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 4, 2013 | SD | SB 106 | Prohibits Minors from Using a Cell Phone While Driving | Bill Passed - House (43 - 23) |
| Feb. 22, 2013 | SD | HB 1214 | Authorizes Prenatal Care for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (39 - 28) |
| Feb. 21, 2013 | SD | SB 52 | Authorizes Gamblers to Bet $0.01 on Lottery Games | Bill Passed - House (39 - 28) |
| March 19, 2012 | SD | HB 1228 | Tax Credits for Alternative Energy Projects | Veto Override Failed - House (44 - 23) |
| March 1, 2012 | SD | HB 1228 | Tax Credits for Alternative Energy Projects | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 16) |
| 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) |
| March 29, 2010 | SD | SB 121 | Deaf and Hearing-Impaired Education Promotion Programs | Veto Override Failed - House (33 - 34) |
| 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) |
| March 1, 2010 | SD | HCR 1009 | Urges Changes to the Public School Environmental Curriculum | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (37 - 33) |
| March 1, 2010 | SD | SB 63 | Pilot Charter School | Bill Passed - House (49 - 20) |
| Feb. 23, 2010 | SD | HB 1240 | Need-Based Education Grant Fund | Bill Passed - House (64 - 4) |
| Feb. 19, 2010 | SD | HB 1107 | Driver's License Renewal by Mail | Bill Failed - House (33 - 30) |
| Feb. 17, 2010 | SD | HCR 1009 | Urges Changes to the Public School Environmental Curriculum | Resolution Passed - House (36 - 30) |
| Feb. 17, 2010 | SD | HB 1178 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Failed - House (32 - 37) |
| Feb. 10, 2010 | SD | HB 1060 | Agriculture and Business Facility Tax Refund Reductions | Bill Passed - House (48 - 19) |
| March 11, 2009 | SD | HB 1197 | Tax Changes Relating to Single Family Dwellings Under Construction | Veto Override Passed - House (60 - 10) |
| March 9, 2009 | SD | HB 1240 | Smoking Ban | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (46 - 23) |
| Feb. 23, 2009 | SD | HB 1240 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (43 - 27) |
| Feb. 4, 2009 | SD | HB 1171 | Exemptions from School District Minimum Size Requirements | Bill Passed - House (36 - 34) |
| Feb. 26, 2008 | SD | SB 174 | Railroad Eminent Domain | Bill Passed - House (54 - 16) |
| Feb. 25, 2008 | SD | SB 173 | Eliminating Restrictions on Corporate Dairy Farms | Bill Passed - House (63 - 6) |
| Feb. 20, 2008 | SD | SB 88 | Offering Sonograms to Women Considering Abortion | Bill Passed - House (38 - 32) |
| Feb. 14, 2008 | SD | HB 1124 | Teacher Compensation and Performance | Bill Passed - House (39 - 29) |
| Feb. 13, 2008 | SD | HB 1085 | Constructing Science Facilities at Universities | Bill Passed - House (61 - 6) |
| Feb. 4, 2008 | SD | HB 1261 | Firearm Possession on College Campuses | Bill Passed - House (63 - 3) |
| Jan. 29, 2008 | SD | HB 1193 | Offering Sonograms to Women Considering Abortion | Bill Passed - House (38 - 31) |
| Feb. 28, 2007 | SD | SB 199 | Mandatory School Attendance | Bill Passed - House (46 - 23) |
| Feb. 28, 2007 | SD | SB 95 | Control of Technical Institutes | Bill Passed - House (50 - 19) |
| Feb. 20, 2007 | SD | HB 1082 | School District Consolidation | Bill Passed - House (37 - 33) |
| Feb. 7, 2007 | SD | HB 1139 | Tobacco Tax Funds | Bill Passed - House (60 - 10) |
| Feb. 7, 2007 | SD | HB 1139 | Tobacco Tax Funds | Bill Passed - House (60 - 10) |
| Feb. 10, 2006 | SD | HB 1235 | Compulsory High School Education Age to 18 | Bill Passed - House (51 - 14) |
| Feb. 9, 2006 | SD | HB 1215 | Abortion Ban | Bill Passed - House (47 - 22) |
| Feb. 9, 2006 | SD | HB 1194 | Contraceptive Distribution at Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (51 - 17) |
| Feb. 9, 2006 | SD | HB 1194 | Contraceptive Distribution at Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (51 - 17) |
| Feb. 9, 2006 | SD | HB 1234 | Mandatory Kindergarten | Bill Passed - House (52 - 15) |
| Feb. 7, 2006 | SD | H Amdt 1194rf | Penalties for School Employees for Dispensing Contraceptives Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (37 - 33) |
| Feb. 7, 2006 | SD | H Amdt 1194rf | Penalties for School Employees for Dispensing Contraceptives Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (37 - 33) |
| Feb. 7, 2006 | SD | HB 1217 | Abstinence-Only Sex Education | Bill Passed - House (46 - 24) |
