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.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
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)
Sept. 12, 2013 CA AB 375 Amends Teacher Dismissal Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
Sept. 10, 2013 CA AB 484 Amends State School Testing Programs Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7)
July 23, 2013 NC SB 337 Establishes the North Carolina Charter School Advisory Board Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 11)
July 16, 2013 NC HB 250 Amends Charter School Laws Conference Report Adopted - Senate (40 - 9)
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 1, 2013 OR SB 215 Authorizes Schools to Use Native American Mascots Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 5)
June 18, 2013 ME LD 1540 Amends Public School Assessment System "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 14)
May 29, 2013 MI HB 4228 2013-2014 Education Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 12)
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 16, 2013 CA SB 552 Authorizes a Violence Awareness Component of School Curriculum Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 7)
May 9, 2013 AL HB 658 Amends The School "Accountability Act" Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
May 7, 2013 NC SB 337 Establishes an Independent Charter School Board Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17)
May 1, 2013 FL HB 7009 Amends Teacher Evaluations and Charter School Provisions Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 7)
May 1, 2013 IL SB 1739 Expands State Casino Development Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 20)
April 30, 2013 FL HB 867 Authorizes Parent Involvement in School Turnaround Decisions Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 20)
April 29, 2013 MO HB 34 Expands Prevailing Wage Requirements for Public Works Projects Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10)
April 26, 2013 IN HB 1427 Amends Public School Evaluation System Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 15)
April 25, 2013 MN HF 630 2013-2015 Biennium K-12 Education Budget Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 28)
April 25, 2013 NC SB 243 Requires New Instructions in Public School Curriculum Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 7)
April 23, 2013 OK HB 1358 Amends Public School Grading System Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 13)
April 23, 2013 OK HB 1658 Amends Public School Grading System Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 13)
April 10, 2013 IN HB 1357 Amends Licensing Requirements for Superintendents Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 25)
April 10, 2013 IN HB 1003 Expands School Scholarship Program Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23)
April 10, 2013 OR SB 215 Authorizes Schools to Use Native American Mascots Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 4)
March 28, 2013 ID H 221 Amends Public Charter School Laws Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7)
March 26, 2013 IA SF 423 Amends Education Provisions Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23)
March 18, 2013 CO HB 1081 Expands Sexual Education Curriculum Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
March 6, 2013 OK SB 1001 Authorizes Parents to Petition for Certain School Actions Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 12)
March 6, 2013 WA SB 5328 Establishes a Grading System for Schools Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23)
March 5, 2013 KY SB 176 Authorizes Low-Achieving Schools to Become Charter Schools Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15)
Feb. 28, 2013 AL HB 84 Authorizes Schools to Apply for Waivers from State Laws Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 11)
Feb. 27, 2013 SD HB 1087 Authorizes School Sentinel Programs Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
Feb. 26, 2013 ID S 1089 Amends Early Teacher Retirement Program Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6)
Feb. 23, 2013 MT SB 175 Increases Public Education Funding Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17)
Feb. 20, 2013 ND SB 2267 Appropriates Funding for School Safety Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17)
Feb. 16, 2013 MT SB 81 Establishes Tax Deductions for Donations to Educational Charities Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 20)
Feb. 14, 2013 IA SF 161 Establishes the School Budget Growth for Fiscal Year 2014-2015 Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22)
Feb. 5, 2013 VA SB 1324 Establishes Education Institution and Board Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20)
Jan. 25, 2013 WY SF 104 Establishes the Director Position in the Department of Education Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 9)
Jan. 16, 2013 MS SB 2189 Expands Charter School Authorization Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 17)
Date No. Title Outcome
11/05 AB 297 Amends Laws Concerning the Use of Race-Based Nicknames, Logos, Mascots, and Team Names Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16)
9/12 AB 375 Amends Teacher Dismissal Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
9/10 AB 484 Amends State School Testing Programs Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7)
7/23 SB 337 Establishes the North Carolina Charter School Advisory Board Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 11)
7/16 HB 250 Amends Charter School Laws Conference Report Adopted - Senate (40 - 9)
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)
7/01 SB 215 Authorizes Schools to Use Native American Mascots Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 5)
6/18 LD 1540 Amends Public School Assessment System "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 14)
5/29 HB 4228 2013-2014 Education Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 12)
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)
5/16 SB 552 Authorizes a Violence Awareness Component of School Curriculum Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 7)
5/09 HB 658 Amends The School "Accountability Act" Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
5/07 SB 337 Establishes an Independent Charter School Board Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17)
5/01 HB 7009 Amends Teacher Evaluations and Charter School Provisions Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 7)
5/01 SB 1739 Expands State Casino Development Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 20)
4/30 HB 867 Authorizes Parent Involvement in School Turnaround Decisions Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 20)
4/29 HB 34 Expands Prevailing Wage Requirements for Public Works Projects Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10)
4/26 HB 1427 Amends Public School Evaluation System Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 15)
4/25 HF 630 2013-2015 Biennium K-12 Education Budget Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 28)
4/25 SB 243 Requires New Instructions in Public School Curriculum Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 7)
4/23 HB 1358 Amends Public School Grading System Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 13)
4/23 HB 1658 Amends Public School Grading System Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 13)
4/10 HB 1357 Amends Licensing Requirements for Superintendents Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 25)
4/10 HB 1003 Expands School Scholarship Program Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23)
4/10 SB 215 Authorizes Schools to Use Native American Mascots Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 4)
3/28 H 221 Amends Public Charter School Laws Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7)
3/26 SF 423 Amends Education Provisions Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23)
3/18 HB 1081 Expands Sexual Education Curriculum Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
3/06 SB 1001 Authorizes Parents to Petition for Certain School Actions Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 12)
3/06 SB 5328 Establishes a Grading System for Schools Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23)
3/05 SB 176 Authorizes Low-Achieving Schools to Become Charter Schools Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15)
2/28 HB 84 Authorizes Schools to Apply for Waivers from State Laws Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 11)
2/27 HB 1087 Authorizes School Sentinel Programs Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
2/26 S 1089 Amends Early Teacher Retirement Program Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6)
2/23 SB 175 Increases Public Education Funding Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17)
2/20 SB 2267 Appropriates Funding for School Safety Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17)
2/16 SB 81 Establishes Tax Deductions for Donations to Educational Charities Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 20)
2/14 SF 161 Establishes the School Budget Growth for Fiscal Year 2014-2015 Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22)
2/05 SB 1324 Establishes Education Institution and Board Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20)
1/25 SF 104 Establishes the Director Position in the Department of Education Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 9)
1/16 SB 2189 Expands Charter School Authorization Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 17)

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