Wiki source for EnteringVotes
====1. Searching For and Creating Admin Entries====
When entering votes, it is important that you search for existing admin entries for that legislation before proceeding to create a new entry. Normally, the Key Votes staff will indicate whether there is an existing admin entry on the selection sheet. Therefore, when you encounter this on a selection sheet, you shouldn't have any problems locating the existing entry. If the selection sheet does not indicate that there is an existing admin entry, you still have to search for the legislation. The search is performed in the event that the staff forgot to note that there is an existing admin entry for this bill on the selection sheet, or if there was a veto entered into admin for this legislation, which creates an entry for that legislation. We CANNOT have two entries for one piece of legislation in admin.
When searching for an existing admin entry, remember to select the correct state and ensure that the date range is correct for that legislation. The only thing you need to type into the search box is the bill number, not including the prefix ("HB," "SB," etc.).
If your search DOES produce an entry, open that entry and skip the requirements for the introduced status (#2) and proceed to insert "key vote" statuses (#3).
- Note: If you are entering a vote(s) for legislation that already has an entry in admin, there is one issue that must be addressed that is normally covered under the requirements for the introduced status (#2): sponsors and cosponsors. Some states add additional sponsors and co-sponsors throughout the course of the legislative process. Check to see if additional sponsors or cosponsors have been added for that legislation. If so, refer to the requirements for the introduced status (#2) on how to input sponsors and cosponsors.
If your search does NOT produce an existing entry, proceed to create a new entry for that state by selecting the state from the drop down menu and clicking the "Add new for" button. After clicking the button, a new window should open.
====2. Introduced Status====
The first step in creating a new admin entry is to create an introduced status (stage) for the legislation. In addition to the new window that opens in admin, you should also open the bill summary sheet that you prepared. If you selected multiple votes for one piece of legislation, open the bill summary sheet for the earliest vote. For example, if we took the House Passage and Senate Passage with Amendment votes, you would open the bill summary sheet for the House Passage.
The first set of information that must be inputted consists of:
(1) Title
(2) Official Title
(3) Date Introduced
(4) Type
(4) Bill Number
Retrieve this information from the bill summary sheet and input it into the appropriate place in admin. Once you have finished this step, click the "Save" button, which effectively establishes the introduced status, thereby officially creating an admin entry for that legislation.
The second set of information that must be inputted for the introduced status are the sponsor(s) and cosponsor(s). A general rule of thumb is that the introduced status is principally used for adding and removing sponsors and cosponsors. The window that first appears in admin to create a new entry (where the first set of information is inputted) does allow you to select a single sponsor, as well as multiple cosponsors and committee sponsors. However, for the sake of accuracy, you must add sponsors and cosponsors within the introduced status.
Therefore, after you have created the introduced status, click the "View" link to reopen the status. Scroll down to the bottom of the screen and click the "View Votes/Actions" button.
The "View Votes/Actions" button will always open a new window in admin. At the top of the screen, there is a list of buttons with a large blank space below it. If you scroll down, there is a list of every member of the legislature. For sponsors and cosponsors, you MUST use the "Find In This Page..." function from the "Edit" drop-down menu. When searching for sponsors and cosponsors, type the full surname of the legislator in the "Find" search box and either strike the "Enter" key multiple times or click the "Next" button multiple times. Ensure that there are not additional members of the legislature with the same surname. If you do find multiple members with the same surname, determine which member is the correct sponsor or cosponsor. Typically, the legislature will note the individual's first name or district number to assist you in distinguishing between members with identical surnames. Once you have identified the correct sponsor or cosponsor, click the "Add" link next to their name. This will send that member's name to the top of the screen. It always defaults to "Co-sponsor." If you click on that member's name, the "Action" drop-down menu will appear below. The drop-down menu contains the following options: "Sponsor," "Co-Sponsor," or "By Request." Ignore the "By Request" option altogether. Select either "Sponsor" or "Cosponsor" and click the "Save" button. Proceed to do this for EACH sponsor and cosponsor. Once you have exhausted the list of sponsors and cosponsors, close the "View Votes/Actions" window entirely and save the Introduced status.
Note: When uploading sponsors and cosponsors, DO NOT click the "Add _ State Legislators" button (ex: "Add AZ State Legislators" or "Add CA State Legislators"). Although it doesn't affect the live website, it helps keep the information in admin organized.
At any point in time, the "View Votes/Actions" window of the introduced status can be used to upload or delete sponsors and cosponsors for a piece of legislation.
Do NOT input any additional information into the introduced status.
====3. (First) "Key Vote" Status====
After creating the introduced status and adding the sponsor(s) and/or cosponsor(s), or if you have opened an existing admin entry to input a recently selected vote, the next step is to create a "key vote" status. This refers to a status that you create for a vote that we have selected to cover, rather than an "other status for web."
To begin, click the "Add New Status" button.
The first set of information that must be inputted into a "key vote" status consists of:
(1) Chamber (Level)
(2) Stage
(3) Outcome
(4) Date of Vote (Status Date)
(5) Roll Call Number, if applicable
(6) Yeas and Nays
Retrieve this information from the bill summary sheet and input it into the appropriate place in admin.
Then, click the "Key Vote" check box, located just above the "Yea" and "Nay" text boxes. This identifies the status in admin as a "key vote," rather than an "other status for web."
