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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 30, 2013 | TX | SB 1907 | Authorizes Firearms in Vehicles on College Campuses | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 4) |
| April 22, 2013 | TX | SB 1247 | Limits Payday Loan Interest Rates | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 6) |
| April 18, 2013 | TX | SB 303 | Amends the End-of-Life Care Procedures | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 6) |
| April 18, 2013 | TX | HB 63 | Prohibits Texting While Driving | Bill Passed - House (97 - 45) |
| June 29, 2011 | TX | SB 29 | Restricts Certain Types of Touching During Searches by Government Officials | Motion Rejected - House (96 - 26) |
| June 27, 2011 | TX | SB 29 | Restricts Certain Types of Touching During Searches by Government Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 11) |
| May 29, 2011 | TX | HB 242 | Prohibits Texting While Driving | Conference Report Adopted - House (80 - 61) |
| May 25, 2011 | TX | S Amdt 3 | Prohibits Texting While Driving | Amendment Adopted - Senate (19 - 12) |
| May 20, 2011 | TX | H Amdt 53 | Prohibits Smoking in Public Places | Amendment Adopted - House (73 - 66) |
| April 1, 2011 | TX | H Amdt 6 | Appropriations for the Department of Aging and Disability Services | Amendment Adopted - House (67 - 61) |
| May 31, 2009 | TX | SB 956 | Establishing a Public Law School in Dallas | Conference Report Adopted - House (112 - 24) |
| May 31, 2009 | TX | HB 537 | Increase Required Age for Seatbelts | Conference Report Adopted - House (105 - 34) |
| May 26, 2009 | TX | SB 175 | Capping Automatic College Admissions | Bill Passed - House (123 - 20) |
| May 15, 2009 | TX | HB 2962 | Childrens' Health Care | Bill Passed - House (87 - 55) |
| May 14, 2009 | TX | HB 1657 | Contractor Worker's Compensation | Bill Passed - House (73 - 71) |
| April 20, 2009 | TX | HB 681 | Warning Signs Regarding Mercury Levels in Fish | Bill Passed - House (95 - 50) |
| April 15, 2009 | TX | SB 1049 | Increasing Age Restriction on Tobacco Purchases | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5) |
| April 14, 2009 | TX | SB 855 | Authorizing County Taxes and Fees to Fund Transportation Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| March 31, 2009 | TX | SB 298 | Authorizing Sobriety Checkpoints | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 11) |
| March 25, 2009 | TX | SB 175 | Capping Automatic College Admissions | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 7) |
| March 19, 2009 | TX | SB 188 | Authorizes Needle Exchange Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 6) |
| May 26, 2007 | TX | CSHB 3678 | Religious Expression at Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (107 - 28) |
| May 23, 2007 | TX | CSHB 3678 | Religious Expression at Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 3) |
| May 4, 2007 | TX | CSHB 10 | Tribal Casino Gaming | Bill Failed - House (66 - 66) |
| May 3, 2007 | TX | CSSB 920 | Ultrasound Required Prior to Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 8) |
| May 1, 2007 | TX | CSHB 3678 | Religious Expression at Schools | Bill Passed - House (121 - 10) |
| April 30, 2007 | TX | CSSB 987 | Complex Loan Counseling | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 5) |
| April 27, 2007 | TX | CSSB 308 | Syringe Exchange Program | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 8) |
| April 26, 2007 | TX | CSSB 785 | Abortion Reporting Requirement Act | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| April 4, 2007 | TX | HB 109 | Child Health Care Expansion | Bill Passed - House (128 - 17) |
| March 29, 2007 | TX | F 64 | Pay Raise for Public School Employees | Amendment Adopted - House (90 - 56) |
| March 14, 2007 | TX | CSHB 1098 | Ban on HPV Vaccine Requirement | Bill Passed - House (118 - 23) |
| March 14, 2007 | TX | CSHB 1098 | Ban on HPV Vaccine Requirement | Bill Passed - House (118 - 23) |
| May 15, 2006 | TX | HB 2 | Property Tax Reduction | Conference Report Adopted - House (89 - 56) |
| May 15, 2006 | TX | HB 2 | Property Tax Reduction | Conference Report Adopted - House (89 - 56) |
| May 10, 2006 | TX | F 3 | Cigarette Tax Revenue Allocation Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (12 - 18) |
| May 10, 2006 | TX | F 3 | Cigarette Tax Revenue Allocation Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (12 - 18) |
| May 10, 2006 | TX | F 4 | Cigarette Tax Revenue Allocation Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (10 - 20) |
| May 10, 2006 | TX | F 4 | Cigarette Tax Revenue Allocation Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (10 - 20) |
| May 9, 2006 | TX | CSHB 2 | Property Tax Reduction | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| May 9, 2006 | TX | CSHB 2 | Property Tax Reduction | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| May 8, 2006 | TX | HB 4 | Motor Vehicle Sales Tax | Conference Report Adopted - House (86 - 47) |
