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
May 28, 2010 NY A 11310 Education Law Amendments Concerning Charter Schools Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 14)
May 28, 2010 NY A 11310 Education Law Amendments Concerning Charter Schools Bill Passed - House (93 - 42)
June 21, 2010 NY A 9709 Omnibus Appropriations Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 29)
June 18, 2010 NY A 9709 Omnibus Appropriations Bill Passed - House (79 - 52)
June 3, 2010 CA AB 2047 Expanding Authorized University Admission Considerations Amendment Adopted - House (48 - 28)
Feb. 25, 2010 WI AB 35 Complaint Process for Race-Based Names, Logos and Mascots of Schools Bill Passed - House (51 - 42)
Jan. 28, 2010 WI AB 458 Sex Education Curriculum Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15)
April 21, 2010 VA Amdt 18 Reducing Funding for Public Media Amendment Rejected - House (43 - 52)
April 14, 2010 LA Amdt 2565 Limiting the Number of Terms School Board Members May Serve Amendment Rejected - House (30 - 65)
March 17, 2010 MO Amdt 4 Deleting an Education Foundation Formula Modification Amendment Rejected - House (73 - 83)
May 26, 2010 LA Amdt 4002 Requires Department of Education Employees Evaluation Amendment Adopted - Senate (20 - 19)
March 22, 2010 IA Amdt 8522 Allowing Cuts to Teacher Salary Supplement Amendment Rejected - House (49 - 50)
Jan. 28, 2010 MA H 4441 School Nutrition Standards Bill Passed - House (152 - 4)
June 10, 2010 RI H 8094 Education Funding Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (46 - 10)
June 10, 2010 RI H 8094 Education Funding Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9)
Nov. 17, 2010 PA HB 101 Education Law Amendments Veto Override Passed - Senate (42 - 7)
Nov. 15, 2010 PA HB 101 Education Law Amendments Veto Override Passed - House (171 - 24)
May 27, 2010 LA HB 1033 Evaluation and Assessment Programs Concurrence Vote Passed - House (68 - 23)
May 26, 2010 LA HB 1033 Evaluation and Assessment Programs Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 17)
May 10, 2010 LA HB 1033 Evaluation and Assessment Programs Bill Passed - House (68 - 26)
April 21, 2010 AL HB 105 Required Physical Education Concurrence Vote Passed - House (72 - 7)
April 14, 2010 AL HB 105 Required Physical Education Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 8)
April 1, 2010 KY HB 109 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 18)
June 20, 2010 LA HB 1171 Standards for Colleges and Universities Concurrence Vote Passed - House (74 - 23)
June 18, 2010 LA HB 1171 Performance Agreements for Colleges and Universities Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13)
March 8, 2010 SD HB 1240 Need-Based Education Grant Fund Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11)
Feb. 23, 2010 SD HB 1240 Need-Based Education Grant Fund Bill Passed - House (64 - 4)
Feb. 23, 2010 IN HB 1367 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19)
Feb. 2, 2010 IN HB 1367 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (51 - 48)
May 13, 2010 LA HB 1368 Exempts Local School Districts from Various Rules and Regulations Bill Passed - House (68 - 20)
Feb. 17, 2010 NM HB 150 Hispanic Education Act Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
Feb. 10, 2010 NM HB 150 Hispanic Education Act Bill Passed - House (44 - 25)
April 28, 2010 MO HB 2002 2010-2010 Education Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (28 - 6)
April 28, 2010 MO HB 2002 2010-2010 Education Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (87 - 64)
April 28, 2010 MO HB 2003 Higher Education Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - House (115 - 34)
April 29, 2010 AZ HB 2281 Ethnic Studies Ban Concurrence Vote Passed - House (32 - 26)
April 28, 2010 AZ HB 2281 Ethnic Studies Ban Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13)
Feb. 16, 2010 NM HB 231 Authorizing Education Retirement Board Pension Disclosure Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18)
April 27, 2010 HI HB 2376 Requiring Board of Education Members be Appointed Conference Report Adopted - House (44 - 7)
