Key Votes

Chamber

Keyword Search

Search string must be longer than 3 characters.

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:

  1. The vote should be helpful in portraying how a member stands on a particular issue
  2. The vote should be clear for any person to understand
  3. The vote has received media attention
  4. The vote was passed or defeated by a very close margin
  5. Occasionally, if a specific bill is consistently inquired about on the Voter's Research Hotline, the vote will be added

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.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Feb. 17, 2011 ND HB 1385 Senior Citizens Attending Institutions of Higher Education Bill Passed - House (65 - 29)
July 19, 2007 National HR 3043 Appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Bill Passed - House (276 - 140)
April 19, 2018 IL SB 2546 Authorizes Graduate Research Assistant Unions Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 19)
March 2, 2016 IL SB 2043 Appropriates Funds for Higher Education Veto Override Passed - Senate (37 - 17)
July 23, 2013 NC HB 937 Amends Firearm Laws Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 14)
April 21, 2016 TN HB 2248 Rescinds Funding for the University of Tennessee's Diversity Office Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 3)
May 29, 2013 MI HB 4228 2013-2014 Education Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 12)
May 17, 2013 MN SF 1236 Increases Funds for Higher Education Conference Report Adopted - House (76 - 56)
April 11, 2011 MD SB 167 In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants Conference Report Adopted - House (74 - 65)
April 5, 2013 KS SB 199 Establishes the Midwest Stem Cell Therapy Center Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 8)
Jan. 14, 2014 ME LD 1254 Requires State Institutions to Purchase Foods Produced in Maine Veto Override Passed - House (94 - 46)
June 18, 2012 NC HB 7 Authorizes Community Colleges to Opt Out of Federal Loan Program Veto Override Passed - Senate (31 - 16)
June 5, 2012 MI HB 5372 School Aid Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 17)
April 26, 2023 ND HB 1003 Authorizes a 2-Year Tuition Freeze for State Public Colleges and Universities Conference Report Adopted - Senate (45 - 2)
April 19, 2018 AZ HB 2563 Establishes Free Speech Policy for College Campuses Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 13)
May 17, 2013 MN SF 1236 Increases Funds for Higher Education Conference Report Adopted - Senate (44 - 22)
July 23, 2013 NC HB 937 Amends Firearm Laws Conference Report Adopted - House (73 - 41)
Sept. 23, 2020 MI SB 927 Authorizes an Increase in Funding for Education Conference Report Adopted - House (103 - 2)
March 9, 2012 FL HB 5001 2012-2013 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 8)
Sept. 24, 2019 MI HB 4236 Establishes a Higher Education Budget for Fiscal Year 2019-2020 Conference Report Adopted - House (58 - 51)
April 21, 2016 TN HB 2248 Rescinds Funding for the University of Tennessee's Diversity Office Conference Report Adopted - House (63 - 21)
April 23, 2014 IA SF 2347 2014-2015 Higher Education Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (28 - 21)
May 20, 2019 MN SF 2415 Appropriates Funds for Higher Education Conference Report Adopted - House (84 - 49)
April 11, 2011 MD SB 167 In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 19)
April 21, 2010 AL SB 162 PACT Funding and Tuition Restrictions Conference Report Adopted - House (85 - 7)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/17 HB 1385 Senior Citizens Attending Institutions of Higher Education Bill Passed - House (65 - 29)
7/19 HR 3043 Appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Bill Passed - House (276 - 140)
4/19 SB 2546 Authorizes Graduate Research Assistant Unions Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 19)
3/02 SB 2043 Appropriates Funds for Higher Education Veto Override Passed - Senate (37 - 17)
7/23 HB 937 Amends Firearm Laws Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 14)
4/21 HB 2248 Rescinds Funding for the University of Tennessee's Diversity Office Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 3)
5/29 HB 4228 2013-2014 Education Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 12)
5/17 SF 1236 Increases Funds for Higher Education Conference Report Adopted - House (76 - 56)
4/11 SB 167 In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants Conference Report Adopted - House (74 - 65)
4/05 SB 199 Establishes the Midwest Stem Cell Therapy Center Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 8)
1/14 LD 1254 Requires State Institutions to Purchase Foods Produced in Maine Veto Override Passed - House (94 - 46)
6/18 HB 7 Authorizes Community Colleges to Opt Out of Federal Loan Program Veto Override Passed - Senate (31 - 16)
6/05 HB 5372 School Aid Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 17)
4/26 HB 1003 Authorizes a 2-Year Tuition Freeze for State Public Colleges and Universities Conference Report Adopted - Senate (45 - 2)
4/19 HB 2563 Establishes Free Speech Policy for College Campuses Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 13)
5/17 SF 1236 Increases Funds for Higher Education Conference Report Adopted - Senate (44 - 22)
7/23 HB 937 Amends Firearm Laws Conference Report Adopted - House (73 - 41)
9/23 SB 927 Authorizes an Increase in Funding for Education Conference Report Adopted - House (103 - 2)
3/09 HB 5001 2012-2013 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 8)
9/24 HB 4236 Establishes a Higher Education Budget for Fiscal Year 2019-2020 Conference Report Adopted - House (58 - 51)
4/21 HB 2248 Rescinds Funding for the University of Tennessee's Diversity Office Conference Report Adopted - House (63 - 21)
4/23 SF 2347 2014-2015 Higher Education Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (28 - 21)
5/20 SF 2415 Appropriates Funds for Higher Education Conference Report Adopted - House (84 - 49)
4/11 SB 167 In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 19)
4/21 SB 162 PACT Funding and Tuition Restrictions Conference Report Adopted - House (85 - 7)

arrow_upward