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
Oct. 21, 2015 National HR 10 Scholarships for Opportunity and Results (SOAR) Reauthorization Act Bill Passed - House (240 - 191)
Sept. 30, 2015 OH HB 2 Amends Charter School Regulations Concurrence Vote Failed - House (34 - 58)
Sept. 11, 2015 CA AB 329 Requires Age Appropriate Comprehensive Sex Education Bill Passed - House (51 - 26)
Sept. 10, 2015 CA AB 329 Requires Age Appropriate Comprehensive Sex Education Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 14)
Sept. 1, 2015 CA SB 707 Prohibits Concealed Firearms on School Grounds Bill Passed - House (54 - 24)
July 9, 2015 WA HB 2266 Establishes a Delay on Class Size Restrictions Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 11)
July 8, 2015 WI SB 21 2015-2017 Biennium Budget Bill Passed - House (52 - 46)
July 8, 2015 National HR 5 Student Success Act Bill Passed - House (218 - 213)
July 7, 2015 WI SB 21 2015-2017 Biennium Budget Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15)
July 2, 2015 OR SB 895 Requires Schools to Report Immunization Rates Bill Passed - House (39 - 21)
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 23, 2015 PA HB 805 Requires Schools to Use Teacher Performance Evaluations Bill Passed - House (100 - 91)
June 17, 2015 DE HB 50 Authorizes Parents to Opt Children Out of Standardized Tests Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 7)
June 15, 2015 OR HB 2655 Authorizes Parents to Excuse Children from Statewide Assessments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (32 - 28)
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 2, 2015 MI HB 4041 Amends Requirements to Receive Certain Assistance Funds Concurrence Vote Passed - House (74 - 34)
June 1, 2015 CA SB 707 Prohibits Concealed Firearms on School Grounds Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
June 1, 2015 CA SB 172 Repeals Requirement for High School Seniors to Pass Exit Exam Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 14)
May 29, 2015 NV SB 302 Establishes Education Savings Account Bill Passed - House (25 - 17)
May 29, 2015 IL HB 4151 2015-2016 Education Budget Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 24)
May 28, 2015 AL SB 71 Increases Cumulative Cap on Tax Credits Available for Scholarship Donations Bill Passed - House (68 - 26)
May 27, 2015 IL HB 4151 2015-2016 Education Budget Bill Passed - House (66 - 47)
May 26, 2015 MI HB 4041 Amends Requirements to Receive Certain Assistance Funds Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
May 22, 2015 NV AB 448 Authorizes Conversion of a Public School to a Charter School Bill Passed - House (25 - 17)
May 21, 2015 OR SB 553 Limits School Disciplinary Policies Bill Passed - House (40 - 19)
May 20, 2015 IL SB 100 Establishes Educational Disciplinary Guidelines Bill Passed - House (73 - 41)
May 17, 2015 MN HF 844 Prohibits Students from Using Facilities Designated for the Opposite Sex Conference Report Adopted - House (71 - 59)
May 13, 2015 MI SB 139 Limits Fund-Raising Activities Bill Passed - House (66 - 43)
May 7, 2015 AL HB 236 Authorizes Home-Schooled Students to Participate in Public School Sports Bill Passed - House (52 - 43)
May 4, 2015 CO SB 14 Authorizes Caregivers to Administer Medical Marijuana Treatments to Certain Students on School Property Bill Passed - House (51 - 13)
May 1, 2015 CO SB 213 Limits Immunity for Public Schools in Incidents of School Violence Bill Passed - House (43 - 21)
April 29, 2015 IN HB 1001 2015-2017 Biennium Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (69 - 30)
April 29, 2015 IN HB 1001 2015-2017 Biennium Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (40 - 9)
April 29, 2015 MI HB 4115 2015-2016 Education Budget Bill Passed - House (60 - 50)
April 25, 2015 MN HF 844 2015-2017 Biennium Education Budget Bill Passed - House (69 - 61)
April 23, 2015 IL SB 100 Establishes Educational Disciplinary Guidelines Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 16)
April 21, 2015 MT SB 107 Authorizes New High School Districts Bill Failed - House (48 - 52)
April 21, 2015 NV AB 375 Prohibits Students from Using Facilities Designated for the Opposite Sex Bill Failed - House (20 - 22)
April 20, 2015 MT SB 410 Authorizes Tax Credits for Donations to Certain Educational Programs and Student Scholarship Organizations Bill Passed - House (59 - 41)
April 16, 2015 OK SB 782 Authorizes Charter Schools in All Districts Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 7)
April 16, 2015 ND SB 2151 Appropriates Funds for Early Childhood Education Grants Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 14)
April 15, 2015 ND SB 2151 Appropriates Funds for Early Childhood Education Grants Bill Passed - House (50 - 41)
April 15, 2015 NH SB 101 Prohibits the Requirement of Common Core Standards Bill Passed - House (202 - 138)
April 15, 2015 NV AB 121 Prohibits Disciplining Students for Simulating Firearms Bill Passed - House (24 - 17)
April 15, 2015 CO HB 1165 Requires Approval to Use Native American School Mascots Bill Passed - House (33 - 32)
April 13, 2015 MD HB 70 2015-2016 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (33 - 13)
April 13, 2015 MD HB 70 2015-2016 Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (90 - 49)
