition Restrictions Conference Report Adopted - House (85 - 7)
4/21 HB 105 Required Physical Education Concurrence Vote Passed - House (72 - 7)
4/21 Amdt 18 Reducing Funding for Public Media Amendment Rejected - House (43 - 52)
4/14 Amdt 2565 Limiting the Number of Terms School Board Members May Serve Amendment Rejected - House (30 - 65)
4/14 HB 410 School Board Term Limits Bill Passed - House (77 - 21)
4/10 SB 778 Prohibits Public Schools from Sending Vocational Test Scores to Military Recruiters Bill Passed - House (95 - 42)
4/09 SB 590 Establishes a Public School Labor Relations Board Bill Passed - House (103 - 35)
4/09 SB 6 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (64 - 55)
3/29 SB 121 Deaf and Hearing-Impaired Education Promotion Programs Veto Override Failed - House (33 - 34)
3/27 SB 2293 Allowing "Under-Performing" Schools to Become Charter Schools Conference Report Adopted - House (85 - 31)
3/25 HR 4872 Health Care Reconciliation Act Concurrence Vote Passed - House (220 - 207)
3/25 HR 4872 Health Care Reconciliation Act Concurrence Vote Passed - House (220 - 207)
3/25 SB 178 Closed-Session School Superintendent Evaluations Bill Passed - House (67 - 29)
3/24 HB 2685 Authorizing Concealed Weapons on Campus Bill Passed - House (65 - 57)
3/22 SF 2376 2010-2011 Education Budget Bill Passed - House (55 - 44)
3/22 Amdt 8522 Allowing Cuts to Teacher Salary Supplement Amendment Rejected - House (49 - 50)
3/22 HB 4886 Authorizing 4-Day School Week Bill Passed - House (81 - 21)
3/21 HR 4872 Health Care Reconciliation Act Bill Passed - House (220 - 211)
3/21 HR 4872 Health Care Reconciliation Act Bill Passed - House (220 - 211)
3/17 Amdt 4 Deleting an Education Foundation Formula Modification Amendment Rejected - House (73 - 83)
3/13 HB 4652 School Calendar Committees Concurrence Vote Passed - House (86 - 12)
3/11 SB 737 Requiring Department of Education Review of Charter School Applications Bill Passed - House (62 - 34)
3/03 HB 4685 Eliminating General Assembly Scholarship Program Bill Passed - House (80 - 36)
3/01 HCR 1009 Urges Changes to the Public School Environmental Curriculum Concurrence Vote Passed - House (37 - 33)
3/01 SB 63 Pilot Charter School Bill Passed - House (49 - 20)
2/25 AB 35 Complaint Process for Race-Based Names, Logos and Mascots of Schools Bill Passed - House (51 - 42)

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