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. 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) |
| Jan. 14, 2009 | FL | SB 2-A | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - House (74 - 43) |
| 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. 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. 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) |
| 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. 7, 2008 | CA | AB 2567 | Creation of "Harvey Milk Day" | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 27) |
| 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 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 - House (33 - 7) |
| June 30, 2008 | CA | SB 823 | Private Postsecondary Education Regulation | Bill Failed - House (41 - 33) |
| June 23, 2008 | CA | SB 606 | 'No Child Left Behind' Implementation | Bill Passed - House (54 - 24) |
| June 23, 2008 | NJ | A 2873 | School Construction Bonds | Bill Passed - House (42 - 36) |
| June 23, 2008 | NJ | S 1962 | State Worker Retirement and Health Benefits | Bill Passed - House (52 - 13) |
| June 11, 2008 | LA | SB 733 | Supplemental Science Teaching Materials | Bill Passed - House (94 - 3) |
| June 9, 2008 | CA | SB 606 | 'No Child Left Behind' Implementation | Bill Failed - House (49 - 26) |
| June 9, 2008 | LA | HB 734 | Tuition Increase Bill | Bill Passed - House (84 - 18) |
| May 31, 2008 | AL | SB 51 | 2008-2009 Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (98 - 4) |
| May 29, 2008 | SC | H 4400 | Immigration Bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (94 - 16) |
| May 28, 2008 | WI | AB 1 | Education Line Item Veto Override | Veto Override Failed - House (60 - 36) |
| May 28, 2008 | WI | AB 1 | Education Line Item Veto Override | Veto Override Failed - House (57 - 39) |
| May 22, 2008 | IL | HB 2310 | Truancy, Information Sharing, and Fines | Bill Passed - House (85 - 25) |
| May 19, 2008 | CA | AB 2567 | Creation of "Harvey Milk Day" | Bill Passed - House (45 - 28) |
| May 15, 2008 | National | HR 2642 | Iraq Related Provisions such as a Troop Withdrawal, a Permanent Base Ban, and Limiting Interrogation Techniques | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (256 - 166) |
| May 14, 2008 | AZ | HB 2557 | Fine Arts and Physical Education in School | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 9) |
| May 14, 2008 | NH | CACR 34 | Constitutional Amendment to Define an Adequate Education | Resolution Failed - House (97 - 238) |
| May 14, 2008 | LA | HB 1347 | Vouchers Bill | Bill Passed - House (60 - 42) |
| May 14, 2008 | WI | AB 1 | Budget Repair Plan | Conference Report Adopted - House (51 - 46) |
| May 13, 2008 | MN | HF 6 | 2008 Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (97 - 35) |
| May 12, 2008 | OK | HB 2633 | Religious Expression at Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (70 - 28) |
| May 8, 2008 | MN | SF 3001 | Modifying State Education Policies | Conference Report Adopted - House (82 - 49) |
| May 7, 2008 | NH | SB 539 | Education Funding Amendments | Bill Passed - House (184 - 141) |
| May 6, 2008 | CO | HB 1388 | Increasing Education Funding | Conference Report Adopted - House (58 - 5) |
| May 5, 2008 | MO | HB 2003 | 2008-2009 Department of Higher Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (88 - 63) |
| May 5, 2008 | MO | HB 2002 | 2008-2009 Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (88 - 62) |
| May 1, 2008 | MN | SF 2369 | Background Checks for Coaches | Conference Report Adopted - House (112 - 15) |
| May 1, 2008 | National | HR 5715 | Student Loan Provision Changes | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (388 - 21) |
| May 1, 2008 | AL | HB 787 | State Employees in Public Office | Bill Passed - House (57 - 36) |
| May 1, 2008 | CO | HB 1357 | Changing student testing requirements | Bill Passed - House (35 - 29) |
| April 29, 2008 | LA | HB 674 | Anti-Bullying Bill | Bill Failed - House (28 - 63) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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) |
| 1/14 | SB 2-A | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - House (74 - 43) |
| 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) |
| 12/15 | 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) |
| 12/04 | 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) |
| 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) |
| 8/07 | AB 2567 | Creation of "Harvey Milk Day" | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 27) |
| 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) |
| 7/04 | HB 1067 | Omnibus Education Bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (191 - 11) |
| 7/01 | SB 300 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - House (33 - 7) |
| 6/30 | SB 823 | Private Postsecondary Education Regulation | Bill Failed - House (41 - 33) |
| 6/23 | SB 606 | 'No Child Left Behind' Implementation | Bill Passed - House (54 - 24) |
| 6/23 | A 2873 | School Construction Bonds | Bill Passed - House (42 - 36) |
| 6/23 | S 1962 | State Worker Retirement and Health Benefits | Bill Passed - House (52 - 13) |
| 6/11 | SB 733 | Supplemental Science Teaching Materials | Bill Passed - House (94 - 3) |
| 6/09 | SB 606 | 'No Child Left Behind' Implementation | Bill Failed - House (49 - 26) |
| 6/09 | HB 734 | Tuition Increase Bill | Bill Passed - House (84 - 18) |
| 5/31 | SB 51 | 2008-2009 Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (98 - 4) |
| 5/29 | H 4400 | Immigration Bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (94 - 16) |
| 5/28 | AB 1 | Education Line Item Veto Override | Veto Override Failed - House (60 - 36) |
| 5/28 | AB 1 | Education Line Item Veto Override | Veto Override Failed - House (57 - 39) |
| 5/22 | HB 2310 | Truancy, Information Sharing, and Fines | Bill Passed - House (85 - 25) |
| 5/19 | AB 2567 | Creation of "Harvey Milk Day" | Bill Passed - House (45 - 28) |
| 5/15 | HR 2642 | Iraq Related Provisions such as a Troop Withdrawal, a Permanent Base Ban, and Limiting Interrogation Techniques | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (256 - 166) |
| 5/14 | HB 2557 | Fine Arts and Physical Education in School | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 9) |
| 5/14 | CACR 34 | Constitutional Amendment to Define an Adequate Education | Resolution Failed - House (97 - 238) |
| 5/14 | HB 1347 | Vouchers Bill | Bill Passed - House (60 - 42) |
| 5/14 | AB 1 | Budget Repair Plan | Conference Report Adopted - House (51 - 46) |
| 5/13 | HF 6 | 2008 Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (97 - 35) |
| 5/12 | HB 2633 | Religious Expression at Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (70 - 28) |
| 5/08 | SF 3001 | Modifying State Education Policies | Conference Report Adopted - House (82 - 49) |
| 5/07 | SB 539 | Education Funding Amendments | Bill Passed - House (184 - 141) |
| 5/06 | HB 1388 | Increasing Education Funding | Conference Report Adopted - House (58 - 5) |
| 5/05 | HB 2003 | 2008-2009 Department of Higher Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (88 - 63) |
| 5/05 | HB 2002 | 2008-2009 Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (88 - 62) |
| 5/01 | SF 2369 | Background Checks for Coaches | Conference Report Adopted - House (112 - 15) |
| 5/01 | HR 5715 | Student Loan Provision Changes | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (388 - 21) |
| 5/01 | HB 787 | State Employees in Public Office | Bill Passed - House (57 - 36) |
| 5/01 | HB 1357 | Changing student testing requirements | Bill Passed - House (35 - 29) |
| 4/29 | HB 674 | Anti-Bullying Bill | Bill Failed - House (28 - 63) |