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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Dec. 7, 2011 | MI | HB 4770 | Prohibits Public Employers from Providing Medical Benefits to Public Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
Dec. 1, 2011 | National | S 1917 | Extends Payroll Tax Cut and Establishes Tax on Income Over $1 Million | Motion Rejected - Senate (51 - 49) |
Dec. 1, 2011 | National | S 1931 | Reduces Payroll Tax Rate | Motion Rejected - Senate (20 - 78) |
Nov. 17, 2011 | RI | H 6319 | Amending the Pension System | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 2) |
Nov. 10, 2011 | National | S Amdt 928 | American Jobs and Economic Growth | Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 56) |
Nov. 3, 2011 | WI | SB 202 | Repeals Punitive Damages for Workplace Discrimination | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
Oct. 20, 2011 | WI | SB 95 | Evaluating Teacher Performance Using Standardized Test Scores | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
Oct. 11, 2011 | National | S 1660 | American Jobs Act of 2011 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (50 - 49) |
Sept. 22, 2011 | National | S Amdt 633 | Extends Trade Adjustment Assistance | Amendment Adopted - Senate (69 - 28) |
Sept. 21, 2011 | National | S Amdt 641 | Requires Extension of Trade Adjustment Assistance to be Contingent Upon Ratification of Free Trade Agreements with Columbia, Korea and Panama | Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 54) |
Sept. 21, 2011 | National | S Amdt 642 | Modifies Eligibility Requirements for Trade Adjustment Assistance | Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 57) |
Sept. 21, 2011 | National | S Amdt 625 | Reducing and Extending Trade Adjustment Assistance | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53) |
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 931 | Payroll Debit Cards | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
Sept. 8, 2011 | CA | SB 299 | Pregnancy or Childbirth Leave for Employees | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
Sept. 8, 2011 | CA | AB 101 | Allows Family Child Care Providers to Organize | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
Sept. 6, 2011 | CA | AB 1236 | Prohibits Requirement of Electronic Employment Verification | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
Sept. 1, 2011 | CA | SB 185 | Considering Race, Ethnicity and Gender in College Admissions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
July 13, 2011 | NC | SB 727 | No Dues Checkoff for School Employees | Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 18) |
June 30, 2011 | MI | HB 4628 | Amends Collective Bargaining Rights for Public Teachers | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
June 23, 2011 | DE | HB 100 | Background Checks for Contractors on School Premises | Bill Failed - Senate (10 - 5) |
June 22, 2011 | NH | HB 2 | Recertification of Employer Retirement Contribution Rates | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 5) |
June 20, 2011 | NJ | S 2937 | Pension and Health Care Benefits for Public Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15) |
June 19, 2011 | LA | HB 342 | Requires Certain Employers to Use E-Verify | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
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) |
May 25, 2011 | LA | SB 6 | Teacher Retirement | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 19) |
May 20, 2011 | TN | SB 113 | Teachers' Unions Negotiations | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 12) |
May 18, 2011 | NC | HB 578 | State Health Plan Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 16) |
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) |
May 11, 2011 | NV | AB 211 | Prohibiting Discriminatory Employment Practices Based On Gender or Expression | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 10) |
May 11, 2011 | PA | SB 612 | Guidelines for Teacher Suspension | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 12) |
May 7, 2011 | UT | HB 328 | State Government Work Week | Veto Override Passed - Senate (21 - 6) |
May 2, 2011 | TN | SB 113 | Teachers' Unions Negotiations | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14) |
April 29, 2011 | IN | HB 1216 | Public Works Projects | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (30 - 20) |
April 20, 2011 | NH | HB 474 | Labor Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 8) |
April 19, 2011 | IN | SB 575 | Collective Bargaining for School Employees | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
April 19, 2011 | OK | HB 1593 | Repealing Collective Bargaining Requirement for Cities | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19) |
April 18, 2011 | AZ | SB 1609 | Public Workers' Pensions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
April 14, 2011 | NC | SB 265 | Health Plan for Teachers and State Employees | Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