The next step is to REUSE the following information that you inputted for the introduced status:
(1) Title
(2) Official Title
To reuse this information for the title, simply deselect the "No Title" checkbox, located above the "Title" text box. As long as the "Yes" option is selected from the "Use earlier title" drop-down menu (it defaults to "Yes"), you can reuse the title that was inputted for the introduced status. The same can be said for the official title, only you will deselect the "No Official Title" checkbox, located above the "Official Title" text box. As long as the "Yes" option is selected from the "Use earlier title" drop-down menu, you can reuse the official title that was inputted for the introduced status.
Ignore both the "Highlight" and "Official Synopsis" text boxes, and proceed to input the "temporary synopsis" into the "Synopsis" text box. To do so, deselect the "No synopsis" checkbox, located above the "Synopsis" text box. Because there wasn't a PVS synopsis entered for the introduced status, the "No" option from the "Use earlier synopsis" drop-down menu should already be selected. Copy and paste the "temporary synopsis" into the "Synopsis" text box, and ensure that the "HB/SB XXX" text has been replaced with the bill number.
Scroll down to where the categories are selected and deselect the "No category" checkbox, located above the list of categories. Because categories were not entered for the introduced status, the "No" option from the "Use earlier synopsis" drop-down menu should already be selected. Proceed to select all of the categories that were assigned to that vote. Hold down the "Ctrl" key to select multiple categories.
After the above steps have been completed, click the "Save" button, and you have successfully created a "key vote" status. However, you are not finished with this status. There are two steps that cannot be completed until after you have reopened the "key vote" status:
(1) Uploading the Bill Text
(2) Inputting the Votes
First, return to where the statuses are listed and click the "View" link located next to the "key vote" status that you have just created.
For the bill text, scroll down until you see a group of text boxes and buttons that allow you to upload a text file. Prior to saving the "key vote" status, these features should not have been avaliable; they only appear after you reopen the status. First, deselect the "No text" check box. Then, click the "Browse..." button, which should open a new window that allows you to upload a text file. Locate the appropriate electronic folder and select the bill text. Remember that the bill text MUST be a pdf file. In addition, the file MUST have a ".pdf" suffix. Otherwise, it will not upload correctly. Once you have selected the bill text, click the "Upload" button, located below the "Browse..." button. Ensure that the file was uploaded properly - there should be a file with a ".pdf" suffix visible in the "Text file name" text box, and a message listed just above the "Browse" button indicating that the file was uploaded correctly (ex: "File Bill Text - House Passage.pdf has been uploaded."). If you want to ensure that you uploaded the correct bill text, click the "download" button, which will open the pdf file.
- Note: if you are replacing an existing bill text in the "key vote" status, you MUST click the "Overwrite" check box located below the "Browse..." button. This still applies if you have clicked the "clear" button and there is no file listed in the "text file name" text box.
For the votes, scroll down to the bottom of the screen where a group of buttons appear that were not available before saving the "key vote" status; they only appear after you reopen the status. Click the "View Votes/Actions" button, which will open a new window, just as it did when you entered the sponsor(s) and cosponsor(s). However, unlike adding the sponsor(s) and cosponsor(s), you will not be uploading the members of the legislature individually. Thus, you won't have to utilize the "Find In This Page..." function from the "Edit" drop-down menu. Rather, you will click the "Add _ State Legislators" button (ex: "Add AZ State Legislators" or "Add CA State Legislators"). As long as you selected the appropriate chamber (House or Senate) in admin, all of the members of that chamber will automatically be uploaded.
At this point, you should take out the hard copy of the vote breakdown that you printed out while preparing the folder. Using the vote breakdown, you will assign the appropriate vote to EACH member of the legislature. At the top of the screen, there is a set of buttons. Click the "by Last Name" button to alphabetize the members, because the vast majority of vote breakdowns organize the members of the legislature alphabetically. Proceed to click the name of the first member listed, which will open an "Action" drop -down menu at the bottom of the list along side two buttons: "Reset" (ignore this button altogether) and "Save." For EACH member, open the "Action" drop-down menu and select one of the following: "Yea," "Nay," "No Vote," "Pair Yea," or "Pair Nay." After applying the appropriate vote, click the "Save" button. After saving a vote, the next member listed will automatically be selected. Again, open the "Action" drop-down menu, select the appropriate vote, and click the "Save" button. You will do this for EVERY member of the legislature.
- Note: Although the "View Votes/Action" window defaults to a "Yea" vote after a member is uploaded, you still must click the "Save" button for EVERY vote. That includes those who voted "Yea." You are NOT authorized to simply go through the list and only pick out the "Nays" and "No Votes." This is a very strict rule in the department. Mislabeling a vote is the worst thing that can happen, and saving every single vote helps to ensure this doesn't happen. Some legislatures don't list the members who were absent and/or abstained from voting ("No Vote"), and if you only pick out the "Nay" votes, those who should be assigned a "No Vote" would be falsely assigned a "Yea" vote. Furthermore, by saving every vote, you also can spot a correction that needs to be made in the Research Department. If you see a member listed in admin who is not listed on the vote breakdown, or a member listed on the vote breakdown but not listed in admin, notify a Key Votes staff member, who will then notify the Research Department to make the correction. Remember: YOU MUST SAVE EVERY SINGLE VOTE!!!!
