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 27, 2006 | ME | LD 1640 | Charter School Pilot Program | "Ought Not to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 16) |
| March 24, 2006 | CO | HB 1056 | Vending Machines Requirements for Schools Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| March 24, 2006 | MD | SB 293 | Public Charter School Program Reform Bill | Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 24) |
| March 23, 2006 | MI | HB 5606 | New Graduation Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 1) |
| March 23, 2006 | ID | H 743 | School Facilities Improvement Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
| March 22, 2006 | MS | SB 2310 | Food and Tobacco Taxes | Veto Override Failed - Senate (28 - 22) |
| March 22, 2006 | NH | SB 268 | High School Dropout Age | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| March 16, 2006 | National | S Con Res 83 | 2007 Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 49) |
| March 16, 2006 | KS | SB 587 | Gambling Expansion | Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 20) |
| March 15, 2006 | OK | SB 1372 | Issuing Temporary Teacher Licenses | Bill Failed - Senate (22 - 23) |
| March 13, 2006 | OK | SB 1387 | Physical Education Instruction Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 9) |
| March 10, 2006 | CO | Amendment L.004 | Balanced Teaching Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (14 - 20) |
| March 7, 2006 | HI | SB 3102 | Student to Teacher Ratio Reduction | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 2) |
| March 7, 2006 | HI | SB 3195 | Education Appropriation | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 3) |
| March 7, 2006 | OK | SB 1387 | Physical Education Instruction Requirements | Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 24) |
| March 6, 2006 | OK | SB 1792 | Achieving Classroom Excellence Steering Committee | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 15) |
| March 3, 2006 | WI | SB 618 | School Voucher Program Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 13) |
| March 3, 2006 | ID | S 1382 | Idaho Mathematics, Science and Engineering Scholarship Act | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 18) |
| March 3, 2006 | AK | CSSB 112 | Rural Education Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 8) |
| March 2, 2006 | AZ | HB 2064 | English Language Learners | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 13) |
| Feb. 28, 2006 | OK | SCS SB 1993 | Financial Aid Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 10) |
| Feb. 24, 2006 | WY | SF 87 | Board of Education Membership Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
| Feb. 23, 2006 | UT | 1SSB 97 | Student Organizations | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11) |
| Feb. 21, 2006 | SD | HB 1235 | Compulsory High School Education Age to 18 | Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 23) |
| Feb. 21, 2006 | IN | HB 1006 | Allocation of School Resources for Homeless Students | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15) |
| Feb. 20, 2006 | CO | SB 66 | Employee Leave for Academic Activities | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| Feb. 20, 2006 | VA | HB 968 | Membership of the Board of Correctional Education | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 20) |
| Feb. 14, 2006 | VA | Sub SB 677 | In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 3) |
| Feb. 10, 2006 | WA | Sub SB 6475 | Certificate of Academic Achievement Alternative Methods | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 10) |
| Feb. 8, 2006 | ME | LD 1798 | Standardized Testing | "Ought Not to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 16) |
| Feb. 6, 2006 | MS | SB 2119 | School Board Elections, Superintendent Appointments, and Consolidation Issues | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 20) |
| Feb. 2, 2006 | National | HR 4297 | Tax Relief Extension Reconciliation Act of 2005 | Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 31) |
| Feb. 2, 2006 | MS | SB 2604 | Mississippi Adequate Education Program Revisions | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 15) |
| Feb. 1, 2006 | MS | SB 2602 | Mississippi Education Reform Act | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
| Jan. 31, 2006 | GA | SB 390 | Classroom First for Georgia Act | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
| Jan. 24, 2006 | IN | SB 60 | Public School Transfer Program | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
| Jan. 24, 2006 | AZ | HB 2002 | English Language Learners; Structured English Immersion Models; Budget Requests | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
| Jan. 23, 2006 | UT | SB 96 | Origin of Species Curriculum Requirement Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 12) |
| Jan. 19, 2006 | IN | SB 111 | Student Nutrition and Physical Activity | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 7) |
| Jan. 6, 2006 | MS | SB 2310 | Food and Tobacco Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 15) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/27 | LD 1640 | Charter School Pilot Program | "Ought Not to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 16) |
| 3/24 | HB 1056 | Vending Machines Requirements for Schools Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| 3/24 | SB 293 | Public Charter School Program Reform Bill | Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 24) |
| 3/23 | HB 5606 | New Graduation Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 1) |
| 3/23 | H 743 | School Facilities Improvement Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
| 3/22 | SB 2310 | Food and Tobacco Taxes | Veto Override Failed - Senate (28 - 22) |
| 3/22 | SB 268 | High School Dropout Age | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| 3/16 | S Con Res 83 | 2007 Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 49) |
| 3/16 | SB 587 | Gambling Expansion | Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 20) |
| 3/15 | SB 1372 | Issuing Temporary Teacher Licenses | Bill Failed - Senate (22 - 23) |
| 3/13 | SB 1387 | Physical Education Instruction Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 9) |
| 3/10 | Amendment L.004 | Balanced Teaching Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (14 - 20) |
| 3/07 | SB 3102 | Student to Teacher Ratio Reduction | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 2) |
| 3/07 | SB 3195 | Education Appropriation | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 3) |
| 3/07 | SB 1387 | Physical Education Instruction Requirements | Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 24) |
| 3/06 | SB 1792 | Achieving Classroom Excellence Steering Committee | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 15) |
| 3/03 | SB 618 | School Voucher Program Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 13) |
| 3/03 | S 1382 | Idaho Mathematics, Science and Engineering Scholarship Act | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 18) |
| 3/03 | CSSB 112 | Rural Education Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 8) |
| 3/02 | HB 2064 | English Language Learners | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 13) |
| 2/28 | SCS SB 1993 | Financial Aid Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 10) |
| 2/24 | SF 87 | Board of Education Membership Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
| 2/23 | 1SSB 97 | Student Organizations | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11) |
| 2/21 | HB 1235 | Compulsory High School Education Age to 18 | Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 23) |
| 2/21 | HB 1006 | Allocation of School Resources for Homeless Students | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15) |
| 2/20 | SB 66 | Employee Leave for Academic Activities | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| 2/20 | HB 968 | Membership of the Board of Correctional Education | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 20) |
| 2/14 | Sub SB 677 | In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 3) |
| 2/10 | Sub SB 6475 | Certificate of Academic Achievement Alternative Methods | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 10) |
| 2/08 | LD 1798 | Standardized Testing | "Ought Not to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 16) |
| 2/06 | SB 2119 | School Board Elections, Superintendent Appointments, and Consolidation Issues | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 20) |
| 2/02 | HR 4297 | Tax Relief Extension Reconciliation Act of 2005 | Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 31) |
| 2/02 | SB 2604 | Mississippi Adequate Education Program Revisions | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 15) |
| 2/01 | SB 2602 | Mississippi Education Reform Act | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
| 1/31 | SB 390 | Classroom First for Georgia Act | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
| 1/24 | SB 60 | Public School Transfer Program | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
| 1/24 | HB 2002 | English Language Learners; Structured English Immersion Models; Budget Requests | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
| 1/23 | SB 96 | Origin of Species Curriculum Requirement Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 12) |
| 1/19 | SB 111 | Student Nutrition and Physical Activity | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 7) |
| 1/06 | SB 2310 | Food and Tobacco Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 15) |