April 28, 2010 HI HB 2377 Board of Education Selection Advisory Council Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 2)
April 28, 2010 HI HB 2377 Board of Education Selection Advisory Council Conference Report Adopted - House (40 - 11)
March 23, 2010 KY HB 239 School Principal Selection Process Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
Nov. 15, 2010 PA HB 2497 Amends State Employee Pension System Concurrence Vote Passed - House (165 - 31)
Oct. 14, 2010 PA HB 2497 Amends State Employee Pension System Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 8)
June 16, 2010 PA HB 2497 Amends State Employee Pension System Bill Passed - House (192 - 6)
April 27, 2010 LA HB 251 Superintendent of Education Qualifications Bill Passed - House (75 - 16)
March 24, 2010 KS HB 2685 Authorizing Concealed Weapons on Campus Bill Passed - House (65 - 57)
June 16, 2010 LA HB 303 Authorizing Home School Student Athletic Participation Concurrence Vote Passed - House (82 - 13)
June 14, 2010 LA HB 303 Authorizing Home School Student Athletic Participation Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10)
April 27, 2010 DE HB 347 Raising the Reporting Age for Misdemeanors by Students Bill Passed - House (22 - 9)
April 14, 2010 LA HB 410 School Board Term Limits Bill Passed - House (77 - 21)
Feb. 24, 2010 WV HB 4292 Changes in Required Magistrate Qualifications Bill Passed - House (61 - 37)
March 13, 2010 WV HB 4652 School Calendar Committees Concurrence Vote Passed - House (86 - 12)
March 12, 2010 WV HB 4652 School Calendar Committees Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7)
March 3, 2010 IL HB 4685 Eliminating General Assembly Scholarship Program Bill Passed - House (80 - 36)
March 22, 2010 IL HB 4886 Authorizing 4-Day School Week Bill Passed - House (81 - 21)
April 30, 2010 CT HB 5033 Partial Refund of Sales Tax Imposed on the Sale of School Buses with Seat Belts Bill Passed - House (125 - 18)
June 20, 2010 LA HB 519 Limiting "Retire-Rehire" Benefits in Public Schools Concurrence Vote Passed - House (71 - 19)
Feb. 9, 2010 NM HB 53 Financial Literacy as School Math Requirement Bill Passed - House (46 - 22)
May 4, 2010 CT HB 5423 Classroom Experiments and Dissections on Animals Bill Passed - House (81 - 67)
Sept. 8, 2010 MI HB 6086 2009-2010 Budget Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
Aug. 25, 2010 MI HB 6086 2009-2010 Budget Amendments Bill Passed - House (57 - 47)
June 23, 2010 PA HB 704 Special Education Funding Bill Passed - House (173 - 25)
May 10, 2010 LA HB 942 School Board and Superintendent Contracts Bill Passed - House (76 - 16)
March 1, 2010 SD HCR 1009 Urges Changes to the Public School Environmental Curriculum Concurrence Vote Passed - House (37 - 33)
Feb. 24, 2010 SD HCR 1009 Urges Changes to the Public School Environmental Curriculum Resolution Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
Feb. 17, 2010 SD HCR 1009 Urges Changes to the Public School Environmental Curriculum Resolution Passed - House (36 - 30)
Jan. 19, 2010 IA HF 2030 School District Budget Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 16)
Aug. 5, 2010 National HR 1586 Aid To States for Medicaid, Teacher Employment, and Other Purposes Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (61 - 39)
Aug. 10, 2010 National HR 1586 Aid To States for Medicaid, Teacher Employment, and Other Purposes Concurrence Vote Passed - House (247 - 161)
March 25, 2010 National HR 4872 Health Care Reconciliation Act Concurrence Vote Passed - House (220 - 207)
March 25, 2010 National HR 4872 Health Care Reconciliation Act Concurrence Vote Passed - House (220 - 207)
March 25, 2010 National HR 4872 Health Care Reconciliation Act Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 43)
March 25, 2010 National HR 4872 Health Care Reconciliation Act Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 43)
March 21, 2010 National HR 4872 Health Care Reconciliation Act Bill Passed - House (220 - 211)
March 21, 2010 National HR 4872 Health Care Reconciliation Act Bill Passed - House (220 - 211)
Dec. 8, 2010 National HR 5281 DREAM Act Concurrence Vote Passed - House (216 - 198)
