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
Aug. 29, 2012 CA AB 2132 Encourages State Universities to Include Public Service in Tenure Policy Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 27)
Aug. 28, 2012 CA AB 2132 Encourages State Universities to Include Public Service in Tenure Policy Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
June 18, 2012 NC HB 7 Authorizes Community Colleges to Opt Out of Federal Loan Program Veto Override Passed - Senate (31 - 16)
June 14, 2012 NC HB 7 Authorizes Community Colleges to Opt Out of Federal Loan Program Veto Override Passed - House (71 - 46)
June 5, 2012 MI HB 5372 School Aid Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 17)
June 1, 2012 MI HB 5372 School Aid Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (58 - 51)
May 31, 2012 CA SB 1525 Establishes a Student Athlete Bill of Rights Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
May 24, 2012 National S 2343 Extends Student Loan Interest Rates (Reid Bill) Bill Failed - Senate (51 - 43)
May 24, 2012 National S Amdt 2153 Prohibits Increase in Interest Rates for Student Loans (Lamar Bill) Amendment Rejected - Senate (34 - 62)
May 16, 2012 AL HB 658 Amends Immigration Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (67 - 37)
May 16, 2012 AL HB 658 Amends Immigration Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 7)
May 16, 2012 NH HB 1607 Establishes a Tax Credit for Businesses that Donate to Certain Scholarship Funds Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 7)
May 8, 2012 National S 2343 Extends Student Loan Interest Rates (Reid Bill) Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 45)
May 3, 2012 KS King Amendment Amends the State Retirement System for New Public Employees Amendment Rejected - Senate (20 - 20)
May 2, 2012 NH HB 1383 Prohibits In-State Tuition for Non-US Residents Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 5)
April 30, 2012 TN SB 3597 Prohibits Discrimination Against Religious Student Groups at Public Universities Bill Passed - House (61 - 22)
April 30, 2012 TN SB 3597 Prohibits Discrimination Against Religious Student Groups at Public Universities Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12)
April 27, 2012 National HR 4628 Extending Student Loan Interest Rates Bill Passed - House (215 - 195)
April 19, 2012 AL HB 658 Amends Immigration Regulations Bill Passed - House (64 - 34)
April 16, 2012 TN SB 2514 Amends Eligibility Requirements for the Tennessee HOPE Scholarship Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10)
April 9, 2012 CO SB 15 College Tuition Rates for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14)
March 29, 2012 IL HB 5531 Limits Tuition Waivers for State University Employees Bill Failed - House (26 - 75)
March 29, 2012 NH HB 1607 Establishes a Tax Credit for Businesses that Donate to Certain Scholarship Funds Bill Passed - House (173 - 127)
March 23, 2012 ID H 426 Establishes a Program for High School Students to Obtain an Associate's Degree Concurrence Vote Passed - House (59 - 6)
March 21, 2012 IL HB 3810 Eliminates General Assembly Scholarships Bill Passed - House (79 - 25)
March 19, 2012 ID H 426 Establishes a Program for High School Students to Obtain an Associate's Degree Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7)
March 13, 2012 IA HF 2380 Amends Education Provisions Bill Passed - House (53 - 46)
March 9, 2012 FL HB 5001 2012-2013 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 8)
March 9, 2012 FL HB 5001 2012-2013 Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (80 - 37)
March 5, 2012 GA SB 458 Repeals Certain Public Benefits for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 19)
Feb. 29, 2012 SD HB 1234 Eliminates Teacher Tenure Concurrence Vote Passed - House (36 - 33)
Feb. 28, 2012 National HR 2117 Repeals Department of Education Regulations Bill Passed - House (303 - 114)
Feb. 27, 2012 SD HB 1234 Eliminates Teacher Tenure Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
Feb. 24, 2012 UT SB 44 Providing Tuition Assistance for Military Veterans Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 14)
Feb. 23, 2012 FL HB 5001 2012-2013 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 6)
Feb. 22, 2012 MI SB 971 Repeals Collective Bargaining Rights for Graduate Research Assistants Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
Feb. 17, 2012 VA SB 131 Establishes Tax Deductions for Corporations Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20)
