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
Feb. 27, 2018 SD HB 1199 Prohibits Collective Bargaining at Public Universities Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 18)
May 10, 2017 IL SB 1351 Establishes Laws Governing Student Loan Servicers Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15)
April 4, 2017 MN HF 890 Authorizes Education Funding Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 28)
April 4, 2017 TX SB 576 Establishes Reporting Standards for Sexual Assault on College Campuses Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 1)
March 31, 2017 ND HB 1329 Authorizes Free Speech at Public Universities Bill Failed - Senate (7 - 37)
March 6, 2017 KY SB 17 Authorizes Expression of Religious or Political Viewpoints in Public Schools Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 3)
May 26, 2016 CA SB 1146 Amends Religious Exemption Requirements for Universities Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13)
May 19, 2016 IL HB 4167 Appropriates Funds for Monetary Award Program Grants Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 15)
April 21, 2016 TN HB 2248 Rescinds Funding for the University of Tennessee's Diversity Office Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 3)
April 20, 2016 CT SB 147 Authorizes Students Qualifying for In-State Tuition to Receive Financial Assistance Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
April 19, 2016 TN SB 2376 Authorizes University of Tennessee Employees to Carry a Handgun on Campus Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 5)
April 19, 2016 IA SF 2323 Appropriates Funds for Higher Education Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23)
April 7, 2016 MO HB 2003 Appropriates Funds to the Department of Higher Education Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 8)
April 7, 2016 AK SB 174 Prohibits the University of Alaska from Regulating Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 5)
March 31, 2016 MD SB 1052 Establishes Consolidated University of Maryland Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 13)
March 23, 2016 KS SB 469 Amends Labor Union Procedures Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18)
March 11, 2016 GA HB 859 Authorizes Concealed Carry of Firearms at Institutions of Higher Education Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 17)
March 2, 2016 IL SB 2043 Appropriates Funds for Higher Education Veto Override Passed - Senate (37 - 17)
Feb. 24, 2016 SD SB 159 Authorizes Education Tax Credit for Insurance Companies Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11)
Feb. 22, 2016 AZ SB 1402 Amends Tax Rate for Property Belonging to Institutions of Higher Education Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14)
July 7, 2015 WI SB 21 2015-2017 Biennium Budget Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15)
July 3, 2015 OR SB 932 Authorizes Financial Aid for Undocumented Students Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (17 - 12)
June 25, 2015 OR SB 932 Authorizes Financial Aid for Undocumented Students Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11)
June 1, 2015 CA SB 707 Prohibits Concealed Firearms on School Grounds Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
May 29, 2015 CT HB 6844 Amends Eligibility Requirements for In-State Tuition Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 13)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/27 HB 1199 Prohibits Collective Bargaining at Public Universities Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 18)
5/10 SB 1351 Establishes Laws Governing Student Loan Servicers Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15)
4/04 HF 890 Authorizes Education Funding Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 28)
4/04 SB 576 Establishes Reporting Standards for Sexual Assault on College Campuses Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 1)
3/31 HB 1329 Authorizes Free Speech at Public Universities Bill Failed - Senate (7 - 37)
3/06 SB 17 Authorizes Expression of Religious or Political Viewpoints in Public Schools Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 3)
5/26 SB 1146 Amends Religious Exemption Requirements for Universities Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13)
5/19 HB 4167 Appropriates Funds for Monetary Award Program Grants Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 15)
4/21 HB 2248 Rescinds Funding for the University of Tennessee's Diversity Office Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 3)
4/20 SB 147 Authorizes Students Qualifying for In-State Tuition to Receive Financial Assistance Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
4/19 SB 2376 Authorizes University of Tennessee Employees to Carry a Handgun on Campus Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 5)
4/19 SF 2323 Appropriates Funds for Higher Education Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23)
4/07 HB 2003 Appropriates Funds to the Department of Higher Education Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 8)
4/07 SB 174 Prohibits the University of Alaska from Regulating Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 5)
3/31 SB 1052 Establishes Consolidated University of Maryland Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 13)
3/23 SB 469 Amends Labor Union Procedures Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18)
3/11 HB 859 Authorizes Concealed Carry of Firearms at Institutions of Higher Education Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 17)
3/02 SB 2043 Appropriates Funds for Higher Education Veto Override Passed - Senate (37 - 17)
2/24 SB 159 Authorizes Education Tax Credit for Insurance Companies Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11)
2/22 SB 1402 Amends Tax Rate for Property Belonging to Institutions of Higher Education Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14)
7/07 SB 21 2015-2017 Biennium Budget Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15)
7/03 SB 932 Authorizes Financial Aid for Undocumented Students Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (17 - 12)
6/25 SB 932 Authorizes Financial Aid for Undocumented Students Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11)
6/01 SB 707 Prohibits Concealed Firearms on School Grounds Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
5/29 HB 6844 Amends Eligibility Requirements for In-State Tuition Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 13)

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