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
April 4, 2013 FL HB 867 Authorizes Parent Involvement in School Turnaround Decisions Bill Passed - House (68 - 51)
April 4, 2013 AK HB 162 Amends Teacher Tenure Policy Bill Passed - House (28 - 10)
April 3, 2013 MS SB 2659 Establishes a Grant for School Resource Officers in Schools Conference Report Adopted - House (80 - 36)
April 3, 2013 ID H 221 Amends Public Charter School Laws Concurrence Vote Passed - House (45 - 22)
April 3, 2013 CT SB 1160 Establishes Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Bill Passed - House (105 - 44)
April 3, 2013 CT SB 1160 Establishes Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 10)
April 3, 2013 AR HB 1938 Prohibits the Closure of Schools Based on Student Enrollment for 2 Years Bill Failed - House (46 - 26)
April 2, 2013 MS SB 2199 Requires Appointed Superintendents Conference Report Rejected - House (52 - 66)
April 1, 2013 IA SF 429 2013-14 Community Colleges Budget Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19)
April 1, 2013 NV SJR 15 Removes the Separate Tax Rate on Mining Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 4)
March 28, 2013 ID H 221 Amends Public Charter School Laws Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7)
March 26, 2013 KS SB 199 Establishes the Midwest Stem Cell Therapy Center Bill Passed - House (90 - 32)
March 26, 2013 IA SF 423 Amends Education Provisions Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23)
March 22, 2013 MD HB 860 Authorizes Construction and Renovation of Public Schools Bill Passed - House (107 - 30)
March 21, 2013 OR HB 2787 Authorizes In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11)
March 21, 2013 MI HB 4369 Expands the Education Achievement Authority Bill Passed - House (57 - 53)
March 18, 2013 CO HB 1081 Expands Sexual Education Curriculum Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
March 18, 2013 TN HB 534 Authorizes University Student Organizations to Limit Membership Based on Religion Bill Passed - House (75 - 21)
March 14, 2013 OK HB 1940 Authorizes Students to Express Religious Viewpoints in Schools Bill Passed - House (79 - 13)
March 14, 2013 TN SB 514 Prohibits Universities from Disciplining Students Who Refuse to Treat Someone Based on Religious Beliefs Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 4)
March 13, 2013 WA HB 1817 Authorizes Undocumented Students to Apply for State Financial Aid Bill Passed - House (77 - 20)
March 13, 2013 WA HB 1817 Authorizes Undocumented Students to Apply for State Financial Aid Bill Passed - House (77 - 20)
March 12, 2013 OK HB 1062 Authorizes School Employees to Carry Handguns on School Property Bill Passed - House (68 - 23)
March 8, 2013 WA HB 1283 Amends School Age Requirements Bill Passed - House (74 - 23)
March 8, 2013 CO SB 33 Authorizes In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (40 - 21)
Date No. Title Outcome
4/04 HB 867 Authorizes Parent Involvement in School Turnaround Decisions Bill Passed - House (68 - 51)
4/04 HB 162 Amends Teacher Tenure Policy Bill Passed - House (28 - 10)
4/03 SB 2659 Establishes a Grant for School Resource Officers in Schools Conference Report Adopted - House (80 - 36)
4/03 H 221 Amends Public Charter School Laws Concurrence Vote Passed - House (45 - 22)
4/03 SB 1160 Establishes Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Bill Passed - House (105 - 44)
4/03 SB 1160 Establishes Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 10)
4/03 HB 1938 Prohibits the Closure of Schools Based on Student Enrollment for 2 Years Bill Failed - House (46 - 26)
4/02 SB 2199 Requires Appointed Superintendents Conference Report Rejected - House (52 - 66)
4/01 SF 429 2013-14 Community Colleges Budget Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19)
4/01 SJR 15 Removes the Separate Tax Rate on Mining Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 4)
3/28 H 221 Amends Public Charter School Laws Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7)
3/26 SB 199 Establishes the Midwest Stem Cell Therapy Center Bill Passed - House (90 - 32)
3/26 SF 423 Amends Education Provisions Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23)
3/22 HB 860 Authorizes Construction and Renovation of Public Schools Bill Passed - House (107 - 30)
3/21 HB 2787 Authorizes In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11)
3/21 HB 4369 Expands the Education Achievement Authority Bill Passed - House (57 - 53)
3/18 HB 1081 Expands Sexual Education Curriculum Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
3/18 HB 534 Authorizes University Student Organizations to Limit Membership Based on Religion Bill Passed - House (75 - 21)
3/14 HB 1940 Authorizes Students to Express Religious Viewpoints in Schools Bill Passed - House (79 - 13)
3/14 SB 514 Prohibits Universities from Disciplining Students Who Refuse to Treat Someone Based on Religious Beliefs Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 4)
3/13 HB 1817 Authorizes Undocumented Students to Apply for State Financial Aid Bill Passed - House (77 - 20)
3/13 HB 1817 Authorizes Undocumented Students to Apply for State Financial Aid Bill Passed - House (77 - 20)
3/12 HB 1062 Authorizes School Employees to Carry Handguns on School Property Bill Passed - House (68 - 23)
3/08 HB 1283 Amends School Age Requirements Bill Passed - House (74 - 23)
3/08 SB 33 Authorizes In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (40 - 21)

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