Key Votes

Chamber

Keyword Search

Search string must be longer than 3 characters.

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
April 18, 2013 TN HB 702 Increases the Appeal Time Period for Establishing Charter Schools Bill Passed - House (62 - 30)
April 17, 2013 MT SB 175 Increases Public Education Funding Bill Passed - House (58 - 41)
April 17, 2013 IL HB 2675 Expands Sex Education Curriculum Bill Passed - House (66 - 52)
April 15, 2013 WA SB 5329 Requires Superintendent to Take Action in Certain Schools Bill Passed - House (68 - 29)
April 10, 2013 IN HB 1357 Amends Licensing Requirements for Superintendents Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 25)
April 10, 2013 IN HB 1003 Expands School Scholarship Program Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23)
April 10, 2013 OR SB 215 Authorizes Schools to Use Native American Mascots Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 4)
April 6, 2013 MD HB 1107 Amends Prince George's County School System Laws Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 47)
April 4, 2013 FL HB 867 Authorizes Parent Involvement in School Turnaround Decisions Bill Passed - House (68 - 51)
April 4, 2013 AK HB 162 Amends Teacher Tenure Policy Bill Passed - House (28 - 10)
April 3, 2013 MS SB 2659 Establishes a Grant for School Resource Officers in Schools Conference Report Adopted - House (80 - 36)
April 3, 2013 ID H 221 Amends Public Charter School Laws Concurrence Vote Passed - House (45 - 22)
April 3, 2013 AR HB 1938 Prohibits the Closure of Schools Based on Student Enrollment for 2 Years Bill Failed - House (46 - 26)
April 2, 2013 MS SB 2199 Requires Appointed Superintendents Conference Report Rejected - House (52 - 66)
March 28, 2013 ID H 221 Amends Public Charter School Laws Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7)
March 26, 2013 IA SF 423 Amends Education Provisions Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23)
March 22, 2013 MD HB 860 Authorizes Construction and Renovation of Public Schools Bill Passed - House (107 - 30)
March 18, 2013 CO HB 1081 Expands Sexual Education Curriculum Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
March 14, 2013 OK HB 1940 Authorizes Students to Express Religious Viewpoints in Schools Bill Passed - House (79 - 13)
March 13, 2013 WA HB 1817 Authorizes Undocumented Students to Apply for State Financial Aid Bill Passed - House (77 - 20)
March 12, 2013 OK HB 1062 Authorizes School Employees to Carry Handguns on School Property Bill Passed - House (68 - 23)
March 8, 2013 WA HB 1283 Amends School Age Requirements Bill Passed - House (74 - 23)
March 6, 2013 WA SB 5328 Establishes a Grading System for Schools Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23)
March 6, 2013 OK SB 1001 Authorizes Parents to Petition for Certain School Actions Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 12)
March 5, 2013 KY SB 176 Authorizes Low-Achieving Schools to Become Charter Schools Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15)
Date No. Title Outcome
4/18 HB 702 Increases the Appeal Time Period for Establishing Charter Schools Bill Passed - House (62 - 30)
4/17 SB 175 Increases Public Education Funding Bill Passed - House (58 - 41)
4/17 HB 2675 Expands Sex Education Curriculum Bill Passed - House (66 - 52)
4/15 SB 5329 Requires Superintendent to Take Action in Certain Schools Bill Passed - House (68 - 29)
4/10 HB 1357 Amends Licensing Requirements for Superintendents Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 25)
4/10 HB 1003 Expands School Scholarship Program Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23)
4/10 SB 215 Authorizes Schools to Use Native American Mascots Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 4)
4/06 HB 1107 Amends Prince George's County School System Laws Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 47)
4/04 HB 867 Authorizes Parent Involvement in School Turnaround Decisions Bill Passed - House (68 - 51)
4/04 HB 162 Amends Teacher Tenure Policy Bill Passed - House (28 - 10)
4/03 SB 2659 Establishes a Grant for School Resource Officers in Schools Conference Report Adopted - House (80 - 36)
4/03 H 221 Amends Public Charter School Laws Concurrence Vote Passed - House (45 - 22)
4/03 HB 1938 Prohibits the Closure of Schools Based on Student Enrollment for 2 Years Bill Failed - House (46 - 26)
4/02 SB 2199 Requires Appointed Superintendents Conference Report Rejected - House (52 - 66)
3/28 H 221 Amends Public Charter School Laws Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7)
3/26 SF 423 Amends Education Provisions Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23)
3/22 HB 860 Authorizes Construction and Renovation of Public Schools Bill Passed - House (107 - 30)
3/18 HB 1081 Expands Sexual Education Curriculum Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
3/14 HB 1940 Authorizes Students to Express Religious Viewpoints in Schools Bill Passed - House (79 - 13)
3/13 HB 1817 Authorizes Undocumented Students to Apply for State Financial Aid Bill Passed - House (77 - 20)
3/12 HB 1062 Authorizes School Employees to Carry Handguns on School Property Bill Passed - House (68 - 23)
3/08 HB 1283 Amends School Age Requirements Bill Passed - House (74 - 23)
3/06 SB 5328 Establishes a Grading System for Schools Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23)
3/06 SB 1001 Authorizes Parents to Petition for Certain School Actions Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 12)
3/05 SB 176 Authorizes Low-Achieving Schools to Become Charter Schools Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15)

arrow_upward