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 9, 2013 | WI | AB 15 | Authorizes Work-Share Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| 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) |
| Feb. 21, 2012 | WI | SJR 21 | Prohibits mandated health insurance | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
| Feb. 21, 2012 | WI | SB 386 | Removes Voter Registration at High Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
| Feb. 21, 2012 | WI | SJR 21 | Prohibits mandated health insurance | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
| July 19, 2011 | WI | SB 148 | Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| July 19, 2011 | WI | SB 149 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| 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. 20, 2011 | WI | SB 2 | Tax Benefits for Health Savings Accounts | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| Jan. 18, 2011 | WI | SB 1 | Tort Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| Jan. 28, 2010 | WI | SB 263 | Expanding Access to Public Defenders | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| June 25, 2009 | WI | AB 75 | 2009-2011 Biennium Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 15) |
| June 17, 2009 | WI | AB 75 | 2009-2011 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
| Feb. 18, 2009 | WI | SB 62 | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| May 13, 2008 | WI | AB 1 | Budget Repair Plan | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 16) |
| March 25, 2008 | WI | AB 1 | Budget Repair Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14) |
| March 6, 2008 | WI | SB 523 | Great Lakes Water Resources Compact | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 6) |
| March 4, 2008 | WI | SB 537 | John Doe Proceedings | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| Feb. 19, 2008 | WI | SB 171 | Financing of Judicial Campaigns | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| Feb. 19, 2008 | WI | SB 171 | Financing of Judicial Campaigns | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| 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) |
| 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) |
| Nov. 8, 2007 | WI | SB 299 | School Tax Credit Formula | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
| Oct. 30, 2007 | WI | SB 15 | Secretary of Natural Resources Appointment | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| Oct. 23, 2007 | WI | AS SB 40 | 2007-2009 Biennium Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 15) |
| Oct. 15, 2007 | WI | SB 2 | Transportation Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14) |
| Oct. 15, 2007 | WI | SB 1 | 2007-2008 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14) |
| June 26, 2007 | WI | SS SB 40 | 2007-2009 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| May 9, 2007 | WI | SB 77 | Financial Disclosure For Issue Based Groups | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| May 4, 2006 | WI | SSA 1 | Spending Limit | Amendment Rejected - Senate (12 - 20) |
| May 4, 2006 | WI | SJR 63 | Spending Limit | Amendment Rejected - Senate (11 - 21) |
| April 25, 2006 | WI | AB 4 | Tax Deduction for Health Savings Account | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| March 7, 2006 | WI | AB 1073 | Medical Malpractice Lawsuit Caps | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/09 | AB 15 | Authorizes Work-Share Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| 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) |
| 2/21 | SJR 21 | Prohibits mandated health insurance | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
| 2/21 | SB 386 | Removes Voter Registration at High Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
| 2/21 | SJR 21 | Prohibits mandated health insurance | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
| 7/19 | SB 148 | Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| 7/19 | SB 149 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| 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) |
| 1/20 | SB 2 | Tax Benefits for Health Savings Accounts | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| 1/18 | SB 1 | Tort Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| 1/28 | SB 263 | Expanding Access to Public Defenders | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| 6/25 | AB 75 | 2009-2011 Biennium Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 15) |
| 6/17 | AB 75 | 2009-2011 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
| 2/18 | SB 62 | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| 5/13 | AB 1 | Budget Repair Plan | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 16) |
| 3/25 | AB 1 | Budget Repair Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14) |
| 3/06 | SB 523 | Great Lakes Water Resources Compact | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 6) |
| 3/04 | SB 537 | John Doe Proceedings | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| 2/19 | SB 171 | Financing of Judicial Campaigns | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| 2/19 | SB 171 | Financing of Judicial Campaigns | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| 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) |
| 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) |
| 11/08 | SB 299 | School Tax Credit Formula | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
| 10/30 | SB 15 | Secretary of Natural Resources Appointment | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| 10/23 | AS SB 40 | 2007-2009 Biennium Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 15) |
| 10/15 | SB 2 | Transportation Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14) |
| 10/15 | SB 1 | 2007-2008 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14) |
| 6/26 | SS SB 40 | 2007-2009 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| 5/09 | SB 77 | Financial Disclosure For Issue Based Groups | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
| 5/04 | SSA 1 | Spending Limit | Amendment Rejected - Senate (12 - 20) |
| 5/04 | SJR 63 | Spending Limit | Amendment Rejected - Senate (11 - 21) |
| 4/25 | AB 4 | Tax Deduction for Health Savings Account | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| 3/07 | AB 1073 | Medical Malpractice Lawsuit Caps | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |