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 15, 2012 | ID | S 1358 | Amends Bullying Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
| March 5, 2012 | ID | HCR 40 | 2 Percent Pay Raise for State Employees | Resolution Passed - House (54 - 14) |
| March 28, 2011 | ID | H 260 | Medicaid Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
| March 17, 2011 | ID | H 260 | Medicaid Funding | Bill Passed - House (56 - 14) |
| March 4, 2011 | ID | H 104a | Teacher Union Activities | Bill Passed - House (55 - 14) |
| March 2, 2011 | ID | H 109 | Extends Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - House (41 - 28) |
| Feb. 24, 2011 | ID | S 1108 | Education Provisions and Teacher Entitlements | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| Feb. 22, 2011 | ID | S 1006 | Right to Work Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (55 - 14) |
| Feb. 22, 2011 | ID | S 1007 | Labor Organizations | Bill Passed - House (55 - 15) |
| Feb. 17, 2011 | ID | H 111 | Increased Authority for Tribal Peace Officers | Bill Failed - House (34 - 35) |
| Feb. 7, 2011 | ID | HJM 1 | Parental Rights Amendment | Joint Resolution Passed - House (49 - 20) |
| 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) |
| April 29, 2009 | ID | S 1166 | Workers' Compensation Dividend Amendments | Bill Passed - House (50 - 16) |
| April 29, 2009 | ID | S 1166 | Workers' Compensation Dividend Amendments | Bill Passed - House (50 - 16) |
| April 16, 2009 | ID | S 1166 | Workers' Compensation Dividend Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7) |
| April 16, 2009 | ID | S 1166 | Workers' Compensation Dividend Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7) |
| April 7, 2009 | ID | H 138 | Allowing Lawsuits for Nonnative Species Attacks | Bill Passed - House (46 - 24) |
| April 3, 2009 | ID | H 173 | Restricting Eligibility for State Retiree Health Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| March 20, 2009 | ID | H 214 | Voluntary Death Certificates for Miscarriages | Bill Failed - House (31 - 32) |
| March 20, 2009 | ID | H 214 | Voluntary Death Certificates for Miscarriages | Bill Failed - House (31 - 32) |
| 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) |
| Feb. 24, 2009 | ID | H 173 | Restricting Eligibility for State Retiree Health Benefits | Bill Passed - House (59 - 11) |
| March 19, 2008 | ID | S 1447 | Capping Medical Benefits for State Government Retirees | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| March 19, 2008 | ID | S 1447 | Capping Medical Benefits for State Government Retirees | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| March 18, 2008 | ID | S 1393 | Non-Compete Agreements | Bill Passed - House (43 - 27) |
| March 17, 2008 | ID | HCR 49 | State Employee Pay Raise | Resolution Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| March 6, 2008 | ID | H 588 | Food Tax Credit Expansion | Bill Passed - House (62 - 8) |
| March 5, 2008 | ID | HCR 49 | State Employee Pay Raise | Resolution Passed - House (51 - 19) |
| Feb. 29, 2008 | ID | S 1393 | Non-Compete Agreements | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| Feb. 4, 2008 | ID | H 366 | Driver's License Residency Requirement | Bill Passed - House (47 - 21) |
| March 28, 2007 | ID | H 81 | Income Tax Credit for Food | Veto Override Passed - House (48 - 22) |
| March 19, 2007 | ID | S 1172 | English as the Official Language | Bill Passed - House (46 - 20) |
| March 19, 2007 | ID | S 1172 | English as the Official Language | Bill Passed - House (46 - 20) |
| March 7, 2007 | ID | S 1172 | English as the Official Language | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| March 7, 2007 | ID | S 1172 | English as the Official Language | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| March 5, 2007 | ID | HCR 18 | Early Childhood Learning Standards | Resolution Failed - House (27 - 43) |
| March 22, 2006 | ID | H 777 | Serving Alcohol in Movie Theaters | Bill Failed - House (30 - 38) |
| March 8, 2006 | ID | H 551 | Public Works Contractors Licensing Fees | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 6) |
| Feb. 28, 2006 | ID | S 1337 | Controlled Substances Relating to Pregnant Women & Children Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16) |
| Feb. 27, 2006 | ID | H 551 | Public Works Contractors Licensing Fees | Bill Passed - House (53 - 15) |
