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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan. 30, 2020 | DE | HB 285 | Requires Schools to Provide Free Feminine Hygiene Products | Bill Passed - House (33 - 6) |
| Jan. 9, 2020 | MS | HB 1 | Increases State Teacher Pay | Bill Passed - House (121 - 1) |
| Nov. 19, 2019 | PA | HB 49 | Authorizes School Police to Make Arrests | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (161 - 37) |
| Nov. 13, 2019 | OH | HB 164 | Authorizes Religious Expression in Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (61 - 31) |
| Oct. 31, 2019 | NC | SB 354 | Increases Pay for Public School Teachers and Personnel | Conference Report Adopted - House (62 - 46) |
| Oct. 30, 2019 | NC | HB 377 | Increases State Teacher Pay | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (61 - 49) |
| Oct. 29, 2019 | NC | SB 522 | Amends the Innovative School District (ISD) Program | Conference Report Adopted - House (64 - 48) |
| Oct. 29, 2019 | IL | SB 1970 | Authorizes Student Absences for Voting | Bill Passed - House (74 - 40) |
| Oct. 2, 2019 | OH | HB 123 | Requires Annual Suicide Prevention Classes for Public Middle and High Schools | Bill Passed - House (85 - 7) |
| Sept. 14, 2019 | CA | SB 328 | Requires Later Start Times for Middle and High Schools | Bill Passed - House (44 - 20) |
| Aug. 26, 2019 | CA | SB 223 | Authorizes Medical Cannabis on K-12 Campuses | Bill Passed - House (43 - 22) |
| June 28, 2019 | PA | HB 1615 | Expands Tax Credit Education Scholarships | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (160 - 39) |
| June 27, 2019 | PA | SB 621 | Authorizes Schools to Arm Security Guards | Bill Passed - House (116 - 83) |
| June 27, 2019 | NJ | S 692 | Prohibits the Department of Education from Establishing Maximum Salaries for Superintendents | Bill Passed - House (48 - 21) |
| June 20, 2019 | NY | A 6787 | Prohibits Use of Biometric Identifying Technology in Schools | Bill Passed - House (128 - 19) |
| June 19, 2019 | WV | HB 206 | Authorizes the Creation of Charter Schools | Bill Passed - House (51 - 47) |
| June 18, 2019 | WI | AB 110 | Requires State Published Dyslexia Guidebooks in Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (76 - 21) |
| June 13, 2019 | ME | LD 1820 | Amends School Investigation Regulations | Bill Passed - House (91 - 50) |
| June 5, 2019 | NH | SB 263 | Prohibits Discrimination in Public Schools | "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - House (211 - 141) |
| May 30, 2019 | IL | HB 3606 | Authorizes Parental Privacy Rights for Student Data Collection | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (93 - 22) |
| May 30, 2019 | ME | LD 1050 | Requires Education About African American History and the History of Genocide | "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - House (87 - 54) |
| May 29, 2019 | IL | HB 254 | Reduces Class Sizes | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (86 - 32) |
| May 28, 2019 | ME | LD 307 | Limits the Number of Charter Schools | Bill Passed - House (81 - 59) |
| May 28, 2019 | CA | AB 493 | Specifies Biennial LGBTQ Teacher Training be Encouraged | Bill Passed - House (61 - 0) |
| May 25, 2019 | AZ | HB 2749 | Appropriates Funds for K-12 Education for Fiscal Year 2020-2021 | Bill Passed - House (31 - 28) |
| May 17, 2019 | MO | HB 604 | Authorizes Funding to Under-performing Schools | Bill Passed - House (116 - 25) |
| May 14, 2019 | ME | LD 513 | Limits Enrollment at Virtual Public Charter Schools | Bill Passed - House (87 - 53) |
| May 8, 2019 | TX | HB 1387 | Authorizes Law Enforcement Officers to Carry on School Property | Bill Passed - House (97 - 46) |
| May 7, 2019 | ME | LD 502 | Establishes the "Summer Success" Pilot Program Fund | "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - House (87 - 53) |
| May 7, 2019 | PA | HB 800 | Increases Amount of Tax Credits Available for Students to Attend the School of Their Choice | Bill Passed - House (111 - 85) |
| May 6, 2019 | OR | HB 3063 | Prohibits All Religious and Philosophical Vaccination Exemptions | Bill Passed - House (35 - 25) |
| May 1, 2019 | TN | HB 939 | Authorizes Education Savings Account Vouchers | Conference Report Adopted - House (51 - 46) |
