Key Votes

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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:

  1. The vote should be helpful in portraying how a member stands on a particular issue
  2. The vote should be clear for any person to understand
  3. The vote has received media attention
  4. The vote was passed or defeated by a very close margin
  5. Occasionally, if a specific bill is consistently inquired about on the Voter's Research Hotline, the vote will be added

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.


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Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
March 22, 2012 LA HB 976 Amends School Voucher Program Bill Passed - House (62 - 43)
March 21, 2012 IL HB 3810 Eliminates General Assembly Scholarships Bill Passed - House (79 - 25)
March 15, 2012 OK HB 1551 Authorizes the Instruction of Various Scientific Theories Bill Passed - House (56 - 12)
March 15, 2012 MN HF 2083 Requires State Reserve Funds to be Used to Reduce School Debt Bill Passed - House (74 - 59)
March 15, 2012 MD HB 650 Reduces Prison Sentences for Inmates Seeking Education Bill Passed - House (81 - 54)
March 14, 2012 MS HB 638 Authorizes Prayer in Schools Bill Passed - House (93 - 24)
March 13, 2012 WI SB 237 Amending Sexual Education Guidelines Bill Passed - House (60 - 34)
March 13, 2012 IA HF 2380 Amends Education Provisions Bill Passed - House (53 - 46)
March 13, 2012 IA HF 2380 Amends Education Provisions Bill Passed - House (53 - 46)
March 13, 2012 IA HF 2385 Authorizes Professionals to Teach Certain High School Courses Bill Passed - House (61 - 36)
March 9, 2012 FL HB 5001 2012-2013 Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (80 - 37)
March 9, 2012 FL HB 5001 2012-2013 Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (80 - 37)
March 8, 2012 NH HB 1654 Reduces Sentences of Prisoners Pursuing Degrees Bill Failed - House (152 - 171)
March 7, 2012 MI HB 4929 Prohibits Union Dues Deductions from School Employee Paychecks Concurrence Vote Passed - House (56 - 54)
March 7, 2012 FL HB 859 School Voucher Program Bill Passed - House (92 - 24)
March 7, 2012 NH HB 1146 Requires Students to Stand for the Pledge of Allegiance Bill Failed - House (155 - 170)
March 6, 2012 UT SB 223 Requires Public School Students to Recite Pledge of Allegiance Bill Passed - House (48 - 25)
March 1, 2012 FL SB 98 Authorizes Student-Led Prayer in School Bill Passed - House (88 - 27)
Feb. 29, 2012 SD HB 1234 Eliminates Teacher Tenure Concurrence Vote Passed - House (36 - 33)
Feb. 29, 2012 SD HB 1234 Eliminates Teacher Tenure Concurrence Vote Passed - House (36 - 33)
Feb. 29, 2012 WA SB 5895 Authorizes the Use of Student Test Scores in Teacher Evaluations Bill Passed - House (82 - 16)
Feb. 28, 2012 National HR 2117 Repeals Department of Education Regulations Bill Passed - House (303 - 114)
Feb. 27, 2012 ID H 481 Repeals Limit on Charter Schools Bill Passed - House (49 - 19)
Feb. 22, 2012 GA HR 1162 Authorizes the State to Approve Charter Schools Amendment Adopted - House (123 - 48)
Feb. 22, 2012 UT HB 363 Requires Abstinence-Only Sexual Education in Public Schools Bill Passed - House (45 - 28)
Feb. 21, 2012 AZ HB 2563 Authorizing High School Elective Courses about the Bible Bill Passed - House (42 - 15)
Feb. 16, 2012 MN HF 1870 Authorizes School Districts to Dismiss Teachers Based on Performance Bill Passed - House (68 - 61)
Feb. 13, 2012 VA HB 576 Amends Teacher Contract and Evaluation Policies Bill Passed - House (55 - 43)
Feb. 13, 2012 SD HB 1234 Eliminates Teacher Tenure Bill Passed - House (41 - 28)
Feb. 13, 2012 SD HB 1234 Eliminates Teacher Tenure Bill Passed - House (41 - 28)
Feb. 9, 2012 FL HB 5001 2012-2013 Budget Bill Passed - House (79 - 38)
Feb. 9, 2012 FL HB 5001 2012-2013 Budget Bill Passed - House (79 - 38)
Feb. 8, 2012 VA HB 947 Authorizes Home-Schooled Students to Participate in Interscholastic Programs Bill Passed - House (59 - 39)
Feb. 8, 2012 GA HR 1162 Authorizes the State to Approve Charter Schools Amendment Rejected - House (110 - 62)