| Feb. 7, 2006 | SD | HB 1217 | Abstinence-Only Sex Education | Bill Passed - House (46 - 24) |
| Feb. 6, 2006 | SD | HB 1184 | Medical Treatments that Violate Medical Workers Principles | Bill Failed - House (34 - 35) |
| Jan. 24, 2006 | SD | SB 27 | State Fair Appropriation | Bill Passed - House (61 - 7) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/04 | SB 106 | Prohibits Minors from Using a Cell Phone While Driving | Bill Passed - House (43 - 23) |
| 2/22 | HB 1214 | Authorizes Prenatal Care for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (39 - 28) |
| 2/21 | SB 52 | Authorizes Gamblers to Bet $0.01 on Lottery Games | Bill Passed - House (39 - 28) |
| 3/19 | HB 1228 | Tax Credits for Alternative Energy Projects | Veto Override Failed - House (44 - 23) |
| 3/01 | HB 1228 | Tax Credits for Alternative Energy Projects | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 16) |
| 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) |
| 3/29 | SB 121 | Deaf and Hearing-Impaired Education Promotion Programs | Veto Override Failed - House (33 - 34) |
| 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) |
| 3/01 | HCR 1009 | Urges Changes to the Public School Environmental Curriculum | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (37 - 33) |
| 3/01 | SB 63 | Pilot Charter School | Bill Passed - House (49 - 20) |
| 2/23 | HB 1240 | Need-Based Education Grant Fund | Bill Passed - House (64 - 4) |
| 2/19 | HB 1107 | Driver's License Renewal by Mail | Bill Failed - House (33 - 30) |
| 2/17 | HCR 1009 | Urges Changes to the Public School Environmental Curriculum | Resolution Passed - House (36 - 30) |
| 2/17 | HB 1178 | Prohibiting Text Messaging While Driving | Bill Failed - House (32 - 37) |
| 2/10 | HB 1060 | Agriculture and Business Facility Tax Refund Reductions | Bill Passed - House (48 - 19) |
| 3/11 | HB 1197 | Tax Changes Relating to Single Family Dwellings Under Construction | Veto Override Passed - House (60 - 10) |
| 3/09 | HB 1240 | Smoking Ban | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (46 - 23) |
| 2/23 | HB 1240 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (43 - 27) |
| 2/04 | HB 1171 | Exemptions from School District Minimum Size Requirements | Bill Passed - House (36 - 34) |
| 2/26 | SB 174 | Railroad Eminent Domain | Bill Passed - House (54 - 16) |
| 2/25 | SB 173 | Eliminating Restrictions on Corporate Dairy Farms | Bill Passed - House (63 - 6) |
| 2/20 | SB 88 | Offering Sonograms to Women Considering Abortion | Bill Passed - House (38 - 32) |
| 2/14 | HB 1124 | Teacher Compensation and Performance | Bill Passed - House (39 - 29) |
| 2/13 | HB 1085 | Constructing Science Facilities at Universities | Bill Passed - House (61 - 6) |
| 2/04 | HB 1261 | Firearm Possession on College Campuses | Bill Passed - House (63 - 3) |
| 1/29 | HB 1193 | Offering Sonograms to Women Considering Abortion | Bill Passed - House (38 - 31) |
| 2/28 | SB 199 | Mandatory School Attendance | Bill Passed - House (46 - 23) |
| 2/28 | SB 95 | Control of Technical Institutes | Bill Passed - House (50 - 19) |
| 2/20 | HB 1082 | School District Consolidation | Bill Passed - House (37 - 33) |
| 2/07 | HB 1139 | Tobacco Tax Funds | Bill Passed - House (60 - 10) |
| 2/07 | HB 1139 | Tobacco Tax Funds | Bill Passed - House (60 - 10) |
| 2/10 | HB 1235 | Compulsory High School Education Age to 18 | Bill Passed - House (51 - 14) |
| 2/09 | HB 1215 | Abortion Ban | Bill Passed - House (47 - 22) |
| 2/09 | HB 1194 | Contraceptive Distribution at Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (51 - 17) |
| 2/09 | HB 1194 | Contraceptive Distribution at Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (51 - 17) |
| 2/09 | HB 1234 | Mandatory Kindergarten | Bill Passed - House (52 - 15) |
| 2/07 | H Amdt 1194rf | Penalties for School Employees for Dispensing Contraceptives Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (37 - 33) |
| 2/07 | H Amdt 1194rf | Penalties for School Employees for Dispensing Contraceptives Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (37 - 33) |
| 2/07 | HB 1217 | Abstinence-Only Sex Education | Bill Passed - House (46 - 24) |
| 2/07 | HB 1217 | Abstinence-Only Sex Education | Bill Passed - House (46 - 24) |
| 2/06 | HB 1184 | Medical Treatments that Violate Medical Workers Principles | Bill Failed - House (34 - 35) |
| 1/24 | SB 27 | State Fair Appropriation | Bill Passed - House (61 - 7) |