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. 11, 2013 | MI | HB 4369 | Expands the Education Achievement Authority | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
Dec. 3, 2013 | IL | SB 1 | Amends State Employee Pension Plans | Conference Report Adopted - House (62 - 53) |
Dec. 3, 2013 | IL | SB 1 | Amends State Employee Pension Plans | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (30 - 24) |
Nov. 5, 2013 | WI | AB 297 | Amends Laws Concerning the Use of Race-Based Nicknames, Logos, Mascots, and Team Names | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
Oct. 15, 2013 | WI | AB 297 | Amends Laws Concerning the Use of Race-Based Nicknames, Logos, Mascots, and Team Names | Bill Passed - House (52 - 41) |
Oct. 8, 2013 | National | H J Res 84 | Head Start Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Joint Resolution Passed - House (248 - 168) |
Sept. 12, 2013 | CA | AB 375 | Amends Teacher Dismissal Requirements | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 22) |
Sept. 12, 2013 | CA | AB 375 | Amends Teacher Dismissal Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
Sept. 11, 2013 | CA | AB 484 | Amends State School Testing Programs | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 22) |
Sept. 10, 2013 | CA | AB 484 | Amends State School Testing Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
July 24, 2013 | National | HR 1911 | Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 18) |
July 24, 2013 | National | S Amdt 1778 | Limits Interest Rates for Certain Federal Student Loans | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53) |
July 23, 2013 | NC | SB 337 | Establishes the North Carolina Charter School Advisory Board | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 11) |
July 23, 2013 | NC | HB 937 | Amends Firearm Laws | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 14) |
July 23, 2013 | NC | HB 937 | Amends Firearm Laws | Conference Report Adopted - House (73 - 41) |
July 23, 2013 | NC | SB 337 | Establishes the North Carolina Charter School Advisory Board | Conference Report Adopted - House (88 - 22) |
July 16, 2013 | NC | HB 250 | Amends Charter School Laws | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (40 - 9) |
July 16, 2013 | NC | HB 250 | Amends Charter School Laws | Conference Report Adopted - House (68 - 47) |
July 3, 2013 | CA | AB 1266 | Amends Sex-Segregated School Programs and Activities | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
July 2, 2013 | NC | SB 132 | Requires Certain Reproductive Health and Safety Education for Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 12) |
July 2, 2013 | OR | HB 2456 | Appropriates Increased Tax Funds to Schools and Health Services | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 15) |
July 2, 2013 | OR | HB 2456 | Appropriates Increased Tax Funds to Schools and Health Services | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 15) |
July 1, 2013 | OR | SB 215 | Authorizes Schools to Use Native American Mascots | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 5) |
June 28, 2013 | OR | SB 215 | Authorizes Schools to Use Native American Mascots by Agreement | Bill Passed - House (41 - 19) |
June 27, 2013 | NC | SB 132 | Requires Certain Reproductive Health and Safety Education for Schools | Bill Passed - House (69 - 42) |
June 18, 2013 | ME | LD 1540 | Amends Public School Assessment System | Bill Passed - House (80 - 55) |
June 18, 2013 | ME | LD 1540 | Amends Public School Assessment System | "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 14) |
June 10, 2013 | AZ | HB 2399 | Authorizes School Boards to Increase Property Taxes to Pay for Bonds | Bill Passed - House (31 - 26) |
June 6, 2013 | National | S 1003 | Comprehensive Student Loan Protection Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (40 - 57) |
June 6, 2013 | National | S 953 | Student Loan Affordability Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 46) |
May 29, 2013 | MI | HB 4228 | 2013-2014 Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 12) |
May 29, 2013 | MI | HB 4228 | 2013-2014 Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 12) |
May 29, 2013 | CA | AB 375 | Amends Teacher Dismissal Requirements | Bill Passed - House (64 - 11) |
May 28, 2013 | ME | LD 468 | Prohibits Smoking on College Campuses | Veto Override Failed - House (85 - 54) |
May 28, 2013 | MI | HB 4228 | 2013-2014 Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (65 - 43) |
May 28, 2013 | MI | HB 4228 | 2013-2014 Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (65 - 43) |
May 23, 2013 | National | HR 1911 | Smarter Solutions for Students Act | Bill Passed - House (221 - 198) |
May 22, 2013 | TX | HB 1009 | Establishes "School Marshal" as a New Category of Law Enforcement for Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 4) |
May 22, 2013 | IL | HB 2675 | Expands Sex Education Curriculum | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 21) |
May 19, 2013 | MN | HF 630 | 2013-2015 Biennium K-12 Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 26) |
May 18, 2013 | MN | HF 630 | 2013-2015 Biennium K-12 Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (78 - 56) |
May 17, 2013 | MN | SF 1236 | Increases Funds for Higher Education | Conference Report Adopted - House (76 - 56) |
May 17, 2013 | MN | SF 1236 | Increases Funds for Higher Education | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (44 - 22) |
May 16, 2013 | CA | SB 552 | Authorizes a Violence Awareness Component of School Curriculum | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 7) |
May 14, 2013 | MO | SB 125 | Amends State Intervention Process For Unaccredited Schools | Bill Passed - House (107 - 49) |
May 9, 2013 | AL | HB 658 | Amends The School "Accountability Act" | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (61 - 41) |
May 9, 2013 | AL | HB 658 | Amends The School "Accountability Act" | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