| Feb. 15, 2006 | ID | HJR 2 | Marriage Amendment Ballot Question | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| Feb. 14, 2006 | ID | S 1327 | Background Checks for Adults Who Work With Children | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| Feb. 6, 2006 | ID | HJR 2 | Marriage Amendment Ballot Question | Bill Passed - House (53 - 17) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/15 | S 1358 | Amends Bullying Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
| 3/05 | HCR 40 | 2 Percent Pay Raise for State Employees | Resolution Passed - House (54 - 14) |
| 3/28 | H 260 | Medicaid Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
| 3/17 | H 260 | Medicaid Funding | Bill Passed - House (56 - 14) |
| 3/04 | H 104a | Teacher Union Activities | Bill Passed - House (55 - 14) |
| 3/02 | H 109 | Extends Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - House (41 - 28) |
| 2/24 | S 1108 | Education Provisions and Teacher Entitlements | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| 2/22 | S 1006 | Right to Work Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (55 - 14) |
| 2/22 | S 1007 | Labor Organizations | Bill Passed - House (55 - 15) |
| 2/17 | H 111 | Increased Authority for Tribal Peace Officers | Bill Failed - House (34 - 35) |
| 2/07 | HJM 1 | Parental Rights Amendment | Joint Resolution Passed - House (49 - 20) |
| 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) |
| 4/29 | S 1166 | Workers' Compensation Dividend Amendments | Bill Passed - House (50 - 16) |
| 4/29 | S 1166 | Workers' Compensation Dividend Amendments | Bill Passed - House (50 - 16) |
| 4/16 | S 1166 | Workers' Compensation Dividend Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7) |
| 4/16 | S 1166 | Workers' Compensation Dividend Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7) |
| 4/07 | H 138 | Allowing Lawsuits for Nonnative Species Attacks | Bill Passed - House (46 - 24) |
| 4/03 | H 173 | Restricting Eligibility for State Retiree Health Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| 3/20 | H 214 | Voluntary Death Certificates for Miscarriages | Bill Failed - House (31 - 32) |
| 3/20 | H 214 | Voluntary Death Certificates for Miscarriages | Bill Failed - House (31 - 32) |
| 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) |
| 2/24 | H 173 | Restricting Eligibility for State Retiree Health Benefits | Bill Passed - House (59 - 11) |
| 3/19 | S 1447 | Capping Medical Benefits for State Government Retirees | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| 3/19 | S 1447 | Capping Medical Benefits for State Government Retirees | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| 3/18 | S 1393 | Non-Compete Agreements | Bill Passed - House (43 - 27) |
| 3/17 | HCR 49 | State Employee Pay Raise | Resolution Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| 3/06 | H 588 | Food Tax Credit Expansion | Bill Passed - House (62 - 8) |
| 3/05 | HCR 49 | State Employee Pay Raise | Resolution Passed - House (51 - 19) |
| 2/29 | S 1393 | Non-Compete Agreements | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| 2/04 | H 366 | Driver's License Residency Requirement | Bill Passed - House (47 - 21) |
| 3/28 | H 81 | Income Tax Credit for Food | Veto Override Passed - House (48 - 22) |
| 3/19 | S 1172 | English as the Official Language | Bill Passed - House (46 - 20) |
| 3/19 | S 1172 | English as the Official Language | Bill Passed - House (46 - 20) |
| 3/07 | S 1172 | English as the Official Language | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| 3/07 | S 1172 | English as the Official Language | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| 3/05 | HCR 18 | Early Childhood Learning Standards | Resolution Failed - House (27 - 43) |
| 3/22 | H 777 | Serving Alcohol in Movie Theaters | Bill Failed - House (30 - 38) |
| 3/08 | H 551 | Public Works Contractors Licensing Fees | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 6) |
| 2/28 | S 1337 | Controlled Substances Relating to Pregnant Women & Children Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16) |
| 2/27 | H 551 | Public Works Contractors Licensing Fees | Bill Passed - House (53 - 15) |
| 2/15 | HJR 2 | Marriage Amendment Ballot Question | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| 2/14 | S 1327 | Background Checks for Adults Who Work With Children | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 2/06 | HJR 2 | Marriage Amendment Ballot Question | Bill Passed - House (53 - 17) |