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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec. 13, 2012 | MI | SB 865 | Authorizes Local Officials to Solve Fiscal Crisis | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| Dec. 12, 2012 | MI | SB 865 | Authorizes Local Officials to Solve Fiscal Crisis | Bill Passed - House (64 - 45) |
| Oct. 16, 2012 | PA | SB 1115 | Amends Charter School Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 16) |
| Aug. 15, 2012 | MI | SB 1040 | Amends Teacher Pension Plans | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (57 - 48) |
| Aug. 15, 2012 | MI | SB 1040 | Amends Teacher Pension Plans | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| July 18, 2012 | MI | SB 1040 | Amends Teacher Pension Plans | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (16 - 22) |
| June 30, 2012 | PA | SB 1115 | Amends Charter School Laws | Bill Passed - House (120 - 77) |
| June 28, 2012 | PA | HB 1307 | Authorizes State Control of Financially Distressed Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (106 - 95) |
| June 26, 2012 | SC | H 4497 | Authorizes Information On and Access to the HPV Vaccine | Veto Override Failed - House (54 - 47) |
| June 21, 2012 | NY | S 7722A | Authorizes Special Education Tuition Reimbursement | Bill Passed - House (93 - 50) |
| June 21, 2012 | NY | S 7722A | Authorizes Special Education Tuition Reimbursement | Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 13) |
| June 19, 2012 | PA | HB 1307 | Authorizes State Control of Financially Distressed Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 21) |
| June 19, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2156 | Increases Funding for the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program | Amendment Rejected - Senate (33 - 66) |
| June 14, 2012 | MI | SB 1040 | Amends Teacher Pension Plans | Bill Passed - House (57 - 47) |
| June 13, 2012 | OH | SB 316 | Amends Education Provisions | Bill Passed - House (56 - 35) |
| June 6, 2012 | MI | SB 620 | Authorizes the Conversion of Certain Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
| June 5, 2012 | MI | HB 5372 | School Aid Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 17) |
| June 4, 2012 | LA | SCR 99 | Funding for Public and Private Schools | Conference Report Adopted - House (51 - 49) |
| June 4, 2012 | NC | SB 795 | Amends Teacher Tenure System | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 17) |
| June 3, 2012 | LA | SCR 99 | Funding for Public and Private Schools | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (24 - 15) |
| June 1, 2012 | MI | HB 5372 | School Aid Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (58 - 51) |
| May 31, 2012 | MI | HB 4513 | Increases Minimum Age for Beginning Kindergarten | Bill Passed - House (64 - 45) |
| May 29, 2012 | IL | HB 5290 | Requires Schools to Establish Bullying Policies | Bill Failed - Senate (29 - 21) |
| May 22, 2012 | LA | HB 292 | School Board Member Term Limits | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 16) |
| May 17, 2012 | MI | SB 1040 | Amends Teacher Pension Plans | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
| May 16, 2012 | AL | HB 658 | Amends Immigration Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (67 - 37) |
| May 16, 2012 | AL | HB 658 | Amends Immigration Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 7) |
| May 15, 2012 | MO | SB 576 | Authorizes the Expansion of Charter Schools | Bill Passed - House (99 - 54) |
| May 10, 2012 | AL | HB 360 | Requires Schools to Have a Longer Summer Vacation | Veto Override Passed - Senate (23 - 8) |
| May 8, 2012 | AL | HB 360 | Requires Schools to Have a Longer Summer Vacation | Veto Override Passed - House (71 - 21) |
| May 8, 2012 | IA | SF 2284 | Education Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - House (87 - 9) |
| May 8, 2012 | IA | SF 2284 | Education Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 15) |
| May 3, 2012 | KS | King Amendment | Amends the State Retirement System for New Public Employees | Amendment Rejected - Senate (20 - 20) |
| May 3, 2012 | MO | HB 1526 | Amends Teacher Dismissal Policies | Bill Passed - House (83 - 76) |
| May 2, 2012 | MI | SB 619 | Cyber Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| May 2, 2012 | AL | SB 513 | Authorizes Charter Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| May 1, 2012 | AL | HB 360 | Requires Schools to Have a Longer Summer Vacation | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (58 - 36) |
| May 1, 2012 | MI | SB 619 | Cyber Schools | Bill Passed - House (57 - 52) |
| May 1, 2012 | AL | HB 360 | Requires Schools to Have a Longer Summer Vacation | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| April 27, 2012 | TN | SB 3310 | Requires Abstinence-Centered Sex Education in Schools | Bill Passed - House (68 - 23) |
| April 26, 2012 | TN | HB 2566 | Increases Kindergarten Age Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10) |
| April 25, 2012 | TN | HB 2566 | Increases Kindergarten Age Requirements | Bill Passed - House (68 - 30) |
| April 19, 2012 | AL | HB 658 | Amends Immigration Regulations | Bill Passed - House (64 - 34) |
| April 16, 2012 | TN | SB 3345 | Limits the Number of Foreign Nationals that May Work in a Charter School | Bill Passed - House (63 - 29) |
| April 12, 2012 | TN | SB 3345 | Limits the Number of Foreign Nationals that May Work in a Charter School | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 13) |
| April 11, 2012 | WA | SB 5940 | Amends Public School Employees Retirement Benefits | Bill Passed - House (53 - 45) |
| April 11, 2012 | WA | SB 5940 | Amends Public School Employees Retirement Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 20) |
