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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Feb. 16, 2011 | AR | HB 1049 | Prohibit Cell Phone Use in School Zones | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 9) |
Feb. 1, 2011 | AR | HB 1049 | Prohibit Cell Phone Use in School Zones | Bill Passed - House (53 - 41) |
Jan. 31, 2011 | AR | HB 1049 | Prohibit Cell Phone Use in School Zones | Bill Failed - House (46 - 47) |
Feb. 15, 2011 | AR | SB 154 | Cell Phones in School Zones | Bill Passed - House (52 - 41) |
Feb. 2, 2011 | AR | SB 154 | Cell Phones in School Zones | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
March 28, 2011 | ND | HB 1195 | Bans Texting While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 15) |
Feb. 8, 2011 | ND | HB 1195 | Bans Texting While Driving | Bill Passed - House (50 - 41) |
Feb. 8, 2011 | VA | SB 1351 | Wireless Telecommunication Devices | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13) |
Feb. 15, 2011 | NH | HB 113 | Prohibits the Use of State Funds for Public Television | Bill Passed - House (263 - 102) |
Feb. 28, 2011 | UT | SB 270 | Modifications to Sales and Use Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 9) |
March 2, 2011 | UT | SB 65 | Statewide Online Education Program | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12) |
March 1, 2011 | UT | SB 65 | Statewide Online Education Program | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 10) |
April 13, 2011 | AZ | HB 2415 | Punishment Guidelines for Bullying in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 8) |
March 7, 2011 | AZ | HB 2415 | Punishment Guidelines for Bullying in Schools | Bill Passed - House (38 - 21) |
March 7, 2011 | UT | HB 477 | Government Records Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (42 - 29) |
March 7, 2011 | UT | HB 477 | Government Records Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 6) |
March 15, 2011 | AZ | SB 1538 | Cell Phone Usage While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
April 14, 2011 | GA | SB 36 | Prescription Drug Database | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (131 - 32) |
Feb. 23, 2011 | GA | SB 36 | Prescription Drug Database | Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 6) |
April 1, 2011 | ID | S 1184 | Technology in the Classroom | Bill Passed - House (44 - 26) |
March 24, 2011 | ID | S 1184 | Technology in the Classroom | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
April 20, 2011 | IA | SF 526 | Requires a Study to Weigh Outcomes of Authorizing Online Poker in Iowa | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 12) |
April 25, 2011 | CA | SB 28 | Penalties for Using Mobile Device When Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12) |
April 8, 2011 | National | H J Res 37 | Disapproving FCC Rules Concerning Internet Providers | Joint Resolution Passed - House (240 - 179) |
May 11, 2011 | WI | SB 13 | Repealing Regulations for Telecommunications Services | Bill Passed - House (80 - 13) |
May 11, 2011 | WI | SB 13 | Repealing Regulations for Telecommunications Services | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
May 5, 2011 | NC | HB 129 | Regulates Competition Between Local Government and Private Business | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (84 - 32) |
May 3, 2011 | NC | HB 129 | Regulates Competition Between Local Government and Private Business | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 10) |
May 18, 2011 | CT | HB 5866 | Internet Dating Safety | Bill Passed - House (94 - 47) |
May 23, 2011 | PA | HB 815 | Reduces the Offense of "Sexting" for Minors | Bill Passed - House (178 - 20) |
May 25, 2011 | TX | S Amdt 3 | Prohibits Texting While Driving | Amendment Adopted - Senate (19 - 12) |
April 27, 2011 | TX | HB 2403 | Internet Sales Tax | Bill Passed - House (125 - 20) |
May 30, 2011 | NV | SB 140 | Prohibiting the Use of Cellular Devices While Driving | Bill Passed - House (24 - 17) |
June 2, 2011 | CA | SB 242 | Privacy Control Requirements for Social Networks | Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 17) |
April 25, 2011 | LA | HB 338 | Prohibits Handheld Cellular Devices While Driving | |
June 9, 2011 | LA | HB 338 | Prohibits Handheld Cellular Devices While Driving | Bill Failed - House (33 - 55) |
May 29, 2011 | TX | HB 242 | Prohibits Texting While Driving | Conference Report Adopted - House (80 - 61) |
June 21, 2011 | OR | HB 2301 | Online Charter School Enrollment | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12) |
June 21, 2011 | OR | HB 2301 | Online Charter School Enrollment | Bill Passed - House (33 - 27) |
April 28, 2011 | SC | Amdt 46 | Educational Television Commission Amendment to 2011-2012 Budget | Amendment Adopted - House (25 - 18) |
June 1, 2011 | CA | SB 914 | Requires a Warrant to Search Cell Phones | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9) |
Sept. 23, 2011 | MO | SB 7 | Incentives for Science-Based Businesses | Bill Passed - House (94 - 48) |
Sept. 6, 2011 | CA | AB 1236 | Prohibits Requirement of Electronic Employment Verification | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
May 19, 2011 | CA | AB 1236 | Prohibits Requirement of Electronic Employment Verification | Bill Passed - House (55 - 22) |
June 8, 2011 | WI | SB 116 | Relating to Overseas Absentee Voting | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
Oct. 27, 2011 | MI | SB 619 | Cyber Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
Nov. 3, 2011 | National | H Amdt 853 | Requires Crowdfunding Intermediaries to Disclose Methods of Compensation to Investors | Amendment Rejected - House (189 - 234) |
