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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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) |