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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 29, 2012 | SD | HB 1234 | Eliminates Teacher Tenure | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (36 - 33) |
| Feb. 29, 2012 | WA | SB 5895 | Authorizes the Use of Student Test Scores in Teacher Evaluations | Bill Passed - House (82 - 16) |
| Feb. 27, 2012 | ID | H 481 | Repeals Limit on Charter Schools | Bill Passed - House (49 - 19) |
| Feb. 22, 2012 | GA | HR 1162 | Authorizes the State to Approve Charter Schools | Amendment Adopted - House (123 - 48) |
| Feb. 22, 2012 | UT | HB 363 | Requires Abstinence-Only Sexual Education in Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (45 - 28) |
| Feb. 21, 2012 | AZ | HB 2563 | Authorizing High School Elective Courses about the Bible | Bill Passed - House (42 - 15) |
| Feb. 16, 2012 | MN | HF 1870 | Authorizes School Districts to Dismiss Teachers Based on Performance | Bill Passed - House (68 - 61) |
| Feb. 13, 2012 | VA | HB 576 | Amends Teacher Contract and Evaluation Policies | Bill Passed - House (55 - 43) |
| Feb. 13, 2012 | SD | HB 1234 | Eliminates Teacher Tenure | Bill Passed - House (41 - 28) |
| Feb. 9, 2012 | FL | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - House (79 - 38) |
| Feb. 8, 2012 | GA | HR 1162 | Authorizes the State to Approve Charter Schools | Amendment Rejected - House (110 - 62) |
| Feb. 8, 2012 | VA | HB 947 | Authorizes Home-Schooled Students to Participate in Interscholastic Programs | Bill Passed - House (59 - 39) |
| Jan. 27, 2012 | VA | HB 1112 | Repeals HPV Vaccine Requirement | Bill Passed - House (62 - 34) |
| Jan. 25, 2012 | SD | HCR 1004 | Urging Academic Study of the Bible in Public Schools | Resolution Passed - House (55 - 13) |
| Jan. 9, 2012 | NJ | S 3173 | Authorizes Nonprofit Organizations to Construct and Manage Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (54 - 17) |
| Dec. 14, 2011 | MI | SB618 | Repeals Limit on Number of Charter Schools | Bill Passed - House (58 - 49) |
| Dec. 14, 2011 | PA | H Amdt 7732 | Tuition Vouchers for Charter Schools | Amendment Rejected - House (90 - 105) |
| Nov. 30, 2011 | NH | CACR 14 | Constitutional Amendment Authorizing the Legislature to Set Standards for Public Education | Amendment Rejected - House (114 - 264) |
| Nov. 17, 2011 | National | HR 2112 | Appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, and the Food and Drug Administration | Conference Report Adopted - House (298 - 121) |
| Nov. 9, 2011 | MI | HB 4005 | School Board Election Dates | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (69 - 39) |
| Nov. 9, 2011 | IL | SB 2147 | Paying Regional Superintendents | Bill Failed - House (70 - 43) |
| Nov. 9, 2011 | IL | SB 2147 | Paying Regional Superintendents | Bill Passed - House (74 - 36) |
| Nov. 1, 2011 | WI | SB 45 | Administration of Medications to Students | Bill Passed - House (63 - 32) |
| Sept. 6, 2011 | CA | AB 165 | Prohibits Public Schools from Charging Fees for Educational Activities | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 24) |
| Aug. 30, 2011 | CA | SB 161 | Administration of Epilepsy Medication in Schools | Bill Passed - House (46 - 21) |
| Aug. 24, 2011 | MI | HB 4005 | School Board Election Dates | Bill Passed - House (72 - 36) |
| July 19, 2011 | MN | HF 26 | 2011-2013 Biennium Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (71 - 56) |
| July 5, 2011 | CA | SB 48 | Requires Teaching Gay History | Bill Passed - House (50 - 26) |
| June 30, 2011 | MI | HB 4628 | Amends Collective Bargaining Rights for Public Teachers | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (58 - 50) |
| June 30, 2011 | PA | SB 330 | Amending The Taxpayer Relief Act | Bill Passed - House (109 - 86) |
