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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 13, 2011 | AZ | HB 2415 | Punishment Guidelines for Bullying in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 8) |
| April 13, 2011 | OR | SB 5552 | Department of Education Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (32 - 28) |
| April 12, 2011 | IN | HB 1002 | Charter School Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20) |
| April 12, 2011 | AL | HB 123 | Education Appropriations for 2011-2012 | Bill Passed - House (64 - 36) |
| April 11, 2011 | MD | SB 167 | In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Conference Report Adopted - House (74 - 65) |
| April 11, 2011 | MD | SB 167 | In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 19) |
| April 7, 2011 | TN | HB 368 | Scientific Theories in the Classroom | Bill Passed - House (70 - 23) |
| April 6, 2011 | OR | SB 552 | Establishes the Governor as the Superintendent of Public Instruction | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7) |
| April 3, 2011 | TX | HB 1 | 2011-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - House (98 - 49) |
| April 1, 2011 | AZ | SB 1618 | 2011-2012 Budget Reconciliation for Higher Education | Bill Passed - House (38 - 21) |
| April 1, 2011 | AZ | SB 1617 | K-12 Education Budget for 2011-2012 | Bill Passed - House (39 - 20) |
| April 1, 2011 | TX | Amdt 143 | Requiring Public Colleges and Universities to Fund Student Centers for Family and Traditional Values | Amendment Adopted - House (110 - 24) |
| April 1, 2011 | ID | S 1184 | Technology in the Classroom | Bill Passed - House (44 - 26) |
| April 1, 2011 | AZ | SB 1618 | 2011-2012 Budget Reconciliation for Higher Education | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
| April 1, 2011 | AZ | SB 1617 | K-12 Education Budget for 2011-2012 | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
| March 31, 2011 | ID | S 1181 | Post-Secondary Education Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (47 - 21) |
| March 30, 2011 | National | HR 471 | School Vouchers for Washington, D.C. | Bill Passed - House (225 - 195) |
| March 30, 2011 | IN | HB 1003 | School Vouchers | Bill Passed - House (56 - 42) |
| March 30, 2011 | NY | S 2808 | Implementing the Education, Labor, and Family Assistance Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 13) |
| March 29, 2011 | OR | SB 742 | Resident Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11) |
| March 27, 2011 | MS | SB 3100 | Issuance of State Bonds for Improvements in Higher Learning Institutions | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (36 - 10) |
| March 27, 2011 | MS | SB 3100 | Issuance of State Bonds for Improvements in Higher Learning Institutions | Conference Report Adopted - House (91 - 27) |
| March 25, 2011 | AR | HB 1032 | Curriculum Standards for Bible Instruction in School Districts | Bill Passed - House (71 - 16) |
| March 24, 2011 | TN | SB 1528 | Amends Requirements for Teacher Tenure | Bill Passed - House (65 - 32) |
| March 24, 2011 | ID | S 1184 | Technology in the Classroom | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| March 24, 2011 | ID | S 1181 | Post-Secondary Education Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7) |
| March 23, 2011 | MT | SB 403 | Revised K-12 School Funding | Bill Failed - Senate (25 - 25) |
| March 22, 2011 | IA | HF 534 | School Instructional Hours and Days | Bill Passed - House (62 - 33) |
| March 18, 2011 | NM | HB 172 | Prohibiting Corporal Punishment as School Discipline | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 17) |
| March 17, 2011 | CA | SB 70 | Education Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (53 - 25) |
| March 17, 2011 | CA | SB 70 | Education Budget Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 17) |
| March 17, 2011 | AZ | SB 1611 | Requires Verification of Citizenship for Certain Benefits | Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 19) |
| March 17, 2011 | AR | HB 1936 | Dress Codes for Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (73 - 19) |
| March 17, 2011 | AZ | SB 1611 | Requires Verification of Citizenship for Certain Benefits | Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 19) |
| March 16, 2011 | FL | SB 736 | Public School Evaluation Procedures | Bill Passed - House (80 - 39) |
| March 16, 2011 | NM | SB 427 | Rating System for Public Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| March 16, 2011 | ID | H 222 | Authorizes Guns on Campus | Bill Passed - House (41 - 28) |
| March 15, 2011 | IA | SF 328 | Funding for Education and Employment Training | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 24) |
| March 14, 2011 | AZ | SB 1467 | Concealed Weapons on College Campuses | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 7) |
| March 14, 2011 | OR | HB 2287 | Public Charter Schools | Bill Failed - House (28 - 32) |
| March 11, 2011 | ND | HB 1263 | Athletic Nickname and Logo of the University of North Dakota | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 15) |
| March 10, 2011 | FL | SB 736 | Public School Evaluation Procedures | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
| March 10, 2011 | TN | SB 1528 | Amends Requirements for Teacher Tenure | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| March 9, 2011 | UT | HB 183 | School District Leave Policies | Conference Report Adopted - House (42 - 28) |
| March 9, 2011 | UT | SB 73 | Public School Teacher Tenure Modifications | Bill Passed - House (45 - 28) |
| March 8, 2011 | UT | HB 183 | School District Leave Policies | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 7) |
