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
Dec. 14, 2022 National S J Res 60 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to "Final Priorities, Requirements, Definitions, and Selection Criteria-Expanding Opportunity Through Quality Charter Schools Program (CSP)-Grants to State Entities (State Entity Grants); Grants to Charter Management Organizations for the Replication and Expansion of High-Quality Charter Schools (CMO Grants); and Grants to Charter School Developers for the Opening of New Charter Schools and for the Replication and Expansion of High-Quality Charter Schools (Developer Grants)". Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (49 - 49)
Dec. 7, 2022 OH SB 178 Repeals Various Responsibilities of the Ohio State Department of Education Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 7)
Oct. 27, 2022 NJ S 588 Requires School Curricula to Include Information Literacy Bill Passed - House (61 - 8)
Oct. 25, 2022 PA HB 2633 Amends Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) Language in Previous State Law Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 0)
Oct. 18, 2022 PA SB 1243 Requires High School Students Pass a Financial Literacy Class Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18)
Sept. 28, 2022 MI HB 5703 Requires School Districts to Post an Excerpt Affirming the Importance of Religion and Morality (28 - 5)
Sept. 1, 2022 ID H 1 Reduces Tax Rates; Appropriates Monies for Education Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 1)
Sept. 1, 2022 ID H 1 Reduces Tax Rates; Appropriates Monies for Education Bill Passed - House (55 - 15)
Aug. 31, 2022 CA SB 1137 Prohibits New Oil Wells Near Schools and Hospitals Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
Aug. 30, 2022 CA SB 1137 Prohibits New Oil Wells Near Schools and Hospitals Bill Passed - House (46 - 24)
Aug. 18, 2022 CA SB 70 Requires Mandatory Kindergarten Bill Passed - House (59 - 12)
Aug. 11, 2022 AR SB 2 Appropriates $50 Million For School Safety Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 1)
July 7, 2022 MA S 2973 Expands Access to Childcare Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 0)
July 1, 2022 NC HB 911 Reduces Regulations; Limits Public Access to "Sensitive" Information Conference Report Adopted - House (83 - 24)
July 1, 2022 NC HB 103 Appropriates Funds for Education, Economic Development, Transportation, etc. Conference Report Adopted - House (82 - 25)
July 1, 2022 NC SB 593 Amends Governance of Schools for Deaf and Blind Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (40 - 4)
July 1, 2022 NC HB 103 Appropriates Funds for Education, Economic Development, Transportation, etc. Conference Report Adopted - Senate (36 - 8)
June 30, 2022 NC HB 911 Reduces Regulations; Limits Public Access to "Sensitive" Information Conference Report Adopted - Senate (45 - 2)
June 30, 2022 DE SB 13 Prohibits an Academic Institution from Inquiring about an Applicant's Criminal History Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 6)
June 30, 2022 DE HB 388 Authorizes School Violence Prevention Programs Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 4)
June 30, 2022 DE SB 13 Prohibits an Academic Institution from Inquiring about an Applicant's Criminal History Bill Passed - House (25 - 15)
June 29, 2022 NJ A 3733 Authorizes Students in Higher Education to Earn Graduation Credits for Serving as a Poll Worker Concurrence Vote Passed - House (75 - 3)
June 29, 2022 NJ A 2368 Requires Schools Provide Free School Breakfast and Lunch to Working and Middle Class Families Concurrence Vote Passed - House (73 - 5)
June 29, 2022 NJ A 3733 Authorizes Students in Higher Education to Earn Graduation Credits for Serving as a Poll Worker Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 2)
June 29, 2022 DE HB 380 Establishes Public Attorney Student Loan Repayment Program Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 4)
Date No. Title Outcome
12/14 S J Res 60 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to "Final Priorities, Requirements, Definitions, and Selection Criteria-Expanding Opportunity Through Quality Charter Schools Program (CSP)-Grants to State Entities (State Entity Grants); Grants to Charter Management Organizations for the Replication and Expansion of High-Quality Charter Schools (CMO Grants); and Grants to Charter School Developers for the Opening of New Charter Schools and for the Replication and Expansion of High-Quality Charter Schools (Developer Grants)". Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (49 - 49)
12/07 SB 178 Repeals Various Responsibilities of the Ohio State Department of Education Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 7)
10/27 S 588 Requires School Curricula to Include Information Literacy Bill Passed - House (61 - 8)
10/25 HB 2633 Amends Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) Language in Previous State Law Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 0)
10/18 SB 1243 Requires High School Students Pass a Financial Literacy Class Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18)
9/28 HB 5703 Requires School Districts to Post an Excerpt Affirming the Importance of Religion and Morality (28 - 5)
9/01 H 1 Reduces Tax Rates; Appropriates Monies for Education Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 1)
9/01 H 1 Reduces Tax Rates; Appropriates Monies for Education Bill Passed - House (55 - 15)
8/31 SB 1137 Prohibits New Oil Wells Near Schools and Hospitals Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
8/30 SB 1137 Prohibits New Oil Wells Near Schools and Hospitals Bill Passed - House (46 - 24)
8/18 SB 70 Requires Mandatory Kindergarten Bill Passed - House (59 - 12)
8/11 SB 2 Appropriates $50 Million For School Safety Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 1)
7/07 S 2973 Expands Access to Childcare Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 0)
7/01 HB 911 Reduces Regulations; Limits Public Access to "Sensitive" Information Conference Report Adopted - House (83 - 24)
7/01 HB 103 Appropriates Funds for Education, Economic Development, Transportation, etc. Conference Report Adopted - House (82 - 25)
7/01 SB 593 Amends Governance of Schools for Deaf and Blind Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (40 - 4)
7/01 HB 103 Appropriates Funds for Education, Economic Development, Transportation, etc. Conference Report Adopted - Senate (36 - 8)
6/30 HB 911 Reduces Regulations; Limits Public Access to "Sensitive" Information Conference Report Adopted - Senate (45 - 2)
6/30 SB 13 Prohibits an Academic Institution from Inquiring about an Applicant's Criminal History Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 6)
6/30 HB 388 Authorizes School Violence Prevention Programs Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 4)
6/30 SB 13 Prohibits an Academic Institution from Inquiring about an Applicant's Criminal History Bill Passed - House (25 - 15)
6/29 A 3733 Authorizes Students in Higher Education to Earn Graduation Credits for Serving as a Poll Worker Concurrence Vote Passed - House (75 - 3)
6/29 A 2368 Requires Schools Provide Free School Breakfast and Lunch to Working and Middle Class Families Concurrence Vote Passed - House (73 - 5)
6/29 A 3733 Authorizes Students in Higher Education to Earn Graduation Credits for Serving as a Poll Worker Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 2)
6/29 HB 380 Establishes Public Attorney Student Loan Repayment Program Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 4)

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