- Note: With respect to the classification of votes, "No Vote" includes anyone who does NOT issue a vote of "Yea," "Nay," "Pair Yea," or "Pair Nay." This includes members listed as "absent," "excused," "abstaining," "present," "presiding," etc. Also, it's worth noting that "Pair Yea" and "Pair Nay" votes are extremely rare, but we do encounter them from time to time.
Once you have saved all of the votes, close the "View Votes/Actions Window." Then, click the "Save" button in the original admin window.
====4. Second "Key Vote" Status, if Applicable ====
If you selected multiple votes for one piece of legislation, proceed to create a second "key vote" status. Otherwise, skip this step, and proceed to create the "other statuses for web" (#5). If a second vote was selected, open the bill summary sheet that you prepared for that vote.
To begin, click the "Add New Status" button.
The first set of information that must be inputted into the second "key vote" status consists of:
(1) Chamber (Level)
(2) Stage
(3) Outcome
(4) Date of Vote
(5) Roll Call Number, if applicable
(6) Yeas and Nays
Retrieve this information from the bill summary sheet and input it into the appropriate place in admin.
Then, click the "Key Vote" check box, located above the "Yea" and "Nay" text boxes. This identifies the status in admin as a "key vote," rather than an "other status for web."
The next step is to determine whether you can reuse the following information that you inputted for the introduced status and the first "key vote" status:
(1) Title
(2) Official Title
(3) Synopsis
(4) Bill Text
(5) Categories
Whether you can reuse this information was determined when you were preparing the bill summary sheet for the second "key vote." If the information is EXACTLY the same on both bill summary sheets, then you can reuse information in admin. If, however, the information is at all different, then you must input the new information into this status. For example, if we selected the Senate Passage and House Passage with Amendment votes for a bill, you already know that you cannot reuse the bill text. If the amendments adopted by the House were enough to change the official title and/or the title we assigned to the bill, then you can't reuse the information in admin. If there were additional categories for the House Passage with Amendment stage, then you would have to manually select the categories for that status, rather than reuse the ones for the Senate Passage status. However, you will always be able to reuse the "temporary synopsis" that is inputted into the "Synopsis" text box.
For any information that CAN be reused, do the following:
-Titles: Deselect the "No title" check box and ensure that the "Yes" option is selected from the "Use earlier title" drop-down menu.
-Official Titles: Deselect the "No official title" check box and ensure that the "Yes" option is selected from the "Use earlier official title" drop-down menu.
-PVS ("temporary") Synopsis: Deselect the "No synopsis" check box and ensure that the "Yes" option is selected from the "Use earlier synopsis" drop-down menu.
-Bill Text: Deselect the "No text" check box and ensure that the "Yes" option is selected from the "Use earlier text" drop-down menu.
-Categories: Deselect the "No categories" check box and ensure that the "Yes" option is selected from the "Use earlier categories" drop-down menu.
For any information that CANNOT be reused, complete the following steps:
-Titles: Deselect the "No title" check box and select the "No" option from the "Use earlier title" drop-down menu. Proceed to input the title for this specific status listed on the bill summary sheet.
-Official Titles: Deselect the "No official title" check box and select the "No" option from the "Use earlier official title" drop-down menu. Proceed to input the official title for this specific status listed on the bill summary sheet;
-Bill Text: Deselect the "No text file" check box and select the "No" option from the "Use earlier text file" drop-down menu. Click the "Overwrite" check box listed above the "Upload" button. Proceed to upload the bill text for this specific status in the same manner that you did for the first "key vote" status.
-Categories: deselect the "No categories" check box and select the "No" option from the "Use earlier categories" drop-down menu. Proceed to input the categories for this specific status.
Click the "Save" button, and you have successfully created a second "key vote" status. However, you are not finished with this status. Like the first "key vote" status, the "View Votes/Actions" button is only available after you have saved the status. Therefore, return to where the statuses are listed and click the "View" link, located next to the second "key vote" status that you have just created.
Scroll to the bottom of the screen and click the "View Votes/Actions" button, which opens a new window. Take out the hard copy of the vote breakdown that you printed out while preparing the folder, and proceed to enter the votes in the same EXACT manner as the first "key vote" status - all of the same rules apply. Once you're finished, close the "View Votes/Actions" window and click the "Save" button in the original admin screen.
====5. "Other Statuses For Web"====
Once you are finished with the "key vote" statuses, proceed to create a status for EACH "other status" that you listed on the bill summary sheet. Meaning, when the vote is released to the internal or live website, we need to have a complete bill history.
- Note: There is one exception to this rule: a Governor's veto. If the Governor vetoes legislation, and this includes any kind of partial veto ("line-item veto"), you will NOT create a status for that. A Key Votes staff member is assigned to inputting vetoes, and anytime a veto is entered into admin, a status is automatically created. Therefore, if you were to create a status for a Governor's veto, there will eventually be two statuses. In fact, if the Governor did veto legislation, there should already be an entry in admin for that legislation, because the veto will likely have already been entered. However, if you encounter a veto that hasn't yet been entered, notify a Key Votes staff member.
If the only "other status" listed on the bill summary sheet is a Referred to Committee stage, then the following information needs to be inputted into admin:
(1) Chamber (Level)
(2) Stage
(3) Status Date
(4) Committee
If the "other statuses" are votes, then the following information needs to be inputted into admin:
(1) Chamber (Level)
(2) Stage
(3) Date of Vote
(4) Roll Call Number, if applicable
(5) Yeas and Nays, if applicable
(6) Note, if applicable
Sometimes, a legislature will not record the "Yeas" and "Nays," and instead utilize a "Voice Vote" to pass the motion. When you encounter this, leave the "Yea" and "Nay" text boxes blank, and click the "Voice Vote" check box, located just above the "Yea" and "Nay" text boxes.