| March 8, 2011 | GA | HB 326 | Amends the HOPE Scholarship Program | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 20) |
| March 8, 2011 | NM | HB 172 | Prohibiting Corporal Punishment as School Discipline | Bill Passed - House (36 - 31) |
| March 7, 2011 | AZ | HB 2415 | Punishment Guidelines for Bullying in Schools | Bill Passed - House (38 - 21) |
| March 4, 2011 | ID | H 104a | Teacher Union Activities | Bill Passed - House (55 - 14) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/13 | HB 2415 | Punishment Guidelines for Bullying in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 8) |
| 4/13 | SB 5552 | Department of Education Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (32 - 28) |
| 4/12 | HB 1002 | Charter School Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20) |
| 4/12 | HB 123 | Education Appropriations for 2011-2012 | Bill Passed - House (64 - 36) |
| 4/11 | SB 167 | In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Conference Report Adopted - House (74 - 65) |
| 4/11 | SB 167 | In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 19) |
| 4/07 | HB 368 | Scientific Theories in the Classroom | Bill Passed - House (70 - 23) |
| 4/06 | SB 552 | Establishes the Governor as the Superintendent of Public Instruction | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7) |
| 4/03 | HB 1 | 2011-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - House (98 - 49) |
| 4/01 | SB 1618 | 2011-2012 Budget Reconciliation for Higher Education | Bill Passed - House (38 - 21) |
| 4/01 | SB 1617 | K-12 Education Budget for 2011-2012 | Bill Passed - House (39 - 20) |
| 4/01 | Amdt 143 | Requiring Public Colleges and Universities to Fund Student Centers for Family and Traditional Values | Amendment Adopted - House (110 - 24) |
| 4/01 | S 1184 | Technology in the Classroom | Bill Passed - House (44 - 26) |
| 4/01 | SB 1618 | 2011-2012 Budget Reconciliation for Higher Education | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
| 4/01 | SB 1617 | K-12 Education Budget for 2011-2012 | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
| 3/31 | S 1181 | Post-Secondary Education Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (47 - 21) |
| 3/30 | HR 471 | School Vouchers for Washington, D.C. | Bill Passed - House (225 - 195) |
| 3/30 | HB 1003 | School Vouchers | Bill Passed - House (56 - 42) |
| 3/30 | S 2808 | Implementing the Education, Labor, and Family Assistance Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 13) |
| 3/29 | SB 742 | Resident Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11) |
| 3/27 | SB 3100 | Issuance of State Bonds for Improvements in Higher Learning Institutions | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (36 - 10) |
| 3/27 | SB 3100 | Issuance of State Bonds for Improvements in Higher Learning Institutions | Conference Report Adopted - House (91 - 27) |
| 3/25 | HB 1032 | Curriculum Standards for Bible Instruction in School Districts | Bill Passed - House (71 - 16) |
| 3/24 | SB 1528 | Amends Requirements for Teacher Tenure | Bill Passed - House (65 - 32) |
| 3/24 | S 1184 | Technology in the Classroom | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| 3/24 | S 1181 | Post-Secondary Education Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7) |
| 3/23 | SB 403 | Revised K-12 School Funding | Bill Failed - Senate (25 - 25) |
| 3/22 | HF 534 | School Instructional Hours and Days | Bill Passed - House (62 - 33) |
| 3/18 | HB 172 | Prohibiting Corporal Punishment as School Discipline | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 17) |
| 3/17 | SB 70 | Education Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (53 - 25) |
| 3/17 | SB 70 | Education Budget Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 17) |
| 3/17 | SB 1611 | Requires Verification of Citizenship for Certain Benefits | Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 19) |
| 3/17 | HB 1936 | Dress Codes for Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (73 - 19) |
| 3/17 | SB 1611 | Requires Verification of Citizenship for Certain Benefits | Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 19) |
| 3/16 | SB 736 | Public School Evaluation Procedures | Bill Passed - House (80 - 39) |
| 3/16 | SB 427 | Rating System for Public Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| 3/16 | H 222 | Authorizes Guns on Campus | Bill Passed - House (41 - 28) |
| 3/15 | SF 328 | Funding for Education and Employment Training | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 24) |
| 3/14 | SB 1467 | Concealed Weapons on College Campuses | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 7) |
| 3/14 | HB 2287 | Public Charter Schools | Bill Failed - House (28 - 32) |
| 3/11 | HB 1263 | Athletic Nickname and Logo of the University of North Dakota | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 15) |
| 3/10 | SB 736 | Public School Evaluation Procedures | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
| 3/10 | SB 1528 | Amends Requirements for Teacher Tenure | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| 3/09 | HB 183 | School District Leave Policies | Conference Report Adopted - House (42 - 28) |
| 3/09 | SB 73 | Public School Teacher Tenure Modifications | Bill Passed - House (45 - 28) |
| 3/08 | HB 183 | School District Leave Policies | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 7) |
| 3/08 | HB 326 | Amends the HOPE Scholarship Program | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 20) |
| 3/08 | HB 172 | Prohibiting Corporal Punishment as School Discipline | Bill Passed - House (36 - 31) |
| 3/07 | HB 2415 | Punishment Guidelines for Bullying in Schools | Bill Passed - House (38 - 21) |
| 3/04 | H 104a | Teacher Union Activities | Bill Passed - House (55 - 14) |