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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 24, 2011 | ID | S 1184 | Technology in the Classroom | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| March 23, 2011 | ID | S 1165 | Prohibits Abortions after 20 Weeks | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
| March 1, 2011 | ID | S 1115 | Insurance Coverage of Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7) |
| Feb. 24, 2011 | ID | S 1110 | Redistributing Public School Funds for Teachers | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| Feb. 24, 2011 | ID | S 1108 | Education Provisions and Teacher Entitlements | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| Feb. 4, 2011 | ID | S 1007 | Labor Organizations | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8) |
| Feb. 1, 2011 | ID | S 1006 | Right to Work Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7) |
| March 29, 2010 | ID | H 729 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 4) |
| March 24, 2010 | ID | H 496 | Requiring Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6) |
| March 24, 2010 | ID | S 1419 | 2010-2011 Higher Education Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| March 22, 2010 | ID | S 1418 | 2010-2011 Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
| March 10, 2010 | ID | S 1352 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 5) |
| March 9, 2010 | ID | H 391 | Opposing Federal Individual Health Insurance Mandate | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
| Feb. 26, 2010 | ID | S 1353 | Authorizing Health Care Professionals to Refuse Specific Health Care Services | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| May 8, 2009 | ID | H 376 | Transportation Funding Package | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 7) |
| May 8, 2009 | ID | H 374 | Allowing Diversion of Funds to Virtual Education | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9) |
| April 21, 2009 | ID | H 262 | Teacher Compensation Adjustments | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| April 16, 2009 | ID | S 1166 | Workers' Compensation Dividend Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7) |
| April 7, 2009 | ID | S 1186 | Highway Project Financing | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 6) |
| April 3, 2009 | ID | H 173 | Restricting Eligibility for State Retiree Health Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| March 26, 2009 | ID | S 1148 | Alcohol Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| March 16, 2009 | ID | S 1089 | Eliminating Child Safety Seat Exemptions | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 15) |
| March 5, 2009 | ID | S 1119 | Allowing Public Utility Assistance Programs | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 18) |
| March 25, 2008 | ID | H 592 | Film and Television Production Rebate | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
| March 19, 2008 | ID | S 1484 | Disclosing Fiscal Impacts of Citizens Initiatives | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/24 | S 1184 | Technology in the Classroom | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| 3/23 | S 1165 | Prohibits Abortions after 20 Weeks | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
| 3/01 | S 1115 | Insurance Coverage of Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7) |
| 2/24 | S 1110 | Redistributing Public School Funds for Teachers | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| 2/24 | S 1108 | Education Provisions and Teacher Entitlements | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| 2/04 | S 1007 | Labor Organizations | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8) |
| 2/01 | S 1006 | Right to Work Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7) |
| 3/29 | H 729 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 4) |
| 3/24 | H 496 | Requiring Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6) |
| 3/24 | S 1419 | 2010-2011 Higher Education Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| 3/22 | S 1418 | 2010-2011 Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
| 3/10 | S 1352 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 5) |
| 3/09 | H 391 | Opposing Federal Individual Health Insurance Mandate | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
| 2/26 | S 1353 | Authorizing Health Care Professionals to Refuse Specific Health Care Services | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 5/08 | H 376 | Transportation Funding Package | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 7) |
| 5/08 | H 374 | Allowing Diversion of Funds to Virtual Education | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9) |
| 4/21 | H 262 | Teacher Compensation Adjustments | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| 4/16 | S 1166 | Workers' Compensation Dividend Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7) |
| 4/07 | S 1186 | Highway Project Financing | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 6) |
| 4/03 | H 173 | Restricting Eligibility for State Retiree Health Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| 3/26 | S 1148 | Alcohol Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 3/16 | S 1089 | Eliminating Child Safety Seat Exemptions | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 15) |
| 3/05 | S 1119 | Allowing Public Utility Assistance Programs | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 18) |
| 3/25 | H 592 | Film and Television Production Rebate | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
| 3/19 | S 1484 | Disclosing Fiscal Impacts of Citizens Initiatives | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9) |