DO NOT select the "key vote" check box for "other statuses."
After you have inputted all of the above information, where applicable, DO NOT input any additional information into admin for the "other statuses." Meaning, DON'T input a title, official title, synopsis, bill text, categories, or votes. Instead, scroll to the bottom of the screen and select and click the "Save" button.
If the "other status" is a Governor's signature, then the following information needs to be inputted into admin:
(1) Chamber (Level)
(2) Stage
(3) Outcome
(4) Status Date
If you select "Governor" from the "Level" drop-down menu, "Passage" is automatically selected from the "Stage" drop-down menu. When a bill is signed, the outcome is always "Passed."
After you have inputted all of the above information, scroll to the bottom of the screen and click the "Save" button. However, you are not finished with this status. You still have to upload the Governor in the "View Votes/Actions" window.
After you have created the status for the Governor's action, click the "View" link to reopen the status. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click the "View Votes/Actions" button. A new window should open, just as it does when you are entering votes. There is a list of every member of the legislature at the bottom of the screen - the Governor should be the name at the bottom of the list. Click the "Add" link next to his or her name. Once the Governor has been uploaded to the top of the screen, click his or her name. An "Action" drop-down menu should appear, just as it does when your entering votes, except the contents of the drop-down menu are different. Select "Sign" from the "Action" drop-down menu, and then click the "Save" button.
Once you're finished, close the "View Votes/Actions" window and click the "Save" button in the original admin screen.
========
====6. Releasing to the Internal Web====
Once you have created all of the necessary statuses and inputted all of the necessary information into those statuses, you MUST RELEASE EACH STATUS TO THE INTERNAL WEB.
First release the introduced status to the internal web. To do so, click the "View" link next to introduced status, scroll to the bottom of the screen, and click the "Release to Internal Web" button.
For the rest of the statuses, however, releasing to the internal web consists of the following steps:
(1) Entering the "Rank" number
(2) Releasing to the Internal Web
The "Rank" text box in admin, located above the "Nay" text box, is used to ensure that the bill history lists the statuses in the correct order on our website. For the first status, type a "1" into the "Rank" text box. For the second status, type a "2" into the "Rank" text box. For the third status, type a "3" into the "Rank" text box, etc...
For example, let's say we selected a vote for a bill that has the following bill history:
-04/13/2010: House Passage, Passed 51-49
-04/25/2010: Senate Passage with Amendments, Passed 25-23
-04/25/2010: House Nonconcurrence Vote, Passed 98-0
-05/15/2010: House Conference Report Vote, Passed 51-49
-05/18/2010: Senate Conference Report Vote, Passed 26-22
-06/03/2010: Signed by Governor
The "Rank" text boxes in admin would contain the following information:
-House Introduced status: Blank
-House Passage: "1"
-Senate Passage with Amendment: "2"
-House Nonconcurrence Vote: "3"
-House Conference Report Vote: "4"
-Senate Conference Report Vote "5"
-Governor's action: "6"
As the above example demonstrates, it is important to list votes in the appropriate order if they occurred on the same day. The Senate Passage with Amendment and House Nonconcurrence Vote both passed on the same day, but a Nonconcurrence Vote always follows a Passage with Amendment vote. Thus, the Nonconcurrence Vote is ranked third, and the Passage with Amendment vote is ranked second.
After you enter the appropriate number into the "Rank" text box for a status, scroll to the bottom screen and click the "Release to Internal Web" button.
- Note: When releasing to the internal web, it's very important that you not mix up the "Release to Internal Web" button and the "Release to Live Web" button. Only staff members are authorized to release ANYTHING to the live web, and only after all of the checks have been performed. If you accidentally release something to the live web, simply reopen the status, scroll to the bottom of the screen and click the "Unrelease" button.
====7. First Check====
The final step of this process is to perform the first vote check. The check MUST be done using the internal web, unless you are currently unable to release votes to the internal web. If this is the case, notify your supervisor who will then notify the IT Department, and proceed to check the entry in admin.
In a Firefox window, click the "Skittles" bookmark, which opens the internal web. From there you can navigate the website, just as you would on the live website. Locate the vote(s) that you entered and proceed to check the following on the bill summary page:
(1) Bill Number
(2) Stage
(3) Title
(4) Official Title
(5) Outcome
(6) Yeas and Nays
(7) Date of Vote
(8) Sponsors
(9) Cosponsors
(10) "Temporary Synopsis"
(11) Bill History/"Other Statuses for Web"
After checking the information contained on the bill summary page, proceed to check the votes again by clicking on the "How members voted" link at the top, right-hand side of the page. On the votes page, you can organize the votes by district, surname, party, or vote. It doesn't matter how you choose to organize the votes on the internal website, but you must check EVERY vote against the vote breakdown.
If you selected multiple votes for one piece of legislation, you must perform the same check within the internal web for the other vote that was entered. You don't have to check the votes of a "key vote" status if it was entered on an earlier date and already released to the live web.
Upon completing this step, you have successfully completed the vote entering process. On the "tracking sheet" attached to the physical folder, there is a check box that allows you to sign off as having completed the first check.
