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. 8, 2017 | WI | SB 3 | Prohibits Localities from Requiring Project Labor Agreements | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 13) |
| Feb. 16, 2016 | WI | SB 533 | Prohibits Local Governments from Issuing Identification Cards | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 13) |
| Feb. 25, 2015 | WI | SB 44 | Prohibits Employers from Mandating Employees to Join or Pay Unions | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15) |
| Feb. 11, 2014 | WI | AB 161 | Authorizes the Appeal of Court Orders that Suspend State Law | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14) |
| Nov. 5, 2013 | WI | AB 297 | Amends Laws Concerning the Use of Race-Based Nicknames, Logos, Mascots, and Team Names | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
| April 9, 2013 | WI | AB 15 | Authorizes Work-Share Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| Jan. 29, 2013 | WI | SB 2 | Limits the Secretary of State's Role in Legislation | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 14) |
| Jan. 29, 2013 | WI | SB 2 | Limits the Secretary of State's Role in Legislation | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 14) |
| Nov. 2, 2011 | WI | SB 237 | Amending Sexual Education Guidelines | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15) |
| Oct. 25, 2011 | WI | SB 45 | Administration of Medications to Students | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| July 19, 2011 | WI | SB 149 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| July 19, 2011 | WI | SB 148 | Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| June 8, 2011 | WI | SB 116 | Relating to Overseas Absentee Voting | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
| March 9, 2011 | WI | AB 11 | Collective Bargaining Rights for Public Employees | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 1) |
| Jan. 18, 2011 | WI | SB 1 | Tort Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| Jan. 28, 2010 | WI | AB 458 | Sex Education Curriculum Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| Jan. 28, 2010 | WI | SB 263 | Expanding Access to Public Defenders | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| Jan. 28, 2010 | WI | SB 263 | Expanding Access to Public Defenders | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| June 9, 2009 | WI | SB 167 | Decreasing the Minimum Hunting Age | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6) |
| April 28, 2009 | WI | SB 20 | Discriminatory Pay Compensation | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| April 28, 2009 | WI | SB 20 | Discriminatory Pay Compensation | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| Feb. 10, 2009 | WI | SB 1 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14) |
| March 4, 2008 | WI | SB 537 | John Doe Proceedings | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | WI | AB 377 | Emergency Contraception for Sexual Assault Victims | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 6) |
| Jan. 15, 2008 | WI | SB 130 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 13) |
| Dec. 11, 2007 | WI | SB 176 | Compensation for Discharged Police Officers | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 3) |
| Dec. 11, 2007 | WI | SJR 5 | Limiting Governor's Partial Veto Authority | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (33 - 0) |
| Dec. 11, 2007 | WI | SJR 5 | Limiting Governor's Partial Veto Authority | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (33 - 0) |
| Dec. 11, 2007 | WI | SB 176 | Compensation for Discharged Police Officers | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 3) |
| Oct. 30, 2007 | WI | SB 15 | Secretary of Natural Resources Appointment | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| March 7, 2006 | WI | AB 1073 | Medical Malpractice Lawsuit Caps | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
| Feb. 23, 2006 | WI | SB 567 | Limit Public Assistance to Citizens or Legal Residents of the United States | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| Feb. 23, 2006 | WI | SB 567 | Limit Public Assistance to Citizens or Legal Residents of the United States | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/08 | SB 3 | Prohibits Localities from Requiring Project Labor Agreements | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 13) |
| 2/16 | SB 533 | Prohibits Local Governments from Issuing Identification Cards | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 13) |
| 2/25 | SB 44 | Prohibits Employers from Mandating Employees to Join or Pay Unions | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15) |
| 2/11 | AB 161 | Authorizes the Appeal of Court Orders that Suspend State Law | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14) |
| 11/05 | AB 297 | Amends Laws Concerning the Use of Race-Based Nicknames, Logos, Mascots, and Team Names | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
| 4/09 | AB 15 | Authorizes Work-Share Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| 1/29 | SB 2 | Limits the Secretary of State's Role in Legislation | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 14) |
| 1/29 | SB 2 | Limits the Secretary of State's Role in Legislation | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 14) |
| 11/02 | SB 237 | Amending Sexual Education Guidelines | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15) |
| 10/25 | SB 45 | Administration of Medications to Students | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| 7/19 | SB 149 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| 7/19 | SB 148 | Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| 6/08 | SB 116 | Relating to Overseas Absentee Voting | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
| 3/09 | AB 11 | Collective Bargaining Rights for Public Employees | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 1) |
| 1/18 | SB 1 | Tort Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| 1/28 | AB 458 | Sex Education Curriculum Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| 1/28 | SB 263 | Expanding Access to Public Defenders | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| 1/28 | SB 263 | Expanding Access to Public Defenders | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| 6/09 | SB 167 | Decreasing the Minimum Hunting Age | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6) |
| 4/28 | SB 20 | Discriminatory Pay Compensation | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| 4/28 | SB 20 | Discriminatory Pay Compensation | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| 2/10 | SB 1 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14) |
| 3/04 | SB 537 | John Doe Proceedings | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| 2/28 | AB 377 | Emergency Contraception for Sexual Assault Victims | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 6) |
| 1/15 | SB 130 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 13) |
| 12/11 | SB 176 | Compensation for Discharged Police Officers | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 3) |
| 12/11 | SJR 5 | Limiting Governor's Partial Veto Authority | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (33 - 0) |
| 12/11 | SJR 5 | Limiting Governor's Partial Veto Authority | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (33 - 0) |
| 12/11 | SB 176 | Compensation for Discharged Police Officers | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 3) |
| 10/30 | SB 15 | Secretary of Natural Resources Appointment | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| 3/07 | AB 1073 | Medical Malpractice Lawsuit Caps | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
| 2/23 | SB 567 | Limit Public Assistance to Citizens or Legal Residents of the United States | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| 2/23 | SB 567 | Limit Public Assistance to Citizens or Legal Residents of the United States | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |