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. 14, 2011 | MI | SB618 | Repeals Limit on Number of Charter Schools | Bill Passed - House (58 - 49) |
Dec. 14, 2011 | PA | H Amdt 7732 | Tuition Vouchers for Charter Schools | Amendment Rejected - House (90 - 105) |
Nov. 30, 2011 | NH | CACR 14 | Constitutional Amendment Authorizing the Legislature to Set Standards for Public Education | Amendment Rejected - House (114 - 264) |
Nov. 17, 2011 | National | HR 2112 | Appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, and the Food and Drug Administration | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (70 - 30) |
Nov. 17, 2011 | National | HR 2112 | Appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, and the Food and Drug Administration | Conference Report Adopted - House (298 - 121) |
Nov. 10, 2011 | IL | SB 2147 | Paying Regional Superintendents | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 16) |
Nov. 9, 2011 | MI | HB 4005 | School Board Election Dates | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (69 - 39) |
Nov. 9, 2011 | IL | SB 2147 | Paying Regional Superintendents | Bill Failed - House (70 - 43) |
Nov. 9, 2011 | ND | SB 2370 | Authorizes Changing the Nickname and Logo of the University of North Dakota | Bill Passed - House (63 - 31) |
Nov. 9, 2011 | IL | SB 2147 | Paying Regional Superintendents | Bill Passed - House (74 - 36) |
Nov. 8, 2011 | ND | SB 2370 | Authorizes Changing the Nickname and Logo of the University of North Dakota | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 7) |
Nov. 3, 2011 | MI | HB 4005 | School Board Election Dates | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
Nov. 2, 2011 | MI | SB 137 | Bullying Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
Nov. 2, 2011 | WI | SB 237 | Amending Sexual Education Guidelines | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15) |
Nov. 1, 2011 | WI | SB 45 | Administration of Medications to Students | Bill Passed - House (63 - 32) |
Oct. 27, 2011 | MI | SB 619 | Cyber Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
Oct. 26, 2011 | PA | SB 1 | Charter School Guidelines | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
Oct. 25, 2011 | WI | SB 45 | Administration of Medications to Students | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
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. 26, 2011 | NJ | A 2806 | Conversion of Certain Private Schools to Charter Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
Sept. 6, 2011 | CA | AB 165 | Prohibits Public Schools from Charging Fees for Educational Activities | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 24) |
Sept. 1, 2011 | CA | SB 185 | Considering Race, Ethnicity and Gender in College Admissions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
Sept. 1, 2011 | CA | AB 165 | Prohibits Public Schools from Charging Fees for Educational Activities | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
Aug. 30, 2011 | CA | SB 161 | Administration of Epilepsy Medication in Schools | Bill Passed - House (46 - 21) |
Aug. 29, 2011 | CA | SB 185 | Considering Race, Ethnicity and Gender in College Admissions | Bill Passed - House (49 - 28) |
Aug. 24, 2011 | MI | HB 4005 | School Board Election Dates | Bill Passed - House (72 - 36) |
July 19, 2011 | MN | HF 26 | 2011-2013 Biennium Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 28) |
July 19, 2011 | MN | HF 4 | Higher Education Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 30) |
July 19, 2011 | MN | HF 4 | Higher Education Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (71 - 57) |
July 19, 2011 | MN | HF 26 | 2011-2013 Biennium Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (71 - 56) |
July 14, 2011 | CA | AB 130 | Authorizes Student Financial Aid for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
July 5, 2011 | CA | SB 48 | Requires Teaching Gay History | Bill Passed - House (50 - 26) |
June 30, 2011 | MI | HB 4628 | Amends Collective Bargaining Rights for Public Teachers | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (58 - 50) |
June 30, 2011 | PA | SB 330 | Amending The Taxpayer Relief Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 17) |
June 30, 2011 | MI | HB 4628 | Amends Collective Bargaining Rights for Public Teachers | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
June 30, 2011 | MI | HB 4625 | Teacher Tenure Standards | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
June 30, 2011 | PA | SB 330 | Amending The Taxpayer Relief Act | Bill Passed - House (109 - 86) |
June 30, 2011 | MI | HB 4625 | Teacher Tenure Standards | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (66 - 42) |
June 29, 2011 | NJ | A 2806 | Conversion of Certain Private Schools to Charter Schools | Bill Passed - House (59 - 14) |
June 23, 2011 | DE | HB 100 | Background Checks for Contractors on School Premises | Bill Failed - Senate (10 - 5) |
June 21, 2011 | OR | HB 2301 | Online Charter School Enrollment | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12) |
June 21, 2011 | OR | SB 552 | Establishes the Governor as the Superintendent of Public Instruction | Bill Passed - House (38 - 22) |
June 21, 2011 | OR | HB 2301 | Online Charter School Enrollment | Bill Passed - House (33 - 27) |
June 20, 2011 | OR | SB 250 | Authorizing School Districts To Withdraw From Education Service Districts | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11) |
June 20, 2011 | OR | SB 909 | Appropriates Education Funds | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
June 16, 2011 | TX | SB 8 | Management and Operation of Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (81 - 55) |
