Pennsylvania Education Key Votes

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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:

  1. The vote should be helpful in portraying how a member stands on a particular issue
  2. The vote should be clear for any person to understand
  3. The vote has received media attention
  4. The vote was passed or defeated by a very close margin
  5. Occasionally, if a specific bill is consistently inquired about on the Voter's Research Hotline, the vote will be added

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.


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Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
May 4, 2026 PA SB 250 Requires the Preamble of the Pennsylvania Constitution to be Displayed in Schools Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 13)
April 22, 2026 PA SB 1293 Requires Institutions of Higher Education to Designate Sports as Male or Female Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17)
Feb. 3, 2026 PA HB 17 Requires Instruction of Cursive Handwriting in Elementary Schools Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 5)
Feb. 3, 2026 PA HB 17 Requires Instruction of Cursive Handwriting in Elementary Schools Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 5)
Dec. 17, 2025 PA HB 1663 Establishes the Pennsylvania Children's Literacy Program Bill Passed - House (116 - 87)
Nov. 12, 2025 PA SB 160 Appropriates Funds for the General Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (40 - 9)
Nov. 12, 2025 PA SB 160 Appropriates Funds for the General Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Concurrence Vote Passed - House (156 - 47)
Oct. 22, 2025 PA SB 246 Requires Schools to Notify Families of Weapons Incidents Within 24 Hours Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (48 - 2)
Oct. 8, 2025 PA SB 160 Appropriates Funds for the General Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Bill Passed - House (105 - 98)
Oct. 7, 2025 PA SB 246 Requires Schools to Notify Families of Weapons Incidents Within 24 Hours Bill Passed - House (202 - 1)
Oct. 7, 2025 PA HB 1405 Amends the Public School Code to Provide for Career and Technical Teacher Certifications Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 0)
Oct. 7, 2025 PA HB 1405 Amends the Public School Code to Provide for Career and Technical Teacher Certifications Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 0)
Aug. 12, 2025 PA SB 160 Appropriates Funds for the General Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22)
July 7, 2025 PA HB 1505 Extends State Pre-K Counts Grant Eligibility to Intermediate Units Bill Passed - House (202 - 1)
June 30, 2025 PA HB 354 Establishes the "What is Your Pennsylvania Story" School Program Concurrence Vote Passed - House (199 - 4)
June 26, 2025 PA HB 865 Specifies Guidelines for Military Family Educational Program Grant Eligibility for Pennsylvania National Guard Members Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0)
June 24, 2025 PA HB 17 Requires Instruction of Cursive Handwriting in Elementary Schools Bill Passed - House (195 - 8)
June 24, 2025 PA HB 17 Requires Instruction of Cursive Handwriting in Elementary Schools Bill Passed - House (195 - 8)
May 6, 2025 PA HB 265 Extends Existing Unemployment Benefits to Apply to School Employees Even When They Can Reasonably Expect to Return to Their Jobs Bill Passed - House (105 - 98)
May 6, 2025 PA SB 9 Prohibits Transgender Girls from Participating on Female Sports Teams in Public Schools Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18)
Oct. 22, 2024 PA HB 2185 Requires the Department of Education Distribute Diabetes Fact Sheets to Parents and Guardians Concurrence Vote Passed - House (168 - 34)
Oct. 22, 2024 PA HR 318 Requires the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee Conduct a Study on the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Resolution Passed - House (152 - 50)
Oct. 9, 2024 PA SB 801 Increases and Improves Early Childhood Literacy Rates Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (49 - 0)
Oct. 9, 2024 PA HB 2383 Establishes a Program of Retired Volunteers Willing to Share Life Lessons, Experience and Hobbies with Students Concurrence Vote Passed - House (169 - 33)
Oct. 9, 2024 PA SB 1274 Amends the Sign Language Interpreter and Transliterator State Registration Act Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (49 - 0)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/04 SB 250 Requires the Preamble of the Pennsylvania Constitution to be Displayed in Schools Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 13)
4/22 SB 1293 Requires Institutions of Higher Education to Designate Sports as Male or Female Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17)
2/03 HB 17 Requires Instruction of Cursive Handwriting in Elementary Schools Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 5)
2/03 HB 17 Requires Instruction of Cursive Handwriting in Elementary Schools Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 5)
12/17 HB 1663 Establishes the Pennsylvania Children's Literacy Program Bill Passed - House (116 - 87)
11/12 SB 160 Appropriates Funds for the General Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (40 - 9)
11/12 SB 160 Appropriates Funds for the General Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Concurrence Vote Passed - House (156 - 47)
10/22 SB 246 Requires Schools to Notify Families of Weapons Incidents Within 24 Hours Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (48 - 2)
10/08 SB 160 Appropriates Funds for the General Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Bill Passed - House (105 - 98)
10/07 SB 246 Requires Schools to Notify Families of Weapons Incidents Within 24 Hours Bill Passed - House (202 - 1)
10/07 HB 1405 Amends the Public School Code to Provide for Career and Technical Teacher Certifications Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 0)
10/07 HB 1405 Amends the Public School Code to Provide for Career and Technical Teacher Certifications Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 0)
8/12 SB 160 Appropriates Funds for the General Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22)
7/07 HB 1505 Extends State Pre-K Counts Grant Eligibility to Intermediate Units Bill Passed - House (202 - 1)
6/30 HB 354 Establishes the "What is Your Pennsylvania Story" School Program Concurrence Vote Passed - House (199 - 4)
6/26 HB 865 Specifies Guidelines for Military Family Educational Program Grant Eligibility for Pennsylvania National Guard Members Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0)
6/24 HB 17 Requires Instruction of Cursive Handwriting in Elementary Schools Bill Passed - House (195 - 8)
6/24 HB 17 Requires Instruction of Cursive Handwriting in Elementary Schools Bill Passed - House (195 - 8)
5/06 HB 265 Extends Existing Unemployment Benefits to Apply to School Employees Even When They Can Reasonably Expect to Return to Their Jobs Bill Passed - House (105 - 98)
5/06 SB 9 Prohibits Transgender Girls from Participating on Female Sports Teams in Public Schools Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18)
10/22 HB 2185 Requires the Department of Education Distribute Diabetes Fact Sheets to Parents and Guardians Concurrence Vote Passed - House (168 - 34)
10/22 HR 318 Requires the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee Conduct a Study on the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Resolution Passed - House (152 - 50)
10/09 SB 801 Increases and Improves Early Childhood Literacy Rates Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (49 - 0)
10/09 HB 2383 Establishes a Program of Retired Volunteers Willing to Share Life Lessons, Experience and Hobbies with Students Concurrence Vote Passed - House (169 - 33)
10/09 SB 1274 Amends the Sign Language Interpreter and Transliterator State Registration Act Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (49 - 0)

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