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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 27, 2011 | TX | SB 29 | Restricts Certain Types of Touching During Searches by Government Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 11) |
| May 25, 2011 | TX | S Amdt 3 | Prohibits Texting While Driving | Amendment Adopted - Senate (19 - 12) |
| 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 23, 2007 | TX | CSHB 3678 | Religious Expression at Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 3) |
| May 3, 2007 | TX | CSSB 920 | Ultrasound Required Prior to Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 8) |
| 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) |
| May 10, 2006 | TX | F 4 | Cigarette Tax Revenue Allocation Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (10 - 20) |
| 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 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 2, 2006 | TX | SCS HCS HB 4 | Motor Vehicle Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/27 | SB 29 | Restricts Certain Types of Touching During Searches by Government Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 11) |
| 5/25 | S Amdt 3 | Prohibits Texting While Driving | Amendment Adopted - Senate (19 - 12) |
| 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) |
| 5/23 | CSHB 3678 | Religious Expression at Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 3) |
| 5/03 | CSSB 920 | Ultrasound Required Prior to Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 8) |
| 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) |
| 5/10 | F 4 | Cigarette Tax Revenue Allocation Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (10 - 20) |
| 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) |
| 5/09 | CSHB 2 | Property Tax Reduction | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| 5/09 | CSHB 2 | Property Tax Reduction | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| 5/02 | SCS HCS HB 4 | Motor Vehicle Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10) |