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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 24, 2015 | IA | SF 257 | Increases Fuel Taxes | Bill Passed - House (53 - 46) |
| Feb. 24, 2015 | IA | SF 219 | Reduces Penalties for Possession of Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 13) |
| Feb. 24, 2015 | IA | SF 257 | Increases Fuel Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21) |
| Feb. 24, 2015 | IA | SF 270 | Prohibits Wage Diversion | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| Feb. 24, 2015 | IA | SF 269 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
| Feb. 10, 2015 | IA | SF 171 | Amends Growth Percentage for Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 24) |
| May 1, 2014 | IA | SF 2360 | Authorizes Medical Marijuana Oil | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 8) |
| April 30, 2014 | IA | SF 2360 | Authorizes Medical Marijuana Oil | Bill Passed - House (77 - 20) |
| April 25, 2014 | IA | SF 2318 | Amends School Harassment and Bullying Policies | Bill Passed - House (68 - 27) |
| April 24, 2014 | IA | SF 2360 | Authorizes Medical Marijuana Oil | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 12) |
| April 23, 2014 | IA | SF 2347 | 2014-2015 Higher Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (28 - 21) |
| April 7, 2014 | IA | HF 2462 | Prohibits Confidentiality Agreements in State Employee Settlements | Bill Passed - House (63 - 35) |
| March 27, 2014 | IA | HF 2438 | Establishes a Retroactive Heavy Equipment Sales Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21) |
| March 18, 2014 | IA | SF 2318 | Amends School Harassment and Bullying Policies | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 19) |
| Feb. 11, 2014 | IA | HF 2175 | Prohibits Webcam Abortions | Bill Passed - House (55 - 42) |
| Feb. 5, 2014 | IA | SF 2079 | Increases School Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| May 23, 2013 | IA | SF 446 | 2013-2014 Health and Human Services Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (80 - 17) |
| May 22, 2013 | IA | SF 446 | 2013-2014 Health and Human Services Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 24) |
| May 1, 2013 | IA | HF 527 | Requires DNA Samples from Individuals Convicted Of Aggravated Misdemeanors | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20) |
| May 1, 2013 | IA | SF 446 | 2013-2014 Health and Human Services Budget | Bill Passed - House (52 - 46) |
| April 30, 2013 | IA | HF 638 | Appropriates Funds for Infrastructure Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| April 23, 2013 | IA | SF 447 | 2013-2014 Justice Department Budget | Bill Passed - House (51 - 46) |
| April 18, 2013 | IA | HF 604 | 2013-2014 Higher Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22) |
| April 17, 2013 | IA | SF 295 | Establishes a Business Property Tax Credit Fund | Bill Passed - House (54 - 45) |
| April 17, 2013 | IA | SF 447 | 2013-2014 Justice Department Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| April 16, 2013 | IA | SF 430 | 2013-2014 Economic Development Budget | Bill Passed - House (52 - 46) |
| April 16, 2013 | IA | SF 440 | Appropriates Funds for Mental Health Services | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17) |
| April 16, 2013 | IA | SF 439 | Establishes a Tax Credit for Farmers Who Donate to Food Banks | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15) |
| April 10, 2013 | IA | SF 384 | Prohibits the Removal of an Officer's Communication Device | Bill Passed - House (77 - 17) |
| April 8, 2013 | IA | HF 619 | Authorizes Use of All-Terrain Vehicles on Certain Roads | Bill Passed - House (75 - 22) |
| April 3, 2013 | IA | SF 430 | 2013-2014 Economic Development Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 24) |
| April 1, 2013 | IA | SF 429 | 2013-14 Community Colleges Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19) |
| March 26, 2013 | IA | SF 423 | Amends Education Provisions | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| March 25, 2013 | IA | HF 527 | Requires DNA Samples from Individuals Convicted Of Aggravated Misdemeanors | Bill Passed - House (79 - 18) |
| March 25, 2013 | IA | SF 296 | Expands Medicaid Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| March 20, 2013 | IA | SF 422 | Increases Earned Income Tax Credit | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 15) |
| March 13, 2013 | IA | HF 478 | Authorizes an Alternative Flat Income Tax | Bill Passed - House (53 - 47) |
| Feb. 19, 2013 | IA | HF 215 | Appropriates Education Funding and Establishes New Programs | Bill Passed - House (52 - 44) |
| Feb. 14, 2013 | IA | SF 162 | Establishes the School Budget Growth for Fiscal Year 2014-2015 | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22) |
| Feb. 14, 2013 | IA | SF 161 | Establishes the School Budget Growth for Fiscal Year 2014-2015 | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22) |
| Jan. 30, 2013 | IA | SF 52 | Establishes the School Budget Growth for Fiscal Year 2013-2014 | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| May 9, 2012 | IA | SF 2315 | Amends the Mental Health and Disability Services Program | Conference Report Adopted - House (66 - 31) |
| May 8, 2012 | IA | SF 2284 | Education Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - House (87 - 9) |
| May 8, 2012 | IA | SF 2284 | Education Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 15) |
| May 8, 2012 | IA | SF 2344 | Reduces Certain Business Property Taxes | Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 23) |
| May 7, 2012 | IA | HF 2475 | Reduces Certain Business Property Taxes | Bill Passed - House (71 - 26) |
