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 19, 2007 | IA | SF 277 | Teacher Pay and Incentive Programs | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 14) |
| April 18, 2007 | IA | HF 877 | Statewide Preschool Program | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14) |
| April 18, 2007 | IA | SF 588 | 2008-2009 Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 7) |
| April 16, 2007 | IA | SF 277 | Teacher Pay and Incentive Programs | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (43 - 7) |
| April 12, 2007 | NH | CACR 18 | Adequate Education Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 9) |
| April 10, 2007 | IA | HF 611 | Research-Based Sex Education | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
| April 9, 2007 | ND | HB 1320 | Prekindergarten Aid | Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 22) |
| March 31, 2007 | MN | SF 1611 | Income Tax Increase and Education Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 29) |
| March 28, 2007 | MN | SF 276 | School District Health Insurance Pool | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 23) |
| March 22, 2007 | MN | SF 1989 | 2008-2009 Higher Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 2) |
| March 15, 2007 | NH | SB 18 | Raising the Compulsory School Age | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| March 7, 2007 | WA | Sub SB 5297 | Sexual Health Education | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
| March 7, 2007 | KY | SB 1 | Replacing Student Testing System | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| March 5, 2007 | NM | SB 1174 | HPV Vaccine Requirement for Sixth Graders | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 3) |
| March 1, 2007 | SD | HB 1082 | School District Consolidation | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| Feb. 26, 2007 | SD | HB 1139 | Tobacco Tax Funds | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| Feb. 26, 2007 | WY | HB 95 | Quality Childcare | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12) |
| Feb. 22, 2007 | IN | SB 567 | Full-Day Kindergarten | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12) |
| Feb. 20, 2007 | AZ | SB 1180 | No Child Left Behind Opt-Out | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11) |
| Feb. 20, 2007 | WY | 1SHB 97 | Hathaway Scholarship Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 5) |
| Feb. 19, 2007 | UT | 4SHB 236 | Student Clubs Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 8) |
| Feb. 19, 2007 | AZ | SB 1180 | No Child Left Behind Opt-Out | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 14) |
| Feb. 16, 2007 | KY | SCS SB 1 | Advanced Placement Incentives Program | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7) |
| Feb. 16, 2007 | KY | SCS SB 2 | Bonuses for Science and Math Teachers | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| Feb. 15, 2007 | SD | SB 157 | Teacher Compensation | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 5) |
| Feb. 14, 2007 | ND | SB 2347 | In-State Tuition Grants | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 7) |
| Feb. 14, 2007 | ND | SB 2032 | Property Tax Reduction | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 22) |
| Feb. 13, 2007 | IA | SF 61 | Harassment In Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (36 - 14) |
| Feb. 12, 2007 | IN | SB 327 | HPV Immunization | Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 5) |
| Feb. 12, 2007 | SD | SB 199 | Mandatory School Attendance | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
| Feb. 9, 2007 | UT | HB 148 | Parent Choice in Education Act | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10) |
| Jan. 31, 2007 | GA | SCS SB 10 | Special Needs Scholarship Act | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 23) |
| Jan. 30, 2007 | IA | SF 61 | Harassment In Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14) |
| Jan. 23, 2007 | VA | SB 1204 | In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 8) |
| Jan. 22, 2007 | CO | SB 26 | Funding Full-Day Kindergarten | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| July 25, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4689 | Teen Pregnancy Education Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 51) |
| July 19, 2006 | NC | HB 2699 | Early Childhood Vision Care Program | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 11) |
| May 30, 2006 | CA | SB 1383 | Cal Grant Eligibility Without Passing High School Exit Exam | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| May 24, 2006 | OH | SCS HCS HB 115 | Educational Regional Service System | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 4) |
| May 23, 2006 | MI | Sub for SB 861 | Michigan Merit Award Scholarship Act | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 11) |
| May 20, 2006 | MN | SF 2460 | University of Minnesota Football Stadium | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (43 - 24) |
| May 11, 2006 | CA | SB 1437 | Sexual Diversity Content in Public School Curriculums | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| May 10, 2006 | TX | F 3 | Cigarette Tax Revenue Allocation Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (12 - 18) |
| May 10, 2006 | TX | F 4 | Cigarette Tax Revenue Allocation Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (10 - 20) |
| May 9, 2006 | KS | SB 549 | 2006-2007, 2007-2008, and 2008-2009 Department of Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 18) |
| May 9, 2006 | MN | SF 2460 | University of Minnesota Football Stadium | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 32) |
