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. 24, 2010 | UT | SB 55 | Authorizing Higher Education Institutions to Authorize Charter Schools | Bill Passed - House (43 - 27) |
| Feb. 24, 2010 | WV | HB 4292 | Changes in Required Magistrate Qualifications | Bill Passed - House (61 - 37) |
| Feb. 23, 2010 | SD | HB 1240 | Need-Based Education Grant Fund | Bill Passed - House (64 - 4) |
| Feb. 17, 2010 | SD | HCR 1009 | Urges Changes to the Public School Environmental Curriculum | Resolution Passed - House (36 - 30) |
| Feb. 10, 2010 | NM | HB 150 | Hispanic Education Act | Bill Passed - House (44 - 25) |
| Feb. 9, 2010 | NM | HB 53 | Financial Literacy as School Math Requirement | Bill Passed - House (46 - 22) |
| Feb. 2, 2010 | IN | HB 1367 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (51 - 48) |
| Jan. 28, 2010 | MA | H 4441 | School Nutrition Standards | Bill Passed - House (152 - 4) |
| Jan. 14, 2010 | MA | S 2247 | Education Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - House (98 - 47) |
| Jan. 12, 2010 | IL | SB 315 | Teacher Evaluation Amendments | Bill Passed - House (74 - 37) |
| Jan. 5, 2010 | CA | SBx5 4 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (41 - 27) |
| Jan. 5, 2010 | CA | SBx5 1 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (45 - 17) |
| Dec. 17, 2009 | OH | HB 318 | Tax Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 42) |
| Dec. 16, 2009 | OH | HB 60 | Restrictions on Snack and Beverage Sales in Schools | Bill Passed - House (60 - 37) |
| Dec. 10, 2009 | CA | ABx5 8 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (48 - 25) |
| Nov. 5, 2009 | WI | SB 371 | Higher Education Student Data System | Bill Passed - House (73 - 20) |
| Nov. 5, 2009 | WI | SB 223 | University of Wisconsin Board of Regents Geographic Composition Requirements | Bill Passed - House (59 - 34) |
| Nov. 5, 2009 | WI | SB 372 | Teacher Evaluation Amendments | Bill Passed - House (47 - 46) |
| Nov. 5, 2009 | WI | AB 458 | Sex Education Curriculum Requirements | Bill Passed - House (48 - 43) |
| Oct. 8, 2009 | MI | HB 4447 | 2009-2010 Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (66 - 42) |
| Sept. 17, 2009 | National | HR 3221 | Prohibiting Federal Assistance to ACORN | Bill Passed - House (253 - 171) |
| Sept. 16, 2009 | WI | AB 119 | Requiring Kindergarten for First Grade Enrollment | Bill Passed - House (53 - 44) |
| Sept. 11, 2009 | CA | SB 19 | Eliminating Prohibition on Utilizing CALTIDES Data to Evaluate Teachers | Bill Passed - House (53 - 20) |
| Sept. 3, 2009 | CA | SB 572 | Harvey Milk Day | Bill Passed - House (46 - 28) |
| Aug. 18, 2009 | AZ | SB 1025 | Tax Law Amendments (Budget Reconciliation) | Bill Passed - House (32 - 15) |
| July 24, 2009 | CA | ABX4 2 | Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Revisions: Education Revisions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (55 - 18) |
| July 13, 2009 | OH | HB 1 | 2009-2011 Biennium Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (54 - 44) |
| June 29, 2009 | OR | SB 767 | Virtual Charter Schools | Conference Report Adopted - House (31 - 29) |
| June 25, 2009 | NJ | S 1175 | Requiring an After School Activity Plan for School Districts with At-Risk Pupils | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (56 - 18) |
| June 25, 2009 | NJ | A4141 | Eliminating Non-Operating School Districts | Bill Passed - House (63 - 14) |
| June 25, 2009 | NJ | A 4048 | 2009 Economic Package | Bill Passed - House (50 - 27) |
