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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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) |
| April 9, 2012 | IA | SF 2284 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 24) |
| March 13, 2012 | IA | HF 2385 | Authorizes Professionals to Teach Certain High School Courses | Bill Passed - House (61 - 36) |
| March 13, 2012 | IA | HF 2380 | Amends Education Provisions | Bill Passed - House (53 - 46) |
| March 13, 2012 | IA | HF 2380 | Amends Education Provisions | Bill Passed - House (53 - 46) |
| March 22, 2011 | IA | HF 534 | School Instructional Hours and Days | Bill Passed - House (62 - 33) |
| March 15, 2011 | IA | SF 328 | Funding for Education and Employment Training | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 24) |
| Feb. 17, 2011 | IA | HF 260 | House Rule School Governance | Bill Passed - House (65 - 30) |
| Feb. 16, 2011 | IA | SF 166 | Funding for Public Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 24) |
| March 22, 2010 | IA | SF 2376 | 2010-2011 Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (55 - 44) |
| March 22, 2010 | IA | Amdt 8522 | Allowing Cuts to Teacher Salary Supplement | Amendment Rejected - House (49 - 50) |
| March 16, 2010 | IA | SF 2376 | 2010-2011 Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20) |
| Jan. 19, 2010 | IA | HF 2030 | School District Budget Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 16) |
| Jan. 13, 2010 | IA | SF 2033 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17) |
| Feb. 26, 2009 | IA | SF 218 | Growth Percentage for State School Foundation Program | Bill Passed - House (53 - 44) |
| Feb. 24, 2009 | IA | SF 218 | Growth Percentage for State School Foundation Program | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
| April 22, 2008 | IA | S 5408 | Changes to School Infrastructure Sales Tax | Amendment Rejected - Senate (20 - 30) |
| April 22, 2008 | IA | HF 2663 | Statewide Sales Tax Increase for School Infrastructure Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 11) |
| April 14, 2008 | IA | SF 2216 | State-Mandated Curriculum for Schools | Bill Passed - House (97 - 3) |
| April 9, 2008 | IA | HF 2663 | Statewide Sales Tax Increase for School Infrastructure Funding | Bill Passed - House (59 - 41) |
| March 24, 2008 | IA | HF 2645 | Public Employee Collective Bargaining and Teacher Termination Policy | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23) |
| March 19, 2008 | IA | HF 2645 | Public Employee Collective Bargaining and Teacher Termination Policy | Bill Passed - House (52 - 47) |
| Feb. 26, 2008 | IA | SF 2216 | State-Mandated Curriculum for Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14) |
| April 27, 2007 | IA | HF 920 | Univeristy Capital Improvement Bonds | Bill Passed - House (51 - 44) |
| April 27, 2007 | IA | HF 920 | Univeristy Capital Improvement Bonds | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 10) |
| April 25, 2007 | IA | SF 588 | 2008-2009 Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (56 - 40) |
| April 23, 2007 | IA | SF 277 | Teacher Pay and Incentive Programs | Conference Report Adopted - House (93 - 3) |
| April 19, 2007 | IA | SF 277 | Teacher Pay and Incentive Programs | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 14) |
| April 18, 2007 | IA | SF 588 | 2008-2009 Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 7) |
| April 18, 2007 | IA | HF 877 | Statewide Preschool Program | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14) |
| April 16, 2007 | IA | SF 277 | Teacher Pay and Incentive Programs | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (43 - 7) |
| April 10, 2007 | IA | HF 611 | Research-Based Sex Education | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
| April 5, 2007 | IA | SF 277 | Teacher Pay and Incentive Programs | Bill Passed - House (90 - 7) |
| March 29, 2007 | IA | HF 611 | Research-Based Sex Education | Bill Passed - House (55 - 40) |
| March 28, 2007 | IA | HF 877 | Statewide Preschool Program | Bill Passed - House (56 - 43) |
| Feb. 22, 2007 | IA | SF 61 | Harassment In Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (56 - 42) |
| Feb. 13, 2007 | IA | SF 61 | Harassment In Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (36 - 14) |
| Feb. 7, 2007 | IA | SF 61 | Harassment In Schools | Bill Passed - House (62 - 37) |
| Jan. 30, 2007 | IA | SF 61 | Harassment In Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14) |
| May 3, 2006 | IA | HF 2540 | 2006-2007 Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (47 - 2) |
| May 3, 2006 | IA | HF 2540 | 2006-2007 Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (62 - 32) |
| March 21, 2006 | IA | HF 2709 | School Year Minimum Hours Requirement | Bill Passed - House (55 - 44) |
| March 15, 2006 | IA | H-8178 | Preschool Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (46 - 51) |