June 10, 2011 | TX | SB 1 | 2011-2013 Biennium Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (83 - 62) |
June 9, 2011 | AL | HB 123 | Education Appropriations for 2011-2012 | Veto Override Passed - House (78 - 21) |
June 8, 2011 | CT | SB 1152 | Funding for Construction at the University of Connecticut Health Center | Bill Passed - House (97 - 45) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
12/14 | SB618 | Repeals Limit on Number of Charter Schools | Bill Passed - House (58 - 49) |
12/14 | H Amdt 7732 | Tuition Vouchers for Charter Schools | Amendment Rejected - House (90 - 105) |
11/30 | CACR 14 | Constitutional Amendment Authorizing the Legislature to Set Standards for Public Education | Amendment Rejected - House (114 - 264) |
11/17 | HR 2112 | Appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, and the Food and Drug Administration | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (70 - 30) |
11/17 | HR 2112 | Appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, and the Food and Drug Administration | Conference Report Adopted - House (298 - 121) |
11/10 | SB 2147 | Paying Regional Superintendents | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 16) |
11/09 | HB 4005 | School Board Election Dates | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (69 - 39) |
11/09 | SB 2147 | Paying Regional Superintendents | Bill Failed - House (70 - 43) |
11/09 | SB 2370 | Authorizes Changing the Nickname and Logo of the University of North Dakota | Bill Passed - House (63 - 31) |
11/09 | SB 2147 | Paying Regional Superintendents | Bill Passed - House (74 - 36) |
11/08 | SB 2370 | Authorizes Changing the Nickname and Logo of the University of North Dakota | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 7) |
11/03 | HB 4005 | School Board Election Dates | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
11/02 | SB 137 | Bullying Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
11/02 | SB 237 | Amending Sexual Education Guidelines | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15) |
11/01 | SB 45 | Administration of Medications to Students | Bill Passed - House (63 - 32) |
10/27 | SB 619 | Cyber Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
10/26 | SB 1 | Charter School Guidelines | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
10/25 | SB 45 | Administration of Medications to Students | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
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) |
9/26 | A 2806 | Conversion of Certain Private Schools to Charter Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
9/06 | AB 165 | Prohibits Public Schools from Charging Fees for Educational Activities | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 24) |
9/01 | SB 185 | Considering Race, Ethnicity and Gender in College Admissions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
9/01 | AB 165 | Prohibits Public Schools from Charging Fees for Educational Activities | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
8/30 | SB 161 | Administration of Epilepsy Medication in Schools | Bill Passed - House (46 - 21) |
8/29 | SB 185 | Considering Race, Ethnicity and Gender in College Admissions | Bill Passed - House (49 - 28) |
8/24 | HB 4005 | School Board Election Dates | Bill Passed - House (72 - 36) |
7/19 | HF 26 | 2011-2013 Biennium Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 28) |
7/19 | HF 4 | Higher Education Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 30) |
7/19 | HF 4 | Higher Education Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (71 - 57) |
7/19 | HF 26 | 2011-2013 Biennium Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (71 - 56) |
7/14 | AB 130 | Authorizes Student Financial Aid for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
7/05 | SB 48 | Requires Teaching Gay History | Bill Passed - House (50 - 26) |
6/30 | HB 4628 | Amends Collective Bargaining Rights for Public Teachers | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (58 - 50) |
6/30 | SB 330 | Amending The Taxpayer Relief Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 17) |
6/30 | HB 4628 | Amends Collective Bargaining Rights for Public Teachers | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
6/30 | HB 4625 | Teacher Tenure Standards | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
6/30 | SB 330 | Amending The Taxpayer Relief Act | Bill Passed - House (109 - 86) |
6/30 | HB 4625 | Teacher Tenure Standards | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (66 - 42) |
6/29 | A 2806 | Conversion of Certain Private Schools to Charter Schools | Bill Passed - House (59 - 14) |
6/23 | HB 100 | Background Checks for Contractors on School Premises | Bill Failed - Senate (10 - 5) |
6/21 | HB 2301 | Online Charter School Enrollment | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12) |
6/21 | SB 552 | Establishes the Governor as the Superintendent of Public Instruction | Bill Passed - House (38 - 22) |
6/21 | HB 2301 | Online Charter School Enrollment | Bill Passed - House (33 - 27) |
6/20 | SB 250 | Authorizing School Districts To Withdraw From Education Service Districts | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11) |
6/20 | SB 909 | Appropriates Education Funds | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
6/16 | SB 8 | Management and Operation of Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (81 - 55) |
6/10 | SB 1 | 2011-2013 Biennium Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (83 - 62) |
6/09 | HB 123 | Education Appropriations for 2011-2012 | Veto Override Passed - House (78 - 21) |
6/08 | SB 1152 | Funding for Construction at the University of Connecticut Health Center | Bill Passed - House (97 - 45) |