| June 25, 2009 | MI | HB 4787 | Restructure and Redefine Failing Schools | Bill Passed - House (70 - 38) |
| June 23, 2009 | NC | SB 526 | Prevention of Bullying and Violence in Schools | Bill Passed - House (58 - 57) |
| June 22, 2009 | OR | SB 5520 | 2009-2011 Supplemental Biennium Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (42 - 17) |
| June 18, 2009 | TN | SB 2133 | Charter School Access Expansion | Bill Passed - House (79 - 15) |
| June 18, 2009 | AZ | HCR 2019 | Ends Affirmative Action | Amendment Adopted - House (32 - 18) |
| June 17, 2009 | NY | A 8903-A | Extending City Board Jurisdiction Over New York City Schools | Bill Passed - House (129 - 18) |
| June 16, 2009 | LA | HB 495 | Aiken Optional School | Bill Passed - House (72 - 23) |
| June 12, 2009 | ME | LD 977 | Repealing School District Consolidation | "Ought Not to Pass" Report Adopted - House (74 - 69) |
| June 9, 2009 | ME | LD 285 | Delay of School District Consolidation Penalties | Bill Passed - House (110 - 36) |
| June 9, 2009 | DE | HB 117 | School Board Elections | Bill Passed - House (23 - 17) |
| June 8, 2009 | LA | HB 872 | Graduate School Tuition Increase | Bill Failed - House (51 - 33) |
| June 5, 2009 | ME | LD 1438 | Allowing Charter Schools | "Ought Not to Pass" Report Rejected - House (65 - 72) |
| June 4, 2009 | LA | HB 687 | Dentistry in Schools | Bill Passed - House (64 - 31) |
| June 3, 2009 | LA | HB 531 | Allowing Home-Schooled Students to Participate in Public School Sports | Bill Passed - House (65 - 35) |
| June 2, 2009 | LA | HB 851 | School Board Operations | Bill Failed - House (46 - 51) |
| May 31, 2009 | TX | SB 956 | Establishing a Public Law School in Dallas | Conference Report Adopted - House (112 - 24) |
| May 30, 2009 | NV | AB 458 | Establishing the K-12 Public Education Stabilization Account | Veto Override Passed - House (36 - 5) |
| May 29, 2009 | OR | HB 2834 | Funding School for Blind | Bill Passed - House (41 - 18) |
| May 28, 2009 | LA | HB 834 | Education Requirements for Marriage and Family Therapists | Bill Passed - House (53 - 40) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/24 | SB 55 | Authorizing Higher Education Institutions to Authorize Charter Schools | Bill Passed - House (43 - 27) |
| 2/24 | HB 4292 | Changes in Required Magistrate Qualifications | Bill Passed - House (61 - 37) |
| 2/23 | HB 1240 | Need-Based Education Grant Fund | Bill Passed - House (64 - 4) |
| 2/17 | HCR 1009 | Urges Changes to the Public School Environmental Curriculum | Resolution Passed - House (36 - 30) |
| 2/10 | HB 150 | Hispanic Education Act | Bill Passed - House (44 - 25) |
| 2/09 | HB 53 | Financial Literacy as School Math Requirement | Bill Passed - House (46 - 22) |
| 2/02 | HB 1367 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (51 - 48) |
| 1/28 | H 4441 | School Nutrition Standards | Bill Passed - House (152 - 4) |
| 1/14 | S 2247 | Education Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - House (98 - 47) |
| 1/12 | SB 315 | Teacher Evaluation Amendments | Bill Passed - House (74 - 37) |
| 1/05 | SBx5 4 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (41 - 27) |
| 1/05 | SBx5 1 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (45 - 17) |
| 12/17 | HB 318 | Tax Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 42) |
| 12/16 | HB 60 | Restrictions on Snack and Beverage Sales in Schools | Bill Passed - House (60 - 37) |
| 12/10 | ABx5 8 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (48 - 25) |