| April 10, 2012 | HI | SB 2115 | Amends Charter School System | Bill Passed - House (40 - 11) |
| April 10, 2012 | MS | HB 707 | Requires Schools to Have a Longer Summer Vacation | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21) |
| April 10, 2012 | CO | SB 68 | Prohibits Food with Trans Fat in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12/13 | SB 865 | Authorizes Local Officials to Solve Fiscal Crisis | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| 12/12 | SB 865 | Authorizes Local Officials to Solve Fiscal Crisis | Bill Passed - House (64 - 45) |
| 10/16 | SB 1115 | Amends Charter School Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 16) |
| 8/15 | SB 1040 | Amends Teacher Pension Plans | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (57 - 48) |
| 8/15 | SB 1040 | Amends Teacher Pension Plans | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| 7/18 | SB 1040 | Amends Teacher Pension Plans | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (16 - 22) |
| 6/30 | SB 1115 | Amends Charter School Laws | Bill Passed - House (120 - 77) |
| 6/28 | HB 1307 | Authorizes State Control of Financially Distressed Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (106 - 95) |
| 6/26 | H 4497 | Authorizes Information On and Access to the HPV Vaccine | Veto Override Failed - House (54 - 47) |
| 6/21 | S 7722A | Authorizes Special Education Tuition Reimbursement | Bill Passed - House (93 - 50) |
| 6/21 | S 7722A | Authorizes Special Education Tuition Reimbursement | Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 13) |
| 6/19 | HB 1307 | Authorizes State Control of Financially Distressed Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 21) |
| 6/19 | S Amdt 2156 | Increases Funding for the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program | Amendment Rejected - Senate (33 - 66) |
| 6/14 | SB 1040 | Amends Teacher Pension Plans | Bill Passed - House (57 - 47) |
| 6/13 | SB 316 | Amends Education Provisions | Bill Passed - House (56 - 35) |
| 6/06 | SB 620 | Authorizes the Conversion of Certain Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
| 6/05 | HB 5372 | School Aid Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 17) |
| 6/04 | SCR 99 | Funding for Public and Private Schools | Conference Report Adopted - House (51 - 49) |
| 6/04 | SB 795 | Amends Teacher Tenure System | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 17) |
| 6/03 | SCR 99 | Funding for Public and Private Schools | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (24 - 15) |
| 6/01 | HB 5372 | School Aid Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (58 - 51) |
| 5/31 | HB 4513 | Increases Minimum Age for Beginning Kindergarten | Bill Passed - House (64 - 45) |
| 5/29 | HB 5290 | Requires Schools to Establish Bullying Policies | Bill Failed - Senate (29 - 21) |
| 5/22 | HB 292 | School Board Member Term Limits | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 16) |
| 5/17 | SB 1040 | Amends Teacher Pension Plans | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
| 5/16 | HB 658 | Amends Immigration Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (67 - 37) |
| 5/16 | HB 658 | Amends Immigration Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 7) |
| 5/15 | SB 576 | Authorizes the Expansion of Charter Schools | Bill Passed - House (99 - 54) |
| 5/10 | HB 360 | Requires Schools to Have a Longer Summer Vacation | Veto Override Passed - Senate (23 - 8) |
| 5/08 | HB 360 | Requires Schools to Have a Longer Summer Vacation | Veto Override Passed - House (71 - 21) |
| 5/08 | SF 2284 | Education Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - House (87 - 9) |
| 5/08 | SF 2284 | Education Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 15) |
| 5/03 | King Amendment | Amends the State Retirement System for New Public Employees | Amendment Rejected - Senate (20 - 20) |
| 5/03 | HB 1526 | Amends Teacher Dismissal Policies | Bill Passed - House (83 - 76) |
| 5/02 | SB 619 | Cyber Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| 5/02 | SB 513 | Authorizes Charter Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 5/01 | HB 360 | Requires Schools to Have a Longer Summer Vacation | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (58 - 36) |
| 5/01 | SB 619 | Cyber Schools | Bill Passed - House (57 - 52) |
| 5/01 | HB 360 | Requires Schools to Have a Longer Summer Vacation | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| 4/27 | SB 3310 | Requires Abstinence-Centered Sex Education in Schools | Bill Passed - House (68 - 23) |
| 4/26 | HB 2566 | Increases Kindergarten Age Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10) |
| 4/25 | HB 2566 | Increases Kindergarten Age Requirements | Bill Passed - House (68 - 30) |
| 4/19 | HB 658 | Amends Immigration Regulations | Bill Passed - House (64 - 34) |
| 4/16 | SB 3345 | Limits the Number of Foreign Nationals that May Work in a Charter School | Bill Passed - House (63 - 29) |
| 4/12 | SB 3345 | Limits the Number of Foreign Nationals that May Work in a Charter School | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 13) |
| 4/11 | SB 5940 | Amends Public School Employees Retirement Benefits | Bill Passed - House (53 - 45) |
| 4/11 | SB 5940 | Amends Public School Employees Retirement Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 20) |
| 4/10 | SB 2115 | Amends Charter School System | Bill Passed - House (40 - 11) |
| 4/10 | HB 707 | Requires Schools to Have a Longer Summer Vacation | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21) |
| 4/10 | SB 68 | Prohibits Food with Trans Fat in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |