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 18, 2025 WI SB 182 Requires the Technical College System Board to Provide Grants to Technical Colleges That Provide Emergency Medical Services Courses for Initial Licensure Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14)
June 12, 2025 MI HB 4579 Appropriates Funding for the State Community College Budget Bill Passed - House (56 - 41)
June 12, 2025 MI HB 4580 Reduces Operational Funding Budgets for Higher Education Institutions Bill Passed - House (56 - 41)
June 5, 2025 NH SB 295 Repeals Income Limits for Education Freedom Accounts Immediately but Includes a 12,250-Student Cap on the Program "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - House (190 - 178)
June 5, 2025 NY S 7616 Authorizes Stony Brook University to Build Additional Housing on its Campus Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 0)
June 4, 2025 ME LD 1012 Establishes the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Tick Laboratory Operations Fund and directs the State Liquor and Lottery Commission to Develop and Initiate a $4 Instant Lottery Game to Raise Funds "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 14)
June 3, 2025 CA AB 1400 Authorizes Select Community Colleges to Offer Baccalaureate Degree Programs in Nursing Bill Passed - House (74 - 0)
June 2, 2025 CA SB 790 Authorizes the Governor to Enter Into Interstate Reciprocity Agreements for Online College Standards Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 0)
June 2, 2025 CA SB 98 Requires School Districts and Certain Universities to Notify Students, Faculty, and Other Campus Members When Federal Immigration Enforcement is Present Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 8)
June 2, 2025 CA SB 323 Requires an Amendment to the California Dream Act Application That Clarifies That it May Be Used by Any Student Eligible for State Financial Aid Programs Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 1)
June 1, 2025 TX SB 2972 Requires the Governing Boards of Institutions of Higher Education to Designate Areas on Campus for Public Forum and Prohibits Certain Activities During Student Demonstrations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 9)
June 1, 2025 TX SB 2972 Requires the Governing Boards of Institutions of Higher Education to Designate Areas on Campus for Public Forum and Prohibits Certain Activities During Student Demonstrations Conference Report Adopted - House (97 - 39)
May 31, 2025 TX SB 37 Authorizes Political Appointees to Review and Approve or Reject Courses and the Hiring of a Provost or Chief Academic Officer Conference Report Adopted - House (83 - 47)
May 31, 2025 TX SB 37 Authorizes Political Appointees to Review and Approve or Reject Courses and the Hiring of a Provost or Chief Academic Officer Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 11)
May 30, 2025 IL HB 3522 Requires Each Public University in the Direct Admission Program to Identify its Grade Point Average Standards for First Time Admission and Transfer Students Concurrence Vote Passed - House (103 - 10)
May 28, 2025 OK HB 1727 Extends Eligibility for the Oklahoma's Promise Scholarship Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 10)
May 28, 2025 OK HB 1727 Extends Eligibility for the Oklahoma's Promise Scholarship Conference Report Adopted - House (60 - 27)
May 28, 2025 NE LB 89 Defines "Male" and "Female" in State Law Targeted for K-12 or Collegiate Bathrooms, Sports Teams and Locker Rooms Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 16)
May 28, 2025 CA SB 640 Establishes a Direct Admission Program for In-State High School Students to be Admitted to a Designated California State University Campus Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 0)
May 27, 2025 TX SB 1032 Specifies Eligibility Requirements for Postsecondary Educational Institutions to Participate in the Governor's University Research Initiative Bill Passed - House (104 - 37)
May 21, 2025 NY A 5448 Requires Institutions of Higher Education to Designate a Title VI Coordinator Bill Passed - House (143 - 1)
May 14, 2025 NE LB 89 Defines "Male" and "Female" in State Law Targeted for K-12 or Collegiate Bathrooms, Sports Teams and Locker Rooms Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 15)
May 13, 2025 OK SB 105 Repeals Prior Public School Enrollment Requirements for the Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarships for Students with Disabilities Program Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 9)
May 12, 2025 MO HB 419 Repeals the University of Missouri System's Exclusive Authority to Grant Research Doctorates and certain Professional Degrees Concurrence Vote Passed - House (149 - 7)
