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 3, 2008 | UT | AM 1 | Mandating the Concealment of Firearms on Campus | Amendment Adopted - House (41 - 29) |
| March 3, 2008 | UT | SB 48 | School Building Funding Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 9) |
| March 3, 2008 | UT | HB 473 | Campus Gun Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (60 - 11) |
| Feb. 29, 2008 | ID | S 1436 | Teacher Pay-for-Performance Plan | Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 19) |
| Feb. 29, 2008 | GA | SB 506 | Mandatory School Physical Fitness Testing | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 13) |
| Feb. 29, 2008 | KS | HB 2870 | Employment Incentive for Teachers | Bill Failed - House (59 - 63) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | KS | Ward Amnd. | Teacher Scholarship Program | Amendment Rejected - House (50 - 71) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | WI | AB 870 | Virtual Charter Schools | Bill Passed - House (53 - 44) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | UT | SB 162 | State Discretion Over Federal Education Programs | Bill Passed - House (38 - 33) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | KS | HB 2605 | Changing School Finance Formula | Bill Failed - House (62 - 63) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | CO | SB 129 | Restricting Beverage Sales at Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | KS | McKinney Amnd. A to HB 2760 | Per Student Public School Funding | Amendment Rejected - House (50 - 70) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | VA | HB 30 | 2008-2010 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | IN | HB 1210 | Teacher Certification | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | CO | HB 1001 | Expanding Bioscience Research Funding | Bill Passed - House (52 - 13) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | MS | SB 2149 | Election of School Board Members | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 15) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | MO | HB 1066 | Teacher Certification | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | SD | HB 1085 | Constructing Science Facilities at Universities | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 3) |
| Feb. 26, 2008 | ID | H 503 | Scholarships for Drug-Free Students | Bill Passed - House (55 - 14) |
| Feb. 26, 2008 | IA | SF 2216 | State-Mandated Curriculum for Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14) |
| Feb. 25, 2008 | WV | HB 4023 | Linking Driving Privileges with Student Performance | Bill Passed - House (80 - 15) |
| Feb. 21, 2008 | NH | CACR 34 | Constitutional Amendment to Define an Adequate Education | Resolution Passed - Senate (19 - 5) |
| Feb. 21, 2008 | VA | HB 30 | 2008-2010 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - House (93 - 5) |
| Feb. 20, 2008 | KY | HB 396 | HPV Vaccinations for Primary, Secondary and Preschool Students | Bill Passed - House (56 - 37) |
| Feb. 20, 2008 | CO | SB 73 | College Textbook Information Disclosure | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 4) |
| Feb. 19, 2008 | WI | S Amnd. 1 | Virtual Charter School Enrollment Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (17 - 16) |
| Feb. 19, 2008 | WI | S Amnd. 1 | Virtual Charter School Enrollment Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (16 - 17) |
| Feb. 19, 2008 | WI | SB 396 | Virtual Charter Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| Feb. 18, 2008 | WA | SB 6305 | Use of Federal Sex Education Grants | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 11) |
| Feb. 18, 2008 | UT | HB 295 | Policies for Electronic Devices at School | Bill Failed - House (33 - 37) |
| Feb. 18, 2008 | CO | HB 1186 | Amending Public School Performance Ratings | Bill Passed - House (53 - 11) |
| Feb. 14, 2008 | SD | HB 1124 | Teacher Compensation and Performance | Bill Passed - House (39 - 29) |
| Feb. 13, 2008 | SD | HB 1085 | Constructing Science Facilities at Universities | Bill Passed - House (61 - 6) |
| Feb. 13, 2008 | TN | SB 3419 | Parental Consent for Sexual Abuse Prevention Education | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 6) |
| Feb. 12, 2008 | UT | HB 241 | Restricting In-State Tuition Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (40 - 35) |
| Feb. 12, 2008 | MI | HB 5322 | HPV Information for Schools | Bill Passed - House (90 - 17) |
| Feb. 12, 2008 | MI | SB 415 | HPV Information for Schools | Bill Passed - House (94 - 12) |
| Feb. 11, 2008 | NM | HB 180 | Healthy Food Initiatives Board | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| Feb. 7, 2008 | MA | H 4488 | Education Reorganization | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
| Feb. 7, 2008 | NM | HB 241 | Education Funding Reform | Bill Passed - House (52 - 16) |
| Feb. 7, 2008 | National | HR 4137 | Higher Education Act Amendments and Extensions | Bill Passed - House (354 - 58) |
| Feb. 6, 2008 | MA | H 4488 | Education Reorganization | Bill Passed - House (135 - 19) |
| Feb. 5, 2008 | UT | HB 85 | Teacher Home Loan Program | Bill Passed - House (62 - 7) |
| Feb. 5, 2008 | UT | SB 35 | Salary Supplement for Math and Science Teachers | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 7) |
| Feb. 4, 2008 | NM | SB 34 | New Mexico School for the Arts | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 6) |
| Feb. 4, 2008 | SD | HB 1261 | Firearm Possession on College Campuses | Bill Passed - House (63 - 3) |
| Jan. 31, 2008 | MS | HB 513 | Funding for K-12 Education and Related Activities | Bill Passed - House (95 - 26) |
| Jan. 31, 2008 | GA | HB 881 | Georgia Charter Schools Commission | Bill Passed - House (119 - 48) |
| Jan. 31, 2008 | SC | H 4400 | Immigration Bill | Bill Passed - House (80 - 13) |
| Jan. 30, 2008 | CA | SB 908 | Global Warming Education in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13) |
| Jan. 30, 2008 | KY | SB 112 | Restricting Public Employee Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
