Key Votes
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About the Selection and Descriptions of Key Votes
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:
- The vote should be helpful in portraying how a member stands on a particular issue
- The vote should be clear for any person to understand
- The vote has received media attention
- The vote was passed or defeated by a very close margin
- 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.
results per page:
| Date | State | Bill No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 3, 2013 | CA | AB 1266 | Amends Sex-Segregated School Programs and Activities | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| May 9, 2013 | CA | AB 1266 | Amends Sex-Segregated School Programs and Activities | Bill Passed - House (46 - 25) |
| April 23, 2013 | NV | AB 230 | Amends State Sex Education Curriculum | Bill Passed - House (26 - 15) |
| 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) |
| 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) |
| May 29, 2013 | CA | AB 375 | Amends Teacher Dismissal Requirements | Bill Passed - House (64 - 11) |
| 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) |
| April 3, 2013 | ID | H 221 | Amends Public Charter School Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (45 - 22) |
| March 28, 2013 | ID | H 221 | Amends Public Charter School Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7) |
| Feb. 20, 2013 | VT | H 265 | Amends Education Property Tax Rates for Fiscal Year 2014 | Bill Passed - House (96 - 45) |
| April 27, 2013 | IN | HB 1001 | 2013-2015 Biennium Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (39 - 11) |
| April 27, 2013 | IN | HB 1001 | 2013-2015 Biennium Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (70 - 30) |
| April 9, 2013 | IN | HB 1001 | 2013-2015 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 12) |
| April 10, 2013 | IN | HB 1003 | Expands School Scholarship Program | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23) |
| Feb. 21, 2013 | IN | HB 1003 | Expands School Scholarship Program | Bill Passed - House (57 - 36) |
| Feb. 7, 2013 | IN | HB 1005 | Changes Eligibility for College Financial Aid | Bill Passed - House (86 - 13) |
| May 22, 2013 | TX | HB 1009 | Establishes "School Marshal" as a New Category of Law Enforcement for Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 4) |
| May 6, 2013 | TX | HB 1009 | Establishes "School Marshal" as a New Category of Law Enforcement for Schools | Bill Passed - House (123 - 22) |
| Feb. 1, 2013 | WY | HB 105 | Authorizes the Carrying of Firearms on School Property | Bill Passed - House (46 - 13) |
| March 12, 2013 | OK | HB 1062 | Authorizes School Employees to Carry Handguns on School Property | Bill Passed - House (68 - 23) |
| March 18, 2013 | CO | HB 1081 | Expands Sexual Education Curriculum | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| Feb. 21, 2013 | CO | HB 1081 | Expands Sexual Education Curriculum | Bill Passed - House (37 - 28) |
| March 4, 2013 | SD | HB 1087 | Authorizes School Sentinel Programs | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (40 - 19) |
| Feb. 27, 2013 | SD | HB 1087 | Authorizes School Sentinel Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| Jan. 29, 2013 | SD | HB 1087 | Authorizes School Sentinel Programs | Bill Passed - House (42 - 27) |
| April 6, 2013 | MD | HB 1107 | Amends Prince George's County School System Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 47) |
| Feb. 25, 2013 | ND | HB 1215 | Authorizes Concealed Weapons in Schools | Bill Passed - House (60 - 33) |
| Feb. 18, 2013 | CO | HB 1226 | Prohibits the Possession of Concealed Handguns on College Campuses | Bill Passed - House (34 - 31) |
| Feb. 25, 2013 | AR | HB 1243 | Authorizes University Staff to Carry a Concealed Handgun | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 4) |
| Feb. 15, 2013 | AR | HB 1243 | Authorizes University Staff to Carry a Concealed Handgun | Bill Passed - House (70 - 11) |
| March 8, 2013 | WA | HB 1283 | Amends School Age Requirements | Bill Passed - House (74 - 23) |
| Feb. 18, 2013 | AR | HB 1295 | Establishes Tiered System for Lottery Scholarships | Bill Passed - House (69 - 21) |
| Jan. 31, 2013 | WY | HB 130 | Authorizes Public Schools to Offer Elective Bible Study Classes | Bill Passed - House (44 - 15) |
| Feb. 14, 2013 | KY | HB 131 | Authorizes Immigrants to Remain Enrolled in High School up to Age 23 | Bill Passed - House (71 - 26) |
| May 2, 2013 | ND | HB 1319 | Amends School Funding Laws | Conference Report Adopted - House (49 - 42) |
| April 22, 2013 | IN | HB 1357 | Amends Licensing Requirements for Superintendents | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (55 - 40) |
| April 10, 2013 | IN | HB 1357 | Amends Licensing Requirements for Superintendents | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 25) |
| Feb. 5, 2013 | IN | HB 1357 | Amends Licensing Requirements for Superintendents | Bill Passed - House (57 - 41) |
| April 23, 2013 | OK | HB 1358 | Amends Public School Grading System | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 13) |
| April 26, 2013 | IN | HB 1427 | Amends Public School Evaluation System | Conference Report Adopted - House (53 - 45) |
| April 26, 2013 | IN | HB 1427 | Amends Public School Evaluation System | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 15) |
| Jan. 31, 2013 | VA | HB 1442 | Authorizes Home-Schooled Students To Participate In Interscholastic Programs | Bill Passed - House (56 - 43) |
| Feb. 11, 2013 | VA | HB 1617 | Authorizes Student Organizations to Limit Membership | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