| June 30, 2011 | MI | HB 4625 | Teacher Tenure Standards | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (66 - 42) |
| June 21, 2011 | OR | HB 2301 | Online Charter School Enrollment | Bill Passed - House (33 - 27) |
| June 21, 2011 | OR | SB 552 | Establishes the Governor as the Superintendent of Public Instruction | Bill Passed - House (38 - 22) |
| June 16, 2011 | TX | SB 8 | Management and Operation of Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (81 - 55) |
| June 10, 2011 | TX | SB 1 | 2011-2013 Biennium Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (83 - 62) |
| June 9, 2011 | AL | HB 123 | Education Appropriations for 2011-2012 | Veto Override Passed - House (78 - 21) |
| May 29, 2011 | TX | SB 1811 | Reduces Funding for State Agencies | Conference Report Adopted - House (84 - 63) |
| May 28, 2011 | TX | HB 1 | 2011-2013 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (97 - 53) |
| May 26, 2011 | MI | HB 4325 | Education Appropriations for 2011-2013 | Conference Report Adopted - House (59 - 50) |
| May 25, 2011 | TX | HB 359 | Corporal Punishment in Public Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (80 - 64) |
| May 25, 2011 | SC | H 3407 | Establishing a School Voucher Program | Bill Tabled - House (60 - 59) |
| May 20, 2011 | TN | SB 113 | Teachers' Unions Negotiations | Conference Report Adopted - House (55 - 40) |
| May 19, 2011 | LA | HB 112 | Bullying in Public Schools | Bill Failed - House (43 - 54) |
| May 18, 2011 | NH | SB 196 | Guidelines for Teacher Dismissal | Bill Passed - House (253 - 105) |
| May 13, 2011 | TX | HB 359 | Corporal Punishment in Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (84 - 55) |
| May 10, 2011 | NV | AB 568 | 2011-2013 Education Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (26 - 16) |
| May 6, 2011 | VT | H 436 | Tax Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - House (94 - 48) |
| May 5, 2011 | MI | HB 4325 | Education Appropriations for 2011-2013 | Bill Passed - House (57 - 53) |
| May 4, 2011 | National | HR 1214 | Repealing Funding for School-Based Health Center Construction | Bill Passed - House (235 - 191) |
| April 28, 2011 | MT | SB 329 | Oil and Natural Gas Revenue for Schools | Conference Report Adopted - House (50 - 49) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/29 | HB 1234 | Eliminates Teacher Tenure | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (36 - 33) |
| 2/29 | SB 5895 | Authorizes the Use of Student Test Scores in Teacher Evaluations | Bill Passed - House (82 - 16) |
| 2/27 | H 481 | Repeals Limit on Charter Schools | Bill Passed - House (49 - 19) |
| 2/22 | HR 1162 | Authorizes the State to Approve Charter Schools | Amendment Adopted - House (123 - 48) |
| 2/22 | HB 363 | Requires Abstinence-Only Sexual Education in Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (45 - 28) |
| 2/21 | HB 2563 | Authorizing High School Elective Courses about the Bible | Bill Passed - House (42 - 15) |
| 2/16 | HF 1870 | Authorizes School Districts to Dismiss Teachers Based on Performance | Bill Passed - House (68 - 61) |
| 2/13 | HB 576 | Amends Teacher Contract and Evaluation Policies | Bill Passed - House (55 - 43) |
| 2/13 | HB 1234 | Eliminates Teacher Tenure | Bill Passed - House (41 - 28) |
| 2/09 | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - House (79 - 38) |
| 2/08 | HR 1162 | Authorizes the State to Approve Charter Schools | Amendment Rejected - House (110 - 62) |
| 2/08 | HB 947 | Authorizes Home-Schooled Students to Participate in Interscholastic Programs | Bill Passed - House (59 - 39) |
| 1/27 | HB 1112 | Repeals HPV Vaccine Requirement | Bill Passed - House (62 - 34) |
| 1/25 | HCR 1004 | Urging Academic Study of the Bible in Public Schools | Resolution Passed - House (55 - 13) |