| Jan. 29, 2008 | IN | HB 1210 | Teacher Certification | Bill Passed - House (67 - 29) |
| Jan. 22, 2008 | IN | Amnd. 72 | School Construction Exemption | Amendment Adopted - House (49 - 44) |
| Jan. 22, 2008 | SD | SB 26 | State Regulation of Preschools | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| Jan. 7, 2008 | NJ | A 500 | Education Funding Reform | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| Jan. 7, 2008 | NJ | A 500 | Education Funding Reform | Bill Passed - House (41 - 37) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/03 | AM 1 | Mandating the Concealment of Firearms on Campus | Amendment Adopted - House (41 - 29) |
| 3/03 | SB 48 | School Building Funding Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 9) |
| 3/03 | HB 473 | Campus Gun Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (60 - 11) |
| 2/29 | S 1436 | Teacher Pay-for-Performance Plan | Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 19) |
| 2/29 | SB 506 | Mandatory School Physical Fitness Testing | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 13) |
| 2/29 | HB 2870 | Employment Incentive for Teachers | Bill Failed - House (59 - 63) |
| 2/28 | Ward Amnd. | Teacher Scholarship Program | Amendment Rejected - House (50 - 71) |
| 2/28 | AB 870 | Virtual Charter Schools | Bill Passed - House (53 - 44) |
| 2/28 | SB 162 | State Discretion Over Federal Education Programs | Bill Passed - House (38 - 33) |
| 2/28 | HB 2605 | Changing School Finance Formula | Bill Failed - House (62 - 63) |
| 2/28 | SB 129 | Restricting Beverage Sales at Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| 2/27 | McKinney Amnd. A to HB 2760 | Per Student Public School Funding | Amendment Rejected - House (50 - 70) |
| 2/27 | HB 30 | 2008-2010 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| 2/27 | HB 1210 | Teacher Certification | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| 2/27 | HB 1001 | Expanding Bioscience Research Funding | Bill Passed - House (52 - 13) |
| 2/27 | SB 2149 | Election of School Board Members | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 15) |
| 2/27 | HB 1066 | Teacher Certification | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5) |
| 2/27 | HB 1085 | Constructing Science Facilities at Universities | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 3) |
| 2/26 | H 503 | Scholarships for Drug-Free Students | Bill Passed - House (55 - 14) |
| 2/26 | SF 2216 | State-Mandated Curriculum for Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14) |
| 2/25 | HB 4023 | Linking Driving Privileges with Student Performance | Bill Passed - House (80 - 15) |
| 2/21 | CACR 34 | Constitutional Amendment to Define an Adequate Education | Resolution Passed - Senate (19 - 5) |
| 2/21 | HB 30 | 2008-2010 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - House (93 - 5) |
| 2/20 | HB 396 | HPV Vaccinations for Primary, Secondary and Preschool Students | Bill Passed - House (56 - 37) |
| 2/20 | SB 73 | College Textbook Information Disclosure | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 4) |
| 2/19 | S Amnd. 1 | Virtual Charter School Enrollment Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (17 - 16) |
| 2/19 | S Amnd. 1 | Virtual Charter School Enrollment Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (16 - 17) |
| 2/19 | SB 396 | Virtual Charter Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| 2/18 | SB 6305 | Use of Federal Sex Education Grants | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 11) |
| 2/18 | HB 295 | Policies for Electronic Devices at School | Bill Failed - House (33 - 37) |
| 2/18 | HB 1186 | Amending Public School Performance Ratings | Bill Passed - House (53 - 11) |
| 2/14 | HB 1124 | Teacher Compensation and Performance | Bill Passed - House (39 - 29) |
| 2/13 | HB 1085 | Constructing Science Facilities at Universities | Bill Passed - House (61 - 6) |
| 2/13 | SB 3419 | Parental Consent for Sexual Abuse Prevention Education | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 6) |
| 2/12 | HB 241 | Restricting In-State Tuition Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (40 - 35) |
| 2/12 | HB 5322 | HPV Information for Schools | Bill Passed - House (90 - 17) |
| 2/12 | SB 415 | HPV Information for Schools | Bill Passed - House (94 - 12) |
| 2/11 | HB 180 | Healthy Food Initiatives Board | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| 2/07 | H 4488 | Education Reorganization | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
| 2/07 | HB 241 | Education Funding Reform | Bill Passed - House (52 - 16) |
| 2/07 | HR 4137 | Higher Education Act Amendments and Extensions | Bill Passed - House (354 - 58) |
| 2/06 | H 4488 | Education Reorganization | Bill Passed - House (135 - 19) |
| 2/05 | HB 85 | Teacher Home Loan Program | Bill Passed - House (62 - 7) |
| 2/05 | SB 35 | Salary Supplement for Math and Science Teachers | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 7) |
| 2/04 | SB 34 | New Mexico School for the Arts | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 6) |
| 2/04 | HB 1261 | Firearm Possession on College Campuses | Bill Passed - House (63 - 3) |
| 1/31 | HB 513 | Funding for K-12 Education and Related Activities | Bill Passed - House (95 - 26) |
| 1/31 | HB 881 | Georgia Charter Schools Commission | Bill Passed - House (119 - 48) |
| 1/31 | H 4400 | Immigration Bill | Bill Passed - House (80 - 13) |
| 1/30 | SB 908 | Global Warming Education in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13) |
| 1/30 | SB 112 | Restricting Public Employee Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
| 1/29 | HB 1210 | Teacher Certification | Bill Passed - House (67 - 29) |
| 1/22 | Amnd. 72 | School Construction Exemption | Amendment Adopted - House (49 - 44) |
| 1/22 | SB 26 | State Regulation of Preschools | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| 1/07 | A 500 | Education Funding Reform | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| 1/07 | A 500 | Education Funding Reform | Bill Passed - House (41 - 37) |