May 9, 2013 | TX | SB 376 | Establishes a Free Breakfast Program for Students | Bill Passed - House (73 - 58) |
May 9, 2013 | CA | AB 1266 | Amends Sex-Segregated School Programs and Activities | Bill Passed - House (46 - 25) |
May 7, 2013 | NC | HB 937 | Amends Firearm Laws | Bill Passed - House (78 - 42) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
12/11 | HB 4369 | Expands the Education Achievement Authority | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
12/03 | SB 1 | Amends State Employee Pension Plans | Conference Report Adopted - House (62 - 53) |
12/03 | SB 1 | Amends State Employee Pension Plans | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (30 - 24) |
11/05 | AB 297 | Amends Laws Concerning the Use of Race-Based Nicknames, Logos, Mascots, and Team Names | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
10/15 | AB 297 | Amends Laws Concerning the Use of Race-Based Nicknames, Logos, Mascots, and Team Names | Bill Passed - House (52 - 41) |
10/08 | H J Res 84 | Head Start Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Joint Resolution Passed - House (248 - 168) |
9/12 | AB 375 | Amends Teacher Dismissal Requirements | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 22) |
9/12 | AB 375 | Amends Teacher Dismissal Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
9/11 | AB 484 | Amends State School Testing Programs | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 22) |
9/10 | AB 484 | Amends State School Testing Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
7/24 | HR 1911 | Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 18) |
7/24 | S Amdt 1778 | Limits Interest Rates for Certain Federal Student Loans | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53) |
7/23 | SB 337 | Establishes the North Carolina Charter School Advisory Board | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 11) |
7/23 | HB 937 | Amends Firearm Laws | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 14) |
7/23 | HB 937 | Amends Firearm Laws | Conference Report Adopted - House (73 - 41) |
7/23 | SB 337 | Establishes the North Carolina Charter School Advisory Board | Conference Report Adopted - House (88 - 22) |
7/16 | HB 250 | Amends Charter School Laws | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (40 - 9) |
7/16 | HB 250 | Amends Charter School Laws | Conference Report Adopted - House (68 - 47) |
7/03 | AB 1266 | Amends Sex-Segregated School Programs and Activities | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
7/02 | SB 132 | Requires Certain Reproductive Health and Safety Education for Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 12) |
7/02 | HB 2456 | Appropriates Increased Tax Funds to Schools and Health Services | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 15) |
7/02 | HB 2456 | Appropriates Increased Tax Funds to Schools and Health Services | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 15) |
7/01 | SB 215 | Authorizes Schools to Use Native American Mascots | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 5) |
6/28 | SB 215 | Authorizes Schools to Use Native American Mascots by Agreement | Bill Passed - House (41 - 19) |
6/27 | SB 132 | Requires Certain Reproductive Health and Safety Education for Schools | Bill Passed - House (69 - 42) |
6/18 | LD 1540 | Amends Public School Assessment System | Bill Passed - House (80 - 55) |
6/18 | LD 1540 | Amends Public School Assessment System | "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 14) |
6/10 | HB 2399 | Authorizes School Boards to Increase Property Taxes to Pay for Bonds | Bill Passed - House (31 - 26) |
6/06 | S 1003 | Comprehensive Student Loan Protection Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (40 - 57) |
6/06 | S 953 | Student Loan Affordability Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 46) |
5/29 | HB 4228 | 2013-2014 Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 12) |
5/29 | HB 4228 | 2013-2014 Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 12) |
5/29 | AB 375 | Amends Teacher Dismissal Requirements | Bill Passed - House (64 - 11) |
5/28 | LD 468 | Prohibits Smoking on College Campuses | Veto Override Failed - House (85 - 54) |
5/28 | HB 4228 | 2013-2014 Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (65 - 43) |
5/28 | HB 4228 | 2013-2014 Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (65 - 43) |
5/23 | HR 1911 | Smarter Solutions for Students Act | Bill Passed - House (221 - 198) |
5/22 | HB 1009 | Establishes "School Marshal" as a New Category of Law Enforcement for Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 4) |
5/22 | HB 2675 | Expands Sex Education Curriculum | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 21) |
5/19 | HF 630 | 2013-2015 Biennium K-12 Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 26) |
5/18 | HF 630 | 2013-2015 Biennium K-12 Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (78 - 56) |
5/17 | SF 1236 | Increases Funds for Higher Education | Conference Report Adopted - House (76 - 56) |
5/17 | SF 1236 | Increases Funds for Higher Education | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (44 - 22) |
5/16 | SB 552 | Authorizes a Violence Awareness Component of School Curriculum | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 7) |
5/14 | SB 125 | Amends State Intervention Process For Unaccredited Schools | Bill Passed - House (107 - 49) |
5/09 | HB 658 | Amends The School "Accountability Act" | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (61 - 41) |
5/09 | HB 658 | Amends The School "Accountability Act" | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
5/09 | SB 376 | Establishes a Free Breakfast Program for Students | Bill Passed - House (73 - 58) |
5/09 | AB 1266 | Amends Sex-Segregated School Programs and Activities | Bill Passed - House (46 - 25) |
5/07 | HB 937 | Amends Firearm Laws | Bill Passed - House (78 - 42) |