| May 1, 2019 | MI | HB 4206 | Authorizes Four Built-In Snow Days for Public Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (56 - 53) |
| May 1, 2019 | FL | SB 7030 | Authorizes Firearms on School Campuses | Bill Passed - House (65 - 47) |
| May 1, 2019 | OH | HB 154 | Repeals Use of Academic Distress Commissions | Bill Passed - House (83 - 12) |
| April 27, 2019 | CO | HB 19-1312 | Requires Waivers from Parents Wanting to Exempt their Children from Vaccinations | Bill Passed - House (39 - 20) |
| April 23, 2019 | ME | LD 798 | Prohibits Non-Medical Exemptions for Vaccinations | Bill Passed - House (78 - 59) |
| April 23, 2019 | TN | HB 939 | Authorizes Education Savings Account Vouchers | Bill Passed - House (50 - 48) |
| April 23, 2019 | MN | HF 2400 | Appropriates Funds for Education Finance | Bill Passed - House (78 - 55) |
| April 16, 2019 | TX | HB 455 | Establishes Standards for Public School Recess | Bill Passed - House (95 - 48) |
| April 12, 2019 | IL | HB 2263 | Requires "Work Ethic" Curriculum | Bill Passed - House (69 - 39) |
| April 11, 2019 | IL | HB 1873 | Increases Fines for Drivers Who Pass School Buses | Bill Passed - House (74 - 16) |
| April 9, 2019 | IL | HB 2078 | Increases Teacher Salary to $40,000 | Bill Passed - House (79 - 31) |
| April 4, 2019 | KS | SB 16 | Appropriates Additional $90 Million for Public Education | Conference Report Adopted - House (76 - 47) |
| April 2, 2019 | ND | HB 1332 | Authorizes Schools to Develop a Plan for an Armed First Responder | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (75 - 15) |
| April 2, 2019 | GA | SB 15 | Requires Schools to Perform Certain Threat Assessments | Bill Passed - House (110 - 56) |
| March 29, 2019 | MD | SB 128 | Authorizes Regulation of School Calendars | Veto Override Passed - House (93 - 43) |
| March 28, 2019 | IL | HB 2265 | Requires Civics Education | Bill Passed - House (73 - 31) |
| March 26, 2019 | GA | SB 83 | Authorizes Biblical Classes be Taught in High Schools | Bill Passed - House (122 - 44) |
| March 25, 2019 | MO | HB 267 | Authorizes Public Schools to Offer Bible Courses | Bill Passed - House (95 - 52) |
| March 13, 2019 | OK | HB 2336 | Authorizes Handguns on the Premises of Schools | Bill Passed - House (72 - 25) |
| March 7, 2019 | UT | SB 149 | Establishes the Teacher and Student Success Program | Bill Passed - House (61 - 11) |
| March 7, 2019 | GA | HB 444 | Limits State Funding for Dual Enrollment | Bill Passed - House (99 - 72) |
| March 6, 2019 | ID | H 209 | Authorizes Warrant-less Arrests for Individuals Responsible for School Threats | Bill Passed - House (47 - 22) |
| March 6, 2019 | SC | H 3759 | Increases Teacher Pay | Bill Passed - House (113 - 4) |
| March 6, 2019 | MO | HB 161 | Prohibits Schools from Enacting Early Start Dates in the Fall | Bill Passed - House (86 - 64) |
| Feb. 28, 2019 | AR | HB 1419 | Requires Public Schools To Allow Enrollment In Individual Classes For Homeschooled Students | Bill Passed - House (55 - 27) |
| Feb. 19, 2019 | CO | HB 19-1032 | Amends Sex Education Standards | Bill Passed - House (39 - 23) |
| Feb. 18, 2019 | IN | HB 1253 | Authorizes Firearm Training for Teachers and School Staff | Bill Passed - House (72 - 25) |
| Feb. 12, 2019 | SD | HB 1108 | Prohibits Gender Dysphoria Sex Education from Kindergarten through Grade 7 | Bill Passed - House (39 - 30) |
| Feb. 11, 2019 | IA | HF 306 | Increases School Funding by 2 Percent | Bill Passed - House (53 - 47) |
| Feb. 5, 2019 | VA | HB 2384 | Prohibits Tobacco and Nicotine Vapor Products at Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (83 - 15) |
| Dec. 13, 2018 | MI | HB 5526 | Establishes A to F Letter Rating System For Schools | Bill Passed - House (56 - 53) |
| Aug. 27, 2018 | NJ | S 2293 | Authorizes a Ballot Measure to Issue $1 Billion in Funds for School Upgrades | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (65 - 0) |
| June 27, 2018 | OH | HB 318 | Requires New Training Guidelines for School Resource Officers | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (71 - 20) |
| June 27, 2018 | OH | HB 87 | Establishes Policies on the Distribution of Funds Returned to the State from Community Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (70 - 23) |
