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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 27, 2009 | OR | HB 2599 | Expanding School Bullying Law | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 2) |
| May 26, 2009 | TX | SB 175 | Capping Automatic College Admissions | Bill Passed - House (123 - 20) |
| May 26, 2009 | CA | SB 219 | Extending Whistle-Blower Protection to UC Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| May 19, 2009 | LA | HB 504 | Jefferson Parish School Board Elections | Bill Passed - House (63 - 26) |
| May 18, 2009 | OR | HB 2509 | Sexual Education | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9) |
| May 18, 2009 | MN | SF 971 | School Anti-Bullying Policy Requirements | Bill Passed - House (95 - 39) |
| May 14, 2009 | MO | SB 291 | Education Provision Modifications | Bill Passed - House (110 - 46) |
| May 14, 2009 | CA | SB 572 | Harvey Milk Day | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| May 13, 2009 | AZ | HB 2028 | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 8) |
| May 13, 2009 | AZ | HB 2028 | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (33 - 25) |
| May 8, 2009 | FL | SB 788 | Gambling Expansion | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 9) |
| May 8, 2009 | FL | SB 788 | Gambling Expansion | Conference Report Adopted - House (82 - 35) |
| May 8, 2009 | ID | H 374 | Allowing Diversion of Funds to Virtual Education | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9) |
| May 7, 2009 | TN | SB 433 | Homeschool Diplomas | Bill Passed - House (61 - 27) |
| May 7, 2009 | TN | SB 2133 | Charter School Access Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 7) |
| May 7, 2009 | ID | H 374 | Allowing Diversion of Funds to Virtual Education | Bill Passed - House (49 - 15) |
| May 6, 2009 | MI | HB 4785 | Job Training Program Benefits and Security | Bill Passed - House (68 - 39) |
| May 6, 2009 | NC | SB 526 | Prevention of Bullying and Violence in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22) |
| May 4, 2009 | ND | SB 2003 | 2009-2011 Biennuim Higher Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (70 - 24) |
| May 4, 2009 | CO | HB 1057 | Mandatory Unpaid Parental Work Leave for Education Activities | Conference Report Adopted - House (39 - 26) |
| April 29, 2009 | National | S Con Res 13 | 2010 Concurrent Budget Resolution | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (53 - 43) |
| April 29, 2009 | National | S Con Res 13 | 2010 Concurrent Budget Resolution | Conference Report Adopted - House (233 - 193) |
| April 29, 2009 | OK | SB 834 | Increased Local School Board Control | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 22) |
| April 29, 2009 | OH | HB 1 | 2009-2011 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - House (53 - 45) |
| April 27, 2009 | FL | SB 762 | Allowing Universities to Levy "Tuition Differential" Charges | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/27 | HB 2599 | Expanding School Bullying Law | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 2) |
| 5/26 | SB 175 | Capping Automatic College Admissions | Bill Passed - House (123 - 20) |
| 5/26 | SB 219 | Extending Whistle-Blower Protection to UC Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| 5/19 | HB 504 | Jefferson Parish School Board Elections | Bill Passed - House (63 - 26) |
| 5/18 | HB 2509 | Sexual Education | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9) |
| 5/18 | SF 971 | School Anti-Bullying Policy Requirements | Bill Passed - House (95 - 39) |
| 5/14 | SB 291 | Education Provision Modifications | Bill Passed - House (110 - 46) |
| 5/14 | SB 572 | Harvey Milk Day | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| 5/13 | HB 2028 | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 8) |
| 5/13 | HB 2028 | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (33 - 25) |
| 5/08 | SB 788 | Gambling Expansion | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 9) |
| 5/08 | SB 788 | Gambling Expansion | Conference Report Adopted - House (82 - 35) |
| 5/08 | H 374 | Allowing Diversion of Funds to Virtual Education | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9) |
| 5/07 | SB 433 | Homeschool Diplomas | Bill Passed - House (61 - 27) |
| 5/07 | SB 2133 | Charter School Access Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 7) |
| 5/07 | H 374 | Allowing Diversion of Funds to Virtual Education | Bill Passed - House (49 - 15) |
| 5/06 | HB 4785 | Job Training Program Benefits and Security | Bill Passed - House (68 - 39) |
| 5/06 | SB 526 | Prevention of Bullying and Violence in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22) |
| 5/04 | SB 2003 | 2009-2011 Biennuim Higher Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (70 - 24) |
| 5/04 | HB 1057 | Mandatory Unpaid Parental Work Leave for Education Activities | Conference Report Adopted - House (39 - 26) |
| 4/29 | S Con Res 13 | 2010 Concurrent Budget Resolution | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (53 - 43) |
| 4/29 | S Con Res 13 | 2010 Concurrent Budget Resolution | Conference Report Adopted - House (233 - 193) |
| 4/29 | SB 834 | Increased Local School Board Control | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 22) |
| 4/29 | HB 1 | 2009-2011 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - House (53 - 45) |
| 4/27 | SB 762 | Allowing Universities to Levy "Tuition Differential" Charges | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7) |