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 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 11, 2011 | PA | SB 612 | Guidelines for Teacher Suspension | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 12) |
| May 10, 2011 | NV | AB 568 | 2011-2013 Education Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (26 - 16) |
| May 10, 2011 | NV | AB 568 | 2011-2013 Education Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 10) |
| May 6, 2011 | VT | H 436 | Tax Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - House (94 - 48) |
| May 5, 2011 | VT | H 436 | Tax Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 10) |
| May 5, 2011 | MI | HB 4325 | Education Appropriations for 2011-2013 | Bill Passed - House (57 - 53) |
| May 4, 2011 | TX | HB 1 | 2011-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12) |
| May 4, 2011 | National | HR 1214 | Repealing Funding for School-Based Health Center Construction | Bill Passed - House (235 - 191) |
| May 2, 2011 | TN | SB 113 | Teachers' Unions Negotiations | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14) |
| April 28, 2011 | MT | SB 329 | Oil and Natural Gas Revenue for Schools | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 19) |
| April 28, 2011 | MT | SB 329 | Oil and Natural Gas Revenue for Schools | Conference Report Adopted - House (50 - 49) |
| April 28, 2011 | NC | HB 546 | Alternative Teacher Salary Plans | Bill Passed - House (72 - 42) |
| April 28, 2011 | MI | HB 4481 | Public School Employees' Pension and Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - House (56 - 50) |
| April 27, 2011 | IN | HB 1002 | Charter School Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (61 - 37) |
| April 27, 2011 | IN | HB 1003 | School Vouchers | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (56 - 43) |
| April 25, 2011 | OR | HB 2732 | High School Diploma Requirements | Bill Passed - House (33 - 26) |
| April 21, 2011 | IN | HB 1003 | School Vouchers | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22) |
| April 21, 2011 | TN | SB 485 | Equal Opportunity Scholarship Act | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10) |
| April 20, 2011 | OR | HB 3555 | Qualifications for Superintendents of Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (38 - 22) |
| April 19, 2011 | IN | SB 575 | Collective Bargaining for School Employees | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
| April 14, 2011 | CA | SB 48 | Requires Teaching Gay History | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| April 13, 2011 | IN | SB 575 | Collective Bargaining for School Employees | Bill Passed - House (52 - 40) |
| 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 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 | ID | S 1184 | Technology in the Classroom | Bill Passed - House (44 - 26) |
| March 30, 2011 | IN | HB 1003 | School Vouchers | Bill Passed - House (56 - 42) |
| March 30, 2011 | National | HR 471 | School Vouchers for Washington, D.C. | Bill Passed - House (225 - 195) |
| 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 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 | 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 16, 2011 | NM | SB 427 | Rating System for Public Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| March 16, 2011 | FL | SB 736 | Public School Evaluation Procedures | Bill Passed - House (80 - 39) |
| March 14, 2011 | OR | HB 2287 | Public Charter Schools | Bill Failed - House (28 - 32) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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) |
| 5/11 | SB 612 | Guidelines for Teacher Suspension | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 12) |
| 5/10 | AB 568 | 2011-2013 Education Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (26 - 16) |
| 5/10 | AB 568 | 2011-2013 Education Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 10) |
| 5/06 | H 436 | Tax Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - House (94 - 48) |
| 5/05 | H 436 | Tax Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 10) |
| 5/05 | HB 4325 | Education Appropriations for 2011-2013 | Bill Passed - House (57 - 53) |
| 5/04 | HB 1 | 2011-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12) |
| 5/04 | HR 1214 | Repealing Funding for School-Based Health Center Construction | Bill Passed - House (235 - 191) |
| 5/02 | SB 113 | Teachers' Unions Negotiations | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14) |
| 4/28 | SB 329 | Oil and Natural Gas Revenue for Schools | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 19) |
| 4/28 | SB 329 | Oil and Natural Gas Revenue for Schools | Conference Report Adopted - House (50 - 49) |
| 4/28 | HB 546 | Alternative Teacher Salary Plans | Bill Passed - House (72 - 42) |
| 4/28 | HB 4481 | Public School Employees' Pension and Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - House (56 - 50) |
| 4/27 | HB 1002 | Charter School Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (61 - 37) |
| 4/27 | HB 1003 | School Vouchers | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (56 - 43) |
| 4/25 | HB 2732 | High School Diploma Requirements | Bill Passed - House (33 - 26) |
| 4/21 | HB 1003 | School Vouchers | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22) |
| 4/21 | SB 485 | Equal Opportunity Scholarship Act | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10) |
| 4/20 | HB 3555 | Qualifications for Superintendents of Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (38 - 22) |
| 4/19 | SB 575 | Collective Bargaining for School Employees | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
| 4/14 | SB 48 | Requires Teaching Gay History | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| 4/13 | SB 575 | Collective Bargaining for School Employees | Bill Passed - House (52 - 40) |
| 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) |
| 4/07 | 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 | S 1184 | Technology in the Classroom | Bill Passed - House (44 - 26) |
| 3/30 | HB 1003 | School Vouchers | Bill Passed - House (56 - 42) |
| 3/30 | HR 471 | School Vouchers for Washington, D.C. | Bill Passed - House (225 - 195) |
| 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) |
| 3/23 | 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 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) |
| 3/16 | SB 427 | Rating System for Public Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| 3/16 | SB 736 | Public School Evaluation Procedures | Bill Passed - House (80 - 39) |
| 3/14 | HB 2287 | Public Charter Schools | Bill Failed - House (28 - 32) |