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. 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)
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)

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