April 13, 2015 MT HB 284 Prohibits Bullying in Public Schools Concurrence Vote Passed - House (58 - 42)
Date No. Title Outcome
10/21 HR 10 Scholarships for Opportunity and Results (SOAR) Reauthorization Act Bill Passed - House (240 - 191)
9/30 HB 2 Amends Charter School Regulations Concurrence Vote Failed - House (34 - 58)
9/11 AB 329 Requires Age Appropriate Comprehensive Sex Education Bill Passed - House (51 - 26)
9/10 AB 329 Requires Age Appropriate Comprehensive Sex Education Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 14)
9/01 SB 707 Prohibits Concealed Firearms on School Grounds Bill Passed - House (54 - 24)
7/09 HB 2266 Establishes a Delay on Class Size Restrictions Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 11)
7/08 SB 21 2015-2017 Biennium Budget Bill Passed - House (52 - 46)
7/08 HR 5 Student Success Act Bill Passed - House (218 - 213)
7/07 SB 21 2015-2017 Biennium Budget Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15)
7/02 SB 895 Requires Schools to Report Immunization Rates Bill Passed - House (39 - 21)
6/30 HB 2266 Establishes a Delay on Class Size Restrictions Bill Failed - Senate (27 - 17)
6/30 SB 895 Requires Schools to Report Immunization Rates Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10)
6/23 HB 805 Requires Schools to Use Teacher Performance Evaluations Bill Passed - House (100 - 91)
6/17 HB 50 Authorizes Parents to Opt Children Out of Standardized Tests Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 7)
6/15 HB 2655 Authorizes Parents to Excuse Children from Statewide Assessments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (32 - 28)
6/09 SB 70 Authorizes Certain Officers to Carry Firearms in Schools Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11)
6/03 SB 71 Increases Cumulative Cap on Tax Credits Available for Scholarship Donations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 14)
6/02 HB 4041 Amends Requirements to Receive Certain Assistance Funds Concurrence Vote Passed - House (74 - 34)
6/01 SB 707 Prohibits Concealed Firearms on School Grounds Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
6/01 SB 172 Repeals Requirement for High School Seniors to Pass Exit Exam Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 14)
5/29 SB 302 Establishes Education Savings Account Bill Passed - House (25 - 17)
5/29 HB 4151 2015-2016 Education Budget Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 24)
5/28 SB 71 Increases Cumulative Cap on Tax Credits Available for Scholarship Donations Bill Passed - House (68 - 26)
5/27 HB 4151 2015-2016 Education Budget Bill Passed - House (66 - 47)
5/26 HB 4041 Amends Requirements to Receive Certain Assistance Funds Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
5/22 AB 448 Authorizes Conversion of a Public School to a Charter School Bill Passed - House (25 - 17)
5/21 SB 553 Limits School Disciplinary Policies Bill Passed - House (40 - 19)
5/20 SB 100 Establishes Educational Disciplinary Guidelines Bill Passed - House (73 - 41)
5/17 HF 844 Prohibits Students from Using Facilities Designated for the Opposite Sex Conference Report Adopted - House (71 - 59)
5/13 SB 139 Limits Fund-Raising Activities Bill Passed - House (66 - 43)
5/07 HB 236 Authorizes Home-Schooled Students to Participate in Public School Sports Bill Passed - House (52 - 43)
5/04 SB 14 Authorizes Caregivers to Administer Medical Marijuana Treatments to Certain Students on School Property Bill Passed - House (51 - 13)
5/01 SB 213 Limits Immunity for Public Schools in Incidents of School Violence Bill Passed - House (43 - 21)
4/29 HB 1001 2015-2017 Biennium Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (69 - 30)
4/29 HB 1001 2015-2017 Biennium Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (40 - 9)
4/29 HB 4115 2015-2016 Education Budget Bill Passed - House (60 - 50)
4/25 HF 844 2015-2017 Biennium Education Budget Bill Passed - House (69 - 61)
4/23 SB 100 Establishes Educational Disciplinary Guidelines Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 16)
4/21 SB 107 Authorizes New High School Districts Bill Failed - House (48 - 52)
4/21 AB 375 Prohibits Students from Using Facilities Designated for the Opposite Sex Bill Failed - House (20 - 22)
4/20 SB 410 Authorizes Tax Credits for Donations to Certain Educational Programs and Student Scholarship Organizations Bill Passed - House (59 - 41)
4/16 SB 782 Authorizes Charter Schools in All Districts Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 7)
4/16 SB 2151 Appropriates Funds for Early Childhood Education Grants Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 14)
4/15 SB 2151 Appropriates Funds for Early Childhood Education Grants Bill Passed - House (50 - 41)
4/15 SB 101 Prohibits the Requirement of Common Core Standards Bill Passed - House (202 - 138)
4/15 AB 121 Prohibits Disciplining Students for Simulating Firearms Bill Passed - House (24 - 17)
4/15 HB 1165 Requires Approval to Use Native American School Mascots Bill Passed - House (33 - 32)
4/13 HB 70 2015-2016 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (33 - 13)
4/13 HB 70 2015-2016 Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (90 - 49)
4/13 HB 284 Prohibits Bullying in Public Schools Concurrence Vote Passed - House (58 - 42)

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