April 11, 2011 | MD | HB 235 | Prohibiting Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Discrimination | Motion Agreed - Senate (27 - 20) |
March 31, 2011 | CA | SB 104 | Labor Representatives | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
March 30, 2011 | OH | SB 5 | Collective Bargaining Rights for Public Employees | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
March 30, 2011 | NH | SB 121 | Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 5) |
March 28, 2011 | NC | SB 265 | Health Plan for Teachers and State Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 16) |
March 17, 2011 | AZ | SB 1611 | Requires Verification of Citizenship for Certain Benefits | Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 19) |
March 14, 2011 | AZ | SB 1345 | Limits Number and Compensation of Municipal Employees | Bill Failed - Senate (12 - 16) |
March 14, 2011 | GA | SB 40 | Immigration Status Verification of Private Business Workers | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 21) |
March 10, 2011 | TN | SB 1528 | Amends Requirements for Teacher Tenure | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
March 9, 2011 | WI | AB 11 | Collective Bargaining Rights for Public Employees | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 1) |
March 8, 2011 | UT | HB 183 | School District Leave Policies | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 7) |
March 8, 2011 | AZ | SB 1363 | Labor Organization Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
March 2, 2011 | OH | SB 5 | Collective Bargaining Rights for Public Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
Feb. 24, 2011 | ID | S 1108 | Education Provisions and Teacher Entitlements | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
Feb. 23, 2011 | SD | SB 156 | Prohibits Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
Feb. 17, 2011 | IN | SB 575 | Collective Bargaining for School Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
Feb. 16, 2011 | OH | HB 1 | Establishes JobsOhio | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 2) |
Feb. 15, 2011 | National | S Amdt 14 | Prohibiting Transportation Security Administration Employees from Collective Bargaining | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 51) |
Feb. 8, 2011 | WY | SF 52 | Repealing Teacher Tenure | Bill Failed - Senate (12 - 18) |
Feb. 4, 2011 | ID | S 1007 | Labor Organizations | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8) |
Feb. 2, 2011 | VA | SB 747 | Prohibits Discrimination in State Employment Based on Sexual Orientation | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
Feb. 1, 2011 | ID | S 1006 | Right to Work Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7) |
Feb. 1, 2011 | ID | S 1006 | Right to Work Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7) |
Jan. 19, 2011 | NH | SB 1 | Repeal of Automatic Continuation Requirement for Public Employee Collective Bargaining Agreements | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 5) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
12/07 | HB 4770 | Prohibits Public Employers from Providing Medical Benefits to Public Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
12/01 | S 1917 | Extends Payroll Tax Cut and Establishes Tax on Income Over $1 Million | Motion Rejected - Senate (51 - 49) |
12/01 | S 1931 | Reduces Payroll Tax Rate | Motion Rejected - Senate (20 - 78) |
11/17 | H 6319 | Amending the Pension System | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 2) |
11/10 | S Amdt 928 | American Jobs and Economic Growth | Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 56) |
11/03 | SB 202 | Repeals Punitive Damages for Workplace Discrimination | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
10/20 | SB 95 | Evaluating Teacher Performance Using Standardized Test Scores | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
10/11 | S 1660 | American Jobs Act of 2011 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (50 - 49) |
9/22 | S Amdt 633 | Extends Trade Adjustment Assistance | Amendment Adopted - Senate (69 - 28) |
9/21 | S Amdt 641 | Requires Extension of Trade Adjustment Assistance to be Contingent Upon Ratification of Free Trade Agreements with Columbia, Korea and Panama | Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 54) |
9/21 | S Amdt 642 | Modifies Eligibility Requirements for Trade Adjustment Assistance | Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 57) |
9/21 | S Amdt 625 | Reducing and Extending Trade Adjustment Assistance | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53) |
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 931 | Payroll Debit Cards | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
9/08 | SB 299 | Pregnancy or Childbirth Leave for Employees | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
9/08 | AB 101 | Allows Family Child Care Providers to Organize | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
9/06 | AB 1236 | Prohibits Requirement of Electronic Employment Verification | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
