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.


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Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Dec. 17, 2009 OH HB 318 Tax Law Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 42)
Dec. 17, 2009 OH HB 318 Tax Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15)
Dec. 16, 2009 OH HB 60 Restrictions on Snack and Beverage Sales in Schools Bill Passed - House (60 - 37)
Dec. 10, 2009 CA ABx5 8 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (48 - 25)
Dec. 3, 2009 MI SB 638 "Consistent Ineffectiveness" as Grounds for Discharging or Demoting Tenured Teachers Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13)
Nov. 17, 2009 MA S 2205 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 11)
Nov. 5, 2009 WI SB 223 University of Wisconsin Board of Regents Geographic Composition Requirements Bill Passed - House (59 - 34)
Nov. 5, 2009 WI SB 371 Higher Education Student Data System Bill Passed - House (73 - 20)
Nov. 5, 2009 WI SB 371 Higher Education Student Data System Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 7)
Nov. 5, 2009 WI SB 372 Teacher Evaluation Amendments Bill Passed - House (47 - 46)
Nov. 5, 2009 WI AB 458 Sex Education Curriculum Requirements Bill Passed - House (48 - 43)
Nov. 5, 2009 WI SB 372 Teacher Evaluation Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14)
Nov. 3, 2009 CA SBx5 1 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
Oct. 8, 2009 MI HB 4447 2009-2010 Education Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 13)
Oct. 8, 2009 MI HB 4447 2009-2010 Education Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (66 - 42)
Sept. 22, 2009 WI AB 119 Requiring Kindergarten for First Grade Enrollment Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15)
Sept. 17, 2009 National HR 3221 Prohibiting Federal Assistance to ACORN Bill Passed - House (253 - 171)
Sept. 16, 2009 WI AB 119 Requiring Kindergarten for First Grade Enrollment Bill Passed - House (53 - 44)
Sept. 11, 2009 CA SB 19 Eliminating Prohibition on Utilizing CALTIDES Data to Evaluate Teachers Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 7)
Sept. 11, 2009 CA SB 19 Eliminating Prohibition on Utilizing CALTIDES Data to Evaluate Teachers Bill Passed - House (53 - 20)
Sept. 8, 2009 CA SB 572 Harvey Milk Day Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
Sept. 3, 2009 CA SB 572 Harvey Milk Day Bill Passed - House (46 - 28)
Aug. 18, 2009 AZ SB 1025 Tax Law Amendments (Budget Reconciliation) Bill Passed - House (32 - 15)
Aug. 6, 2009 NY A 8903-A Extending City Board Jurisdiction Over New York City Schools Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 8)
July 24, 2009 CA ABX4 2 Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Revisions: Education Revisions Concurrence Vote Passed - House (55 - 18)
July 24, 2009 CA ABX4 2 Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Revisions: Education Revisions Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6)
July 13, 2009 OH HB 1 2009-2011 Biennium Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 15)
July 13, 2009 OH HB 1 2009-2011 Biennium Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (54 - 44)
June 30, 2009 CA SB 74 Deferring Education Funding (2009-2010 Budget Financing) Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (25 - 14)
June 30, 2009 CA SB 80 Shifting Redevelopment Agency Funds (2009-2010 Budget Financing) Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (25 - 14)
June 30, 2009 CA SB 64 Education Spending Reductions (2009-2010 Budget Financing) Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (25 - 14)
June 29, 2009 OR SB 767 Virtual Charter Schools Conference Report Adopted - House (31 - 29)
June 27, 2009 OR SB 767 Virtual Charter Schools Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 14)
June 25, 2009 NJ S 1175 Requiring an After School Activity Plan for School Districts with At-Risk Pupils Concurrence Vote Passed - House (56 - 18)
June 25, 2009 NJ A 4048 2009 Economic Package Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12)
June 25, 2009 MI HB 4787 Restructure and Redefine Failing Schools Bill Passed - House (70 - 38)
June 25, 2009 NJ A4141 Eliminating Non-Operating School Districts Bill Passed - House (63 - 14)
June 25, 2009 NJ A 4048 2009 Economic Package Bill Passed - House (50 - 27)
June 25, 2009 NJ A4141 Eliminating Non-Operating School Districts Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
June 24, 2009 NC HB 442 Regulating the Use of Corporal Punishment in Schools Bill Failed - Senate (21 - 25)
June 24, 2009 MI HB 4447 2009-2010 Education Budget Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
June 23, 2009 MI HB 4441 2009-2010 Higher Education Budget Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 17)
June 23, 2009 NC SB 526 Prevention of Bullying and Violence in Schools Bill Passed - House (58 - 57)
June 22, 2009 AZ HCR 2019 Ends Affirmative Action Amendment Adopted - Senate (17 - 11)
June 22, 2009 OR SB 5520 2009-2011 Supplemental Biennium Education Budget Bill Passed - House (42 - 17)
June 19, 2009 OR SB 5520 2009-2011 Supplemental Biennium Education Budget Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 6)
June 18, 2009 LA HB 531 Allowing Home-Schooled Students to Participate in Public School Sports Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15)
