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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 9, 2011 | UT | HB 183 | School District Leave Policies | Conference Report Adopted - House (42 - 28) |
| March 9, 2011 | UT | SB 73 | Public School Teacher Tenure Modifications | Bill Passed - House (45 - 28) |
| March 4, 2011 | ID | H 104a | Teacher Union Activities | Bill Passed - House (55 - 14) |
| March 4, 2011 | ID | H 104a | Teacher Union Activities | Bill Passed - House (55 - 14) |
| March 3, 2011 | MO | HB 61 | Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - House (92 - 60) |
| March 2, 2011 | WV | HB 2879 | One-Time Pay Raise for State Employees | Bill Passed - House (78 - 22) |
| Feb. 25, 2011 | WI | AB 11 | Collective Bargaining Rights for Public Employees | Bill Passed - House (51 - 17) |
| Feb. 24, 2011 | KS | HB 2130 | Prohibits Union Dues for Political Activities | Bill Passed - House (75 - 46) |
| Feb. 24, 2011 | MT | HB 334 | Workers Compensation Rates | Bill Passed - House (67 - 31) |
| Feb. 23, 2011 | UT | HB 183 | School District Leave Policies | Bill Passed - House (46 - 22) |
| Feb. 23, 2011 | UT | HB 116 | Guest Worker Program | Bill Passed - House (43 - 28) |
| Feb. 22, 2011 | ID | S 1006 | Right to Work Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (55 - 14) |
| Feb. 22, 2011 | ID | S 1006 | Right to Work Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (55 - 14) |
| Feb. 22, 2011 | ID | S 1007 | Labor Organizations | Bill Passed - House (55 - 15) |
| Feb. 22, 2011 | UT | HB 253 | Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (49 - 20) |
| Feb. 19, 2011 | National | H Amdt 155 | Prohibits Use of Funds for Step Increase for General Schedule Employees | Amendment Rejected - House (191 - 230) |
| Feb. 18, 2011 | ND | HB 1228 | Retirement Plans for State Employees | Bill Failed - House (47 - 46) |
| Feb. 18, 2011 | ND | HB 1258 | Contribution Retirement Plans for Teachers | Bill Failed - House (38 - 56) |
| Feb. 16, 2011 | OH | HB 1 | Establishes JobsOhio | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (60 - 35) |
| Feb. 15, 2011 | NH | HB 474 | Labor Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (221 - 131) |
| Feb. 7, 2011 | AR | HB 1013 | Hiring of Unauthorized Workers | Bill Passed - House (54 - 39) |
| Jan. 18, 2011 | MT | HB 71 | Excludes Undocumented Immigrants from Workers' Compensation | Bill Passed - House (60 - 40) |
| Jan. 10, 2011 | IL | SB 3644 | Labor Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (64 - 49) |
| Dec. 8, 2010 | National | HR 6495 | Mine Safety Act | Bill Failed - House (214 - 193) |
| Nov. 15, 2010 | PA | HB 2497 | Amends State Employee Pension System | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (165 - 31) |
| Sept. 23, 2010 | MI | SB 1226 | State Retirement Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (60 - 45) |
| Aug. 31, 2010 | CA | AB 482 | Prohibiting Use of Credit Reports for Employment Purposes | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (45 - 30) |
| Aug. 23, 2010 | CA | SB 145 | Prohibiting Denial of Workers' Compensation if the Injury or Death was Related to Certain Personal Characteristics | Bill Passed - House (47 - 27) |
| July 30, 2010 | National | HR 5851 | "Whistleblower Protection" for Offshore Oil Workers | Bill Passed - House (315 - 93) |
| July 14, 2010 | MO | HB 1 | Public Retirement Systems | Conference Report Adopted - House (84 - 53) |
| July 1, 2010 | CA | SB 1121 | Overtime Wages for Agricultural Workers | Bill Passed - House (47 - 28) |
| July 1, 2010 | NY | A10163 | Establishing the Wage Theft Prevention Act | Bill Passed - House (88 - 49) |
| June 29, 2010 | MO | HB 1 | Public Retirement Systems | Bill Passed - House (92 - 54) |
| June 21, 2010 | CT | HB 5207 | Criminal Background Checks for State Employees | Veto Override Passed - House (120 - 19) |
| June 20, 2010 | LA | HB 519 | Limiting "Retire-Rehire" Benefits in Public Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (71 - 19) |
| June 16, 2010 | PA | HB 2497 | Amends State Employee Pension System | Bill Passed - House (192 - 6) |
| June 9, 2010 | NH | Amdt 2408 | Insurance Premium Amendments | Amendment Rejected - House (130 - 220) |
| June 8, 2010 | PA | HB 1502 | Verification of Employee Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (188 - 6) |
| June 3, 2010 | OH | Wachtmann Amdt | Authorizes Funding for the Workers' Compensation Council | Amendment Tabled - House (53 - 44) |
| June 3, 2010 | CA | AB 2047 | Expanding Authorized University Admission Considerations | Amendment Adopted - House (48 - 28) |
| May 27, 2010 | LA | HB 1033 | Evaluation and Assessment Programs | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (68 - 23) |
| May 26, 2010 | MA | H 4703 | Sentencing Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (139 - 17) |
| May 25, 2010 | IL | SB 3514 | Amending State Pension Laws and Limiting Pension Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (71 - 44) |
| May 17, 2010 | NY | S 7846 | Emergency Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (92 - 50) |
| May 17, 2010 | LA | HB 1478 | Unpaid holidays for state employees | Bill Failed - House (23 - 68) |
| May 12, 2010 | CO | HB 1409 | State Employee Compensation Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (35 - 27) |