Feb. 11, 2010 SD Jerstad Amdt Per Student Funding Increase Amendment Rejected - Senate (17 - 18)
March 22, 2010 ID S 1418 2010-2011 Education Budget Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8)
March 24, 2010 ID S 1419 2010-2011 Higher Education Budget Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
June 28, 2010 NJ S 2094 Limiting State Alternate Benefit Program for Higher Education Faculty Bill Passed - House (41 - 36)
June 28, 2010 NJ S 2094 Limiting State Alternate Benefit Program for Higher Education Faculty Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19)
Jan. 14, 2010 MA S 2247 Education Law Amendments Conference Report Adopted - House (98 - 47)
Jan. 14, 2010 MA S 2247 Education Law Amendments Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 12)
May 3, 2010 NY S 7678 Amending Charter School Cap Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 15)
Sept. 15, 2010 MI SB 1151 Community College Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 5)
Sept. 15, 2010 MI SB 1151 Community College Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - House (56 - 49)
March 24, 2010 MI SB 1163 2010-2011 Education Budget Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 17)
March 29, 2010 SD SB 121 Deaf and Hearing-Impaired Education Promotion Programs Veto Override Failed - House (33 - 34)
March 29, 2010 SD SB 121 Deaf and Hearing-Impaired Education Promotion Programs Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 4)
May 27, 2010 CA SB 1255 Restrictions on Beverages Sold In Schools Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11)
Aug. 31, 2010 CA SB 1317 Parental Crime for Chronic Truancy Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
Aug. 30, 2010 CA SB 1317 Parental Crime for Chronic Truancy Bill Passed - House (58 - 17)
Aug. 31, 2010 CA SB 1381 Increasing Age Requirements for Kindergarten and First Grade Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 15)
Aug. 31, 2010 CA SB 1381 Increasing Age Requirements for Kindergarten and First Grade Bill Passed - House (51 - 18)
Aug. 27, 2010 CA SB 1413 Requiring Free Drinking Water in Public School Cafeterias Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 9)
Aug. 26, 2010 CA SB 1413 Requiring Free Drinking Water in Public School Cafeterias Bill Passed - House (52 - 22)
Feb. 2, 2010 IN SB 150 School Year Beginning and Ending Limitations Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19)
April 21, 2010 AL SB 162 PACT Funding and Tuition Restrictions Conference Report Adopted - House (85 - 7)
April 21, 2010 AL SB 162 PACT Funding and Tuition Restrictions Conference Report Adopted - Senate (28 - 3)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/28 A 11310 Education Law Amendments Concerning Charter Schools Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 14)
5/28 A 11310 Education Law Amendments Concerning Charter Schools Bill Passed - House (93 - 42)
6/21 A 9709 Omnibus Appropriations Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 29)
6/18 A 9709 Omnibus Appropriations Bill Passed - House (79 - 52)
6/03 AB 2047 Expanding Authorized University Admission Considerations Amendment Adopted - House (48 - 28)
2/25 AB 35 Complaint Process for Race-Based Names, Logos and Mascots of Schools Bill Passed - House (51 - 42)
1/28 AB 458 Sex Education Curriculum Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15)
4/21 Amdt 18 Reducing Funding for Public Media Amendment Rejected - House (43 - 52)
4/14 Amdt 2565 Limiting the Number of Terms School Board Members May Serve Amendment Rejected - House (30 - 65)
3/17 Amdt 4 Deleting an Education Foundation Formula Modification Amendment Rejected - House (73 - 83)
5/26 Amdt 4002 Requires Department of Education Employees Evaluation Amendment Adopted - Senate (20 - 19)
3/22 Amdt 8522 Allowing Cuts to Teacher Salary Supplement Amendment Rejected - House (49 - 50)
1/28 H 4441 School Nutrition Standards Bill Passed - House (152 - 4)
6/10 H 8094 Education Funding Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (46 - 10)
6/10 H 8094 Education Funding Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9)
