Key Votes

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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.


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Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
April 18, 2011 AZ SB 1609 Public Workers' Pensions Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 9)
April 14, 2011 AZ SB 1609 Public Workers' Pensions Bill Passed - House (36 - 20)
March 17, 2011 AZ SB 1611 Requires Verification of Citizenship for Certain Benefits Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 19)
Sept. 1, 2011 CA SB 185 Considering Race, Ethnicity and Gender in College Admissions Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
Aug. 29, 2011 CA SB 185 Considering Race, Ethnicity and Gender in College Admissions Bill Passed - House (49 - 28)
May 18, 2011 NH SB 196 Guidelines for Teacher Dismissal Bill Passed - House (253 - 105)
Nov. 3, 2011 WI SB 202 Repeals Punitive Damages for Workplace Discrimination Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16)
April 14, 2011 NC SB 265 Health Plan for Teachers and State Employees Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 17)
March 28, 2011 NC SB 265 Health Plan for Teachers and State Employees Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 16)
Sept. 8, 2011 CA SB 299 Pregnancy or Childbirth Leave for Employees Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 9)
Sept. 6, 2011 CA SB 299 Pregnancy or Childbirth Leave for Employees Bill Passed - House (52 - 26)
Jan. 10, 2011 IL SB 3644 Labor Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (64 - 49)
March 14, 2011 GA SB 40 Immigration Status Verification of Private Business Workers Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 21)
March 30, 2011 OH SB 5 Collective Bargaining Rights for Public Employees Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (17 - 16)
March 30, 2011 OH SB 5 Collective Bargaining Rights for Public Employees Bill Passed - House (53 - 44)
March 2, 2011 OH SB 5 Collective Bargaining Rights for Public Employees Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16)
April 19, 2011 IN SB 575 Collective Bargaining for School Employees Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 19)
April 13, 2011 IN SB 575 Collective Bargaining for School Employees Bill Passed - House (52 - 40)
Feb. 17, 2011 IN SB 575 Collective Bargaining for School Employees Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19)
May 25, 2011 LA SB 6 Teacher Retirement Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 19)
May 11, 2011 PA SB 612 Guidelines for Teacher Suspension Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 12)
June 30, 2011 MI SB 7 Employee Contribution to Health Care Benefits Bill Passed - House (56 - 52)
June 30, 2011 MI SB 7 Employee Contribution to Health Care Benefits Bill Passed - House (56 - 52)
May 18, 2011 MI SB 7 Employee Contribution to Health Care Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
May 18, 2011 MI SB 7 Employee Contribution to Health Care Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
July 13, 2011 NC SB 727 No Dues Checkoff for School Employees Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 18)
March 9, 2011 UT SB 73 Public School Teacher Tenure Modifications Bill Passed - House (45 - 28)
Feb. 2, 2011 VA SB 747 Prohibits Discrimination in State Employment Based on Sexual Orientation Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18)
June 16, 2011 TX SB 8 Management and Operation of Public Schools Bill Passed - House (81 - 55)
June 6, 2011 TX SB 8 Management and Operation of Public Schools Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12)
May 25, 2011 CT SB 913 Requires Paid Sick Leave Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
Sept. 9, 2011 CA SB 922 Project Labor Agreements Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
Sept. 9, 2011 CA SB 922 Project Labor Agreements Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
Sept. 9, 2011 CA SB 922 Project Labor Agreements Bill Passed - House (52 - 27)
Sept. 9, 2011 CA SB 922 Project Labor Agreements Bill Passed - House (52 - 27)
Sept. 9, 2011 CA SB 931 Payroll Debit Cards Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 17)
Sept. 8, 2011 CA SB 931 Payroll Debit Cards Bill Passed - House (48 - 28)
Oct. 20, 2011 WI SB 95 Evaluating Teacher Performance Using Standardized Test Scores Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16)
Feb. 8, 2011 WY SF 52 Repealing Teacher Tenure Bill Failed - Senate (12 - 18)
Date No. Title Outcome
4/18 SB 1609 Public Workers' Pensions Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 9)
4/14 SB 1609 Public Workers' Pensions Bill Passed - House (36 - 20)
3/17 SB 1611 Requires Verification of Citizenship for Certain Benefits Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 19)
9/01 SB 185 Considering Race, Ethnicity and Gender in College Admissions Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
8/29 SB 185 Considering Race, Ethnicity and Gender in College Admissions Bill Passed - House (49 - 28)
5/18 SB 196 Guidelines for Teacher Dismissal Bill Passed - House (253 - 105)
11/03 SB 202 Repeals Punitive Damages for Workplace Discrimination Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16)
4/14 SB 265 Health Plan for Teachers and State Employees Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 17)
3/28 SB 265 Health Plan for Teachers and State Employees Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 16)
9/08 SB 299 Pregnancy or Childbirth Leave for Employees Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 9)
9/06 SB 299 Pregnancy or Childbirth Leave for Employees Bill Passed - House (52 - 26)
1/10 SB 3644 Labor Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (64 - 49)
3/14 SB 40 Immigration Status Verification of Private Business Workers Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 21)
3/30 SB 5 Collective Bargaining Rights for Public Employees Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (17 - 16)
3/30 SB 5 Collective Bargaining Rights for Public Employees Bill Passed - House (53 - 44)
3/02 SB 5 Collective Bargaining Rights for Public Employees Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16)
4/19 SB 575 Collective Bargaining for School Employees Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 19)
4/13 SB 575 Collective Bargaining for School Employees Bill Passed - House (52 - 40)
2/17 SB 575 Collective Bargaining for School Employees Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19)
5/25 SB 6 Teacher Retirement Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 19)
5/11 SB 612 Guidelines for Teacher Suspension Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 12)
6/30 SB 7 Employee Contribution to Health Care Benefits Bill Passed - House (56 - 52)
6/30 SB 7 Employee Contribution to Health Care Benefits Bill Passed - House (56 - 52)
5/18 SB 7 Employee Contribution to Health Care Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
5/18 SB 7 Employee Contribution to Health Care Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
7/13 SB 727 No Dues Checkoff for School Employees Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 18)
3/09 SB 73 Public School Teacher Tenure Modifications Bill Passed - House (45 - 28)
2/02 SB 747 Prohibits Discrimination in State Employment Based on Sexual Orientation Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18)
6/16 SB 8 Management and Operation of Public Schools Bill Passed - House (81 - 55)
6/06 SB 8 Management and Operation of Public Schools Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12)
5/25 SB 913 Requires Paid Sick Leave Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
9/09 SB 922 Project Labor Agreements Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
9/09 SB 922 Project Labor Agreements Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
9/09 SB 922 Project Labor Agreements Bill Passed - House (52 - 27)
9/09 SB 922 Project Labor Agreements Bill Passed - House (52 - 27)
9/09 SB 931 Payroll Debit Cards Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 17)
9/08 SB 931 Payroll Debit Cards Bill Passed - House (48 - 28)
10/20 SB 95 Evaluating Teacher Performance Using Standardized Test Scores Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16)
2/08 SF 52 Repealing Teacher Tenure Bill Failed - Senate (12 - 18)

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