| March 15, 2006 | IA | H-8172 | Teacher Salary Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (46 - 51) |
| March 15, 2006 | IA | HF 2527 | 2006-2007 Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (53 - 44) |
| March 6, 2006 | IA | HF 2540 | 2006-2007 Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget | Bill Passed - House (52 - 47) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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) |
| 4/09 | SF 2284 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 24) |
| 3/13 | HF 2385 | Authorizes Professionals to Teach Certain High School Courses | Bill Passed - House (61 - 36) |
| 3/13 | HF 2380 | Amends Education Provisions | Bill Passed - House (53 - 46) |
| 3/13 | HF 2380 | Amends Education Provisions | Bill Passed - House (53 - 46) |
| 3/22 | HF 534 | School Instructional Hours and Days | Bill Passed - House (62 - 33) |
| 3/15 | SF 328 | Funding for Education and Employment Training | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 24) |
| 2/17 | HF 260 | House Rule School Governance | Bill Passed - House (65 - 30) |
| 2/16 | SF 166 | Funding for Public Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 24) |
| 3/22 | SF 2376 | 2010-2011 Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (55 - 44) |
| 3/22 | Amdt 8522 | Allowing Cuts to Teacher Salary Supplement | Amendment Rejected - House (49 - 50) |
| 3/16 | SF 2376 | 2010-2011 Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20) |
| 1/19 | HF 2030 | School District Budget Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 16) |
| 1/13 | SF 2033 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17) |
| 2/26 | SF 218 | Growth Percentage for State School Foundation Program | Bill Passed - House (53 - 44) |
| 2/24 | SF 218 | Growth Percentage for State School Foundation Program | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
| 4/22 | S 5408 | Changes to School Infrastructure Sales Tax | Amendment Rejected - Senate (20 - 30) |
| 4/22 | HF 2663 | Statewide Sales Tax Increase for School Infrastructure Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 11) |
| 4/14 | SF 2216 | State-Mandated Curriculum for Schools | Bill Passed - House (97 - 3) |
| 4/09 | HF 2663 | Statewide Sales Tax Increase for School Infrastructure Funding | Bill Passed - House (59 - 41) |
| 3/24 | HF 2645 | Public Employee Collective Bargaining and Teacher Termination Policy | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23) |
| 3/19 | HF 2645 | Public Employee Collective Bargaining and Teacher Termination Policy | Bill Passed - House (52 - 47) |
| 2/26 | SF 2216 | State-Mandated Curriculum for Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14) |
| 4/27 | HF 920 | Univeristy Capital Improvement Bonds | Bill Passed - House (51 - 44) |
| 4/27 | HF 920 | Univeristy Capital Improvement Bonds | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 10) |
| 4/25 | SF 588 | 2008-2009 Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (56 - 40) |
| 4/23 | SF 277 | Teacher Pay and Incentive Programs | Conference Report Adopted - House (93 - 3) |
| 4/19 | SF 277 | Teacher Pay and Incentive Programs | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 14) |
| 4/18 | SF 588 | 2008-2009 Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 7) |
| 4/18 | HF 877 | Statewide Preschool Program | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14) |
| 4/16 | SF 277 | Teacher Pay and Incentive Programs | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (43 - 7) |
| 4/10 | HF 611 | Research-Based Sex Education | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
| 4/05 | SF 277 | Teacher Pay and Incentive Programs | Bill Passed - House (90 - 7) |
| 3/29 | HF 611 | Research-Based Sex Education | Bill Passed - House (55 - 40) |
| 3/28 | HF 877 | Statewide Preschool Program | Bill Passed - House (56 - 43) |
| 2/22 | SF 61 | Harassment In Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (56 - 42) |
| 2/13 | SF 61 | Harassment In Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (36 - 14) |
| 2/07 | SF 61 | Harassment In Schools | Bill Passed - House (62 - 37) |
| 1/30 | SF 61 | Harassment In Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14) |
| 5/03 | HF 2540 | 2006-2007 Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (47 - 2) |
| 5/03 | HF 2540 | 2006-2007 Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (62 - 32) |
| 3/21 | HF 2709 | School Year Minimum Hours Requirement | Bill Passed - House (55 - 44) |
| 3/15 | H-8178 | Preschool Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (46 - 51) |
| 3/15 | H-8172 | Teacher Salary Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (46 - 51) |
| 3/15 | HF 2527 | 2006-2007 Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (53 - 44) |
| 3/06 | HF 2540 | 2006-2007 Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget | Bill Passed - House (52 - 47) |