| June 27, 2018 | OH | SB 216 | Amends Regulations Relating to Public Education | Bill Passed - House (60 - 33) |
| June 27, 2018 | OH | HB 540 | Amends Teacher Evaluation Process | Bill Passed - House (91 - 2) |
| June 27, 2018 | OH | HB 428 | Requires Schools to Allow Student Religious Expression | Bill Passed - House (67 - 26) |
| June 22, 2018 | PA | HB 1448 | Requires Lead Testing in School Water Systems | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (193 - 1) |
| June 21, 2018 | NJ | S 2 | Amends School Funding Formula | Bill Passed - House (54 - 17) |
| June 20, 2018 | OH | HB 58 | Require Instruction in Cursive Handwriting | Bill Passed - House (89 - 4) |
| June 12, 2018 | MI | HB 5141 | Reduces Teacher Certification Requirements for Certain Vocational or Technical Trade Classes | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (62 - 47) |
| June 12, 2018 | MI | HB 4069 | Reduces College Credits Required for Substitute Teachers | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (63 - 46) |
| June 7, 2018 | OH | HB 21 | Amends Certain Charter School Enrollment Requirements | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (87 - 0) |
| June 6, 2018 | NC | HB 514 | Authorizes Municipalities to Form Charter Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (64 - 53) |
| June 6, 2018 | PA | HB 564 | Requires Civics Test for High School Students | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (167 - 27) |
| May 30, 2018 | IL | SB 2892 | Requires Increase in Teacher Salaries | Bill Passed - House (65 - 47) |
| May 29, 2018 | CA | AB 2160 | Defines Playground Aides as Classified Employees | Bill Passed - House (51 - 26) |
| May 24, 2018 | MI | SB 874 | Increases Penalties for Failing to Report Child Abuse or Neglect | Bill Passed - House (107 - 2) |
| May 24, 2018 | MI | HB 6043 | Requires School Districts to Report Inappropriate Conduct within 60 Days | Bill Passed - House (88 - 21) |
| May 23, 2018 | IL | SB 2428 | Requires Schools Provide Lunch to All Students | Bill Passed - House (66 - 44) |
| May 17, 2018 | RI | H 7419 | Prohibits Advertising of Unhealthy Food and Beverages in Schools | Bill Passed - House (58 - 10) |
| May 9, 2018 | CO | SB 18-272 | Establishes School Grants for Suicide-Prevention Training | Bill Passed - House (53 - 12) |
| May 2, 2018 | NY | A 10475 | Prohibits State Test Scores from Teacher Evaluations | Bill Passed - House (133 - 1) |
| April 14, 2018 | AK | HB 339 | Appropriates Funds for Education | Bill Passed - House (22 - 18) |
| April 12, 2018 | NJ | A 764 | Requires Panic Alarms in Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (66 - 6) |
| April 11, 2018 | OH | HB 318 | Requires New Training Guidelines for School Resource Officers | Bill Passed - House (92 - 2) |
| April 11, 2018 | OH | HB 360 | Requires Additional Anti-Bullying Policies in Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (69 - 27) |
| April 4, 2018 | TN | HB 2331 | Requires Schools to Report on Use of Corporal Punishment | Bill Passed - House (80 - 1) |
| March 26, 2018 | OK | HB 1010 | Increases Taxes to Provide More Funding for Education | Bill Passed - House (79 - 19) |
| March 21, 2018 | MI | SB 727 | Amends Certain Education Teaching Requirements | Bill Passed - House (85 - 23) |
| March 20, 2018 | IA | SF 2117 | Amends Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2018 | Bill Passed - House (59 - 41) |
| March 19, 2018 | TN | SB 2661 | Requires Public Schools to Display National Motto | Bill Passed - House (81 - 8) |
| March 16, 2018 | KY | HB 604 | Requires Mental Health Workers in Schools | Bill Passed - House (81 - 1) |
| March 9, 2018 | ID | H 665 | Increases Penalties for Threats Against Schools | Bill Passed - House (52 - 12) |
| March 8, 2018 | KS | HB 2757 | Authorizes Public School Teacher Tenure | Bill Passed - House (73 - 48) |
| March 8, 2018 | MI | HB 5531 | Requires Expulsion of Students Convicted of Criminal Sexual Conduct | Bill Passed - House (93 - 14) |
| March 5, 2018 | IN | SB 387 | Authorizes Teachers without Licenses in Certain Circumstances | Bill Passed - House (35 - 12) |
| Feb. 21, 2018 | FL | HB 839 | Requires Schools to Display State Motto | Bill Passed - House (97 - 10) |