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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 31, 2012 | MI | HB 4513 | Increases Minimum Age for Beginning Kindergarten | Bill Passed - House (64 - 45) |
| May 30, 2012 | MA | H 3986 | Authorizes Child Care Workers to Form Labor Organizations | Bill Passed - House (117 - 32) |
| April 25, 2012 | TN | HB 2566 | Increases Kindergarten Age Requirements | Bill Passed - House (68 - 30) |
| April 10, 2012 | MS | SB 2771 | Expands Penalties for Child Homicide | Bill Passed - House (83 - 34) |
| April 5, 2012 | MD | HB 373 | Raises the Dropout Age for Public School Students | Bill Passed - House (88 - 49) |
| March 19, 2012 | CO | HB 1271 | Repeals Direct Filing of Juveniles by Prosecutors | Bill Passed - House (45 - 20) |
| March 1, 2012 | AZ | HB 2154 | Requires Car Seats for Certain Children | Bill Passed - House (38 - 17) |
| Sept. 6, 2011 | CA | AB 1319 | Prohibiting the Use of BPA in Baby Products | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 27) |
| Sept. 1, 2011 | CA | SB 746 | Prohibits the Use of Tanning Beds by Minors | Bill Passed - House (49 - 27) |
| June 9, 2011 | TX | SB 7 | Health Care | Bill Passed - House (89 - 41) |
| May 23, 2011 | PA | HB 815 | Reduces the Offense of "Sexting" for Minors | Bill Passed - House (178 - 20) |
| May 23, 2011 | CA | AB 1319 | Prohibiting the Use of BPA in Baby Products | Bill Passed - House (42 - 29) |
| May 12, 2011 | CA | AB 499 | Authorizes Minors to Seek Medical Care for STDs | Bill Passed - House (50 - 25) |
| May 9, 2011 | NJ | S 799 | Adopted Individuals' Access to Birth Certificates | Bill Passed - House (45 - 26) |
| April 27, 2011 | MT | HB 627 | Requiring Parental Notification for Abortions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (65 - 35) |
| March 8, 2011 | IA | HF 535 | Repeals Statewide Preschool Program | Bill Passed - House (55 - 45) |
| March 7, 2011 | WA | HB 1166 | Preventing Alcohol Poisoning Deaths | Bill Passed - House (57 - 39) |
| March 7, 2011 | UT | 1SHB 89 | Protection of Children from Second Hand Smoke in Motor Vehicles | Bill Passed - House (39 - 35) |
| March 3, 2011 | UT | SB 124 | Leaving a Child Unattended in a Motor Vehicle | Bill Passed - House (47 - 26) |
| March 1, 2011 | GA | HB 279 | Increased Age Requirement for Child Restraints | Bill Passed - House (129 - 43) |
| Feb. 24, 2011 | KS | HB 2035 | Amending Statutes Regulating Abortion | Bill Passed - House (96 - 25) |
| Feb. 8, 2011 | ND | HB 1377 | Children's Health Insurance Program | Bill Failed - House (25 - 67) |
| Feb. 7, 2011 | WY | HB 198 | Admissibility of Evidence in Sex Offense Cases | Bill Failed - House (29 - 30) |
| Feb. 7, 2011 | ND | HB 1307 | Alcoholic Beverage Establishments | Bill Passed - House (50 - 42) |
| Aug. 30, 2010 | CA | SB 1317 | Parental Crime for Chronic Truancy | Bill Passed - House (58 - 17) |
| June 1, 2010 | CA | AB 2244 | Prohibiting the Denial of Health Care Coverage for Children with Preexisting Conditions | Bill Passed - House (50 - 25) |
| March 31, 2009 | National | HR 1388 | National Volunteer Program Expansion | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (275 - 149) |
| March 18, 2009 | National | HR 1388 | National Volunteer Program Expansion | Bill Passed - House (321 - 105) |
| Jan. 14, 2009 | National | HR 2 | Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization and Expansion | Bill Passed - House (289 - 139) |
| Jan. 23, 2008 | National | HR 3963 | Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (CHIP) | Veto Override Failed - House (260 - 152) |
| Nov. 14, 2007 | National | HR 1429 | Head Start Act of 2007 | Conference Report Adopted - House (381 - 36) |
| Oct. 25, 2007 | National | HR 3963 | Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (CHIP) | Bill Passed - House (265 - 142) |
| Oct. 18, 2007 | National | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Veto Override Failed - House (273 - 156) |
| Sept. 25, 2007 | National | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (265 - 159) |
| Aug. 1, 2007 | National | HR 3162 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) Reauthorization | Bill Passed - House (225 - 204) |
| July 19, 2007 | National | HR 3043 | Appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies | Bill Passed - House (276 - 140) |
| Sept. 26, 2006 | National | S 403 | Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act | Bill Passed - House (264 - 153) |
| March 24, 2004 | National | HR 3873 | Child Nutrition Improvement and Integrity Act | Bill Passed - House (419 - 5) |
| April 10, 2003 | National | S 151 | Enhance AMBER Alert bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (400 - 25) |
| Oct. 8, 1998 | National | H Amdt 923 | Contraceptive Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 200) |
| Sept. 15, 1998 | National | S 2073 | Juvenile Crime Control and Delinquency Prevention Act | Bill Passed - House (280 - 126) |
| July 15, 1998 | National | HR 3682 | Child Custody Protection Act | Bill Passed - House (276 - 150) |
| July 12, 1996 | National | H Amdt 1280 | Family Planning Services Clinics Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (232 - 193) |
| Sept. 20, 1995 | National | H Amdt 814 | Drinking and Driving Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (223 - 203) |