Feb. 13, 2012 SD HB 1234 Eliminates Teacher Tenure Bill Passed - House (41 - 28)
Feb. 9, 2012 FL HB 5001 2012-2013 Budget Bill Passed - House (79 - 38)
Feb. 1, 2012 NH HB 1383 Prohibits In-State Tuition for Non-US Residents Bill Passed - House (250 - 88)
Date No. Title Outcome
8/29 AB 2132 Encourages State Universities to Include Public Service in Tenure Policy Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 27)
8/28 AB 2132 Encourages State Universities to Include Public Service in Tenure Policy Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
6/18 HB 7 Authorizes Community Colleges to Opt Out of Federal Loan Program Veto Override Passed - Senate (31 - 16)
6/14 HB 7 Authorizes Community Colleges to Opt Out of Federal Loan Program Veto Override Passed - House (71 - 46)
6/05 HB 5372 School Aid Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 17)
6/01 HB 5372 School Aid Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (58 - 51)
5/31 SB 1525 Establishes a Student Athlete Bill of Rights Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
5/24 S 2343 Extends Student Loan Interest Rates (Reid Bill) Bill Failed - Senate (51 - 43)
5/24 S Amdt 2153 Prohibits Increase in Interest Rates for Student Loans (Lamar Bill) Amendment Rejected - Senate (34 - 62)
5/16 HB 658 Amends Immigration Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (67 - 37)
5/16 HB 658 Amends Immigration Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 7)
5/16 HB 1607 Establishes a Tax Credit for Businesses that Donate to Certain Scholarship Funds Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 7)
5/08 S 2343 Extends Student Loan Interest Rates (Reid Bill) Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 45)
5/03 King Amendment Amends the State Retirement System for New Public Employees Amendment Rejected - Senate (20 - 20)
5/02 HB 1383 Prohibits In-State Tuition for Non-US Residents Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 5)
4/30 SB 3597 Prohibits Discrimination Against Religious Student Groups at Public Universities Bill Passed - House (61 - 22)
4/30 SB 3597 Prohibits Discrimination Against Religious Student Groups at Public Universities Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12)
4/27 HR 4628 Extending Student Loan Interest Rates Bill Passed - House (215 - 195)
4/19 HB 658 Amends Immigration Regulations Bill Passed - House (64 - 34)
4/16 SB 2514 Amends Eligibility Requirements for the Tennessee HOPE Scholarship Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10)
4/09 SB 15 College Tuition Rates for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14)
3/29 HB 5531 Limits Tuition Waivers for State University Employees Bill Failed - House (26 - 75)
3/29 HB 1607 Establishes a Tax Credit for Businesses that Donate to Certain Scholarship Funds Bill Passed - House (173 - 127)
3/23 H 426 Establishes a Program for High School Students to Obtain an Associate's Degree Concurrence Vote Passed - House (59 - 6)
3/21 HB 3810 Eliminates General Assembly Scholarships Bill Passed - House (79 - 25)
3/19 H 426 Establishes a Program for High School Students to Obtain an Associate's Degree Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7)
3/13 HF 2380 Amends Education Provisions Bill Passed - House (53 - 46)
3/09 HB 5001 2012-2013 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 8)
3/09 HB 5001 2012-2013 Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (80 - 37)
3/05 SB 458 Repeals Certain Public Benefits for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 19)
2/29 HB 1234 Eliminates Teacher Tenure Concurrence Vote Passed - House (36 - 33)
2/28 HR 2117 Repeals Department of Education Regulations Bill Passed - House (303 - 114)
2/27 HB 1234 Eliminates Teacher Tenure Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
2/24 SB 44 Providing Tuition Assistance for Military Veterans Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 14)
2/23 HB 5001 2012-2013 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 6)
2/22 SB 971 Repeals Collective Bargaining Rights for Graduate Research Assistants Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
2/17 SB 131 Establishes Tax Deductions for Corporations Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20)
2/13 HB 1234 Eliminates Teacher Tenure Bill Passed - House (41 - 28)
2/09 HB 5001 2012-2013 Budget Bill Passed - House (79 - 38)
2/01 HB 1383 Prohibits In-State Tuition for Non-US Residents Bill Passed - House (250 - 88)

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