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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan. 30, 2012 | SD | HCR 1004 | Urging Academic Study of the Bible in Public Schools | Resolution Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| March 29, 2010 | SD | SB 121 | Deaf and Hearing-Impaired Education Promotion Programs | Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 4) |
| March 8, 2010 | SD | HB 1240 | Need-Based Education Grant Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11) |
| Feb. 24, 2010 | SD | HCR 1009 | Urges Changes to the Public School Environmental Curriculum | Resolution Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| Feb. 11, 2010 | SD | Jerstad Amdt | Per Student Funding Increase | Amendment Rejected - Senate (17 - 18) |
| Feb. 18, 2009 | SD | HB 1171 | Exemptions from School District Minimum Size Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12) |
| Feb. 17, 2009 | SD | SB 106 | School Funding Formula Revision | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | SD | HB 1085 | Constructing Science Facilities at Universities | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 3) |
| Jan. 22, 2008 | SD | SB 26 | State Regulation of Preschools | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| March 1, 2007 | SD | HB 1082 | School District Consolidation | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| Feb. 26, 2007 | SD | HB 1139 | Tobacco Tax Funds | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| Feb. 15, 2007 | SD | SB 157 | Teacher Compensation | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 5) |
| Feb. 12, 2007 | SD | SB 199 | Mandatory School Attendance | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
| Feb. 21, 2006 | SD | HB 1235 | Compulsory High School Education Age to 18 | Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 23) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/30 | HCR 1004 | Urging Academic Study of the Bible in Public Schools | Resolution Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| 3/29 | SB 121 | Deaf and Hearing-Impaired Education Promotion Programs | Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 4) |
| 3/08 | HB 1240 | Need-Based Education Grant Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11) |
| 2/24 | HCR 1009 | Urges Changes to the Public School Environmental Curriculum | Resolution Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| 2/11 | Jerstad Amdt | Per Student Funding Increase | Amendment Rejected - Senate (17 - 18) |
| 2/18 | HB 1171 | Exemptions from School District Minimum Size Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12) |
| 2/17 | SB 106 | School Funding Formula Revision | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| 2/27 | HB 1085 | Constructing Science Facilities at Universities | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 3) |
| 1/22 | SB 26 | State Regulation of Preschools | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| 3/01 | HB 1082 | School District Consolidation | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| 2/26 | HB 1139 | Tobacco Tax Funds | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| 2/15 | SB 157 | Teacher Compensation | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 5) |
| 2/12 | SB 199 | Mandatory School Attendance | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
| 2/21 | HB 1235 | Compulsory High School Education Age to 18 | Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 23) |