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. 21, 2019 PA HB 49 Authorizes School Police to Make Arrests Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 14)
Oct. 31, 2019 NC SB 354 Increases Pay for Public School Teachers and Personnel Conference Report Adopted - Senate (28 - 21)
Oct. 29, 2019 NC SB 522 Amends the Innovative School District (ISD) Program Conference Report Adopted - Senate (33 - 16)
Oct. 24, 2019 NC HB 377 Increases State Teacher Pay Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 20)
Oct. 23, 2019 OH SB 26 Repeals the Tax on Feminine Hygiene Products Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 1)
Oct. 23, 2019 PA HB 49 Authorizes School Police to Make Arrests Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 20)
Sept. 19, 2019 MI HB 4242 Establishes K-12 Education Budget for Fiscal Year 2019-2020 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 17)
Sept. 9, 2019 CA AB 1505 Establishes Public Oversight for Charter Schools Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 11)
Sept. 5, 2019 CA AB 197 Requires Schools To Offer A Full-day Kindergarten Program Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9)
Sept. 3, 2019 CA AB 624 Requires Listing a Sexual Assault Hotline and Reproductive Health Care Telephone Numbers on Student Identification Cards Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 11)
Aug. 30, 2019 CA SB 223 Authorizes Medical Cannabis on K-12 Campuses Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 7)
Aug. 12, 2019 CA AB 711 Authorizes High School Document Name Changes Regarding Gender Identity Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 0)
June 27, 2019 PA HB 1615 Expands Tax Credit Education Scholarships Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 13)
June 24, 2019 WV HB 206 Authorizes the Creation of Charter Schools Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16)
June 13, 2019 NY A 2371 Prohibits Exemption from Vaccinations Based on Religious Beliefs Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 26)
June 11, 2019 PA HB 800 Increases Amount of Tax Credits Available for Students to Attend the School of Their Choice Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21)
June 11, 2019 PA SB 621 Authorizes Schools to Arm Security Guards Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17)
May 31, 2019 AL HB 77 Expands Retirement Benefits for Public School Teachers Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 4)
May 29, 2019 IL HB 2078 Increases Teacher Salary to $40,000 Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 13)
May 29, 2019 ME LD 307 Limits the Number of Charter Schools Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
May 27, 2019 AZ HB 2749 Appropriates Funds for K-12 Education for Fiscal Year 2020-2021 Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12)
May 23, 2019 IL HB 3606 Authorizes Parental Privacy Rights for Student Data Collection Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 17)
May 23, 2019 ME LD 798 Prohibits Non-Medical Exemptions for Vaccinations Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16)
May 23, 2019 OR HB 2023 Requires Inclusive Education on Certain Classifications of Individuals Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 5)
May 23, 2019 IL HB 2265 Requires Civics Education Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 14)
May 22, 2019 OR HB 2191 Expands Reasons for School Absences to Include Mental and Behavioral Health Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 6)
May 21, 2019 ME LD 513 Limits Enrollment at Virtual Public Charter Schools Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 15)
May 3, 2019 CO HB 19-1032 Amends Sex Education Standards Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
May 1, 2019 TN HB 939 Authorizes Education Savings Account Vouchers Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 14)
May 1, 2019 MN HF 2400 Appropriates Funds for Education Finance Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 30)
April 23, 2019 FL SB 7030 Authorizes Firearms on School Campuses Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 17)
April 16, 2019 IN HB 1253 Authorizes Firearm Training for Teachers and School Staff Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 14)
April 11, 2019 IL SB 2075 Requires 5-Year-Olds to Attend Kindergarten Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 16)
April 10, 2019 IL SB 1970 Authorizes Student Absences for Voting Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 10)
March 29, 2019 ND HB 1346 Amends State K-12 School Year Calendar Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 0)
March 29, 2019 ND HB 1332 Authorizes Schools to Develop a Plan for an Armed First Responder Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 14)
March 28, 2019 MD SB 128 Authorizes Regulation of School Calendars Veto Override Passed - Senate (32 - 15)
March 26, 2019 GA HB 83 Requires Recess for Students in Kindergarten Through Fifth Grade Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 4)
March 21, 2019 AL SB 119 Repeals Common Core Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7)
March 12, 2019 OR SB 664 Requires School Districts to Teach About the Holocaust and Genocide Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 3)
Feb. 27, 2019 WA SB 5395 Establishes K-12 Sexual Health Education Programs in Public Schools Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21)
Feb. 26, 2019 NJ S 692 Prohibits the Department of Education from Establishing Maximum Salaries for Superintendents Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15)
Feb. 21, 2019 NJ S 3381 Authorizes Graduation Proficiency Tests to High School Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 7)
Feb. 12, 2019 MD SB 128 Authorizes Regulation of School Calendars Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 13)
Feb. 4, 2019 WV SB 451 Amends Certain Education Laws and Programs Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16)