| April 24, 2012 | IA | HF 2460 | Limits Tax Increment Financing | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22) |
| April 12, 2012 | IA | S 5206 | Prohibits State Funding For Abortions | Amendment Rejected - Senate (22 - 25) |
| April 9, 2012 | IA | SF 2284 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 24) |
| April 3, 2012 | IA | HF 2450 | Prohibits the Use of Traffic Cameras | Bill Passed - House (58 - 42) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/24 | SF 257 | Increases Fuel Taxes | Bill Passed - House (53 - 46) |
| 2/24 | SF 219 | Reduces Penalties for Possession of Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 13) |
| 2/24 | SF 257 | Increases Fuel Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21) |
| 2/24 | SF 270 | Prohibits Wage Diversion | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| 2/24 | SF 269 | Increases Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
| 2/10 | SF 171 | Amends Growth Percentage for Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 24) |
| 5/01 | SF 2360 | Authorizes Medical Marijuana Oil | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 8) |
| 4/30 | SF 2360 | Authorizes Medical Marijuana Oil | Bill Passed - House (77 - 20) |
| 4/25 | SF 2318 | Amends School Harassment and Bullying Policies | Bill Passed - House (68 - 27) |
| 4/24 | SF 2360 | Authorizes Medical Marijuana Oil | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 12) |
| 4/23 | SF 2347 | 2014-2015 Higher Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (28 - 21) |
| 4/07 | HF 2462 | Prohibits Confidentiality Agreements in State Employee Settlements | Bill Passed - House (63 - 35) |
| 3/27 | HF 2438 | Establishes a Retroactive Heavy Equipment Sales Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21) |
| 3/18 | SF 2318 | Amends School Harassment and Bullying Policies | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 19) |
| 2/11 | HF 2175 | Prohibits Webcam Abortions | Bill Passed - House (55 - 42) |
| 2/05 | SF 2079 | Increases School Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| 5/23 | SF 446 | 2013-2014 Health and Human Services Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (80 - 17) |
| 5/22 | SF 446 | 2013-2014 Health and Human Services Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 24) |
| 5/01 | HF 527 | Requires DNA Samples from Individuals Convicted Of Aggravated Misdemeanors | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20) |
| 5/01 | SF 446 | 2013-2014 Health and Human Services Budget | Bill Passed - House (52 - 46) |
| 4/30 | HF 638 | Appropriates Funds for Infrastructure Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| 4/23 | SF 447 | 2013-2014 Justice Department Budget | Bill Passed - House (51 - 46) |
| 4/18 | HF 604 | 2013-2014 Higher Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22) |
| 4/17 | SF 295 | Establishes a Business Property Tax Credit Fund | Bill Passed - House (54 - 45) |
| 4/17 | SF 447 | 2013-2014 Justice Department Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| 4/16 | SF 430 | 2013-2014 Economic Development Budget | Bill Passed - House (52 - 46) |
| 4/16 | SF 440 | Appropriates Funds for Mental Health Services | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17) |
| 4/16 | SF 439 | Establishes a Tax Credit for Farmers Who Donate to Food Banks | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15) |
| 4/10 | SF 384 | Prohibits the Removal of an Officer's Communication Device | Bill Passed - House (77 - 17) |
| 4/08 | HF 619 | Authorizes Use of All-Terrain Vehicles on Certain Roads | Bill Passed - House (75 - 22) |
| 4/03 | SF 430 | 2013-2014 Economic Development Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 24) |
| 4/01 | SF 429 | 2013-14 Community Colleges Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19) |
| 3/26 | SF 423 | Amends Education Provisions | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| 3/25 | HF 527 | Requires DNA Samples from Individuals Convicted Of Aggravated Misdemeanors | Bill Passed - House (79 - 18) |
| 3/25 | SF 296 | Expands Medicaid Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| 3/20 | SF 422 | Increases Earned Income Tax Credit | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 15) |
| 3/13 | HF 478 | Authorizes an Alternative Flat Income Tax | Bill Passed - House (53 - 47) |
| 2/19 | HF 215 | Appropriates Education Funding and Establishes New Programs | Bill Passed - House (52 - 44) |
| 2/14 | SF 162 | Establishes the School Budget Growth for Fiscal Year 2014-2015 | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22) |
| 2/14 | SF 161 | Establishes the School Budget Growth for Fiscal Year 2014-2015 | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22) |
| 1/30 | SF 52 | Establishes the School Budget Growth for Fiscal Year 2013-2014 | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| 5/09 | SF 2315 | Amends the Mental Health and Disability Services Program | Conference Report Adopted - House (66 - 31) |
| 5/08 | SF 2284 | Education Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - House (87 - 9) |
| 5/08 | SF 2284 | Education Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 15) |
| 5/08 | SF 2344 | Reduces Certain Business Property Taxes | Bill Failed - Senate (24 - 23) |
| 5/07 | HF 2475 | Reduces Certain Business Property Taxes | Bill Passed - House (71 - 26) |
| 4/24 | HF 2460 | Limits Tax Increment Financing | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22) |
| 4/12 | S 5206 | Prohibits State Funding For Abortions | Amendment Rejected - Senate (22 - 25) |
| 4/09 | SF 2284 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 24) |
| 4/03 | HF 2450 | Prohibits the Use of Traffic Cameras | Bill Passed - House (58 - 42) |