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
June 3, 2012 LA SCR 99 Funding for Public and Private Schools Conference Report Adopted - Senate (24 - 15)
June 1, 2012 MI HB 5372 School Aid Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (58 - 51)
May 31, 2012 MI HB 4513 Increases Minimum Age for Beginning Kindergarten Bill Passed - House (64 - 45)
May 29, 2012 IL HB 5290 Requires Schools to Establish Bullying Policies Bill Failed - Senate (29 - 21)
May 22, 2012 LA HB 292 School Board Member Term Limits Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 16)
May 17, 2012 MI SB 1040 Amends Teacher Pension Plans Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18)
May 16, 2012 AL HB 658 Amends Immigration Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (67 - 37)
May 16, 2012 AL HB 658 Amends Immigration Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 7)
May 15, 2012 MO SB 576 Authorizes the Expansion of Charter Schools Bill Passed - House (99 - 54)
May 10, 2012 AL HB 360 Requires Schools to Have a Longer Summer Vacation Veto Override Passed - Senate (23 - 8)
May 8, 2012 AL HB 360 Requires Schools to Have a Longer Summer Vacation Veto Override Passed - House (71 - 21)
May 8, 2012 IA SF 2284 Education Law Amendments Conference Report Adopted - House (87 - 9)
May 8, 2012 IA SF 2284 Education Law Amendments Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 15)
May 3, 2012 KS King Amendment Amends the State Retirement System for New Public Employees Amendment Rejected - Senate (20 - 20)
May 3, 2012 MO HB 1526 Amends Teacher Dismissal Policies Bill Passed - House (83 - 76)
May 2, 2012 MI SB 619 Cyber Schools Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
May 2, 2012 AL SB 513 Authorizes Charter Schools Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
May 1, 2012 AL HB 360 Requires Schools to Have a Longer Summer Vacation Concurrence Vote Passed - House (58 - 36)
May 1, 2012 AL HB 360 Requires Schools to Have a Longer Summer Vacation Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
May 1, 2012 MI SB 619 Cyber Schools Bill Passed - House (57 - 52)
April 27, 2012 TN SB 3310 Requires Abstinence-Centered Sex Education in Schools Bill Passed - House (68 - 23)
April 26, 2012 TN HB 2566 Increases Kindergarten Age Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10)
April 25, 2012 TN HB 2566 Increases Kindergarten Age Requirements Bill Passed - House (68 - 30)
April 19, 2012 AL HB 658 Amends Immigration Regulations Bill Passed - House (64 - 34)
April 16, 2012 TN SB 3345 Limits the Number of Foreign Nationals that May Work in a Charter School Bill Passed - House (63 - 29)
Date No. Title Outcome
6/03 SCR 99 Funding for Public and Private Schools Conference Report Adopted - Senate (24 - 15)
6/01 HB 5372 School Aid Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (58 - 51)
5/31 HB 4513 Increases Minimum Age for Beginning Kindergarten Bill Passed - House (64 - 45)
5/29 HB 5290 Requires Schools to Establish Bullying Policies Bill Failed - Senate (29 - 21)
5/22 HB 292 School Board Member Term Limits Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 16)
5/17 SB 1040 Amends Teacher Pension Plans Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18)
5/16 HB 658 Amends Immigration Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (67 - 37)
5/16 HB 658 Amends Immigration Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 7)
5/15 SB 576 Authorizes the Expansion of Charter Schools Bill Passed - House (99 - 54)
5/10 HB 360 Requires Schools to Have a Longer Summer Vacation Veto Override Passed - Senate (23 - 8)
5/08 HB 360 Requires Schools to Have a Longer Summer Vacation Veto Override Passed - House (71 - 21)
5/08 SF 2284 Education Law Amendments Conference Report Adopted - House (87 - 9)
5/08 SF 2284 Education Law Amendments Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 15)
5/03 King Amendment Amends the State Retirement System for New Public Employees Amendment Rejected - Senate (20 - 20)
5/03 HB 1526 Amends Teacher Dismissal Policies Bill Passed - House (83 - 76)
5/02 SB 619 Cyber Schools Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
5/02 SB 513 Authorizes Charter Schools Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
5/01 HB 360 Requires Schools to Have a Longer Summer Vacation Concurrence Vote Passed - House (58 - 36)
5/01 HB 360 Requires Schools to Have a Longer Summer Vacation Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
5/01 SB 619 Cyber Schools Bill Passed - House (57 - 52)
4/27 SB 3310 Requires Abstinence-Centered Sex Education in Schools Bill Passed - House (68 - 23)
4/26 HB 2566 Increases Kindergarten Age Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10)
4/25 HB 2566 Increases Kindergarten Age Requirements Bill Passed - House (68 - 30)
4/19 HB 658 Amends Immigration Regulations Bill Passed - House (64 - 34)
4/16 SB 3345 Limits the Number of Foreign Nationals that May Work in a Charter School Bill Passed - House (63 - 29)

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