| Jan. 31, 2013 | VA | HB 1617 | Authorizes Student Organizations to Limit Membership | Bill Passed - House (80 - 19) |
| April 4, 2013 | AK | HB 162 | Amends Teacher Tenure Policy | Bill Passed - House (28 - 10) |
| April 23, 2013 | OK | HB 1658 | Amends Public School Grading System | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 13) |
| March 4, 2013 | OK | HB 1721 | Reduces the Income Cap for the Oklahoma Promise Scholarship | Bill Passed - House (56 - 37) |
| March 13, 2013 | WA | HB 1817 | Authorizes Undocumented Students to Apply for State Financial Aid | Bill Passed - House (77 - 20) |
| March 13, 2013 | WA | HB 1817 | Authorizes Undocumented Students to Apply for State Financial Aid | Bill Passed - House (77 - 20) |
| April 3, 2013 | AR | HB 1938 | Prohibits the Closure of Schools Based on Student Enrollment for 2 Years | Bill Failed - House (46 - 26) |
| March 14, 2013 | OK | HB 1940 | Authorizes Students to Express Religious Viewpoints in Schools | Bill Passed - House (79 - 13) |
| Feb. 4, 2013 | VA | HB 1999 | Requires the Development of a School Grading System | Bill Passed - House (54 - 40) |
| March 5, 2013 | ID | HB 206 | Appropriates Funding for Charter Schools | Bill Passed - House (42 - 27) |
| Feb. 5, 2013 | WY | HB 230 | Appropriates Funds for Schools to Hire School Resource Officers | Bill Passed - House (38 - 22) |
| Feb. 7, 2013 | MT | HB 239 | Requires Parental Consent for Sex Education | Bill Passed - House (56 - 41) |
| June 10, 2013 | AZ | HB 2399 | Authorizes School Boards to Increase Property Taxes to Pay for Bonds | Bill Passed - House (31 - 26) |
| Feb. 23, 2013 | MT | HB 240 | Authorizes Firearms on College Campuses | Bill Passed - House (58 - 41) |
| 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 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) |
| May 22, 2013 | IL | HB 2675 | Expands Sex Education Curriculum | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 21) |
| April 17, 2013 | IL | HB 2675 | Expands Sex Education Curriculum | Bill Passed - House (66 - 52) |
| March 21, 2013 | OR | HB 2787 | Authorizes In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
| Feb. 22, 2013 | OR | HB 2787 | Authorizes In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (38 - 18) |
| Feb. 22, 2013 | NM | HB 300 | Authorizes Extended School Absences for Pregnant Teens | Bill Passed - House (56 - 12) |
| April 22, 2013 | OR | HB 3014 | Requires Allotted Time for the Pledge of Allegiance in Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (42 - 16) |
| Feb. 12, 2013 | MT | HB 315 | Establishes Public Charter Schools | Bill Failed - House (49 - 50) |
| May 6, 2013 | MO | HB 34 | Expands Prevailing Wage Requirements for Public Works Projects | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (93 - 64) |
| April 29, 2013 | MO | HB 34 | Expands Prevailing Wage Requirements for Public Works Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| Feb. 28, 2013 | MO | HB 34 | Authorizes School Districts To Opt Out of Prevailing Wage Requirement | Bill Passed - House (89 - 59) |
| Feb. 20, 2013 | NH | HB 370 | Repeals the Education Tax Credit Program | Bill Passed - House (188 - 151) |
| Feb. 27, 2013 | MT | HB 384 | Authorizes Students to Bring Firearms to School | Bill Failed - House (45 - 53) |
| Feb. 28, 2013 | MO | HB 388 | Requires School Ratings Based on Student Performance | Bill Passed - House (128 - 23) |
| 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 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) |
| Dec. 11, 2013 | MI | HB 4369 | Expands the Education Achievement Authority | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
| March 21, 2013 | MI | HB 4369 | Expands the Education Achievement Authority | Bill Passed - House (57 - 53) |
| May 1, 2013 | MI | HB 4388 | Establishes School Attendence Requirements for Family Independence Assistance | Bill Passed - House (78 - 32) |
| March 18, 2013 | TN | HB 534 | Authorizes University Student Organizations to Limit Membership Based on Religion | Bill Passed - House (75 - 21) |
| Feb. 27, 2013 | NM | HB 64 | Amends Educational Employee Pension Funds and Policies | Bill Passed - House (50 - 17) |
| 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) |
| April 18, 2013 | CT | HB 6648 | Authorizes University Board of Regents to Appoint President of the Board | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8) |
| May 2, 2013 | FL | HB 7009 | Amends Teacher Evaluations and Charter School Provisions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (76 - 42) |
| May 1, 2013 | FL | HB 7009 | Amends Teacher Evaluations and Charter School Provisions | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 7) |
| April 18, 2013 | TN | HB 702 | Increases the Appeal Time Period for Establishing Charter Schools | Bill Passed - House (62 - 30) |
| Feb. 28, 2013 | AL | HB 84 | Authorizes Schools to Apply for Waivers from State Laws | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 11) |
| Feb. 14, 2013 | AL | HB 84 | Authorizes Schools to Apply for Waivers from State Laws | Bill Passed - House (65 - 37) |
| March 22, 2013 | MD | HB 860 | Authorizes Construction and Renovation of Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (107 - 30) |
| April 30, 2013 | FL | HB 867 | Authorizes Parent Involvement in School Turnaround Decisions | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 20) |
| April 4, 2013 | FL | HB 867 | Authorizes Parent Involvement in School Turnaround Decisions | Bill Passed - House (68 - 51) |
| 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) |
| May 7, 2013 | NC | HB 937 | Amends Firearm Laws | Bill Passed - House (78 - 42) |