May 7, 2025 National HR 881 DHS Restrictions on Confucius Institutes and Chinese Entities of Concern Act Bill Passed - House (266 - 153)
Date No. Title Outcome
6/18 SB 182 Requires the Technical College System Board to Provide Grants to Technical Colleges That Provide Emergency Medical Services Courses for Initial Licensure Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14)
6/12 HB 4579 Appropriates Funding for the State Community College Budget Bill Passed - House (56 - 41)
6/12 HB 4580 Reduces Operational Funding Budgets for Higher Education Institutions Bill Passed - House (56 - 41)
6/05 SB 295 Repeals Income Limits for Education Freedom Accounts Immediately but Includes a 12,250-Student Cap on the Program "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - House (190 - 178)
6/05 S 7616 Authorizes Stony Brook University to Build Additional Housing on its Campus Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 0)
6/04 LD 1012 Establishes the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Tick Laboratory Operations Fund and directs the State Liquor and Lottery Commission to Develop and Initiate a $4 Instant Lottery Game to Raise Funds "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 14)
6/03 AB 1400 Authorizes Select Community Colleges to Offer Baccalaureate Degree Programs in Nursing Bill Passed - House (74 - 0)
6/02 SB 790 Authorizes the Governor to Enter Into Interstate Reciprocity Agreements for Online College Standards Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 0)
6/02 SB 98 Requires School Districts and Certain Universities to Notify Students, Faculty, and Other Campus Members When Federal Immigration Enforcement is Present Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 8)
6/02 SB 323 Requires an Amendment to the California Dream Act Application That Clarifies That it May Be Used by Any Student Eligible for State Financial Aid Programs Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 1)
6/01 SB 2972 Requires the Governing Boards of Institutions of Higher Education to Designate Areas on Campus for Public Forum and Prohibits Certain Activities During Student Demonstrations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 9)
6/01 SB 2972 Requires the Governing Boards of Institutions of Higher Education to Designate Areas on Campus for Public Forum and Prohibits Certain Activities During Student Demonstrations Conference Report Adopted - House (97 - 39)
5/31 SB 37 Authorizes Political Appointees to Review and Approve or Reject Courses and the Hiring of a Provost or Chief Academic Officer Conference Report Adopted - House (83 - 47)
5/31 SB 37 Authorizes Political Appointees to Review and Approve or Reject Courses and the Hiring of a Provost or Chief Academic Officer Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 11)
5/30 HB 3522 Requires Each Public University in the Direct Admission Program to Identify its Grade Point Average Standards for First Time Admission and Transfer Students Concurrence Vote Passed - House (103 - 10)
5/28 HB 1727 Extends Eligibility for the Oklahoma's Promise Scholarship Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 10)
5/28 HB 1727 Extends Eligibility for the Oklahoma's Promise Scholarship Conference Report Adopted - House (60 - 27)
5/28 LB 89 Defines "Male" and "Female" in State Law Targeted for K-12 or Collegiate Bathrooms, Sports Teams and Locker Rooms Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 16)
5/28 SB 640 Establishes a Direct Admission Program for In-State High School Students to be Admitted to a Designated California State University Campus Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 0)
5/27 SB 1032 Specifies Eligibility Requirements for Postsecondary Educational Institutions to Participate in the Governor's University Research Initiative Bill Passed - House (104 - 37)
5/21 A 5448 Requires Institutions of Higher Education to Designate a Title VI Coordinator Bill Passed - House (143 - 1)
5/14 LB 89 Defines "Male" and "Female" in State Law Targeted for K-12 or Collegiate Bathrooms, Sports Teams and Locker Rooms Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 15)
5/13 SB 105 Repeals Prior Public School Enrollment Requirements for the Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarships for Students with Disabilities Program Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 9)
5/12 HB 419 Repeals the University of Missouri System's Exclusive Authority to Grant Research Doctorates and certain Professional Degrees Concurrence Vote Passed - House (149 - 7)
5/07 HR 881 DHS Restrictions on Confucius Institutes and Chinese Entities of Concern Act Bill Passed - House (266 - 153)

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