When entering votes, it is important that you search for existing admin entries for that legislation before proceeding to create a new entry. Normally, the Key Votes staff will indicate whether there is an existing admin entry on the selection sheet. Therefore, when you encounter this on a selection sheet, you shouldn't have any problems locating the existing entry. If the selection sheet does not indicate that there is an existing admin entry, you still have to search for the legislation. The search is performed in the event that the staff forgot to note that there is an existing admin entry for this bill on the selection sheet, or if there was a veto entered into admin for this legislation, which creates an entry for that legislation. We CANNOT have two entries for one piece of legislation in admin.
When searching for an existing admin entry, remember to select the correct state and ensure that the date range is correct for that legislation. The only thing you need to type into the search box is the bill number, not including the prefix ("HB," "SB," etc.).
If your search DOES produce an entry, open that entry and skip the requirements for the introduced status (#2) and proceed to insert "key vote" statuses (#3).
- Note: If you are entering a vote(s) for legislation that already has an entry in admin, there is one issue that must be addressed that is normally covered under the requirements for the introduced status (#2): sponsors and cosponsors. Some states add additional sponsors and co-sponsors throughout the course of the legislative process. Check to see if additional sponsors or cosponsors have been added for that legislation. If so, refer to the requirements for the introduced status (#2) on how to input sponsors and cosponsors.
If your search does NOT produce an existing entry, proceed to create a new entry for that state by selecting the state from the drop down menu and clicking the "Add new for" button. After clicking the button, a new window should open.
====2. Introduced Status====
The first step in creating a new admin entry is to create an introduced status (stage) for the legislation. In addition to the new window that opens in admin, you should also open the bill summary sheet that you prepared. If you selected multiple votes for one piece of legislation, open the bill summary sheet for the earliest vote. For example, if we took the House Passage and Senate Passage with Amendment votes, you would open the bill summary sheet for the House Passage.
The first set of information that must be inputted consists of:
(1) Title
(2) Official Title
(3) Date Introduced
(4) Type
(4) Bill Number
Retrieve this information from the bill summary sheet and input it into the appropriate place in admin. Once you have finished this step, click the "Save" button, which effectively establishes the introduced status, thereby officially creating an admin entry for that legislation.
The second set of information that must be inputted for the introduced status are the sponsor(s) and cosponsor(s). A general rule of thumb is that the introduced status is principally used for adding and removing sponsors and cosponsors. The window that first appears in admin to create a new entry (where the first set of information is inputted) does allow you to select a single sponsor, as well as multiple cosponsors and committee sponsors. However, for the sake of accuracy, you must add sponsors and cosponsors within the introduced status.
Therefore, after you have created the introduced status, click the "View" link to reopen the status. Scroll down to the bottom of the screen and click the "View Votes/Actions" button.
The "View Votes/Actions" button will always open a new window in admin. At the top of the screen, there is a list of buttons with a large blank space below it. If you scroll down, there is a list of every member of the legislature. For sponsors and cosponsors, you MUST use the "Find In This Page..." function from the "Edit" drop-down menu. When searching for sponsors and cosponsors, type the full surname of the legislator in the "Find" search box and either strike the "Enter" key multiple times or click the "Next" button multiple times. Ensure that there are not additional members of the legislature with the same surname. If you do find multiple members with the same surname, determine which member is the correct sponsor or cosponsor. Typically, the legislature will note the individual's first name or district number to assist you in distinguishing between members with identical surnames. Once you have identified the correct sponsor or cosponsor, click the "Add" link next to their name. This will send that member's name to the top of the screen. It always defaults to "Co-sponsor." If you click on that member's name, the "Action" drop-down menu will appear below. The drop-down menu contains the following options: "Sponsor," "Co-Sponsor," or "By Request." Ignore the "By Request" option altogether. Select either "Sponsor" or "Cosponsor" and click the "Save" button. Proceed to do this for EACH sponsor and cosponsor. Once you have exhausted the list of sponsors and cosponsors, close the "View Votes/Actions" window entirely and save the Introduced status.
Note: When uploading sponsors and cosponsors, DO NOT click the "Add _ State Legislators" button (ex: "Add AZ State Legislators" or "Add CA State Legislators"). Although it doesn't affect the live website, it helps keep the information in admin organized.
At any point in time, the "View Votes/Actions" window of the introduced status can be used to upload or delete sponsors and cosponsors for a piece of legislation.
Do NOT input any additional information into the introduced status.
====3. (First) "Key Vote" Status====
After creating the introduced status and adding the sponsor(s) and/or cosponsor(s), or if you have opened an existing admin entry to input a recently selected vote, the next step is to create a "key vote" status. This refers to a status that you create for a vote that we have selected to cover, rather than an "other status for web."
To begin, click the "Add New Status" button.
The first set of information that must be inputted into a "key vote" status consists of:
(1) Chamber (Level)
(2) Stage
(3) Outcome
(4) Date of Vote (Status Date)
(5) Roll Call Number, if applicable
(6) Yeas and Nays
Retrieve this information from the bill summary sheet and input it into the appropriate place in admin.
Then, click the "Key Vote" check box, located just above the "Yea" and "Nay" text boxes. This identifies the status in admin as a "key vote," rather than an "other status for web."