| May 9, 2006 | TX | CSHB 2 | Property Tax Reduction | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| May 7, 2006 | AK | SCS CS HB 334 | Additional Religious Property Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 6) |
| May 5, 2006 | CO | HB 1283 | Required School Expenditures Act | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| May 4, 2006 | NH | HB 76 | Charter School Aid | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 8) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/19 | SF 277 | Teacher Pay and Incentive Programs | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 14) |
| 4/18 | HF 877 | Statewide Preschool Program | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14) |
| 4/18 | SF 588 | 2008-2009 Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 7) |
| 4/16 | SF 277 | Teacher Pay and Incentive Programs | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (43 - 7) |
| 4/12 | CACR 18 | Adequate Education Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 9) |
| 4/10 | HF 611 | Research-Based Sex Education | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
| 4/09 | HB 1320 | Prekindergarten Aid | Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 22) |
| 3/31 | SF 1611 | Income Tax Increase and Education Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 29) |
| 3/28 | SF 276 | School District Health Insurance Pool | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 23) |
| 3/22 | SF 1989 | 2008-2009 Higher Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 2) |
| 3/15 | SB 18 | Raising the Compulsory School Age | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| 3/07 | Sub SB 5297 | Sexual Health Education | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
| 3/07 | SB 1 | Replacing Student Testing System | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| 3/05 | SB 1174 | HPV Vaccine Requirement for Sixth Graders | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 3) |
| 3/01 | HB 1082 | School District Consolidation | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| 2/26 | HB 1139 | Tobacco Tax Funds | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| 2/26 | HB 95 | Quality Childcare | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12) |
| 2/22 | SB 567 | Full-Day Kindergarten | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12) |
| 2/20 | SB 1180 | No Child Left Behind Opt-Out | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11) |
| 2/20 | 1SHB 97 | Hathaway Scholarship Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 5) |
| 2/19 | 4SHB 236 | Student Clubs Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 8) |
| 2/19 | SB 1180 | No Child Left Behind Opt-Out | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 14) |
| 2/16 | SCS SB 1 | Advanced Placement Incentives Program | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7) |
| 2/16 | SCS SB 2 | Bonuses for Science and Math Teachers | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| 2/15 | SB 157 | Teacher Compensation | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 5) |
| 2/14 | SB 2347 | In-State Tuition Grants | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 7) |
| 2/14 | SB 2032 | Property Tax Reduction | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 22) |
| 2/13 | SF 61 | Harassment In Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (36 - 14) |
| 2/12 | SB 327 | HPV Immunization | Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 5) |
| 2/12 | SB 199 | Mandatory School Attendance | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
| 2/09 | HB 148 | Parent Choice in Education Act | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10) |
| 1/31 | SCS SB 10 | Special Needs Scholarship Act | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 23) |
| 1/30 | SF 61 | Harassment In Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14) |
| 1/23 | SB 1204 | In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 8) |
| 1/22 | SB 26 | Funding Full-Day Kindergarten | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| 7/25 | S Amdt 4689 | Teen Pregnancy Education Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 51) |
| 7/19 | HB 2699 | Early Childhood Vision Care Program | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 11) |
| 5/30 | SB 1383 | Cal Grant Eligibility Without Passing High School Exit Exam | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| 5/24 | SCS HCS HB 115 | Educational Regional Service System | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 4) |
| 5/23 | Sub for SB 861 | Michigan Merit Award Scholarship Act | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 11) |
| 5/20 | SF 2460 | University of Minnesota Football Stadium | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (43 - 24) |
| 5/11 | SB 1437 | Sexual Diversity Content in Public School Curriculums | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| 5/10 | F 3 | Cigarette Tax Revenue Allocation Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (12 - 18) |
| 5/10 | F 4 | Cigarette Tax Revenue Allocation Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (10 - 20) |
| 5/09 | SB 549 | 2006-2007, 2007-2008, and 2008-2009 Department of Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 18) |
| 5/09 | SF 2460 | University of Minnesota Football Stadium | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 32) |
| 5/09 | CSHB 2 | Property Tax Reduction | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| 5/07 | SCS CS HB 334 | Additional Religious Property Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 6) |
| 5/05 | HB 1283 | Required School Expenditures Act | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| 5/04 | HB 76 | Charter School Aid | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 8) |