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 11, 2019 PA HB 800 Increases Amount of Tax Credits Available for Students to Attend the School of Their Choice Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21)
June 11, 2019 PA SB 621 Authorizes Schools to Arm Security Guards Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17)
June 5, 2019 NH SB 263 Prohibits Discrimination in Public Schools "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - House (211 - 141)
June 5, 2019 NH SB 263 Prohibits Discrimination in Public Schools "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - House (211 - 141)
June 4, 2019 ME LD 665 Prohibits Restrictions of Free Speech on College Campuses Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14)
June 4, 2019 OR SB 731 Authorizes College and University Student Governments to Take Positions on Initiatives and Ballot Measures Bill Passed - House (42 - 13)
June 3, 2019 ME LD 665 Prohibits Restrictions of Free Speech on College Campuses Bill Passed - House (87 - 51)
May 31, 2019 AL SB 397 Establishes a Constitutional Amendment to Create Governor-Appointed Board of Education Bill Passed - House (78 - 21)
May 31, 2019 AL HB 77 Expands Retirement Benefits for Public School Teachers Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 4)
May 30, 2019 IL HB 3606 Authorizes Parental Privacy Rights for Student Data Collection Concurrence Vote Passed - House (93 - 22)
May 30, 2019 ME LD 1050 Requires Education About African American History and the History of Genocide "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - House (87 - 54)
May 29, 2019 IL HB 254 Reduces Class Sizes Concurrence Vote Passed - House (86 - 32)
May 29, 2019 IL HB 2078 Increases Teacher Salary to $40,000 Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 13)
May 29, 2019 IL HB 2078 Increases Teacher Salary to $40,000 Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 13)
May 29, 2019 ME LD 307 Limits the Number of Charter Schools Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
May 28, 2019 OR SB 3 Authorizes Community Colleges to Offer Applied Baccalaureate Degree Programs Bill Passed - House (45 - 10)
May 28, 2019 ME LD 307 Limits the Number of Charter Schools Bill Passed - House (81 - 59)
May 28, 2019 CA AB 376 Establishes a Student Loan Bill of Rights Bill Passed - House (59 - 15)
May 28, 2019 CA AB 493 Specifies Biennial LGBTQ Teacher Training be Encouraged Bill Passed - House (61 - 0)
May 27, 2019 AZ HB 2749 Appropriates Funds for K-12 Education for Fiscal Year 2020-2021 Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12)
May 25, 2019 AZ HB 2749 Appropriates Funds for K-12 Education for Fiscal Year 2020-2021 Bill Passed - House (31 - 28)
May 23, 2019 IL HB 3606 Authorizes Parental Privacy Rights for Student Data Collection Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 17)
May 23, 2019 OR HB 2023 Requires Inclusive Education on Certain Classifications of Individuals Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 5)
May 23, 2019 ME LD 798 Prohibits Non-Medical Exemptions for Vaccinations Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16)
May 23, 2019 IL HB 2265 Requires Civics Education Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 14)
May 22, 2019 OR HB 2191 Expands Reasons for School Absences to Include Mental and Behavioral Health Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 6)
May 22, 2019 CA SB 206 Authorizes Compensation for College Athletes Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 5)
May 21, 2019 ME LD 513 Limits Enrollment at Virtual Public Charter Schools Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 15)
May 21, 2019 IL HB 253 Classifies University Graduate and Research Assistants as "Employees" Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 19)
May 20, 2019 MN SF 2415 Appropriates Funds for Higher Education Conference Report Adopted - House (84 - 49)
May 17, 2019 MO HB 604 Authorizes Funding to Under-performing Schools Bill Passed - House (116 - 25)
May 15, 2019 WI AB 76 Reduces Number of Hours Required for Nurse Aide Certification Bill Passed - House (66 - 31)
May 14, 2019 ME LD 513 Limits Enrollment at Virtual Public Charter Schools Bill Passed - House (87 - 53)
May 13, 2019 OR HB 3427 Increases Business Taxes to Enhance School Funding Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11)
May 8, 2019 NH SB 12 Establishes Student Debt Relief Program "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - House (201 - 134)
May 8, 2019 IL HB 2691 Authorizes Tuition Assistance to Transgender and Undocumented Immigrant Students Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 15)
May 8, 2019 TX HB 1387 Authorizes Law Enforcement Officers to Carry on School Property Bill Passed - House (97 - 46)
May 8, 2019 TX HB 1387 Authorizes Law Enforcement Officers to Carry on School Property Bill Passed - House (97 - 46)
May 7, 2019 ME LD 502 Establishes the "Summer Success" Pilot Program Fund "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - House (87 - 53)
May 7, 2019 PA HB 800 Increases Amount of Tax Credits Available for Students to Attend the School of Their Choice Bill Passed - House (111 - 85)
May 7, 2019 PA HB 800 Increases Amount of Tax Credits Available for Students to Attend the School of Their Choice Bill Passed - House (111 - 85)
May 6, 2019 OR HB 3063 Prohibits All Religious and Philosophical Vaccination Exemptions Bill Passed - House (35 - 25)
May 3, 2019 CO HB 19-1032 Amends Sex Education Standards Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
May 1, 2019 TN HB 939 Authorizes Education Savings Account Vouchers Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 14)
May 1, 2019 TN HB 939 Authorizes Education Savings Account Vouchers Conference Report Adopted - House (51 - 46)
May 1, 2019 MI HB 4206 Authorizes Four Built-In Snow Days for Public Schools Concurrence Vote Passed - House (56 - 53)
May 1, 2019 FL SB 7030 Authorizes Firearms on School Campuses Bill Passed - House (65 - 47)
May 1, 2019 MN HF 2400 Appropriates Funds for Education Finance Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 30)