9/01 | SB 185 | Considering Race, Ethnicity and Gender in College Admissions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
7/13 | SB 727 | No Dues Checkoff for School Employees | Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 18) |
6/30 | HB 4628 | Amends Collective Bargaining Rights for Public Teachers | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
6/23 | HB 100 | Background Checks for Contractors on School Premises | Bill Failed - Senate (10 - 5) |
6/22 | HB 2 | Recertification of Employer Retirement Contribution Rates | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 5) |
6/20 | S 2937 | Pension and Health Care Benefits for Public Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15) |
6/19 | HB 342 | Requires Certain Employers to Use E-Verify | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
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) |
5/25 | SB 6 | Teacher Retirement | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 19) |
5/20 | SB 113 | Teachers' Unions Negotiations | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 12) |
5/18 | HB 578 | State Health Plan Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 16) |
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) |
5/11 | AB 211 | Prohibiting Discriminatory Employment Practices Based On Gender or Expression | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 10) |
5/11 | SB 612 | Guidelines for Teacher Suspension | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 12) |
5/07 | HB 328 | State Government Work Week | Veto Override Passed - Senate (21 - 6) |
5/02 | SB 113 | Teachers' Unions Negotiations | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14) |
4/29 | HB 1216 | Public Works Projects | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (30 - 20) |
4/20 | HB 474 | Labor Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 8) |
4/19 | SB 575 | Collective Bargaining for School Employees | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
4/19 | HB 1593 | Repealing Collective Bargaining Requirement for Cities | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19) |
4/18 | SB 1609 | Public Workers' Pensions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
4/14 | SB 265 | Health Plan for Teachers and State Employees | Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
4/11 | HB 235 | Prohibiting Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Discrimination | Motion Agreed - Senate (27 - 20) |
3/31 | SB 104 | Labor Representatives | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
3/30 | SB 5 | Collective Bargaining Rights for Public Employees | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
3/30 | SB 121 | Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 5) |
3/28 | SB 265 | Health Plan for Teachers and State Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 16) |
3/17 | SB 1611 | Requires Verification of Citizenship for Certain Benefits | Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 19) |
3/14 | SB 1345 | Limits Number and Compensation of Municipal Employees | Bill Failed - Senate (12 - 16) |
3/14 | SB 40 | Immigration Status Verification of Private Business Workers | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 21) |
3/10 | SB 1528 | Amends Requirements for Teacher Tenure | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
3/09 | AB 11 | Collective Bargaining Rights for Public Employees | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 1) |
3/08 | HB 183 | School District Leave Policies | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 7) |
3/08 | SB 1363 | Labor Organization Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
3/02 | SB 5 | Collective Bargaining Rights for Public Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
2/24 | S 1108 | Education Provisions and Teacher Entitlements | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
2/23 | SB 156 | Prohibits Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
2/17 | SB 575 | Collective Bargaining for School Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
2/16 | HB 1 | Establishes JobsOhio | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 2) |
2/15 | S Amdt 14 | Prohibiting Transportation Security Administration Employees from Collective Bargaining | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 51) |
2/08 | SF 52 | Repealing Teacher Tenure | Bill Failed - Senate (12 - 18) |
2/04 | S 1007 | Labor Organizations | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8) |
2/02 | SB 747 | Prohibits Discrimination in State Employment Based on Sexual Orientation | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
2/01 | S 1006 | Right to Work Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7) |
2/01 | S 1006 | Right to Work Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7) |
1/19 | SB 1 | Repeal of Automatic Continuation Requirement for Public Employee Collective Bargaining Agreements | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 5) |