11/17 HB 101 Education Law Amendments Veto Override Passed - Senate (42 - 7)
11/15 HB 101 Education Law Amendments Veto Override Passed - House (171 - 24)
5/27 HB 1033 Evaluation and Assessment Programs Concurrence Vote Passed - House (68 - 23)
5/26 HB 1033 Evaluation and Assessment Programs Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 17)
5/10 HB 1033 Evaluation and Assessment Programs Bill Passed - House (68 - 26)
4/21 HB 105 Required Physical Education Concurrence Vote Passed - House (72 - 7)
4/14 HB 105 Required Physical Education Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 8)
4/01 HB 109 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 18)
6/20 HB 1171 Standards for Colleges and Universities Concurrence Vote Passed - House (74 - 23)
6/18 HB 1171 Performance Agreements for Colleges and Universities Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13)
3/08 HB 1240 Need-Based Education Grant Fund Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11)
2/23 HB 1240 Need-Based Education Grant Fund Bill Passed - House (64 - 4)
2/23 HB 1367 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19)
2/02 HB 1367 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (51 - 48)
5/13 HB 1368 Exempts Local School Districts from Various Rules and Regulations Bill Passed - House (68 - 20)
2/17 HB 150 Hispanic Education Act Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
2/10 HB 150 Hispanic Education Act Bill Passed - House (44 - 25)
4/28 HB 2002 2010-2010 Education Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (28 - 6)
4/28 HB 2002 2010-2010 Education Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (87 - 64)
4/28 HB 2003 Higher Education Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - House (115 - 34)
4/29 HB 2281 Ethnic Studies Ban Concurrence Vote Passed - House (32 - 26)
4/28 HB 2281 Ethnic Studies Ban Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13)
2/16 HB 231 Authorizing Education Retirement Board Pension Disclosure Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18)
4/27 HB 2376 Requiring Board of Education Members be Appointed Conference Report Adopted - House (44 - 7)
4/28 HB 2377 Board of Education Selection Advisory Council Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 2)
4/28 HB 2377 Board of Education Selection Advisory Council Conference Report Adopted - House (40 - 11)
3/23 HB 239 School Principal Selection Process Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
11/15 HB 2497 Amends State Employee Pension System Concurrence Vote Passed - House (165 - 31)
10/14 HB 2497 Amends State Employee Pension System Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 8)
6/16 HB 2497 Amends State Employee Pension System Bill Passed - House (192 - 6)
4/27 HB 251 Superintendent of Education Qualifications Bill Passed - House (75 - 16)
3/24 HB 2685 Authorizing Concealed Weapons on Campus Bill Passed - House (65 - 57)
6/16 HB 303 Authorizing Home School Student Athletic Participation Concurrence Vote Passed - House (82 - 13)
6/14 HB 303 Authorizing Home School Student Athletic Participation Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10)
4/27 HB 347 Raising the Reporting Age for Misdemeanors by Students Bill Passed - House (22 - 9)
4/14 HB 410 School Board Term Limits Bill Passed - House (77 - 21)
2/24 HB 4292 Changes in Required Magistrate Qualifications Bill Passed - House (61 - 37)
3/13 HB 4652 School Calendar Committees Concurrence Vote Passed - House (86 - 12)
3/12 HB 4652 School Calendar Committees Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7)
3/03 HB 4685 Eliminating General Assembly Scholarship Program Bill Passed - House (80 - 36)
3/22 HB 4886 Authorizing 4-Day School Week Bill Passed - House (81 - 21)
4/30 HB 5033 Partial Refund of Sales Tax Imposed on the Sale of School Buses with Seat Belts Bill Passed - House (125 - 18)
6/20 HB 519 Limiting "Retire-Rehire" Benefits in Public Schools Concurrence Vote Passed - House (71 - 19)
2/09 HB 53 Financial Literacy as School Math Requirement Bill Passed - House (46 - 22)
