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
April 14, 2010 AL HB 105 Required Physical Education Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 8)
April 12, 2010 MD SB 590 Establishes a Public School Labor Relations Board Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 12)
April 1, 2010 KY HB 109 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 18)
March 29, 2010 SD SB 121 Deaf and Hearing-Impaired Education Promotion Programs Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 4)
March 27, 2010 MS SB 2293 Allowing "Under-Performing" Schools to Become Charter Schools Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 11)
March 25, 2010 National HR 4872 Health Care Reconciliation Act Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 43)
March 25, 2010 National HR 4872 Health Care Reconciliation Act Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 43)
March 25, 2010 FL SJR 2 Classroom Size Limitation Amendments Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
March 25, 2010 IL SB 2494 Funding for School Vouchers Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 20)
March 24, 2010 MD SB 778 Prohibits Public Schools from Sending Vocational Test Scores to Military Recruiters Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 23)
March 24, 2010 ID S 1419 2010-2011 Higher Education Budget Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
March 24, 2010 MI SB 1163 2010-2011 Education Budget Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 17)
March 24, 2010 FL SB 6 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17)
March 23, 2010 KY HB 239 School Principal Selection Process Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
March 22, 2010 ID S 1418 2010-2011 Education Budget Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8)
March 16, 2010 IA SF 2376 2010-2011 Education Budget Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20)
March 12, 2010 WV HB 4652 School Calendar Committees Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7)
March 9, 2010 VA SB 737 Requiring Department of Education Review of Charter School Applications Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 12)
March 8, 2010 SD HB 1240 Need-Based Education Grant Fund Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11)
Feb. 24, 2010 SD HCR 1009 Urges Changes to the Public School Environmental Curriculum Resolution Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
Feb. 23, 2010 IN HB 1367 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19)
Feb. 17, 2010 NM HB 150 Hispanic Education Act Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
Feb. 16, 2010 NM HB 231 Authorizing Education Retirement Board Pension Disclosure Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18)
Feb. 15, 2010 WA SB 6562 Expanding State University Tuition Authority Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19)
Feb. 11, 2010 SD Jerstad Amdt Per Student Funding Increase Amendment Rejected - Senate (17 - 18)
Feb. 2, 2010 IN SB 150 School Year Beginning and Ending Limitations Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19)
Jan. 28, 2010 WI AB 458 Sex Education Curriculum Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15)
Jan. 19, 2010 IA HF 2030 School District Budget Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 16)
Jan. 14, 2010 MA S 2247 Education Law Amendments Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 12)
Jan. 13, 2010 IL SB 315 Teacher Evaluation Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (48 - 4)
Jan. 13, 2010 IA SF 2033 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17)
Jan. 6, 2010 CA SBx5 1 Education Law Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 7)
Jan. 6, 2010 CA SBx5 4 Education Law Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 11)
Dec. 17, 2009 OH HB 318 Tax Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15)
Dec. 3, 2009 MI SB 638 "Consistent Ineffectiveness" as Grounds for Discharging or Demoting Tenured Teachers Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13)
Nov. 17, 2009 MA S 2205 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 11)
Nov. 5, 2009 WI SB 371 Higher Education Student Data System Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 7)
Nov. 5, 2009 WI SB 372 Teacher Evaluation Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14)
Nov. 3, 2009 CA SBx5 1 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
Oct. 8, 2009 MI HB 4447 2009-2010 Education Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 13)
Sept. 22, 2009 WI AB 119 Requiring Kindergarten for First Grade Enrollment Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15)
Sept. 11, 2009 CA SB 19 Eliminating Prohibition on Utilizing CALTIDES Data to Evaluate Teachers Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 7)
Sept. 8, 2009 CA SB 572 Harvey Milk Day Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
Aug. 6, 2009 NY A 8903-A Extending City Board Jurisdiction Over New York City Schools Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 8)
July 24, 2009 CA ABX4 2 Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Revisions: Education Revisions Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6)
July 13, 2009 OH HB 1 2009-2011 Biennium Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 15)
June 30, 2009 CA SB 74 Deferring Education Funding (2009-2010 Budget Financing) Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (25 - 14)
June 30, 2009 CA SB 80 Shifting Redevelopment Agency Funds (2009-2010 Budget Financing) Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (25 - 14)
