Key Votes
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About the Selection and Descriptions of Key Votes
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:
- The vote should be helpful in portraying how a member stands on a particular issue
- The vote should be clear for any person to understand
- The vote has received media attention
- The vote was passed or defeated by a very close margin
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct. 18, 2017 | MI | SB 574 | Authorizes Charter Schools to Collect Revenues From Enhancement Millages | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| Sept. 5, 2017 | CA | AB 841 | Restricts Marketing of Unhealthy Foods in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 13) |
| Aug. 13, 2017 | IL | SB 1 | Specifies School Funding Reallocation | Veto Override Passed - Senate (38 - 19) |
| Aug. 13, 2017 | IL | SB 1 | Specifies School Funding Reallocation | Veto Override Passed - Senate (38 - 19) |
| July 26, 2017 | TX | SB 3 | Amends Regulations of Public and Charter School Facilities | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10) |
| July 25, 2017 | TX | SB 2 | Appropriates Funds for Private School Scholarships | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12) |
| July 9, 2017 | PA | HB 97 | Authorizes Budget Cuts for Low-Performing Charter Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| July 9, 2017 | PA | HB 97 | Authorizes Budget Cuts for Low-Performing Charter Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| June 19, 2017 | NJ | S 3067 | Prohibits Transgender Discrimination in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| June 15, 2017 | MI | SB 401 | Amends Teacher Retirement Plans | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| June 6, 2017 | RI | S 608 | Requires Notification of Sex Offenders Living Near School Bus Stops | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 0) |
| May 30, 2017 | CA | SB 328 | Amends School Start Time | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| May 17, 2017 | IL | SB 1 | Specifies School Funding Reallocation | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18) |
| May 10, 2017 | IL | SB 1351 | Establishes Laws Governing Student Loan Servicers | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15) |
| May 9, 2017 | AZ | SB 1384 | Prohibits Censorship of Student Media | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 0) |
| May 8, 2017 | FL | HB 7069 | Establishes New Eligibility Criteria for Teacher Scholarships | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 18) |
| May 5, 2017 | FL | HB 989 | Authorizes Residents to Challenge School Textbooks | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 17) |
| May 5, 2017 | FL | HB 989 | Authorizes Residents to Challenge School Textbooks | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 17) |
| May 2, 2017 | NE | LB 427 | Requires Schools to Accommodate Pregnant and Parenting Students | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 7) |
| May 1, 2017 | TX | SB 463 | Amends High-School Diploma Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 3) |
| April 27, 2017 | TX | SB 457 | Appropriates Funds for Charter Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| April 25, 2017 | NC | HB 13 | Establishes Maximum Class Size for Kindergarten Through Third Grade | (48 - 1) |
| April 25, 2017 | AZ | SB 1042 | Establishes New Requirements for Teacher Certification | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 12) |
| April 9, 2017 | NY | A 3009 | Establishes State Fiscal Plan | (53 - 4) |
| April 6, 2017 | MD | HB 978 | Requires Improvement and Accountability Programs for Public Schools | Veto Override Passed - Senate (32 - 15) |
| April 4, 2017 | IN | HB 1384 | Expands Indiana's Voucher Program | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 12) |
| April 4, 2017 | MN | HF 890 | Authorizes Education Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 28) |
| April 4, 2017 | MN | HF 890 | Authorizes Education Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 28) |
| April 4, 2017 | AL | SB 129 | Establishes Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 2) |
| April 4, 2017 | TX | SB 576 | Establishes Reporting Standards for Sexual Assault on College Campuses | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 1) |
| March 31, 2017 | ND | HB 1329 | Authorizes Free Speech at Public Universities | Bill Failed - Senate (7 - 37) |
| March 31, 2017 | ND | HB 1329 | Authorizes Free Speech at Public Universities | Bill Failed - Senate (7 - 37) |
| March 30, 2017 | TX | SB 3 | Appropriates State Funds for Education in Non-Rural Areas | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 13) |
| March 30, 2017 | TX | SB 3 | Appropriates State Funds for Education in Non-Rural Areas | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 13) |
| March 30, 2017 | TX | SB 2 | Appropriates Funds for Private School Scholarships | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 13) |
| March 29, 2017 | KY | HB 128 | Establishes Regulations for Elective Courses on Religious Literature | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 4) |
| March 29, 2017 | KY | HB 128 | Establishes Regulations for Elective Courses on Religious Literature | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 4) |
| March 28, 2017 | ND | HB 1310 | Amends Concealed Carry Laws | Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 27) |
| March 24, 2017 | MD | HB 978 | Requires Improvement and Accountability Programs for Public Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 15) |
| March 23, 2017 | FL | SB 436 | Prohibits Discrimination Against Religious Expression in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| March 23, 2017 | FL | SB 436 | Prohibits Discrimination Against Religious Expression in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| March 15, 2017 | KY | HB 520 | Authorizes Charter Schools to Operate in Kentucky | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| March 15, 2017 | KY | HB 520 | Authorizes Charter Schools to Operate in Kentucky | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| March 9, 2017 | NM | SB 374 | Prohibits Public Shaming of Students Who Can't Pay for Lunch | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7) |
| March 9, 2017 | NM | SB 374 | Prohibits Public Shaming of Students Who Can't Pay for Lunch | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7) |
| March 6, 2017 | KY | SB 17 | Authorizes Expression of Religious or Political Viewpoints in Public Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 3) |
| March 6, 2017 | KY | SB 17 | Authorizes Expression of Religious or Political Viewpoints in Public Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 3) |
| March 6, 2017 | KY | SB 17 | Authorizes Expression of Religious or Political Viewpoints in Public Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 3) |
| March 1, 2017 | WY | HB 236 | Reduces the Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5) |
| Feb. 23, 2017 | NH | SB 8 | Authorizes Overpopulated Public Schools to Transfer Students Elsewhere | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 9) |
| Feb. 15, 2017 | KY | SB 1 | Amends State Educational Standards | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 0) |
| Feb. 7, 2017 | National | PN 37 | Nomination of Elisabeth Prince DeVos to be Secretary of Education | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (51 - 50) |
| Feb. 3, 2017 | National | PN 37 | Nomination of Elisabeth Prince DeVos to be Secretary of Education | Cloture Invoked - Senate (52 - 48) |
| Feb. 2, 2017 | IA | SF 166 | Authorizes School Funding Increase of 1.11 Percent | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21) |
| Feb. 2, 2017 | IA | SF 166 | Authorizes School Funding Increase of 1.11 Percent | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21) |