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.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
June 18, 2013 ME LD 1540 Amends Public School Assessment System Bill Passed - House (80 - 55)
June 18, 2013 ME LD 1540 Amends Public School Assessment System "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 14)
June 10, 2013 AZ HB 2399 Authorizes School Boards to Increase Property Taxes to Pay for Bonds Bill Passed - House (31 - 26)
June 6, 2013 National S 953 Student Loan Affordability Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 46)
June 6, 2013 National S 1003 Comprehensive Student Loan Protection Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (40 - 57)
May 29, 2013 MI HB 4228 2013-2014 Education Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 12)
May 29, 2013 MI HB 4228 2013-2014 Education Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 12)
May 29, 2013 CA AB 375 Amends Teacher Dismissal Requirements Bill Passed - House (64 - 11)
May 28, 2013 ME LD 468 Prohibits Smoking on College Campuses Veto Override Failed - House (85 - 54)
May 28, 2013 MI HB 4228 2013-2014 Education Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (65 - 43)
May 28, 2013 MI HB 4228 2013-2014 Education Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (65 - 43)
May 23, 2013 National HR 1911 Smarter Solutions for Students Act Bill Passed - House (221 - 198)
May 22, 2013 IL HB 2675 Expands Sex Education Curriculum Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 21)
May 22, 2013 TX HB 1009 Establishes "School Marshal" as a New Category of Law Enforcement for Schools Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 4)
May 19, 2013 MN HF 630 2013-2015 Biennium K-12 Education Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 26)
May 18, 2013 MN HF 630 2013-2015 Biennium K-12 Education Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (78 - 56)
May 17, 2013 MN SF 1236 Increases Funds for Higher Education Conference Report Adopted - House (76 - 56)
May 17, 2013 MN SF 1236 Increases Funds for Higher Education Conference Report Adopted - Senate (44 - 22)
May 16, 2013 CA SB 552 Authorizes a Violence Awareness Component of School Curriculum Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 7)
May 14, 2013 MO SB 125 Amends State Intervention Process For Unaccredited Schools Bill Passed - House (107 - 49)
May 9, 2013 AL HB 658 Amends The School "Accountability Act" Concurrence Vote Passed - House (61 - 41)
May 9, 2013 AL HB 658 Amends The School "Accountability Act" Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
May 9, 2013 TX SB 376 Establishes a Free Breakfast Program for Students Bill Passed - House (73 - 58)
May 9, 2013 CA AB 1266 Amends Sex-Segregated School Programs and Activities Bill Passed - House (46 - 25)
May 7, 2013 NC SB 337 Establishes an Independent Charter School Board Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17)
Date No. Title Outcome
6/18 LD 1540 Amends Public School Assessment System Bill Passed - House (80 - 55)
6/18 LD 1540 Amends Public School Assessment System "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 14)
6/10 HB 2399 Authorizes School Boards to Increase Property Taxes to Pay for Bonds Bill Passed - House (31 - 26)
6/06 S 953 Student Loan Affordability Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 46)
6/06 S 1003 Comprehensive Student Loan Protection Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (40 - 57)
5/29 HB 4228 2013-2014 Education Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 12)
5/29 HB 4228 2013-2014 Education Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 12)
5/29 AB 375 Amends Teacher Dismissal Requirements Bill Passed - House (64 - 11)
5/28 LD 468 Prohibits Smoking on College Campuses Veto Override Failed - House (85 - 54)
5/28 HB 4228 2013-2014 Education Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (65 - 43)
5/28 HB 4228 2013-2014 Education Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (65 - 43)
5/23 HR 1911 Smarter Solutions for Students Act Bill Passed - House (221 - 198)
5/22 HB 2675 Expands Sex Education Curriculum Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 21)
5/22 HB 1009 Establishes "School Marshal" as a New Category of Law Enforcement for Schools Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 4)
5/19 HF 630 2013-2015 Biennium K-12 Education Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 26)
5/18 HF 630 2013-2015 Biennium K-12 Education Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (78 - 56)
5/17 SF 1236 Increases Funds for Higher Education Conference Report Adopted - House (76 - 56)
5/17 SF 1236 Increases Funds for Higher Education Conference Report Adopted - Senate (44 - 22)
5/16 SB 552 Authorizes a Violence Awareness Component of School Curriculum Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 7)
5/14 SB 125 Amends State Intervention Process For Unaccredited Schools Bill Passed - House (107 - 49)
5/09 HB 658 Amends The School "Accountability Act" Concurrence Vote Passed - House (61 - 41)
5/09 HB 658 Amends The School "Accountability Act" Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
5/09 SB 376 Establishes a Free Breakfast Program for Students Bill Passed - House (73 - 58)
5/09 AB 1266 Amends Sex-Segregated School Programs and Activities Bill Passed - House (46 - 25)
5/07 SB 337 Establishes an Independent Charter School Board Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17)

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