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, 2011 | NV | AB 183 | Revising Payment for Outstanding Bonds in School Districts | Bill Passed - House (25 - 16) |
| March 3, 2011 | MN | SF 40 | Amends Licensing and Codes for Education | Conference Report Adopted - House (81 - 50) |
| March 3, 2011 | MN | SF 40 | Amends Licensing and Codes for Education | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (46 - 19) |
| March 3, 2011 | UT | HB 301 | School District Property Tax Revisions | Bill Passed - House (39 - 31) |
| March 2, 2011 | UT | SB 65 | Statewide Online Education Program | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12) |
| March 2, 2011 | WV | HB 2879 | One-Time Pay Raise for State Employees | Bill Passed - House (78 - 22) |
| March 1, 2011 | WY | HB 204 | Patriotism in the Classroom | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 16) |
| March 1, 2011 | GA | HB 326 | Amends the HOPE Scholarship Program | Bill Passed - House (152 - 22) |
| March 1, 2011 | UT | SB 65 | Statewide Online Education Program | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 10) |
| Feb. 28, 2011 | UT | HB 191 | Nonresident Tuition Waiver Amendments | Bill Passed - House (44 - 28) |
| Feb. 28, 2011 | NM | SB 319 | Eliminating Corporal Punishment | Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 18) |
| Feb. 24, 2011 | NC | SB 8 | Repeal on the Number of Charter Schools Allowed | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17) |
| Feb. 24, 2011 | ID | S 1108 | Education Provisions and Teacher Entitlements | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| Feb. 24, 2011 | ID | S 1110 | Redistributing Public School Funds for Teachers | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| Feb. 23, 2011 | UT | SJR 9 | Supervision of Public Education | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 6) |
| Feb. 23, 2011 | SC | H 3241 | Funding for Charter Schools | Bill Passed - House (85 - 32) |
| Feb. 23, 2011 | UT | HB 183 | School District Leave Policies | Bill Passed - House (46 - 22) |
| Feb. 22, 2011 | IN | SB 1 | Evaluating and Licensing of Teachers | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20) |
| Feb. 22, 2011 | KS | HB 2006 | Prohibiting Undocumented Immigrants from Receiving In-State Tuition Rates | Bill Passed - House (72 - 50) |
| Feb. 22, 2011 | MT | HB 456 | Sexual Education in K-12 Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (67 - 30) |
| Feb. 21, 2011 | OK | SB 435 | Modifying Board of Education Membership | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 16) |
| Feb. 21, 2011 | ND | HB 1263 | Athletic Nickname and Logo of the University of North Dakota | Bill Passed - House (65 - 28) |
| Feb. 18, 2011 | National | H Amdt 94 | Prohibits Funds for the Gainful Employment Rule | Amendment Adopted - House (289 - 136) |
| Feb. 18, 2011 | ND | HB 1258 | Contribution Retirement Plans for Teachers | Bill Failed - House (38 - 56) |
| Feb. 18, 2011 | ND | HB 1412 | Teaching Personal Finance in Middle Schools | Bill Failed - House (47 - 47) |
| Feb. 17, 2011 | ND | HB 1385 | Senior Citizens Attending Institutions of Higher Education | Bill Passed - House (65 - 29) |
| Feb. 17, 2011 | IA | HF 260 | House Rule School Governance | Bill Passed - House (65 - 30) |
| Feb. 17, 2011 | IN | SB 575 | Collective Bargaining for School Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
| Feb. 16, 2011 | AR | HB 1049 | Prohibit Cell Phone Use in School Zones | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 9) |
| Feb. 16, 2011 | WY | SF 106 | School Finances | Bill Failed - House (20 - 35) |
| Feb. 16, 2011 | IA | SF 166 | Funding for Public Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 24) |
| Feb. 16, 2011 | UT | HB 75 | Guns On School Premises | Bill Passed - House (58 - 15) |
| Feb. 16, 2011 | UT | HB 75 | Guns On School Premises | Bill Passed - House (58 - 15) |
| Feb. 16, 2011 | OH | HB 30 | Reduce Required School Funding | Bill Passed - House (59 - 36) |
| Feb. 11, 2011 | ND | HB 1470 | Higher Education Tuition | Bill Failed - House (41 - 51) |
| Feb. 8, 2011 | WY | SF 140 | Kindergarten Attendance | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 15) |
| Feb. 8, 2011 | WY | HB 204 | Patriotism in the Classroom | Bill Passed - House (52 - 5) |
| Feb. 8, 2011 | IN | HB 1002 | Charter School Amendments | Bill Passed - House (59 - 37) |
| Feb. 8, 2011 | VA | HB 1465 | Excludes Undocumented Immigrants from Public Universities | Bill Passed - House (75 - 24) |
| Feb. 8, 2011 | VA | HB 2314 | Education Improvement Scholarships | Bill Passed - House (54 - 45) |
| Feb. 8, 2011 | WY | SF 52 | Repealing Teacher Tenure | Bill Failed - Senate (12 - 18) |
| Feb. 7, 2011 | ID | HJM 1 | Parental Rights Amendment | Joint Resolution Passed - House (49 - 20) |
| Feb. 3, 2011 | MN | SF 40 | Amends Licensing and Codes for Education | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 23) |
| Feb. 3, 2011 | VA | SB 831 | Amending the Virginia Fraud Against Taxpayers Act | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
| Feb. 2, 2011 | WY | SF 106 | School Finances | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13) |
| Feb. 1, 2011 | VA | HJ 593 | Free Exercise of Religion | Amendment Adopted - House (61 - 33) |
| Feb. 1, 2011 | AR | HB 1049 | Prohibit Cell Phone Use in School Zones | Bill Passed - House (53 - 41) |
| Jan. 31, 2011 | NY | S 2707 | Funding State Mandated Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 20) |
| Jan. 31, 2011 | AR | HB 1049 | Prohibit Cell Phone Use in School Zones | Bill Failed - House (46 - 47) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/03 | AB 183 | Revising Payment for Outstanding Bonds in School Districts | Bill Passed - House (25 - 16) |
| 3/03 | SF 40 | Amends Licensing and Codes for Education | Conference Report Adopted - House (81 - 50) |
| 3/03 | SF 40 | Amends Licensing and Codes for Education | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (46 - 19) |
| 3/03 | HB 301 | School District Property Tax Revisions | Bill Passed - House (39 - 31) |
| 3/02 | SB 65 | Statewide Online Education Program | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12) |
| 3/02 | HB 2879 | One-Time Pay Raise for State Employees | Bill Passed - House (78 - 22) |
| 3/01 | HB 204 | Patriotism in the Classroom | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 16) |
| 3/01 | HB 326 | Amends the HOPE Scholarship Program | Bill Passed - House (152 - 22) |
| 3/01 | SB 65 | Statewide Online Education Program | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 10) |
| 2/28 | HB 191 | Nonresident Tuition Waiver Amendments | Bill Passed - House (44 - 28) |
| 2/28 | SB 319 | Eliminating Corporal Punishment | Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 18) |
| 2/24 | SB 8 | Repeal on the Number of Charter Schools Allowed | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17) |
| 2/24 | S 1108 | Education Provisions and Teacher Entitlements | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| 2/24 | S 1110 | Redistributing Public School Funds for Teachers | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| 2/23 | SJR 9 | Supervision of Public Education | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 6) |
| 2/23 | H 3241 | Funding for Charter Schools | Bill Passed - House (85 - 32) |
| 2/23 | HB 183 | School District Leave Policies | Bill Passed - House (46 - 22) |
| 2/22 | SB 1 | Evaluating and Licensing of Teachers | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20) |
| 2/22 | HB 2006 | Prohibiting Undocumented Immigrants from Receiving In-State Tuition Rates | Bill Passed - House (72 - 50) |
| 2/22 | HB 456 | Sexual Education in K-12 Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (67 - 30) |
| 2/21 | SB 435 | Modifying Board of Education Membership | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 16) |
| 2/21 | HB 1263 | Athletic Nickname and Logo of the University of North Dakota | Bill Passed - House (65 - 28) |
| 2/18 | H Amdt 94 | Prohibits Funds for the Gainful Employment Rule | Amendment Adopted - House (289 - 136) |
| 2/18 | HB 1258 | Contribution Retirement Plans for Teachers | Bill Failed - House (38 - 56) |
| 2/18 | HB 1412 | Teaching Personal Finance in Middle Schools | Bill Failed - House (47 - 47) |
| 2/17 | HB 1385 | Senior Citizens Attending Institutions of Higher Education | Bill Passed - House (65 - 29) |
| 2/17 | HF 260 | House Rule School Governance | Bill Passed - House (65 - 30) |
| 2/17 | SB 575 | Collective Bargaining for School Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
| 2/16 | HB 1049 | Prohibit Cell Phone Use in School Zones | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 9) |
| 2/16 | SF 106 | School Finances | Bill Failed - House (20 - 35) |
| 2/16 | SF 166 | Funding for Public Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 24) |
| 2/16 | HB 75 | Guns On School Premises | Bill Passed - House (58 - 15) |
| 2/16 | HB 75 | Guns On School Premises | Bill Passed - House (58 - 15) |
| 2/16 | HB 30 | Reduce Required School Funding | Bill Passed - House (59 - 36) |
| 2/11 | HB 1470 | Higher Education Tuition | Bill Failed - House (41 - 51) |
| 2/08 | SF 140 | Kindergarten Attendance | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 15) |
| 2/08 | HB 204 | Patriotism in the Classroom | Bill Passed - House (52 - 5) |
| 2/08 | HB 1002 | Charter School Amendments | Bill Passed - House (59 - 37) |
| 2/08 | HB 1465 | Excludes Undocumented Immigrants from Public Universities | Bill Passed - House (75 - 24) |
| 2/08 | HB 2314 | Education Improvement Scholarships | Bill Passed - House (54 - 45) |
| 2/08 | SF 52 | Repealing Teacher Tenure | Bill Failed - Senate (12 - 18) |
| 2/07 | HJM 1 | Parental Rights Amendment | Joint Resolution Passed - House (49 - 20) |
| 2/03 | SF 40 | Amends Licensing and Codes for Education | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 23) |
| 2/03 | SB 831 | Amending the Virginia Fraud Against Taxpayers Act | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
| 2/02 | SF 106 | School Finances | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13) |
| 2/01 | HJ 593 | Free Exercise of Religion | Amendment Adopted - House (61 - 33) |
| 2/01 | HB 1049 | Prohibit Cell Phone Use in School Zones | Bill Passed - House (53 - 41) |
| 1/31 | S 2707 | Funding State Mandated Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 20) |
| 1/31 | HB 1049 | Prohibit Cell Phone Use in School Zones | Bill Failed - House (46 - 47) |