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
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)
Sept. 6, 2011 CA SB 299 Pregnancy or Childbirth Leave for Employees Bill Passed - House (52 - 26)
Sept. 1, 2011 CA SB 469 Requirements for Expansion by Large Retailers Bill Passed - House (46 - 28)
June 30, 2011 MI SB 7 Employee Contribution to Health Care Benefits Bill Passed - House (56 - 52)
March 9, 2011 UT SB 73 Public School Teacher Tenure Modifications Bill Passed - House (45 - 28)
June 16, 2011 TX SB 8 Management and Operation of Public Schools Bill Passed - House (81 - 55)
Sept. 9, 2011 CA SB 922 Project Labor Agreements Bill Passed - House (52 - 27)
Sept. 8, 2011 CA SB 931 Payroll Debit Cards Bill Passed - House (48 - 28)
Date No. Title Outcome
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)
9/06 SB 299 Pregnancy or Childbirth Leave for Employees Bill Passed - House (52 - 26)
9/01 SB 469 Requirements for Expansion by Large Retailers Bill Passed - House (46 - 28)
6/30 SB 7 Employee Contribution to Health Care Benefits Bill Passed - House (56 - 52)
3/09 SB 73 Public School Teacher Tenure Modifications Bill Passed - House (45 - 28)
6/16 SB 8 Management and Operation of Public Schools Bill Passed - House (81 - 55)
9/09 SB 922 Project Labor Agreements Bill Passed - House (52 - 27)
9/08 SB 931 Payroll Debit Cards Bill Passed - House (48 - 28)

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