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
May 14, 2025 IA HF 189 Establishes Requirements for Public School Districts with Nonpublic School Students Wishing to Participate in Extracurricular Athletics Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 13)
May 14, 2025 NE LB 89 Defines "Male" and "Female" in State Law Targeted for K-12 or Collegiate Bathrooms, Sports Teams and Locker Rooms Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 15)
May 8, 2025 LA SB 234 Establishes and Provides for the St. George Community School System Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 4)
May 7, 2025 AL HB 166 Prohibits Students from Using Cell Phones During Classes Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 2)
May 6, 2025 CO HB 25-1192 Amends the Colorado Revised Statutes to Include New Financial Literacy Standards as a High School Graduation Requirement (26 - 9)
May 1, 2025 AL SB 140 Requires the Alabama Department of Public Health to Enforce the Coach Safely Act Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 0)
April 30, 2025 IL SB 191 Requires All School Buses in K-12 Schools To Have Seat Belts On Them Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 13)
April 30, 2025 NC SB 754 Authorizes Flexibility within School Calendars, and Hold School District Officials Accountable for Breaking the Law Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 7)
April 29, 2025 ND SB 2354 Requires All Public and Private Schools to Follow the Statewide Student Cellphone Ban Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (45 - 2)
April 29, 2025 SC S 62 Establishes a State Education Scholarship Trust Fund to Authorize Private School Tuition Payments Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 11)
April 29, 2025 MO HB 17 Appropriates Funding for the State K-12 Education Budget Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7)
April 28, 2025 OK HB 1256 Extends the Construction Industries Board's Ability to Collaborate with Educational Institutions and Trade Programs Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 6)
April 23, 2025 IN SB 442 Requires Any Materials Used to Teach "Human Sexuality" for Grades 4-12 be Approved by a School Board and Posted Online Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 12)
April 22, 2025 AK HB 69 Authorizes Open Enrollment for Students in Alaska Veto Override Failed - Senate (12 - 8)
April 22, 2025 MT HB 252 Appropriates $100 Million to Raise Starting Teacher Pay Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (43 - 7)
April 22, 2025 NE LB 89 Defines "Male" and "Female" in State Law Targeted for K-12 or Collegiate Bathrooms, Sports Teams and Locker Rooms Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 16)
April 21, 2025 TN HB 134 Prohibits Schools From Selling Food Containing Red 40 Dyes Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 0)
April 17, 2025 OR HB 5047 Appropriates $35 Million for Summer Learning for 2025 and 2026 and $17 Million for 2027 Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 4)
April 17, 2025 OR HB 2007 Specifies Which Programs are Eligible for Summer Grants Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 4)
April 17, 2025 AL SB 13 Establishes a Constitutional Amendments that Requires "The Star-Spangled Banner" to be Broadcast a Minimum of Once Per Week During School Hours in K-12 Public Schools Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 6)
April 16, 2025 CO SB 25-063 Requires School Districts and Charter School Operators to Write Policies Governing how They'll Handle Challenges to Books in Their Libraries Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 11)
April 16, 2025 NV SB 444 Requires School Districts to Update Electronic Device Discipline Policies Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 0)
April 15, 2025 ND SB 2241 Authorizes the Establishment of Public Charter Schools in North Dakota Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (39 - 7)
April 15, 2025 IN HB 1002 Amends Various Student and Teacher Protections and Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18)
April 15, 2025 AR HB 1646 Requires Certain Materials to be Stored in Locked Compartments within a Designated Area Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 6)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/14 HF 189 Establishes Requirements for Public School Districts with Nonpublic School Students Wishing to Participate in Extracurricular Athletics Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 13)
5/14 LB 89 Defines "Male" and "Female" in State Law Targeted for K-12 or Collegiate Bathrooms, Sports Teams and Locker Rooms Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 15)
5/08 SB 234 Establishes and Provides for the St. George Community School System Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 4)
5/07 HB 166 Prohibits Students from Using Cell Phones During Classes Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 2)
5/06 HB 25-1192 Amends the Colorado Revised Statutes to Include New Financial Literacy Standards as a High School Graduation Requirement (26 - 9)
5/01 SB 140 Requires the Alabama Department of Public Health to Enforce the Coach Safely Act Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 0)
4/30 SB 191 Requires All School Buses in K-12 Schools To Have Seat Belts On Them Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 13)
4/30 SB 754 Authorizes Flexibility within School Calendars, and Hold School District Officials Accountable for Breaking the Law Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 7)
4/29 SB 2354 Requires All Public and Private Schools to Follow the Statewide Student Cellphone Ban Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (45 - 2)
4/29 S 62 Establishes a State Education Scholarship Trust Fund to Authorize Private School Tuition Payments Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 11)
4/29 HB 17 Appropriates Funding for the State K-12 Education Budget Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7)
4/28 HB 1256 Extends the Construction Industries Board's Ability to Collaborate with Educational Institutions and Trade Programs Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 6)
4/23 SB 442 Requires Any Materials Used to Teach "Human Sexuality" for Grades 4-12 be Approved by a School Board and Posted Online Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 12)
4/22 HB 69 Authorizes Open Enrollment for Students in Alaska Veto Override Failed - Senate (12 - 8)
4/22 HB 252 Appropriates $100 Million to Raise Starting Teacher Pay Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (43 - 7)
4/22 LB 89 Defines "Male" and "Female" in State Law Targeted for K-12 or Collegiate Bathrooms, Sports Teams and Locker Rooms Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 16)
4/21 HB 134 Prohibits Schools From Selling Food Containing Red 40 Dyes Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 0)
4/17 HB 5047 Appropriates $35 Million for Summer Learning for 2025 and 2026 and $17 Million for 2027 Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 4)
4/17 HB 2007 Specifies Which Programs are Eligible for Summer Grants Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 4)
4/17 SB 13 Establishes a Constitutional Amendments that Requires "The Star-Spangled Banner" to be Broadcast a Minimum of Once Per Week During School Hours in K-12 Public Schools Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 6)
4/16 SB 25-063 Requires School Districts and Charter School Operators to Write Policies Governing how They'll Handle Challenges to Books in Their Libraries Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 11)
4/16 SB 444 Requires School Districts to Update Electronic Device Discipline Policies Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 0)
4/15 SB 2241 Authorizes the Establishment of Public Charter Schools in North Dakota Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (39 - 7)
4/15 HB 1002 Amends Various Student and Teacher Protections and Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18)
4/15 HB 1646 Requires Certain Materials to be Stored in Locked Compartments within a Designated Area Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 6)

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