| May 2, 2006 | TX | SCS HCS HB 4 | Motor Vehicle Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10) |
| April 24, 2006 | TX | HB 2 | Property Tax Reduction | Bill Passed - House (82 - 66) |
| April 24, 2006 | TX | HB 2 | Property Tax Reduction | Bill Passed - House (82 - 66) |
| April 24, 2006 | TX | CSHB 4 | Motor Vehicle Sales Tax | Bill Passed - House (80 - 67) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/30 | SB 1907 | Authorizes Firearms in Vehicles on College Campuses | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 4) |
| 4/22 | SB 1247 | Limits Payday Loan Interest Rates | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 6) |
| 4/18 | SB 303 | Amends the End-of-Life Care Procedures | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 6) |
| 4/18 | HB 63 | Prohibits Texting While Driving | Bill Passed - House (97 - 45) |
| 6/29 | SB 29 | Restricts Certain Types of Touching During Searches by Government Officials | Motion Rejected - House (96 - 26) |
| 6/27 | SB 29 | Restricts Certain Types of Touching During Searches by Government Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 11) |
| 5/29 | HB 242 | Prohibits Texting While Driving | Conference Report Adopted - House (80 - 61) |
| 5/25 | S Amdt 3 | Prohibits Texting While Driving | Amendment Adopted - Senate (19 - 12) |
| 5/20 | H Amdt 53 | Prohibits Smoking in Public Places | Amendment Adopted - House (73 - 66) |
| 4/01 | H Amdt 6 | Appropriations for the Department of Aging and Disability Services | Amendment Adopted - House (67 - 61) |
| 5/31 | SB 956 | Establishing a Public Law School in Dallas | Conference Report Adopted - House (112 - 24) |
| 5/31 | HB 537 | Increase Required Age for Seatbelts | Conference Report Adopted - House (105 - 34) |
| 5/26 | SB 175 | Capping Automatic College Admissions | Bill Passed - House (123 - 20) |
| 5/15 | HB 2962 | Childrens' Health Care | Bill Passed - House (87 - 55) |
| 5/14 | HB 1657 | Contractor Worker's Compensation | Bill Passed - House (73 - 71) |
| 4/20 | HB 681 | Warning Signs Regarding Mercury Levels in Fish | Bill Passed - House (95 - 50) |
| 4/15 | SB 1049 | Increasing Age Restriction on Tobacco Purchases | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5) |
| 4/14 | SB 855 | Authorizing County Taxes and Fees to Fund Transportation Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| 3/31 | SB 298 | Authorizing Sobriety Checkpoints | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 11) |
| 3/25 | SB 175 | Capping Automatic College Admissions | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 7) |
| 3/19 | SB 188 | Authorizes Needle Exchange Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 6) |
| 5/26 | CSHB 3678 | Religious Expression at Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (107 - 28) |
| 5/23 | CSHB 3678 | Religious Expression at Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 3) |
| 5/04 | CSHB 10 | Tribal Casino Gaming | Bill Failed - House (66 - 66) |
| 5/03 | CSSB 920 | Ultrasound Required Prior to Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 8) |
| 5/01 | CSHB 3678 | Religious Expression at Schools | Bill Passed - House (121 - 10) |
| 4/30 | CSSB 987 | Complex Loan Counseling | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 5) |
| 4/27 | CSSB 308 | Syringe Exchange Program | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 8) |
| 4/26 | CSSB 785 | Abortion Reporting Requirement Act | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| 4/04 | HB 109 | Child Health Care Expansion | Bill Passed - House (128 - 17) |
| 3/29 | F 64 | Pay Raise for Public School Employees | Amendment Adopted - House (90 - 56) |
| 3/14 | CSHB 1098 | Ban on HPV Vaccine Requirement | Bill Passed - House (118 - 23) |
| 3/14 | CSHB 1098 | Ban on HPV Vaccine Requirement | Bill Passed - House (118 - 23) |
| 5/15 | HB 2 | Property Tax Reduction | Conference Report Adopted - House (89 - 56) |
| 5/15 | HB 2 | Property Tax Reduction | Conference Report Adopted - House (89 - 56) |
| 5/10 | F 3 | Cigarette Tax Revenue Allocation Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (12 - 18) |
| 5/10 | F 3 | Cigarette Tax Revenue Allocation Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (12 - 18) |
| 5/10 | F 4 | Cigarette Tax Revenue Allocation Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (10 - 20) |
| 5/10 | F 4 | Cigarette Tax Revenue Allocation Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (10 - 20) |
| 5/09 | CSHB 2 | Property Tax Reduction | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| 5/09 | CSHB 2 | Property Tax Reduction | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| 5/08 | HB 4 | Motor Vehicle Sales Tax | Conference Report Adopted - House (86 - 47) |
| 5/02 | SCS HCS HB 4 | Motor Vehicle Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10) |
| 4/24 | HB 2 | Property Tax Reduction | Bill Passed - House (82 - 66) |
| 4/24 | HB 2 | Property Tax Reduction | Bill Passed - House (82 - 66) |
| 4/24 | CSHB 4 | Motor Vehicle Sales Tax | Bill Passed - House (80 - 67) |