The next step is to REUSE the following information that you inputted for the introduced status:
(1) Title
(2) Official Title
To reuse this information for the title, simply deselect the "No Title" checkbox, located above the "Title" text box. As long as the "Yes" option is selected from the "Use earlier title" drop-down menu (it defaults to "Yes"), you can reuse the title that was inputted for the introduced status. The same can be said for the official title, only you will deselect the "No Official Title" checkbox, located above the "Official Title" text box. As long as the "Yes" option is selected from the "Use earlier title" drop-down menu, you can reuse the official title that was inputted for the introduced status.
Ignore both the "Highlight" and "Official Synopsis" text boxes, and proceed to input the "temporary synopsis" into the "Synopsis" text box. To do so, deselect the "No synopsis" checkbox, located above the "Synopsis" text box. Because there wasn't a PVS synopsis entered for the introduced status, the "No" option from the "Use earlier synopsis" drop-down menu should already be selected. Copy and paste the "temporary synopsis" into the "Synopsis" text box, and ensure that the "HB/SB XXX" text has been replaced with the bill number.
Scroll down to where the categories are selected and deselect the "No category" checkbox, located above the list of categories. Because categories were not entered for the introduced status, the "No" option from the "Use earlier synopsis" drop-down menu should already be selected. Proceed to select all of the categories that were assigned to that vote. Hold down the "Ctrl" key to select multiple categories.
After the above steps have been completed, click the "Save" button, and you have successfully created a "key vote" status. However, you are not finished with this status. There are two steps that cannot be completed until after you have reopened the "key vote" status:
(1) Uploading the Bill Text
(2) Inputting the Votes
First, return to where the statuses are listed and click the "View" link located next to the "key vote" status that you have just created.
For the bill text, scroll down until you see a group of text boxes and buttons that allow you to upload a text file. Prior to saving the "key vote" status, these features should not have been avaliable; they only appear after you reopen the status. First, deselect the "No text" check box. Then, click the "Browse..." button, which should open a new window that allows you to upload a text file. Locate the appropriate electronic folder and select the bill text. Remember that the bill text MUST be a pdf file. In addition, the file MUST have a ".pdf" suffix. Otherwise, it will not upload correctly. Once you have selected the bill text, click the "Upload" button, located below the "Browse..." button. Ensure that the file was uploaded properly - there should be a file with a ".pdf" suffix visible in the "Text file name" text box, and a message listed just above the "Browse" button indicating that the file was uploaded correctly (ex: "File Bill Text - House Passage.pdf has been uploaded."). If you want to ensure that you uploaded the correct bill text, click the "download" button, which will open the pdf file.
- Note: if you are replacing an existing bill text in the "key vote" status, you MUST click the "Overwrite" check box located below the "Browse..." button. This still applies if you have clicked the "clear" button and there is no file listed in the "text file name" text box.
For the votes, scroll down to the bottom of the screen where a group of buttons appear that were not available before saving the "key vote" status; they only appear after you reopen the status. Click the "View Votes/Actions" button, which will open a new window, just as it did when you entered the sponsor(s) and cosponsor(s). However, unlike adding the sponsor(s) and cosponsor(s), you will not be uploading the members of the legislature individually. Thus, you won't have to utilize the "Find In This Page..." function from the "Edit" drop-down menu. Rather, you will click the "Add _ State Legislators" button (ex: "Add AZ State Legislators" or "Add CA State Legislators"). As long as you selected the appropriate chamber (House or Senate) in admin, all of the members of that chamber will automatically be uploaded.
At this point, you should take out the hard copy of the vote breakdown that you printed out while preparing the folder. Using the vote breakdown, you will assign the appropriate vote to EACH member of the legislature. At the top of the screen, there is a set of buttons. Click the "by Last Name" button to alphabetize the members, because the vast majority of vote breakdowns organize the members of the legislature alphabetically. Proceed to click the name of the first member listed, which will open an "Action" drop -down menu at the bottom of the list along side two buttons: "Reset" (ignore this button altogether) and "Save." For EACH member, open the "Action" drop-down menu and select one of the following: "Yea," "Nay," "No Vote," "Pair Yea," or "Pair Nay." After applying the appropriate vote, click the "Save" button. After saving a vote, the next member listed will automatically be selected. Again, open the "Action" drop-down menu, select the appropriate vote, and click the "Save" button. You will do this for EVERY member of the legislature.
- Note: Although the "View Votes/Action" window defaults to a "Yea" vote after a member is uploaded, you still must click the "Save" button for EVERY vote. That includes those who voted "Yea." You are NOT authorized to simply go through the list and only pick out the "Nays" and "No Votes." This is a very strict rule in the department. Mislabeling a vote is the worst thing that can happen, and saving every single vote helps to ensure this doesn't happen. Some legislatures don't list the members who were absent and/or abstained from voting ("No Vote"), and if you only pick out the "Nay" votes, those who should be assigned a "No Vote" would be falsely assigned a "Yea" vote. Furthermore, by saving every vote, you also can spot a correction that needs to be made in the Research Department. If you see a member listed in admin who is not listed on the vote breakdown, or a member listed on the vote breakdown but not listed in admin, notify a Key Votes staff member, who will then notify the Research Department to make the correction. Remember: YOU MUST SAVE EVERY SINGLE VOTE!!!!