June 18, 2009 TN SB 2133 Charter School Access Expansion Bill Passed - House (79 - 15)
June 18, 2009 AZ HCR 2019 Ends Affirmative Action Amendment Adopted - House (32 - 18)
June 17, 2009 LA HB 689 Louisiana Statewide Education Facilities Fund Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6)
Date No. Title Outcome
12/17 HB 318 Tax Law Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 42)
12/17 HB 318 Tax Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15)
12/16 HB 60 Restrictions on Snack and Beverage Sales in Schools Bill Passed - House (60 - 37)
12/10 ABx5 8 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (48 - 25)
12/03 SB 638 "Consistent Ineffectiveness" as Grounds for Discharging or Demoting Tenured Teachers Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13)
11/17 S 2205 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 11)
11/05 SB 223 University of Wisconsin Board of Regents Geographic Composition Requirements Bill Passed - House (59 - 34)
11/05 SB 371 Higher Education Student Data System Bill Passed - House (73 - 20)
11/05 SB 371 Higher Education Student Data System Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 7)
11/05 SB 372 Teacher Evaluation Amendments Bill Passed - House (47 - 46)
11/05 AB 458 Sex Education Curriculum Requirements Bill Passed - House (48 - 43)
11/05 SB 372 Teacher Evaluation Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14)
11/03 SBx5 1 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
10/08 HB 4447 2009-2010 Education Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 13)
10/08 HB 4447 2009-2010 Education Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (66 - 42)
9/22 AB 119 Requiring Kindergarten for First Grade Enrollment Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15)
9/17 HR 3221 Prohibiting Federal Assistance to ACORN Bill Passed - House (253 - 171)
9/16 AB 119 Requiring Kindergarten for First Grade Enrollment Bill Passed - House (53 - 44)
9/11 SB 19 Eliminating Prohibition on Utilizing CALTIDES Data to Evaluate Teachers Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 7)
9/11 SB 19 Eliminating Prohibition on Utilizing CALTIDES Data to Evaluate Teachers Bill Passed - House (53 - 20)
9/08 SB 572 Harvey Milk Day Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
9/03 SB 572 Harvey Milk Day Bill Passed - House (46 - 28)
8/18 SB 1025 Tax Law Amendments (Budget Reconciliation) Bill Passed - House (32 - 15)
8/06 A 8903-A Extending City Board Jurisdiction Over New York City Schools Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 8)
7/24 ABX4 2 Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Revisions: Education Revisions Concurrence Vote Passed - House (55 - 18)
7/24 ABX4 2 Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Revisions: Education Revisions Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6)
7/13 HB 1 2009-2011 Biennium Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 15)
7/13 HB 1 2009-2011 Biennium Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (54 - 44)
6/30 SB 74 Deferring Education Funding (2009-2010 Budget Financing) Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (25 - 14)
6/30 SB 80 Shifting Redevelopment Agency Funds (2009-2010 Budget Financing) Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (25 - 14)
6/30 SB 64 Education Spending Reductions (2009-2010 Budget Financing) Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (25 - 14)
6/29 SB 767 Virtual Charter Schools Conference Report Adopted - House (31 - 29)
6/27 SB 767 Virtual Charter Schools Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 14)
6/25 S 1175 Requiring an After School Activity Plan for School Districts with At-Risk Pupils Concurrence Vote Passed - House (56 - 18)
6/25 A 4048 2009 Economic Package Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12)
6/25 HB 4787 Restructure and Redefine Failing Schools Bill Passed - House (70 - 38)
6/25 A4141 Eliminating Non-Operating School Districts Bill Passed - House (63 - 14)
6/25 A 4048 2009 Economic Package Bill Passed - House (50 - 27)
6/25 A4141 Eliminating Non-Operating School Districts Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
6/24 HB 442 Regulating the Use of Corporal Punishment in Schools Bill Failed - Senate (21 - 25)
6/24 HB 4447 2009-2010 Education Budget Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
6/23 HB 4441 2009-2010 Higher Education Budget Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 17)
6/23 SB 526 Prevention of Bullying and Violence in Schools Bill Passed - House (58 - 57)
6/22 HCR 2019 Ends Affirmative Action Amendment Adopted - Senate (17 - 11)
6/22 SB 5520 2009-2011 Supplemental Biennium Education Budget Bill Passed - House (42 - 17)
6/19 SB 5520 2009-2011 Supplemental Biennium Education Budget Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 6)
6/18 HB 531 Allowing Home-Schooled Students to Participate in Public School Sports Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15)
6/18 SB 2133 Charter School Access Expansion Bill Passed - House (79 - 15)
6/18 HCR 2019 Ends Affirmative Action Amendment Adopted - House (32 - 18)
6/17 HB 689 Louisiana Statewide Education Facilities Fund Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6)

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