June 30, 2009 CA SB 64 Education Spending Reductions (2009-2010 Budget Financing) Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (25 - 14)
June 27, 2009 OR SB 767 Virtual Charter Schools Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 14)
Date No. Title Outcome
4/14 HB 105 Required Physical Education Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 8)
4/12 SB 590 Establishes a Public School Labor Relations Board Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 12)
4/01 HB 109 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 18)
3/29 SB 121 Deaf and Hearing-Impaired Education Promotion Programs Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 4)
3/27 SB 2293 Allowing "Under-Performing" Schools to Become Charter Schools Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 11)
3/25 HR 4872 Health Care Reconciliation Act Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 43)
3/25 HR 4872 Health Care Reconciliation Act Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 43)
3/25 SJR 2 Classroom Size Limitation Amendments Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
3/25 SB 2494 Funding for School Vouchers Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 20)
3/24 SB 778 Prohibits Public Schools from Sending Vocational Test Scores to Military Recruiters Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 23)
3/24 S 1419 2010-2011 Higher Education Budget Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
3/24 SB 1163 2010-2011 Education Budget Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 17)
3/24 SB 6 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17)
3/23 HB 239 School Principal Selection Process Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
3/22 S 1418 2010-2011 Education Budget Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8)
3/16 SF 2376 2010-2011 Education Budget Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20)
3/12 HB 4652 School Calendar Committees Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7)
3/09 SB 737 Requiring Department of Education Review of Charter School Applications Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 12)
3/08 HB 1240 Need-Based Education Grant Fund Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11)
2/24 HCR 1009 Urges Changes to the Public School Environmental Curriculum Resolution Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
2/23 HB 1367 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19)
2/17 HB 150 Hispanic Education Act Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
2/16 HB 231 Authorizing Education Retirement Board Pension Disclosure Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18)
2/15 SB 6562 Expanding State University Tuition Authority Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19)
2/11 Jerstad Amdt Per Student Funding Increase Amendment Rejected - Senate (17 - 18)
2/02 SB 150 School Year Beginning and Ending Limitations Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19)
1/28 AB 458 Sex Education Curriculum Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15)
1/19 HF 2030 School District Budget Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 16)
1/14 S 2247 Education Law Amendments Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 12)
1/13 SB 315 Teacher Evaluation Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (48 - 4)
1/13 SF 2033 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17)
1/06 SBx5 1 Education Law Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 7)
1/06 SBx5 4 Education Law Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 11)
12/17 HB 318 Tax Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15)
12/03 SB 638 "Consistent Ineffectiveness" as Grounds for Discharging or Demoting Tenured Teachers Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13)
11/17 S 2205 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 11)
11/05 SB 371 Higher Education Student Data System Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 7)
11/05 SB 372 Teacher Evaluation Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14)
11/03 SBx5 1 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
10/08 HB 4447 2009-2010 Education Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 13)
9/22 AB 119 Requiring Kindergarten for First Grade Enrollment Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15)
9/11 SB 19 Eliminating Prohibition on Utilizing CALTIDES Data to Evaluate Teachers Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 7)
9/08 SB 572 Harvey Milk Day Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
8/06 A 8903-A Extending City Board Jurisdiction Over New York City Schools Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 8)
7/24 ABX4 2 Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Revisions: Education Revisions Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6)
7/13 HB 1 2009-2011 Biennium Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 15)
6/30 SB 74 Deferring Education Funding (2009-2010 Budget Financing) Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (25 - 14)
6/30 SB 80 Shifting Redevelopment Agency Funds (2009-2010 Budget Financing) Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (25 - 14)
6/30 SB 64 Education Spending Reductions (2009-2010 Budget Financing) Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (25 - 14)
6/27 SB 767 Virtual Charter Schools Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 14)

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