Nov. 9, 2011 | IL | SB 965 | Authorizing Speed Cameras in Certain Cities | Bill Passed - House (64 - 50) |
Oct. 26, 2011 | IL | SB 965 | Authorizing Speed Cameras in Certain Cities | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 24) |
Nov. 10, 2011 | National | S J Res 6 | Disapproval of FCC Regulation of Internet and Broadband Industry | Motion Rejected - Senate (46 - 52) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
2/16 | HB 1049 | Prohibit Cell Phone Use in School Zones | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 9) |
2/01 | HB 1049 | Prohibit Cell Phone Use in School Zones | Bill Passed - House (53 - 41) |
1/31 | HB 1049 | Prohibit Cell Phone Use in School Zones | Bill Failed - House (46 - 47) |
2/15 | SB 154 | Cell Phones in School Zones | Bill Passed - House (52 - 41) |
2/02 | SB 154 | Cell Phones in School Zones | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
3/28 | HB 1195 | Bans Texting While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 15) |
2/08 | HB 1195 | Bans Texting While Driving | Bill Passed - House (50 - 41) |
2/08 | SB 1351 | Wireless Telecommunication Devices | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13) |
2/15 | HB 113 | Prohibits the Use of State Funds for Public Television | Bill Passed - House (263 - 102) |
2/28 | SB 270 | Modifications to Sales and Use Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 9) |
3/02 | SB 65 | Statewide Online Education Program | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12) |
3/01 | SB 65 | Statewide Online Education Program | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 10) |
4/13 | HB 2415 | Punishment Guidelines for Bullying in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 8) |
3/07 | HB 2415 | Punishment Guidelines for Bullying in Schools | Bill Passed - House (38 - 21) |
3/07 | HB 477 | Government Records Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (42 - 29) |
3/07 | HB 477 | Government Records Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 6) |
3/15 | SB 1538 | Cell Phone Usage While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
4/14 | SB 36 | Prescription Drug Database | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (131 - 32) |
2/23 | SB 36 | Prescription Drug Database | Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 6) |
4/01 | S 1184 | Technology in the Classroom | Bill Passed - House (44 - 26) |
3/24 | S 1184 | Technology in the Classroom | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
4/20 | SF 526 | Requires a Study to Weigh Outcomes of Authorizing Online Poker in Iowa | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 12) |
4/25 | SB 28 | Penalties for Using Mobile Device When Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12) |
4/08 | H J Res 37 | Disapproving FCC Rules Concerning Internet Providers | Joint Resolution Passed - House (240 - 179) |
5/11 | SB 13 | Repealing Regulations for Telecommunications Services | Bill Passed - House (80 - 13) |
5/11 | SB 13 | Repealing Regulations for Telecommunications Services | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
5/05 | HB 129 | Regulates Competition Between Local Government and Private Business | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (84 - 32) |
5/03 | HB 129 | Regulates Competition Between Local Government and Private Business | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 10) |
5/18 | HB 5866 | Internet Dating Safety | Bill Passed - House (94 - 47) |
5/23 | HB 815 | Reduces the Offense of "Sexting" for Minors | Bill Passed - House (178 - 20) |
5/25 | S Amdt 3 | Prohibits Texting While Driving | Amendment Adopted - Senate (19 - 12) |
4/27 | HB 2403 | Internet Sales Tax | Bill Passed - House (125 - 20) |
5/30 | SB 140 | Prohibiting the Use of Cellular Devices While Driving | Bill Passed - House (24 - 17) |
6/02 | SB 242 | Privacy Control Requirements for Social Networks | Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 17) |
4/25 | HB 338 | Prohibits Handheld Cellular Devices While Driving | |
6/09 | HB 338 | Prohibits Handheld Cellular Devices While Driving | Bill Failed - House (33 - 55) |
5/29 | HB 242 | Prohibits Texting While Driving | Conference Report Adopted - House (80 - 61) |
6/21 | HB 2301 | Online Charter School Enrollment | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12) |
6/21 | HB 2301 | Online Charter School Enrollment | Bill Passed - House (33 - 27) |
4/28 | Amdt 46 | Educational Television Commission Amendment to 2011-2012 Budget | Amendment Adopted - House (25 - 18) |
6/01 | SB 914 | Requires a Warrant to Search Cell Phones | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9) |
9/23 | SB 7 | Incentives for Science-Based Businesses | Bill Passed - House (94 - 48) |
9/06 | AB 1236 | Prohibits Requirement of Electronic Employment Verification | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
5/19 | AB 1236 | Prohibits Requirement of Electronic Employment Verification | Bill Passed - House (55 - 22) |
6/08 | SB 116 | Relating to Overseas Absentee Voting | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
10/27 | SB 619 | Cyber Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
11/03 | H Amdt 853 | Requires Crowdfunding Intermediaries to Disclose Methods of Compensation to Investors | Amendment Rejected - House (189 - 234) |
11/09 | SB 965 | Authorizing Speed Cameras in Certain Cities | Bill Passed - House (64 - 50) |
10/26 | SB 965 | Authorizing Speed Cameras in Certain Cities | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 24) |
11/10 | S J Res 6 | Disapproval of FCC Regulation of Internet and Broadband Industry | Motion Rejected - Senate (46 - 52) |