| 1/09 | S 3173 | Authorizes Nonprofit Organizations to Construct and Manage Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (54 - 17) |
| 12/14 | SB618 | Repeals Limit on Number of Charter Schools | Bill Passed - House (58 - 49) |
| 12/14 | H Amdt 7732 | Tuition Vouchers for Charter Schools | Amendment Rejected - House (90 - 105) |
| 11/30 | CACR 14 | Constitutional Amendment Authorizing the Legislature to Set Standards for Public Education | Amendment Rejected - House (114 - 264) |
| 11/17 | HR 2112 | Appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, and the Food and Drug Administration | Conference Report Adopted - House (298 - 121) |
| 11/09 | HB 4005 | School Board Election Dates | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (69 - 39) |
| 11/09 | SB 2147 | Paying Regional Superintendents | Bill Failed - House (70 - 43) |
| 11/09 | SB 2147 | Paying Regional Superintendents | Bill Passed - House (74 - 36) |
| 11/01 | SB 45 | Administration of Medications to Students | Bill Passed - House (63 - 32) |
| 9/06 | AB 165 | Prohibits Public Schools from Charging Fees for Educational Activities | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 24) |
| 8/30 | SB 161 | Administration of Epilepsy Medication in Schools | Bill Passed - House (46 - 21) |
| 8/24 | HB 4005 | School Board Election Dates | Bill Passed - House (72 - 36) |
| 7/19 | HF 26 | 2011-2013 Biennium Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (71 - 56) |
| 7/05 | SB 48 | Requires Teaching Gay History | Bill Passed - House (50 - 26) |
| 6/30 | HB 4628 | Amends Collective Bargaining Rights for Public Teachers | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (58 - 50) |
| 6/30 | SB 330 | Amending The Taxpayer Relief Act | Bill Passed - House (109 - 86) |
| 6/30 | HB 4625 | Teacher Tenure Standards | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (66 - 42) |
| 6/21 | HB 2301 | Online Charter School Enrollment | Bill Passed - House (33 - 27) |
| 6/21 | SB 552 | Establishes the Governor as the Superintendent of Public Instruction | Bill Passed - House (38 - 22) |
| 6/16 | SB 8 | Management and Operation of Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (81 - 55) |
| 6/10 | SB 1 | 2011-2013 Biennium Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (83 - 62) |
| 6/09 | HB 123 | Education Appropriations for 2011-2012 | Veto Override Passed - House (78 - 21) |
| 5/29 | SB 1811 | Reduces Funding for State Agencies | Conference Report Adopted - House (84 - 63) |
| 5/28 | HB 1 | 2011-2013 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (97 - 53) |
| 5/26 | HB 4325 | Education Appropriations for 2011-2013 | Conference Report Adopted - House (59 - 50) |
| 5/25 | HB 359 | Corporal Punishment in Public Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (80 - 64) |
| 5/25 | H 3407 | Establishing a School Voucher Program | Bill Tabled - House (60 - 59) |
| 5/20 | SB 113 | Teachers' Unions Negotiations | Conference Report Adopted - House (55 - 40) |
| 5/19 | HB 112 | Bullying in Public Schools | Bill Failed - House (43 - 54) |
| 5/18 | SB 196 | Guidelines for Teacher Dismissal | Bill Passed - House (253 - 105) |
| 5/13 | HB 359 | Corporal Punishment in Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (84 - 55) |
| 5/10 | AB 568 | 2011-2013 Education Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (26 - 16) |
| 5/06 | H 436 | Tax Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - House (94 - 48) |
| 5/05 | HB 4325 | Education Appropriations for 2011-2013 | Bill Passed - House (57 - 53) |
| 5/04 | HR 1214 | Repealing Funding for School-Based Health Center Construction | Bill Passed - House (235 - 191) |
| 4/28 | SB 329 | Oil and Natural Gas Revenue for Schools | Conference Report Adopted - House (50 - 49) |