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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sept. 10, 2015 | CA | AB 329 | Requires Age Appropriate Comprehensive Sex Education | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 14) |
| July 9, 2015 | WA | HB 2266 | Establishes a Delay on Class Size Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 11) |
| July 7, 2015 | WI | SB 21 | 2015-2017 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| July 7, 2015 | WI | SB 21 | 2015-2017 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| July 3, 2015 | OR | SB 932 | Authorizes Financial Aid for Undocumented Students | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (17 - 12) |
| June 30, 2015 | WA | HB 2266 | Establishes a Delay on Class Size Restrictions | Bill Failed - Senate (27 - 17) |
| June 30, 2015 | OR | SB 895 | Requires Schools to Report Immunization Rates | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10) |
| June 25, 2015 | OR | SB 932 | Authorizes Financial Aid for Undocumented Students | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11) |
| June 17, 2015 | DE | HB 50 | Authorizes Parents to Opt Children Out of Standardized Tests | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 7) |
| June 9, 2015 | WI | SB 70 | Authorizes Certain Officers to Carry Firearms in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11) |
| June 3, 2015 | AL | SB 71 | Increases Cumulative Cap on Tax Credits Available for Scholarship Donations | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 14) |
| June 1, 2015 | CA | SB 172 | Repeals Requirement for High School Seniors to Pass Exit Exam | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 14) |
| June 1, 2015 | CA | SB 707 | Prohibits Concealed Firearms on School Grounds | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| June 1, 2015 | CA | SB 707 | Prohibits Concealed Firearms on School Grounds | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| May 29, 2015 | CT | HB 6844 | Amends Eligibility Requirements for In-State Tuition | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 13) |
| May 29, 2015 | IL | HB 4151 | 2015-2016 Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 24) |
| May 26, 2015 | MI | HB 4041 | Amends Requirements to Receive Certain Assistance Funds | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
| April 29, 2015 | IN | HB 1001 | 2015-2017 Biennium Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (40 - 9) |
| April 29, 2015 | LA | SB 48 | Amends the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
| April 23, 2015 | IL | SB 100 | Establishes Educational Disciplinary Guidelines | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 16) |
| April 16, 2015 | ND | SB 2151 | Appropriates Funds for Early Childhood Education Grants | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 14) |
| April 16, 2015 | OK | SB 782 | Authorizes Charter Schools in All Districts | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 7) |
| April 16, 2015 | TN | SB 612 | Authorizes Certain Students to be Charged In-State Tuition | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| April 13, 2015 | MD | HB 70 | 2015-2016 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (33 - 13) |
| April 13, 2015 | MD | SB 183 | Amends Funding for the Geographic Cost of Education Index | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 15) |