Feb. 1, 2012 NH HB 1383 Prohibits In-State Tuition for Non-US Residents Bill Passed - House (250 - 88)
Jan. 27, 2012 VA HB 1112 Repeals HPV Vaccine Requirement Bill Passed - House (62 - 34)
Jan. 25, 2012 SD HCR 1004 Urging Academic Study of the Bible in Public Schools Resolution Passed - House (55 - 13)
Jan. 18, 2012 KY HB 30 Authorizes Advertising on School Buses Bill Passed - House (67 - 29)
Jan. 9, 2012 NJ S 3173 Authorizes Nonprofit Organizations to Construct and Manage Public Schools Bill Passed - House (54 - 17)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/22 HB 976 Amends School Voucher Program Bill Passed - House (62 - 43)
3/21 HB 3810 Eliminates General Assembly Scholarships Bill Passed - House (79 - 25)
3/15 HB 1551 Authorizes the Instruction of Various Scientific Theories Bill Passed - House (56 - 12)
3/15 HF 2083 Requires State Reserve Funds to be Used to Reduce School Debt Bill Passed - House (74 - 59)
3/15 HB 650 Reduces Prison Sentences for Inmates Seeking Education Bill Passed - House (81 - 54)
3/14 HB 638 Authorizes Prayer in Schools Bill Passed - House (93 - 24)
3/13 SB 237 Amending Sexual Education Guidelines Bill Passed - House (60 - 34)
3/13 HF 2380 Amends Education Provisions Bill Passed - House (53 - 46)
3/13 HF 2380 Amends Education Provisions Bill Passed - House (53 - 46)
3/13 HF 2385 Authorizes Professionals to Teach Certain High School Courses Bill Passed - House (61 - 36)
3/09 HB 5001 2012-2013 Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (80 - 37)
3/09 HB 5001 2012-2013 Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (80 - 37)
3/08 HB 1654 Reduces Sentences of Prisoners Pursuing Degrees Bill Failed - House (152 - 171)
3/07 HB 4929 Prohibits Union Dues Deductions from School Employee Paychecks Concurrence Vote Passed - House (56 - 54)
3/07 HB 859 School Voucher Program Bill Passed - House (92 - 24)
3/07 HB 1146 Requires Students to Stand for the Pledge of Allegiance Bill Failed - House (155 - 170)
3/06 SB 223 Requires Public School Students to Recite Pledge of Allegiance Bill Passed - House (48 - 25)
3/01 SB 98 Authorizes Student-Led Prayer in School Bill Passed - House (88 - 27)
2/29 HB 1234 Eliminates Teacher Tenure Concurrence Vote Passed - House (36 - 33)
2/29 HB 1234 Eliminates Teacher Tenure Concurrence Vote Passed - House (36 - 33)
2/29 SB 5895 Authorizes the Use of Student Test Scores in Teacher Evaluations Bill Passed - House (82 - 16)
2/28 HR 2117 Repeals Department of Education Regulations Bill Passed - House (303 - 114)
2/27 H 481 Repeals Limit on Charter Schools Bill Passed - House (49 - 19)
2/22 HR 1162 Authorizes the State to Approve Charter Schools Amendment Adopted - House (123 - 48)
2/22 HB 363 Requires Abstinence-Only Sexual Education in Public Schools Bill Passed - House (45 - 28)
2/21 HB 2563 Authorizing High School Elective Courses about the Bible Bill Passed - House (42 - 15)
2/16 HF 1870 Authorizes School Districts to Dismiss Teachers Based on Performance Bill Passed - House (68 - 61)
2/13 HB 576 Amends Teacher Contract and Evaluation Policies Bill Passed - House (55 - 43)
2/13 HB 1234 Eliminates Teacher Tenure Bill Passed - House (41 - 28)
2/13 HB 1234 Eliminates Teacher Tenure Bill Passed - House (41 - 28)
2/09 HB 5001 2012-2013 Budget Bill Passed - House (79 - 38)
2/09 HB 5001 2012-2013 Budget Bill Passed - House (79 - 38)
2/08 HB 947 Authorizes Home-Schooled Students to Participate in Interscholastic Programs Bill Passed - House (59 - 39)
2/08 HR 1162 Authorizes the State to Approve Charter Schools Amendment Rejected - House (110 - 62)
2/01 HB 1383 Prohibits In-State Tuition for Non-US Residents Bill Passed - House (250 - 88)
1/27 HB 1112 Repeals HPV Vaccine Requirement Bill Passed - House (62 - 34)
1/25 HCR 1004 Urging Academic Study of the Bible in Public Schools Resolution Passed - House (55 - 13)
1/18 HB 30 Authorizes Advertising on School Buses Bill Passed - House (67 - 29)
1/09 S 3173 Authorizes Nonprofit Organizations to Construct and Manage Public Schools Bill Passed - House (54 - 17)

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