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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 6, 2011 | TX | SB 8 | Management and Operation of Public Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
| June 3, 2011 | TX | SB 1 | 2011-2013 Biennium Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12) |
| June 1, 2011 | CA | AB 131 | In-State College Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (50 - 27) |
| June 1, 2011 | CT | SB 1152 | Funding for Construction at the University of Connecticut Health Center | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11) |
| May 30, 2011 | NV | AB 136 | Governing Credits for Offenders | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 10) |
| May 30, 2011 | IL | SB 2185 | Establishes the DREAM Fund Commission | Bill Passed - House (61 - 53) |
| May 29, 2011 | TX | SB 1811 | Reduces Funding for State Agencies | Conference Report Adopted - House (84 - 63) |
| May 28, 2011 | TX | HB 1 | 2011-2013 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (97 - 53) |
| May 28, 2011 | TX | HB 1 | 2011-2013 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 11) |
| May 26, 2011 | MI | HB 4325 | Education Appropriations for 2011-2013 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 17) |
| May 26, 2011 | MI | HB 4325 | Education Appropriations for 2011-2013 | Conference Report Adopted - House (59 - 50) |
| May 25, 2011 | TX | HB 359 | Corporal Punishment in Public Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (80 - 64) |
| May 25, 2011 | SC | H 3407 | Establishing a School Voucher Program | Bill Tabled - House (60 - 59) |
| May 25, 2011 | LA | SB 6 | Teacher Retirement | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 19) |
| May 24, 2011 | CT | HB 6390 | Access to Postsecondary Education | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| May 23, 2011 | TX | HB 359 | Corporal Punishment in Public Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 2) |
| May 20, 2011 | TN | SB 113 | Teachers' Unions Negotiations | Conference Report Adopted - House (55 - 40) |
| May 20, 2011 | TN | SB 113 | Teachers' Unions Negotiations | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 12) |
| May 20, 2011 | TN | SB 49 | Prohibits Instruction of Non-Heterosexual Human Sexuality in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10) |
| May 19, 2011 | LA | HB 112 | Bullying in Public Schools | Bill Failed - House (43 - 54) |
| May 18, 2011 | NH | SB 196 | Guidelines for Teacher Dismissal | Bill Passed - House (253 - 105) |
| May 13, 2011 | TX | HB 359 | Corporal Punishment in Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (84 - 55) |
| May 12, 2011 | MI | HB 4481 | Public School Employees' Pension and Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 19) |
| May 12, 2011 | CT | HB 6390 | Access to Postsecondary Education | Bill Passed - House (77 - 63) |
| May 11, 2011 | PA | SB 612 | Guidelines for Teacher Suspension | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 12) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/06 | SB 8 | Management and Operation of Public Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
| 6/03 | SB 1 | 2011-2013 Biennium Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12) |
| 6/01 | AB 131 | In-State College Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (50 - 27) |
| 6/01 | SB 1152 | Funding for Construction at the University of Connecticut Health Center | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11) |
| 5/30 | AB 136 | Governing Credits for Offenders | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 10) |
| 5/30 | SB 2185 | Establishes the DREAM Fund Commission | Bill Passed - House (61 - 53) |
| 5/29 | SB 1811 | Reduces Funding for State Agencies | Conference Report Adopted - House (84 - 63) |
| 5/28 | HB 1 | 2011-2013 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (97 - 53) |
| 5/28 | HB 1 | 2011-2013 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 11) |
| 5/26 | HB 4325 | Education Appropriations for 2011-2013 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 17) |
| 5/26 | HB 4325 | Education Appropriations for 2011-2013 | Conference Report Adopted - House (59 - 50) |
| 5/25 | HB 359 | Corporal Punishment in Public Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (80 - 64) |
| 5/25 | H 3407 | Establishing a School Voucher Program | Bill Tabled - House (60 - 59) |
| 5/25 | SB 6 | Teacher Retirement | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 19) |
| 5/24 | HB 6390 | Access to Postsecondary Education | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| 5/23 | HB 359 | Corporal Punishment in Public Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 2) |
| 5/20 | SB 113 | Teachers' Unions Negotiations | Conference Report Adopted - House (55 - 40) |
| 5/20 | SB 113 | Teachers' Unions Negotiations | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 12) |
| 5/20 | SB 49 | Prohibits Instruction of Non-Heterosexual Human Sexuality in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10) |
| 5/19 | HB 112 | Bullying in Public Schools | Bill Failed - House (43 - 54) |
| 5/18 | SB 196 | Guidelines for Teacher Dismissal | Bill Passed - House (253 - 105) |
| 5/13 | HB 359 | Corporal Punishment in Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (84 - 55) |
| 5/12 | HB 4481 | Public School Employees' Pension and Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 19) |
| 5/12 | HB 6390 | Access to Postsecondary Education | Bill Passed - House (77 - 63) |
| 5/11 | SB 612 | Guidelines for Teacher Suspension | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 12) |