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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 28, 2012 | SD | HB 1253 | Prohibits State Enforcement of Religious Codes | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 4) |
| Feb. 27, 2012 | SD | HB 1206 | Repeals the South Dakota Sales Tax on Food Refund Program | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
| Feb. 27, 2012 | SD | HB 1234 | Eliminates Teacher Tenure | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
| Feb. 14, 2012 | SD | HB 1253 | Prohibits State Enforcement of Religious Codes | Bill Passed - House (47 - 22) |
| Feb. 13, 2012 | SD | HB 1248 | Authorizes the Concealed Carry of a Handgun Without a Permit | Bill Passed - House (50 - 18) |
| Feb. 13, 2012 | SD | HB 1234 | Eliminates Teacher Tenure | Bill Passed - House (41 - 28) |
| Jan. 30, 2012 | SD | HCR 1004 | Urging Academic Study of the Bible in Public Schools | Resolution Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| Jan. 25, 2012 | SD | HCR 1004 | Urging Academic Study of the Bible in Public Schools | Resolution Passed - House (55 - 13) |
| Oct. 24, 2011 | SD | HB 1001 | State Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 4) |
| Oct. 24, 2011 | SD | HB 1001 | State Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (50 - 18) |
| March 8, 2011 | SD | SB 156 | Prohibits Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Failed - House (33 - 35) |
| March 2, 2011 | SD | HB 1217 | Requiring Counseling and a Waiting Period Prior to an Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| Feb. 23, 2011 | SD | SB 156 | Prohibits Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| Feb. 22, 2011 | SD | HB 1217 | Requiring Counseling and a Waiting Period Prior to an Abortion | Bill Passed - House (49 - 19) |
| Feb. 17, 2011 | SD | HB 1171 | Fetus Protection Bill | Bill Tabled - House (61 - 4) |
| Feb. 9, 2011 | SD | HB 1061 | Regulation of Registered Midwives | Bill Passed - House (37 - 32) |
| Feb. 8, 2011 | SD | HB 1061 | Regulation of Registered Midwives | Bill Failed - House (36 - 31) |
| Feb. 7, 2011 | SD | HB 1152 | Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients | Bill Failed - House (32 - 36) |
| March 30, 2010 | SD | SB 196 | 2010-2011 Budget | Bill Passed - House (44 - 25) |
| March 30, 2010 | SD | SB 196 | 2010-2011 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14) |
| March 29, 2010 | SD | SB 121 | Deaf and Hearing-Impaired Education Promotion Programs | Veto Override Failed - House (33 - 34) |
| March 29, 2010 | SD | SB 121 | Deaf and Hearing-Impaired Education Promotion Programs | Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 4) |
| March 29, 2010 | SD | SB 169 | Insurance Law Amendments | Veto Override Failed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| March 29, 2010 | SD | HB 1060 | Wind Energy Facility Tax Refunds | Veto Override Passed - House (49 - 19) |
| March 10, 2010 | SD | HB 1231 | Prescription Drug Registry | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (56 - 9) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/28 | HB 1253 | Prohibits State Enforcement of Religious Codes | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 4) |
| 2/27 | HB 1206 | Repeals the South Dakota Sales Tax on Food Refund Program | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
| 2/27 | HB 1234 | Eliminates Teacher Tenure | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
| 2/14 | HB 1253 | Prohibits State Enforcement of Religious Codes | Bill Passed - House (47 - 22) |
| 2/13 | HB 1248 | Authorizes the Concealed Carry of a Handgun Without a Permit | Bill Passed - House (50 - 18) |
| 2/13 | HB 1234 | Eliminates Teacher Tenure | Bill Passed - House (41 - 28) |
| 1/30 | HCR 1004 | Urging Academic Study of the Bible in Public Schools | Resolution Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| 1/25 | HCR 1004 | Urging Academic Study of the Bible in Public Schools | Resolution Passed - House (55 - 13) |
| 10/24 | HB 1001 | State Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 4) |
| 10/24 | HB 1001 | State Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (50 - 18) |
| 3/08 | SB 156 | Prohibits Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Failed - House (33 - 35) |
| 3/02 | HB 1217 | Requiring Counseling and a Waiting Period Prior to an Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 2/23 | SB 156 | Prohibits Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 2/22 | HB 1217 | Requiring Counseling and a Waiting Period Prior to an Abortion | Bill Passed - House (49 - 19) |
| 2/17 | HB 1171 | Fetus Protection Bill | Bill Tabled - House (61 - 4) |
| 2/09 | HB 1061 | Regulation of Registered Midwives | Bill Passed - House (37 - 32) |
| 2/08 | HB 1061 | Regulation of Registered Midwives | Bill Failed - House (36 - 31) |
| 2/07 | HB 1152 | Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients | Bill Failed - House (32 - 36) |
| 3/30 | SB 196 | 2010-2011 Budget | Bill Passed - House (44 - 25) |
| 3/30 | SB 196 | 2010-2011 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14) |
| 3/29 | SB 121 | Deaf and Hearing-Impaired Education Promotion Programs | Veto Override Failed - House (33 - 34) |
| 3/29 | SB 121 | Deaf and Hearing-Impaired Education Promotion Programs | Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 4) |
| 3/29 | SB 169 | Insurance Law Amendments | Veto Override Failed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 3/29 | HB 1060 | Wind Energy Facility Tax Refunds | Veto Override Passed - House (49 - 19) |
| 3/10 | HB 1231 | Prescription Drug Registry | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (56 - 9) |