| April 21, 1994 | National | HR 4092 | Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 | Bill Passed - House (285 - 141) |
| Nov. 19, 1993 | National | HR 3351 | Youth Offenders Alternative Punishment | Bill Passed - House (336 - 82) |
| Aug. 6, 1993 | National | HR 2010 | National Service Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (275 - 152) |
| July 28, 1993 | National | HR 2010 | National Service Bill | Bill Passed - House (275 - 152) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/31 | HB 4513 | Increases Minimum Age for Beginning Kindergarten | Bill Passed - House (64 - 45) |
| 5/30 | H 3986 | Authorizes Child Care Workers to Form Labor Organizations | Bill Passed - House (117 - 32) |
| 4/25 | HB 2566 | Increases Kindergarten Age Requirements | Bill Passed - House (68 - 30) |
| 4/10 | SB 2771 | Expands Penalties for Child Homicide | Bill Passed - House (83 - 34) |
| 4/05 | HB 373 | Raises the Dropout Age for Public School Students | Bill Passed - House (88 - 49) |
| 3/19 | HB 1271 | Repeals Direct Filing of Juveniles by Prosecutors | Bill Passed - House (45 - 20) |
| 3/01 | HB 2154 | Requires Car Seats for Certain Children | Bill Passed - House (38 - 17) |
| 9/06 | AB 1319 | Prohibiting the Use of BPA in Baby Products | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 27) |
| 9/01 | SB 746 | Prohibits the Use of Tanning Beds by Minors | Bill Passed - House (49 - 27) |
| 6/09 | SB 7 | Health Care | Bill Passed - House (89 - 41) |
| 5/23 | HB 815 | Reduces the Offense of "Sexting" for Minors | Bill Passed - House (178 - 20) |
| 5/23 | AB 1319 | Prohibiting the Use of BPA in Baby Products | Bill Passed - House (42 - 29) |
| 5/12 | AB 499 | Authorizes Minors to Seek Medical Care for STDs | Bill Passed - House (50 - 25) |
| 5/09 | S 799 | Adopted Individuals' Access to Birth Certificates | Bill Passed - House (45 - 26) |
| 4/27 | HB 627 | Requiring Parental Notification for Abortions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (65 - 35) |
| 3/08 | HF 535 | Repeals Statewide Preschool Program | Bill Passed - House (55 - 45) |
| 3/07 | HB 1166 | Preventing Alcohol Poisoning Deaths | Bill Passed - House (57 - 39) |
| 3/07 | 1SHB 89 | Protection of Children from Second Hand Smoke in Motor Vehicles | Bill Passed - House (39 - 35) |
| 3/03 | SB 124 | Leaving a Child Unattended in a Motor Vehicle | Bill Passed - House (47 - 26) |
| 3/01 | HB 279 | Increased Age Requirement for Child Restraints | Bill Passed - House (129 - 43) |
| 2/24 | HB 2035 | Amending Statutes Regulating Abortion | Bill Passed - House (96 - 25) |
| 2/08 | HB 1377 | Children's Health Insurance Program | Bill Failed - House (25 - 67) |
| 2/07 | HB 198 | Admissibility of Evidence in Sex Offense Cases | Bill Failed - House (29 - 30) |
| 2/07 | HB 1307 | Alcoholic Beverage Establishments | Bill Passed - House (50 - 42) |
| 8/30 | SB 1317 | Parental Crime for Chronic Truancy | Bill Passed - House (58 - 17) |
| 6/01 | AB 2244 | Prohibiting the Denial of Health Care Coverage for Children with Preexisting Conditions | Bill Passed - House (50 - 25) |
| 3/31 | HR 1388 | National Volunteer Program Expansion | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (275 - 149) |
| 3/18 | HR 1388 | National Volunteer Program Expansion | Bill Passed - House (321 - 105) |
| 1/14 | HR 2 | Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization and Expansion | Bill Passed - House (289 - 139) |
| 1/23 | HR 3963 | Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (CHIP) | Veto Override Failed - House (260 - 152) |
| 11/14 | HR 1429 | Head Start Act of 2007 | Conference Report Adopted - House (381 - 36) |
| 10/25 | HR 3963 | Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (CHIP) | Bill Passed - House (265 - 142) |
| 10/18 | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Veto Override Failed - House (273 - 156) |
| 9/25 | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (265 - 159) |
| 8/01 | HR 3162 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) Reauthorization | Bill Passed - House (225 - 204) |
| 7/19 | HR 3043 | Appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies | Bill Passed - House (276 - 140) |
| 9/26 | S 403 | Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act | Bill Passed - House (264 - 153) |
| 3/24 | HR 3873 | Child Nutrition Improvement and Integrity Act | Bill Passed - House (419 - 5) |
| 4/10 | S 151 | Enhance AMBER Alert bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (400 - 25) |
| 10/08 | H Amdt 923 | Contraceptive Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 200) |
| 9/15 | S 2073 | Juvenile Crime Control and Delinquency Prevention Act | Bill Passed - House (280 - 126) |
| 7/15 | HR 3682 | Child Custody Protection Act | Bill Passed - House (276 - 150) |
| 7/12 | H Amdt 1280 | Family Planning Services Clinics Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (232 - 193) |
| 9/20 | H Amdt 814 | Drinking and Driving Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (223 - 203) |
| 4/21 | HR 4092 | Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 | Bill Passed - House (285 - 141) |
| 11/19 | HR 3351 | Youth Offenders Alternative Punishment | Bill Passed - House (336 - 82) |
| 8/06 | HR 2010 | National Service Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (275 - 152) |
| 7/28 | HR 2010 | National Service Bill | Bill Passed - House (275 - 152) |