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
May 7, 2018 CO SB 18-272 Establishes School Grants for Suicide-Prevention Training Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8)
May 2, 2018 IL SB 3249 Requires LGBT History in Public Schools Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18)
May 2, 2018 RI S 2350 Prohibits Advertising Unhealthy Food in Schools Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 1)
April 25, 2018 RI S 2353 Requires Educators to Report Sexual Abuse Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 0)
April 19, 2018 IL SB 2546 Authorizes Graduate Research Assistant Unions Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 19)
April 19, 2018 AZ HB 2563 Establishes Free Speech Policy for College Campuses Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 13)
April 18, 2018 CT SB 4 Authorizes Financial Aid for Undocumented Students Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5)
April 17, 2018 CO SB 18-083 Establishes Educational Tax Credit System Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
April 14, 2018 AK HB 287 Appropriates Funds for Education Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 4)
April 11, 2018 OH SB 82 Requires Schools to Contact Parents for Unexcused Absences Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 0)
April 5, 2018 KS SB 423 Appropriates Funds for Department of Education and Board of Regents Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18)
April 5, 2018 KS SB 423 Appropriates Funds for Department of Education and Board of Regents Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18)
April 4, 2018 TN SB 2260 Reorganizes University of Tennessee Board of Trustees Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 7)
April 3, 2018 IA HF 2467 Establishes Guidelines for Handling Students' Lunch Debt Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 0)
March 29, 2018 DE SB 85 Requires Report on School Suspensions Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5)
March 28, 2018 OK HB 1010 Increases Taxes to Provide More Funding for Education Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 10)
March 27, 2018 MD HB 420 Authorizes Certain In-State Students to Receive Financial Aid Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 16)
March 26, 2018 NJ S 699 Authorizes Financial Aid for Undocumented Students Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10)
March 25, 2018 MS HB 1593 Appropriates Funds for Educational Television Conference Report Adopted - Senate (36 - 16)
March 22, 2018 MI SB 727 Amends Certain Education Teaching Requirements Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 10)
March 22, 2018 MI SB 727 Amends Certain Education Teaching Requirements Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 10)
March 21, 2018 IA SF 2117 Amends Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2018 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 21)
March 21, 2018 IA SF 2117 Amends Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2018 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 21)
March 16, 2018 ID H 665 Increases Penalties for Threats Against Schools Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 1)
March 15, 2018 AR HB 1008 Expands Tuition Savings Plan Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 5)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/07 SB 18-272 Establishes School Grants for Suicide-Prevention Training Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8)
5/02 SB 3249 Requires LGBT History in Public Schools Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18)
5/02 S 2350 Prohibits Advertising Unhealthy Food in Schools Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 1)
4/25 S 2353 Requires Educators to Report Sexual Abuse Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 0)
4/19 SB 2546 Authorizes Graduate Research Assistant Unions Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 19)
4/19 HB 2563 Establishes Free Speech Policy for College Campuses Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 13)
4/18 SB 4 Authorizes Financial Aid for Undocumented Students Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5)
4/17 SB 18-083 Establishes Educational Tax Credit System Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
4/14 HB 287 Appropriates Funds for Education Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 4)
4/11 SB 82 Requires Schools to Contact Parents for Unexcused Absences Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 0)
4/05 SB 423 Appropriates Funds for Department of Education and Board of Regents Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18)
4/05 SB 423 Appropriates Funds for Department of Education and Board of Regents Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18)
4/04 SB 2260 Reorganizes University of Tennessee Board of Trustees Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 7)
4/03 HF 2467 Establishes Guidelines for Handling Students' Lunch Debt Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 0)
3/29 SB 85 Requires Report on School Suspensions Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5)
3/28 HB 1010 Increases Taxes to Provide More Funding for Education Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 10)
3/27 HB 420 Authorizes Certain In-State Students to Receive Financial Aid Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 16)
3/26 S 699 Authorizes Financial Aid for Undocumented Students Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10)
3/25 HB 1593 Appropriates Funds for Educational Television Conference Report Adopted - Senate (36 - 16)
3/22 SB 727 Amends Certain Education Teaching Requirements Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 10)
3/22 SB 727 Amends Certain Education Teaching Requirements Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 10)
3/21 SF 2117 Amends Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2018 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 21)
3/21 SF 2117 Amends Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2018 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 21)
3/16 H 665 Increases Penalties for Threats Against Schools Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 1)
3/15 HB 1008 Expands Tuition Savings Plan Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 5)

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