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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 1, 2012 | OR | SB 1594 | Prohibits weapons on school grounds | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 15) |
| Feb. 28, 2012 | AZ | SB 1205 | Requires Public School Teachers to Adhere to FCC Regulations | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 16) |
| Feb. 28, 2012 | AZ | SB 1202 | Prohibits Partisan Instruction in Classrooms | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 16) |
| Feb. 27, 2012 | MN | HF 1870 | Authorizes School Districts to Dismiss Teachers Based on Performance | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 26) |
| Feb. 27, 2012 | SD | HB 1234 | Eliminates Teacher Tenure | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
| Feb. 27, 2012 | AZ | SB 1204 | Authorizes Parents to Vote to Close Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
| Feb. 27, 2012 | WY | SF 57 | Amending Wyoming Accountability in Education Act | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 4) |
| Feb. 23, 2012 | FL | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 6) |
| Feb. 22, 2012 | MS | SB 2401 | Establishes Public Charter Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 17) |
| Feb. 21, 2012 | WI | SB 386 | Removes Voter Registration at High Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
| Feb. 14, 2012 | VA | SB 438 | Amends Teacher Contracts | Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 20) |
| Feb. 9, 2012 | AZ | SB 1061 | Authorizes Schools to Opt-Out of the National School Lunch Program | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10) |
| Feb. 8, 2012 | UT | SB 31 | Reduces Classroom Sizes | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 9) |
| Feb. 6, 2012 | NY | S 6087-A | Authorizes the Use of School Property for Religious Meetings and Worship | Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 7) |
| Feb. 2, 2012 | CA | SB 81 | Funding For School Transportation | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| Feb. 1, 2012 | FL | SB 98 | Authorizes Student-Led Prayer in School | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 8) |
| Jan. 31, 2012 | IN | SB 89 | Authorizes the Instruction of Origin of Life Theories from Multiple Religions | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22) |
| Jan. 30, 2012 | SD | HCR 1004 | Urging Academic Study of the Bible in Public Schools | Resolution Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| Jan. 9, 2012 | GA | SB 184 | Guidelines for Teacher Dismissal | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 15) |
| Jan. 9, 2012 | NJ | S 3173 | Authorizes Nonprofit Organizations to Construct and Manage Public Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 3) |
| Nov. 17, 2011 | National | HR 2112 | Appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, and the Food and Drug Administration | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (70 - 30) |
| Nov. 10, 2011 | IL | SB 2147 | Paying Regional Superintendents | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 16) |
| Nov. 3, 2011 | MI | HB 4005 | School Board Election Dates | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| Nov. 2, 2011 | MI | SB 137 | Bullying Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
| Nov. 2, 2011 | WI | SB 237 | Amending Sexual Education Guidelines | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15) |
| Oct. 27, 2011 | MI | SB 619 | Cyber Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
| Oct. 26, 2011 | PA | SB 1 | Charter School Guidelines | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
| Oct. 25, 2011 | WI | SB 45 | Administration of Medications to Students | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| Oct. 20, 2011 | WI | SB 95 | Evaluating Teacher Performance Using Standardized Test Scores | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
| Oct. 11, 2011 | National | S 1660 | American Jobs Act of 2011 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (50 - 49) |
| Sept. 1, 2011 | CA | AB 165 | Prohibits Public Schools from Charging Fees for Educational Activities | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| July 19, 2011 | MN | HF 26 | 2011-2013 Biennium Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 28) |
| June 30, 2011 | PA | SB 330 | Amending The Taxpayer Relief Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 17) |
| June 30, 2011 | MI | HB 4628 | Amends Collective Bargaining Rights for Public Teachers | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
| June 30, 2011 | MI | HB 4625 | Teacher Tenure Standards | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| June 23, 2011 | DE | HB 100 | Background Checks for Contractors on School Premises | Bill Failed - Senate (10 - 5) |
| June 21, 2011 | OR | HB 2301 | Online Charter School Enrollment | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12) |
| June 20, 2011 | OR | SB 250 | Authorizing School Districts To Withdraw From Education Service Districts | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11) |
| June 6, 2011 | TX | SB 8 | Management and Operation of Public Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
| June 3, 2011 | TX | SB 1 | 2011-2013 Biennium Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12) |
| May 28, 2011 | TX | HB 1 | 2011-2013 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 11) |
| May 26, 2011 | MI | HB 4325 | Education Appropriations for 2011-2013 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 17) |
| May 25, 2011 | LA | SB 6 | Teacher Retirement | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 19) |
| May 23, 2011 | TX | HB 359 | Corporal Punishment in Public Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 2) |
| May 20, 2011 | TN | SB 113 | Teachers' Unions Negotiations | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 12) |
| May 20, 2011 | TN | SB 49 | Prohibits Instruction of Non-Heterosexual Human Sexuality in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10) |
| May 12, 2011 | MI | HB 4481 | Public School Employees' Pension and Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 19) |