- Note: With respect to the classification of votes, "No Vote" includes anyone who does NOT issue a vote of "Yea," "Nay," "Pair Yea," or "Pair Nay." This includes members listed as "absent," "excused," "abstaining," "present," "presiding," etc. Also, it's worth noting that "Pair Yea" and "Pair Nay" votes are extremely rare, but we do encounter them from time to time.
Once you have saved all of the votes, close the "View Votes/Actions Window." Then, click the "Save" button in the original admin window.
====4. Second "Key Vote" Status, if Applicable ====
If you selected multiple votes for one piece of legislation, proceed to create a second "key vote" status. Otherwise, skip this step, and proceed to create the "other statuses for web" (#5). If a second vote was selected, open the bill summary sheet that you prepared for that vote.
To begin, click the "Add New Status" button.
The first set of information that must be inputted into the second "key vote" status consists of:
(1) Chamber (Level)
(2) Stage
(3) Outcome
(4) Date of Vote
(5) Roll Call Number, if applicable
(6) Yeas and Nays
Retrieve this information from the bill summary sheet and input it into the appropriate place in admin.
Then, click the "Key Vote" check box, located above the "Yea" and "Nay" text boxes. This identifies the status in admin as a "key vote," rather than an "other status for web."
The next step is to determine whether you can reuse the following information that you inputted for the introduced status and the first "key vote" status:
(1) Title
(2) Official Title
(3) Synopsis
(4) Bill Text
(5) Categories
Whether you can reuse this information was determined when you were preparing the bill summary sheet for the second "key vote." If the information is EXACTLY the same on both bill summary sheets, then you can reuse information in admin. If, however, the information is at all different, then you must input the new information into this status. For example, if we selected the Senate Passage and House Passage with Amendment votes for a bill, you already know that you cannot reuse the bill text. If the amendments adopted by the House were enough to change the official title and/or the title we assigned to the bill, then you can't reuse the information in admin. If there were additional categories for the House Passage with Amendment stage, then you would have to manually select the categories for that status, rather than reuse the ones for the Senate Passage status. However, you will always be able to reuse the "temporary synopsis" that is inputted into the "Synopsis" text box.
For any information that CAN be reused, do the following:
-Titles: Deselect the "No title" check box and ensure that the "Yes" option is selected from the "Use earlier title" drop-down menu.
-Official Titles: Deselect the "No official title" check box and ensure that the "Yes" option is selected from the "Use earlier official title" drop-down menu.
-PVS ("temporary") Synopsis: Deselect the "No synopsis" check box and ensure that the "Yes" option is selected from the "Use earlier synopsis" drop-down menu.
-Bill Text: Deselect the "No text" check box and ensure that the "Yes" option is selected from the "Use earlier text" drop-down menu.
-Categories: Deselect the "No categories" check box and ensure that the "Yes" option is selected from the "Use earlier categories" drop-down menu.
For any information that CANNOT be reused, complete the following steps:
-Titles: Deselect the "No title" check box and select the "No" option from the "Use earlier title" drop-down menu. Proceed to input the title for this specific status listed on the bill summary sheet.
-Official Titles: Deselect the "No official title" check box and select the "No" option from the "Use earlier official title" drop-down menu. Proceed to input the official title for this specific status listed on the bill summary sheet;
-Bill Text: Deselect the "No text file" check box and select the "No" option from the "Use earlier text file" drop-down menu. Click the "Overwrite" check box listed above the "Upload" button. Proceed to upload the bill text for this specific status in the same manner that you did for the first "key vote" status.
-Categories: deselect the "No categories" check box and select the "No" option from the "Use earlier categories" drop-down menu. Proceed to input the categories for this specific status.
Click the "Save" button, and you have successfully created a second "key vote" status. However, you are not finished with this status. Like the first "key vote" status, the "View Votes/Actions" button is only available after you have saved the status. Therefore, return to where the statuses are listed and click the "View" link, located next to the second "key vote" status that you have just created.
Scroll to the bottom of the screen and click the "View Votes/Actions" button, which opens a new window. Take out the hard copy of the vote breakdown that you printed out while preparing the folder, and proceed to enter the votes in the same EXACT manner as the first "key vote" status - all of the same rules apply. Once you're finished, close the "View Votes/Actions" window and click the "Save" button in the original admin screen.
====5. "Other Statuses For Web"====
Once you are finished with the "key vote" statuses, proceed to create a status for EACH "other status" that you listed on the bill summary sheet. Meaning, when the vote is released to the internal or live website, we need to have a complete bill history.
- Note: There is one exception to this rule: a Governor's veto. If the Governor vetoes legislation, and this includes any kind of partial veto ("line-item veto"), you will NOT create a status for that. A Key Votes staff member is assigned to inputting vetoes, and anytime a veto is entered into admin, a status is automatically created. Therefore, if you were to create a status for a Governor's veto, there will eventually be two statuses. In fact, if the Governor did veto legislation, there should already be an entry in admin for that legislation, because the veto will likely have already been entered. However, if you encounter a veto that hasn't yet been entered, notify a Key Votes staff member.
If the only "other status" listed on the bill summary sheet is a Referred to Committee stage, then the following information needs to be inputted into admin:
(1) Chamber (Level)
(2) Stage
(3) Status Date
(4) Committee
If the "other statuses" are votes, then the following information needs to be inputted into admin:
(1) Chamber (Level)
(2) Stage
(3) Date of Vote
(4) Roll Call Number, if applicable
(5) Yeas and Nays, if applicable
(6) Note, if applicable
Sometimes, a legislature will not record the "Yeas" and "Nays," and instead utilize a "Voice Vote" to pass the motion. When you encounter this, leave the "Yea" and "Nay" text boxes blank, and click the "Voice Vote" check box, located just above the "Yea" and "Nay" text boxes.