| May 12, 2010 | CO | SB 191 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (36 - 29) |
| May 10, 2010 | CO | SB 12 | Increasing Penalties for Worker's Compensation Violations | Bill Passed - House (37 - 27) |
| May 10, 2010 | NY | S 7777 | Emergency Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (83 - 56) |
| May 10, 2010 | LA | HB 1033 | Evaluation and Assessment Programs | Bill Passed - House (68 - 26) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/09 | HB 183 | School District Leave Policies | Conference Report Adopted - House (42 - 28) |
| 3/09 | SB 73 | Public School Teacher Tenure Modifications | Bill Passed - House (45 - 28) |
| 3/04 | H 104a | Teacher Union Activities | Bill Passed - House (55 - 14) |
| 3/04 | H 104a | Teacher Union Activities | Bill Passed - House (55 - 14) |
| 3/03 | HB 61 | Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - House (92 - 60) |
| 3/02 | HB 2879 | One-Time Pay Raise for State Employees | Bill Passed - House (78 - 22) |
| 2/25 | AB 11 | Collective Bargaining Rights for Public Employees | Bill Passed - House (51 - 17) |
| 2/24 | HB 2130 | Prohibits Union Dues for Political Activities | Bill Passed - House (75 - 46) |
| 2/24 | HB 334 | Workers Compensation Rates | Bill Passed - House (67 - 31) |
| 2/23 | HB 183 | School District Leave Policies | Bill Passed - House (46 - 22) |
| 2/23 | HB 116 | Guest Worker Program | Bill Passed - House (43 - 28) |
| 2/22 | S 1006 | Right to Work Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (55 - 14) |
| 2/22 | S 1006 | Right to Work Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (55 - 14) |
| 2/22 | S 1007 | Labor Organizations | Bill Passed - House (55 - 15) |
| 2/22 | HB 253 | Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (49 - 20) |
| 2/19 | H Amdt 155 | Prohibits Use of Funds for Step Increase for General Schedule Employees | Amendment Rejected - House (191 - 230) |
| 2/18 | HB 1228 | Retirement Plans for State Employees | Bill Failed - House (47 - 46) |
| 2/18 | HB 1258 | Contribution Retirement Plans for Teachers | Bill Failed - House (38 - 56) |
| 2/16 | HB 1 | Establishes JobsOhio | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (60 - 35) |
| 2/15 | HB 474 | Labor Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (221 - 131) |
| 2/07 | HB 1013 | Hiring of Unauthorized Workers | Bill Passed - House (54 - 39) |
| 1/18 | HB 71 | Excludes Undocumented Immigrants from Workers' Compensation | Bill Passed - House (60 - 40) |
| 1/10 | SB 3644 | Labor Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (64 - 49) |
| 12/08 | HR 6495 | Mine Safety Act | Bill Failed - House (214 - 193) |
| 11/15 | HB 2497 | Amends State Employee Pension System | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (165 - 31) |
| 9/23 | SB 1226 | State Retirement Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (60 - 45) |
| 8/31 | AB 482 | Prohibiting Use of Credit Reports for Employment Purposes | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (45 - 30) |
| 8/23 | SB 145 | Prohibiting Denial of Workers' Compensation if the Injury or Death was Related to Certain Personal Characteristics | Bill Passed - House (47 - 27) |
| 7/30 | HR 5851 | "Whistleblower Protection" for Offshore Oil Workers | Bill Passed - House (315 - 93) |
| 7/14 | HB 1 | Public Retirement Systems | Conference Report Adopted - House (84 - 53) |
| 7/01 | SB 1121 | Overtime Wages for Agricultural Workers | Bill Passed - House (47 - 28) |
| 7/01 | A10163 | Establishing the Wage Theft Prevention Act | Bill Passed - House (88 - 49) |
| 6/29 | HB 1 | Public Retirement Systems | Bill Passed - House (92 - 54) |
| 6/21 | HB 5207 | Criminal Background Checks for State Employees | Veto Override Passed - House (120 - 19) |
| 6/20 | HB 519 | Limiting "Retire-Rehire" Benefits in Public Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (71 - 19) |
| 6/16 | HB 2497 | Amends State Employee Pension System | Bill Passed - House (192 - 6) |
| 6/09 | Amdt 2408 | Insurance Premium Amendments | Amendment Rejected - House (130 - 220) |
| 6/08 | HB 1502 | Verification of Employee Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (188 - 6) |
| 6/03 | Wachtmann Amdt | Authorizes Funding for the Workers' Compensation Council | Amendment Tabled - House (53 - 44) |
| 6/03 | AB 2047 | Expanding Authorized University Admission Considerations | Amendment Adopted - House (48 - 28) |
| 5/27 | HB 1033 | Evaluation and Assessment Programs | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (68 - 23) |
| 5/26 | H 4703 | Sentencing Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (139 - 17) |
| 5/25 | SB 3514 | Amending State Pension Laws and Limiting Pension Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (71 - 44) |
| 5/17 | S 7846 | Emergency Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (92 - 50) |
| 5/17 | HB 1478 | Unpaid holidays for state employees | Bill Failed - House (23 - 68) |
| 5/12 | HB 1409 | State Employee Compensation Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (35 - 27) |
| 5/12 | SB 191 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (36 - 29) |
| 5/10 | SB 12 | Increasing Penalties for Worker's Compensation Violations | Bill Passed - House (37 - 27) |
| 5/10 | S 7777 | Emergency Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (83 - 56) |
| 5/10 | HB 1033 | Evaluation and Assessment Programs | Bill Passed - House (68 - 26) |