5/04 HB 5423 Classroom Experiments and Dissections on Animals Bill Passed - House (81 - 67)
9/08 HB 6086 2009-2010 Budget Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
8/25 HB 6086 2009-2010 Budget Amendments Bill Passed - House (57 - 47)
6/23 HB 704 Special Education Funding Bill Passed - House (173 - 25)
5/10 HB 942 School Board and Superintendent Contracts Bill Passed - House (76 - 16)
3/01 HCR 1009 Urges Changes to the Public School Environmental Curriculum Concurrence Vote Passed - House (37 - 33)
2/24 HCR 1009 Urges Changes to the Public School Environmental Curriculum Resolution Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
2/17 HCR 1009 Urges Changes to the Public School Environmental Curriculum Resolution Passed - House (36 - 30)
1/19 HF 2030 School District Budget Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 16)
8/05 HR 1586 Aid To States for Medicaid, Teacher Employment, and Other Purposes Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (61 - 39)
8/10 HR 1586 Aid To States for Medicaid, Teacher Employment, and Other Purposes Concurrence Vote Passed - House (247 - 161)
3/25 HR 4872 Health Care Reconciliation Act Concurrence Vote Passed - House (220 - 207)
3/25 HR 4872 Health Care Reconciliation Act Concurrence Vote Passed - House (220 - 207)
3/25 HR 4872 Health Care Reconciliation Act Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 43)
3/25 HR 4872 Health Care Reconciliation Act Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 43)
3/21 HR 4872 Health Care Reconciliation Act Bill Passed - House (220 - 211)
3/21 HR 4872 Health Care Reconciliation Act Bill Passed - House (220 - 211)
12/08 HR 5281 DREAM Act Concurrence Vote Passed - House (216 - 198)
2/11 Jerstad Amdt Per Student Funding Increase Amendment Rejected - Senate (17 - 18)
3/22 S 1418 2010-2011 Education Budget Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8)
3/24 S 1419 2010-2011 Higher Education Budget Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
6/28 S 2094 Limiting State Alternate Benefit Program for Higher Education Faculty Bill Passed - House (41 - 36)
6/28 S 2094 Limiting State Alternate Benefit Program for Higher Education Faculty Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19)
1/14 S 2247 Education Law Amendments Conference Report Adopted - House (98 - 47)
1/14 S 2247 Education Law Amendments Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 12)
5/03 S 7678 Amending Charter School Cap Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 15)
9/15 SB 1151 Community College Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 5)
9/15 SB 1151 Community College Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - House (56 - 49)
3/24 SB 1163 2010-2011 Education Budget Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 17)
3/29 SB 121 Deaf and Hearing-Impaired Education Promotion Programs Veto Override Failed - House (33 - 34)
3/29 SB 121 Deaf and Hearing-Impaired Education Promotion Programs Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 4)
5/27 SB 1255 Restrictions on Beverages Sold In Schools Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11)
8/31 SB 1317 Parental Crime for Chronic Truancy Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
8/30 SB 1317 Parental Crime for Chronic Truancy Bill Passed - House (58 - 17)
8/31 SB 1381 Increasing Age Requirements for Kindergarten and First Grade Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 15)
8/31 SB 1381 Increasing Age Requirements for Kindergarten and First Grade Bill Passed - House (51 - 18)
8/27 SB 1413 Requiring Free Drinking Water in Public School Cafeterias Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 9)
8/26 SB 1413 Requiring Free Drinking Water in Public School Cafeterias Bill Passed - House (52 - 22)
2/02 SB 150 School Year Beginning and Ending Limitations Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19)
4/21 SB 162 PACT Funding and Tuition Restrictions Conference Report Adopted - House (85 - 7)
4/21 SB 162 PACT Funding and Tuition Restrictions Conference Report Adopted - Senate (28 - 3)

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