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
April 11, 2025 AK HB 69 Authorizes Open Enrollment for Students in Alaska Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 9)
April 11, 2025 WA HB 1296 Requires the State to Promote a Safe and Supportive Public Education System Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19)
April 10, 2025 KS HB 2382 Requires School Districts Show a Video of a Developing Fetus to Students at Any Grade Level During a Course that Deals with Human Growth, Development and Sexuality Veto Override Passed - Senate (31 - 9)
April 10, 2025 TN SB 836 Authorizes Schools to Charge Undocumented Students Tuition Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 13)
April 9, 2025 AR HB 1866 Requires All Public Schools to Install an Audio Recording Device in Locker Rooms and Dressing Rooms of Public-School Campuses Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 5)
April 9, 2025 IA HF 392 Authorizes School Districts to Submit Year-Round School Calendars for 9th-12th Grade Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 0)
April 9, 2025 IA HF 785 Authorizes No More Than One Board Member to Reside Outside of Iowa Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 15)
April 9, 2025 AL SB 92 Prohibits the Use of Cell Phones in Public Schools Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 0)
April 9, 2025 IL SB 1519 Prohibits Public School Students From Being Subject to Municipal Fines, Fees, Tickets, or Citations as a Form of School-Based Discipline Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 17)
April 8, 2025 IN SB 143 Establishes an Educational Parental Bill of Rights Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (43 - 4)
April 8, 2025 RI SJR 177 Establishes the Universal Right to Education that is Equitable, Adequate, and Meaningful for Each Child Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (35 - 0)
April 7, 2025 IA HF 784 Amends Provisions Related to Mathematics Instruction to Require Testing Three Times Annually Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 1)
April 7, 2025 TN SB 16 Amends and Modifies Regulations Related to Interscholastic Athletics Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 4)
April 3, 2025 MD HB 161 Establishes Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity as its Own Section in the Family Life and Human Sexuality Category Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 12)
April 3, 2025 TX SB 27 Authorizes Teachers to Immediately Remove from Class a Student Who is Bullying Others or is Verbally Abusive Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 0)
April 3, 2025 FL SB 166 Rescinds and Reduces the Requirements for Students to Graduate High School Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 0)
April 2, 2025 GA HB 127 Prohibits Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Initiatives in Georgia's Public Schools Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 21)
April 1, 2025 AR SB 450 Requires the Department of Education to Include a Human Fetal Growth and Development Discussion in the Relevant Standards During the Arkansas Academic Standards Revision Cycle Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 6)
March 31, 2025 GA HB 268 Amends and Improves School Safety and Threat Management Responses Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 9)
March 27, 2025 KY SB 19 Requires Public Schools to Hold a Moment of Silence and Reflection for Students at the Start of Each School Day Veto Override Passed - Senate (29 - 8)
March 27, 2025 KY SB 207 Establishes a Waiver Process for Public School Districts to Request Exemptions from Certain State Laws or Regulations Veto Override Passed - Senate (31 - 7)
March 27, 2025 KY HB 240 Requires Schools to Administer a Reading Assessment to Kindergarten and First-Grade Students Within the Final 14 Days of the Academic Year Veto Override Passed - Senate (36 - 2)
March 27, 2025 TN SB 471 Requires Schools to Teach Students the Positive Outcomes of Following a Normal Life Path or "Success Sequence" Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5)
March 27, 2025 OK SB 758 Limits Virtual Days in Schools to No More than 2 Per School Year Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14)
March 26, 2025 WV SB 705 Requires New Rules from the State Board of Education to be Submitted to the Legislative Rule Making Committee Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 15)
Date No. Title Outcome
4/11 HB 69 Authorizes Open Enrollment for Students in Alaska Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 9)
4/11 HB 1296 Requires the State to Promote a Safe and Supportive Public Education System Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19)
4/10 HB 2382 Requires School Districts Show a Video of a Developing Fetus to Students at Any Grade Level During a Course that Deals with Human Growth, Development and Sexuality Veto Override Passed - Senate (31 - 9)
4/10 SB 836 Authorizes Schools to Charge Undocumented Students Tuition Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 13)
4/09 HB 1866 Requires All Public Schools to Install an Audio Recording Device in Locker Rooms and Dressing Rooms of Public-School Campuses Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 5)
4/09 HF 392 Authorizes School Districts to Submit Year-Round School Calendars for 9th-12th Grade Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 0)
4/09 HF 785 Authorizes No More Than One Board Member to Reside Outside of Iowa Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 15)
4/09 SB 92 Prohibits the Use of Cell Phones in Public Schools Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 0)
4/09 SB 1519 Prohibits Public School Students From Being Subject to Municipal Fines, Fees, Tickets, or Citations as a Form of School-Based Discipline Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 17)
4/08 SB 143 Establishes an Educational Parental Bill of Rights Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (43 - 4)
4/08 SJR 177 Establishes the Universal Right to Education that is Equitable, Adequate, and Meaningful for Each Child Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (35 - 0)
4/07 HF 784 Amends Provisions Related to Mathematics Instruction to Require Testing Three Times Annually Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 1)
4/07 SB 16 Amends and Modifies Regulations Related to Interscholastic Athletics Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 4)
4/03 HB 161 Establishes Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity as its Own Section in the Family Life and Human Sexuality Category Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 12)
4/03 SB 27 Authorizes Teachers to Immediately Remove from Class a Student Who is Bullying Others or is Verbally Abusive Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 0)
4/03 SB 166 Rescinds and Reduces the Requirements for Students to Graduate High School Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 0)
4/02 HB 127 Prohibits Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Initiatives in Georgia's Public Schools Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 21)
4/01 SB 450 Requires the Department of Education to Include a Human Fetal Growth and Development Discussion in the Relevant Standards During the Arkansas Academic Standards Revision Cycle Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 6)
3/31 HB 268 Amends and Improves School Safety and Threat Management Responses Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 9)
3/27 SB 19 Requires Public Schools to Hold a Moment of Silence and Reflection for Students at the Start of Each School Day Veto Override Passed - Senate (29 - 8)
3/27 SB 207 Establishes a Waiver Process for Public School Districts to Request Exemptions from Certain State Laws or Regulations Veto Override Passed - Senate (31 - 7)
3/27 HB 240 Requires Schools to Administer a Reading Assessment to Kindergarten and First-Grade Students Within the Final 14 Days of the Academic Year Veto Override Passed - Senate (36 - 2)
3/27 SB 471 Requires Schools to Teach Students the Positive Outcomes of Following a Normal Life Path or "Success Sequence" Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5)
3/27 SB 758 Limits Virtual Days in Schools to No More than 2 Per School Year Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14)
3/26 SB 705 Requires New Rules from the State Board of Education to be Submitted to the Legislative Rule Making Committee Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 15)

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