May 1, 2019 OR HB 3427 Increases Business Taxes to Enhance School Funding Bill Passed - House (37 - 21)
May 1, 2019 OH HB 154 Repeals Use of Academic Distress Commissions Bill Passed - House (83 - 12)
Date No. Title Outcome
6/11 HB 800 Increases Amount of Tax Credits Available for Students to Attend the School of Their Choice Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21)
6/11 SB 621 Authorizes Schools to Arm Security Guards Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17)
6/05 SB 263 Prohibits Discrimination in Public Schools "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - House (211 - 141)
6/05 SB 263 Prohibits Discrimination in Public Schools "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - House (211 - 141)
6/04 LD 665 Prohibits Restrictions of Free Speech on College Campuses Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14)
6/04 SB 731 Authorizes College and University Student Governments to Take Positions on Initiatives and Ballot Measures Bill Passed - House (42 - 13)
6/03 LD 665 Prohibits Restrictions of Free Speech on College Campuses Bill Passed - House (87 - 51)
5/31 SB 397 Establishes a Constitutional Amendment to Create Governor-Appointed Board of Education Bill Passed - House (78 - 21)
5/31 HB 77 Expands Retirement Benefits for Public School Teachers Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 4)
5/30 HB 3606 Authorizes Parental Privacy Rights for Student Data Collection Concurrence Vote Passed - House (93 - 22)
5/30 LD 1050 Requires Education About African American History and the History of Genocide "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - House (87 - 54)
5/29 HB 254 Reduces Class Sizes Concurrence Vote Passed - House (86 - 32)
5/29 HB 2078 Increases Teacher Salary to $40,000 Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 13)
5/29 HB 2078 Increases Teacher Salary to $40,000 Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 13)
5/29 LD 307 Limits the Number of Charter Schools Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
5/28 SB 3 Authorizes Community Colleges to Offer Applied Baccalaureate Degree Programs Bill Passed - House (45 - 10)
5/28 LD 307 Limits the Number of Charter Schools Bill Passed - House (81 - 59)
5/28 AB 376 Establishes a Student Loan Bill of Rights Bill Passed - House (59 - 15)
5/28 AB 493 Specifies Biennial LGBTQ Teacher Training be Encouraged Bill Passed - House (61 - 0)
5/27 HB 2749 Appropriates Funds for K-12 Education for Fiscal Year 2020-2021 Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12)
5/25 HB 2749 Appropriates Funds for K-12 Education for Fiscal Year 2020-2021 Bill Passed - House (31 - 28)
5/23 HB 3606 Authorizes Parental Privacy Rights for Student Data Collection Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 17)
5/23 HB 2023 Requires Inclusive Education on Certain Classifications of Individuals Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 5)
5/23 LD 798 Prohibits Non-Medical Exemptions for Vaccinations Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16)
5/23 HB 2265 Requires Civics Education Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 14)
5/22 HB 2191 Expands Reasons for School Absences to Include Mental and Behavioral Health Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 6)
5/22 SB 206 Authorizes Compensation for College Athletes Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 5)
5/21 LD 513 Limits Enrollment at Virtual Public Charter Schools Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 15)
5/21 HB 253 Classifies University Graduate and Research Assistants as "Employees" Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 19)
5/20 SF 2415 Appropriates Funds for Higher Education Conference Report Adopted - House (84 - 49)
5/17 HB 604 Authorizes Funding to Under-performing Schools Bill Passed - House (116 - 25)
5/15 AB 76 Reduces Number of Hours Required for Nurse Aide Certification Bill Passed - House (66 - 31)
5/14 LD 513 Limits Enrollment at Virtual Public Charter Schools Bill Passed - House (87 - 53)
5/13 HB 3427 Increases Business Taxes to Enhance School Funding Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11)
5/08 SB 12 Establishes Student Debt Relief Program "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - House (201 - 134)
5/08 HB 2691 Authorizes Tuition Assistance to Transgender and Undocumented Immigrant Students Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 15)
5/08 HB 1387 Authorizes Law Enforcement Officers to Carry on School Property Bill Passed - House (97 - 46)
5/08 HB 1387 Authorizes Law Enforcement Officers to Carry on School Property Bill Passed - House (97 - 46)
5/07 LD 502 Establishes the "Summer Success" Pilot Program Fund "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - House (87 - 53)
5/07 HB 800 Increases Amount of Tax Credits Available for Students to Attend the School of Their Choice Bill Passed - House (111 - 85)
5/07 HB 800 Increases Amount of Tax Credits Available for Students to Attend the School of Their Choice Bill Passed - House (111 - 85)
5/06 HB 3063 Prohibits All Religious and Philosophical Vaccination Exemptions Bill Passed - House (35 - 25)
5/03 HB 19-1032 Amends Sex Education Standards Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
5/01 HB 939 Authorizes Education Savings Account Vouchers Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 14)
5/01 HB 939 Authorizes Education Savings Account Vouchers Conference Report Adopted - House (51 - 46)
5/01 HB 4206 Authorizes Four Built-In Snow Days for Public Schools Concurrence Vote Passed - House (56 - 53)
5/01 SB 7030 Authorizes Firearms on School Campuses Bill Passed - House (65 - 47)
5/01 HF 2400 Appropriates Funds for Education Finance Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 30)
5/01 HB 3427 Increases Business Taxes to Enhance School Funding Bill Passed - House (37 - 21)
5/01 HB 154 Repeals Use of Academic Distress Commissions Bill Passed - House (83 - 12)

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