DO NOT select the "key vote" check box for "other statuses."
After you have inputted all of the above information, where applicable, DO NOT input any additional information into admin for the "other statuses." Meaning, DON'T input a title, official title, synopsis, bill text, categories, or votes. Instead, scroll to the bottom of the screen and select and click the "Save" button.
If the "other status" is a Governor's signature, then the following information needs to be inputted into admin:
(1) Chamber (Level)
(2) Stage
(3) Outcome
(4) Status Date
If you select "Governor" from the "Level" drop-down menu, "Passage" is automatically selected from the "Stage" drop-down menu. When a bill is signed, the outcome is always "Passed."
After you have inputted all of the above information, scroll to the bottom of the screen and click the "Save" button. However, you are not finished with this status. You still have to upload the Governor in the "View Votes/Actions" window.
After you have created the status for the Governor's action, click the "View" link to reopen the status. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click the "View Votes/Actions" button. A new window should open, just as it does when you are entering votes. There is a list of every member of the legislature at the bottom of the screen - the Governor should be the name at the bottom of the list. Click the "Add" link next to his or her name. Once the Governor has been uploaded to the top of the screen, click his or her name. An "Action" drop-down menu should appear, just as it does when your entering votes, except the contents of the drop-down menu are different. Select "Sign" from the "Action" drop-down menu, and then click the "Save" button.
Once you're finished, close the "View Votes/Actions" window and click the "Save" button in the original admin screen.
========
====6. Releasing to the Internal Web====
Once you have created all of the necessary statuses and inputted all of the necessary information into those statuses, you MUST RELEASE EACH STATUS TO THE INTERNAL WEB.
First release the introduced status to the internal web. To do so, click the "View" link next to introduced status, scroll to the bottom of the screen, and click the "Release to Internal Web" button.
For the rest of the statuses, however, releasing to the internal web consists of the following steps:
(1) Entering the "Rank" number
(2) Releasing to the Internal Web
The "Rank" text box in admin, located above the "Nay" text box, is used to ensure that the bill history lists the statuses in the correct order on our website. For the first status, type a "1" into the "Rank" text box. For the second status, type a "2" into the "Rank" text box. For the third status, type a "3" into the "Rank" text box, etc...
For example, let's say we selected a vote for a bill that has the following bill history:
-04/13/2010: House Passage, Passed 51-49
-04/25/2010: Senate Passage with Amendments, Passed 25-23
-04/25/2010: House Nonconcurrence Vote, Passed 98-0
-05/15/2010: House Conference Report Vote, Passed 51-49
-05/18/2010: Senate Conference Report Vote, Passed 26-22
-06/03/2010: Signed by Governor
The "Rank" text boxes in admin would contain the following information:
-House Introduced status: Blank
-House Passage: "1"
-Senate Passage with Amendment: "2"
-House Nonconcurrence Vote: "3"
-House Conference Report Vote: "4"
-Senate Conference Report Vote "5"
-Governor's action: "6"
As the above example demonstrates, it is important to list votes in the appropriate order if they occurred on the same day. The Senate Passage with Amendment and House Nonconcurrence Vote both passed on the same day, but a Nonconcurrence Vote always follows a Passage with Amendment vote. Thus, the Nonconcurrence Vote is ranked third, and the Passage with Amendment vote is ranked second.
After you enter the appropriate number into the "Rank" text box for a status, scroll to the bottom screen and click the "Release to Internal Web" button.
- Note: When releasing to the internal web, it's very important that you not mix up the "Release to Internal Web" button and the "Release to Live Web" button. Only staff members are authorized to release ANYTHING to the live web, and only after all of the checks have been performed. If you accidentally release something to the live web, simply reopen the status, scroll to the bottom of the screen and click the "Unrelease" button.
====7. First Check====
The final step of this process is to perform the first vote check. The check MUST be done using the internal web, unless you are currently unable to release votes to the internal web. If this is the case, notify your supervisor who will then notify the IT Department, and proceed to check the entry in admin.
In a Firefox window, click the "Skittles" bookmark, which opens the internal web. From there you can navigate the website, just as you would on the live website. Locate the vote(s) that you entered and proceed to check the following on the bill summary page:
(1) Bill Number
(2) Stage
(3) Title
(4) Official Title
(5) Outcome
(6) Yeas and Nays
(7) Date of Vote
(8) Sponsors
(9) Cosponsors
(10) "Temporary Synopsis"
(11) Bill History/"Other Statuses for Web"
After checking the information contained on the bill summary page, proceed to check the votes again by clicking on the "How members voted" link at the top, right-hand side of the page. On the votes page, you can organize the votes by district, surname, party, or vote. It doesn't matter how you choose to organize the votes on the internal website, but you must check EVERY vote against the vote breakdown.
If you selected multiple votes for one piece of legislation, you must perform the same check within the internal web for the other vote that was entered. You don't have to check the votes of a "key vote" status if it was entered on an earlier date and already released to the live web.
Upon completing this step, you have successfully completed the vote entering process. On the "tracking sheet" attached to the physical folder, there is a check box that allows you to sign off as having completed the first check.