Feb. 4, 2019 VA SB 1502 Requires School Boards to Offer Classes on the Bible Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18)
Jan. 24, 2019 IN SB 132 Requires Citizenship Test Prior to High School Graduation Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 17)
Date No. Title Outcome
11/21 HB 49 Authorizes School Police to Make Arrests Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 14)
10/31 SB 354 Increases Pay for Public School Teachers and Personnel Conference Report Adopted - Senate (28 - 21)
10/29 SB 522 Amends the Innovative School District (ISD) Program Conference Report Adopted - Senate (33 - 16)
10/24 HB 377 Increases State Teacher Pay Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 20)
10/23 SB 26 Repeals the Tax on Feminine Hygiene Products Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 1)
10/23 HB 49 Authorizes School Police to Make Arrests Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 20)
9/19 HB 4242 Establishes K-12 Education Budget for Fiscal Year 2019-2020 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 17)
9/09 AB 1505 Establishes Public Oversight for Charter Schools Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 11)
9/05 AB 197 Requires Schools To Offer A Full-day Kindergarten Program Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9)
9/03 AB 624 Requires Listing a Sexual Assault Hotline and Reproductive Health Care Telephone Numbers on Student Identification Cards Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 11)
8/30 SB 223 Authorizes Medical Cannabis on K-12 Campuses Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 7)
8/12 AB 711 Authorizes High School Document Name Changes Regarding Gender Identity Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 0)
6/27 HB 1615 Expands Tax Credit Education Scholarships Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 13)
6/24 HB 206 Authorizes the Creation of Charter Schools Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16)
6/13 A 2371 Prohibits Exemption from Vaccinations Based on Religious Beliefs Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 26)
6/11 HB 800 Increases Amount of Tax Credits Available for Students to Attend the School of Their Choice Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21)
6/11 SB 621 Authorizes Schools to Arm Security Guards Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 17)
5/31 HB 77 Expands Retirement Benefits for Public School Teachers Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 4)
5/29 HB 2078 Increases Teacher Salary to $40,000 Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 13)
5/29 LD 307 Limits the Number of Charter Schools Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
5/27 HB 2749 Appropriates Funds for K-12 Education for Fiscal Year 2020-2021 Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12)
5/23 HB 3606 Authorizes Parental Privacy Rights for Student Data Collection Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 17)
5/23 LD 798 Prohibits Non-Medical Exemptions for Vaccinations Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16)
5/23 HB 2023 Requires Inclusive Education on Certain Classifications of Individuals Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 5)
5/23 HB 2265 Requires Civics Education Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 14)
5/22 HB 2191 Expands Reasons for School Absences to Include Mental and Behavioral Health Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 6)
5/21 LD 513 Limits Enrollment at Virtual Public Charter Schools Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 15)
5/03 HB 19-1032 Amends Sex Education Standards Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
5/01 HB 939 Authorizes Education Savings Account Vouchers Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 14)
5/01 HF 2400 Appropriates Funds for Education Finance Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 30)
4/23 SB 7030 Authorizes Firearms on School Campuses Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 17)
4/16 HB 1253 Authorizes Firearm Training for Teachers and School Staff Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 14)
4/11 SB 2075 Requires 5-Year-Olds to Attend Kindergarten Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 16)
4/10 SB 1970 Authorizes Student Absences for Voting Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 10)
3/29 HB 1346 Amends State K-12 School Year Calendar Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 0)
3/29 HB 1332 Authorizes Schools to Develop a Plan for an Armed First Responder Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 14)
3/28 SB 128 Authorizes Regulation of School Calendars Veto Override Passed - Senate (32 - 15)
3/26 HB 83 Requires Recess for Students in Kindergarten Through Fifth Grade Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 4)
3/21 SB 119 Repeals Common Core Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7)
3/12 SB 664 Requires School Districts to Teach About the Holocaust and Genocide Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 3)
2/27 SB 5395 Establishes K-12 Sexual Health Education Programs in Public Schools Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21)
2/26 S 692 Prohibits the Department of Education from Establishing Maximum Salaries for Superintendents Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15)
2/21 S 3381 Authorizes Graduation Proficiency Tests to High School Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 7)
2/12 SB 128 Authorizes Regulation of School Calendars Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 13)
2/04 SB 451 Amends Certain Education Laws and Programs Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16)
2/04 SB 1502 Requires School Boards to Offer Classes on the Bible Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18)
1/24 SB 132 Requires Citizenship Test Prior to High School Graduation Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 17)

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