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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 14, 2020 | IA | HF 2643 | Establishes a General Fund Budget and Limits Actions of County Auditors Regarding Absentee Ballot Requests | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
| March 16, 2020 | IA | SF 2408 | Appropriates Funds, Expands Power of Governor, and Waives School Time Requirements in Response to Coronavirus Outbreak | Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 0) |
| April 26, 2019 | IA | HF 766 | Establishes a Health and Human Services Budget for FY 2019-2020 | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19) |
| April 24, 2019 | IA | SF 634 | Amends Process for Approving Local Government Budgets and Property Taxation | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17) |
| Feb. 28, 2018 | IA | SF 2383 | Decreases Income Tax Rates | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21) |
| April 20, 2017 | IA | SF 516 | Establishes Budget for Fiscal Year 2018-2019 | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20) |
| April 22, 2016 | IA | HF 2460 | Appropriates Funding for Health and Human Services | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23) |
| April 22, 2016 | IA | HF 2459 | Appropriates Funds and Establishes Equal Pay Task Force | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 24) |
| April 19, 2016 | IA | SF 2323 | Appropriates Funds for Higher Education | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23) |
| Feb. 24, 2015 | IA | SF 257 | Increases Fuel Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21) |
| Feb. 10, 2015 | IA | SF 171 | Amends Growth Percentage for Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 24) |
| April 23, 2014 | IA | SF 2347 | 2014-2015 Higher Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (28 - 21) |
| March 27, 2014 | IA | HF 2438 | Establishes a Retroactive Heavy Equipment Sales Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21) |
| Feb. 5, 2014 | IA | SF 2079 | Increases School Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| May 22, 2013 | IA | SF 446 | 2013-2014 Health and Human Services Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 24) |
| April 30, 2013 | IA | HF 638 | Appropriates Funds for Infrastructure Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| April 18, 2013 | IA | HF 604 | 2013-2014 Higher Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22) |
| April 17, 2013 | IA | SF 447 | 2013-2014 Justice Department Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| April 16, 2013 | IA | SF 439 | Establishes a Tax Credit for Farmers Who Donate to Food Banks | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15) |
| April 16, 2013 | IA | SF 439 | Establishes a Tax Credit for Farmers Who Donate to Food Banks | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15) |
| April 16, 2013 | IA | SF 440 | Appropriates Funds for Mental Health Services | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17) |
| 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 20, 2013 | IA | SF 422 | Increases Earned Income Tax Credit | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 15) |