| May 11, 2011 | PA | SB 612 | Guidelines for Teacher Suspension | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 12) |
| May 10, 2011 | NV | AB 568 | 2011-2013 Education Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 10) |
| May 5, 2011 | VT | H 436 | Tax Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 10) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/01 | SB 1594 | Prohibits weapons on school grounds | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 15) |
| 2/28 | SB 1205 | Requires Public School Teachers to Adhere to FCC Regulations | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 16) |
| 2/28 | SB 1202 | Prohibits Partisan Instruction in Classrooms | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 16) |
| 2/27 | HF 1870 | Authorizes School Districts to Dismiss Teachers Based on Performance | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 26) |
| 2/27 | HB 1234 | Eliminates Teacher Tenure | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
| 2/27 | SB 1204 | Authorizes Parents to Vote to Close Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
| 2/27 | SF 57 | Amending Wyoming Accountability in Education Act | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 4) |
| 2/23 | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 6) |
| 2/22 | SB 2401 | Establishes Public Charter Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 17) |
| 2/21 | SB 386 | Removes Voter Registration at High Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
| 2/14 | SB 438 | Amends Teacher Contracts | Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 20) |
| 2/09 | SB 1061 | Authorizes Schools to Opt-Out of the National School Lunch Program | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10) |
| 2/08 | SB 31 | Reduces Classroom Sizes | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 9) |
| 2/06 | S 6087-A | Authorizes the Use of School Property for Religious Meetings and Worship | Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 7) |
| 2/02 | SB 81 | Funding For School Transportation | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| 2/01 | SB 98 | Authorizes Student-Led Prayer in School | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 8) |
| 1/31 | SB 89 | Authorizes the Instruction of Origin of Life Theories from Multiple Religions | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22) |
| 1/30 | HCR 1004 | Urging Academic Study of the Bible in Public Schools | Resolution Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| 1/09 | SB 184 | Guidelines for Teacher Dismissal | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 15) |
| 1/09 | S 3173 | Authorizes Nonprofit Organizations to Construct and Manage Public Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 3) |
| 11/17 | HR 2112 | Appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, and the Food and Drug Administration | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (70 - 30) |
| 11/10 | SB 2147 | Paying Regional Superintendents | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 16) |
| 11/03 | HB 4005 | School Board Election Dates | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| 11/02 | SB 137 | Bullying Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
| 11/02 | SB 237 | Amending Sexual Education Guidelines | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15) |
| 10/27 | SB 619 | Cyber Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
| 10/26 | SB 1 | Charter School Guidelines | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
| 10/25 | SB 45 | Administration of Medications to Students | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| 10/20 | SB 95 | Evaluating Teacher Performance Using Standardized Test Scores | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
| 10/11 | S 1660 | American Jobs Act of 2011 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (50 - 49) |
| 9/01 | AB 165 | Prohibits Public Schools from Charging Fees for Educational Activities | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| 7/19 | HF 26 | 2011-2013 Biennium Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 28) |
| 6/30 | SB 330 | Amending The Taxpayer Relief Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 17) |
| 6/30 | HB 4628 | Amends Collective Bargaining Rights for Public Teachers | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
| 6/30 | HB 4625 | Teacher Tenure Standards | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| 6/23 | HB 100 | Background Checks for Contractors on School Premises | Bill Failed - Senate (10 - 5) |
| 6/21 | HB 2301 | Online Charter School Enrollment | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12) |
| 6/20 | SB 250 | Authorizing School Districts To Withdraw From Education Service Districts | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11) |
| 6/06 | SB 8 | Management and Operation of Public Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
| 6/03 | SB 1 | 2011-2013 Biennium Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12) |
| 5/28 | HB 1 | 2011-2013 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 11) |
| 5/26 | HB 4325 | Education Appropriations for 2011-2013 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 17) |
| 5/25 | SB 6 | Teacher Retirement | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 19) |
| 5/23 | HB 359 | Corporal Punishment in Public Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 2) |
| 5/20 | SB 113 | Teachers' Unions Negotiations | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 12) |
| 5/20 | SB 49 | Prohibits Instruction of Non-Heterosexual Human Sexuality in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10) |
| 5/12 | HB 4481 | Public School Employees' Pension and Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 19) |
| 5/11 | SB 612 | Guidelines for Teacher Suspension | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 12) |
| 5/10 | AB 568 | 2011-2013 Education Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 10) |
| 5/05 | H 436 | Tax Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 10) |