| 11/05 | SB 371 | Higher Education Student Data System | Bill Passed - House (73 - 20) |
| 11/05 | SB 223 | University of Wisconsin Board of Regents Geographic Composition Requirements | Bill Passed - House (59 - 34) |
| 11/05 | SB 372 | Teacher Evaluation Amendments | Bill Passed - House (47 - 46) |
| 11/05 | AB 458 | Sex Education Curriculum Requirements | Bill Passed - House (48 - 43) |
| 10/08 | HB 4447 | 2009-2010 Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (66 - 42) |
| 9/17 | HR 3221 | Prohibiting Federal Assistance to ACORN | Bill Passed - House (253 - 171) |
| 9/16 | AB 119 | Requiring Kindergarten for First Grade Enrollment | Bill Passed - House (53 - 44) |
| 9/11 | SB 19 | Eliminating Prohibition on Utilizing CALTIDES Data to Evaluate Teachers | Bill Passed - House (53 - 20) |
| 9/03 | SB 572 | Harvey Milk Day | Bill Passed - House (46 - 28) |
| 8/18 | SB 1025 | Tax Law Amendments (Budget Reconciliation) | Bill Passed - House (32 - 15) |
| 7/24 | ABX4 2 | Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Revisions: Education Revisions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (55 - 18) |
| 7/13 | HB 1 | 2009-2011 Biennium Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (54 - 44) |
| 6/29 | SB 767 | Virtual Charter Schools | Conference Report Adopted - House (31 - 29) |
| 6/25 | S 1175 | Requiring an After School Activity Plan for School Districts with At-Risk Pupils | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (56 - 18) |
| 6/25 | A4141 | Eliminating Non-Operating School Districts | Bill Passed - House (63 - 14) |
| 6/25 | A 4048 | 2009 Economic Package | Bill Passed - House (50 - 27) |
| 6/25 | HB 4787 | Restructure and Redefine Failing Schools | Bill Passed - House (70 - 38) |
| 6/23 | SB 526 | Prevention of Bullying and Violence in Schools | Bill Passed - House (58 - 57) |
| 6/22 | SB 5520 | 2009-2011 Supplemental Biennium Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (42 - 17) |
| 6/18 | SB 2133 | Charter School Access Expansion | Bill Passed - House (79 - 15) |
| 6/18 | HCR 2019 | Ends Affirmative Action | Amendment Adopted - House (32 - 18) |
| 6/17 | A 8903-A | Extending City Board Jurisdiction Over New York City Schools | Bill Passed - House (129 - 18) |
| 6/16 | HB 495 | Aiken Optional School | Bill Passed - House (72 - 23) |
| 6/12 | LD 977 | Repealing School District Consolidation | "Ought Not to Pass" Report Adopted - House (74 - 69) |
| 6/09 | LD 285 | Delay of School District Consolidation Penalties | Bill Passed - House (110 - 36) |
| 6/09 | HB 117 | School Board Elections | Bill Passed - House (23 - 17) |
| 6/08 | HB 872 | Graduate School Tuition Increase | Bill Failed - House (51 - 33) |
| 6/05 | LD 1438 | Allowing Charter Schools | "Ought Not to Pass" Report Rejected - House (65 - 72) |
| 6/04 | HB 687 | Dentistry in Schools | Bill Passed - House (64 - 31) |
| 6/03 | HB 531 | Allowing Home-Schooled Students to Participate in Public School Sports | Bill Passed - House (65 - 35) |
| 6/02 | HB 851 | School Board Operations | Bill Failed - House (46 - 51) |
| 5/31 | SB 956 | Establishing a Public Law School in Dallas | Conference Report Adopted - House (112 - 24) |
| 5/30 | AB 458 | Establishing the K-12 Public Education Stabilization Account | Veto Override Passed - House (36 - 5) |
| 5/29 | HB 2834 | Funding School for Blind | Bill Passed - House (41 - 18) |
| 5/28 | HB 834 | Education Requirements for Marriage and Family Therapists | Bill Passed - House (53 - 40) |