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
Feb. 16, 2017 National H J Res 69 Providing for congressional disapproval of the final rule of the Department of the Interior relating to Non-Subsistence Take of Wildlife, and Public Participation and Closure Procedures, on National Wildlife Refuges in Alaska Joint Resolution Passed - House (225 - 193)
Feb. 8, 2017 UT HCR 12 Recommends Executive Action to Reduce the Boundaries of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (25 - 4)
Feb. 3, 2017 UT HCR 11 Recommends Executive Action to Rescind Bears Ears National Monument Designation Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 6)
Feb. 2, 2017 MD HB 1106 Increases Renewable Energy Portfolio Standards Veto Override Passed - Senate (32 - 13)
Jan. 31, 2017 MD HB 1106 Increases Renewable Energy Portfolio Standards Veto Override Passed - House (88 - 51)
Jan. 31, 2017 UT HCR 12 Recommends Executive Action to Reduce the Boundaries of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Joint Resolution Passed - House (61 - 13)
Jan. 31, 2017 UT HCR 11 Recommends Executive Action to Rescind Bears Ears National Monument Designation Joint Resolution Passed - House (60 - 14)
Jan. 17, 2017 NY S 362 Prohibits Tax on Merchandise Bags Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 18)
Sept. 14, 2016 MO HB 1414 Establishes Regulations for the Release of Certain Agricultural Data Veto Override Passed - Senate (23 - 7)
Sept. 14, 2016 MO SB 641 Establishes Income Tax Deduction for Agricultural Disaster Aid Payments Veto Override Passed - House (112 - 38)
Sept. 14, 2016 MO HB 1414 Establishes Regulations for the Release of Certain Agricultural Data Veto Override Passed - House (111 - 46)
Sept. 14, 2016 MO SB 641 Establishes Income Tax Deduction for Agricultural Disaster Aid Payments Veto Override Passed - Senate (24 - 6)
Aug. 31, 2016 CA SB 859 Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emission Levels Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
Aug. 31, 2016 CA SB 859 Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emission Levels Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
Aug. 31, 2016 CA SB 859 Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emission Levels Bill Passed - House (51 - 20)
Aug. 31, 2016 CA SB 859 Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emission Levels Bill Passed - House (51 - 20)
Aug. 29, 2016 CA AB 1066 Requires Overtime Pay for Farmworkers Concurrence Vote Passed - House (44 - 32)
Aug. 26, 2016 CA SB 839 Prohibits Orca Captivity and Breeding Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 13)
Aug. 24, 2016 CA SB 32 Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emissions Levels Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
Aug. 24, 2016 CA AB 197 Establishes the Joint Legislative Committee on Climate Change Policies Concurrence Vote Passed - House (45 - 30)
Aug. 23, 2016 CA SB 32 Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emissions Levels Bill Passed - House (48 - 31)
Aug. 22, 2016 CA AB 1066 Requires Overtime Pay for Farmworkers Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
Aug. 22, 2016 CA AB 197 Establishes the Joint Legislative Committee on Climate Change Policies Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
June 20, 2016 NC HB 763 Prohibits Wind Farms in Certain Military Flight Zones Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14)
June 16, 2016 CA SB 839 Prohibits Orca Captivity and Breeding Bill Passed - House (48 - 28)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/16 H J Res 69 Providing for congressional disapproval of the final rule of the Department of the Interior relating to Non-Subsistence Take of Wildlife, and Public Participation and Closure Procedures, on National Wildlife Refuges in Alaska Joint Resolution Passed - House (225 - 193)
2/08 HCR 12 Recommends Executive Action to Reduce the Boundaries of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (25 - 4)
2/03 HCR 11 Recommends Executive Action to Rescind Bears Ears National Monument Designation Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 6)
2/02 HB 1106 Increases Renewable Energy Portfolio Standards Veto Override Passed - Senate (32 - 13)
1/31 HB 1106 Increases Renewable Energy Portfolio Standards Veto Override Passed - House (88 - 51)
1/31 HCR 12 Recommends Executive Action to Reduce the Boundaries of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Joint Resolution Passed - House (61 - 13)
1/31 HCR 11 Recommends Executive Action to Rescind Bears Ears National Monument Designation Joint Resolution Passed - House (60 - 14)
1/17 S 362 Prohibits Tax on Merchandise Bags Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 18)
9/14 HB 1414 Establishes Regulations for the Release of Certain Agricultural Data Veto Override Passed - Senate (23 - 7)
9/14 SB 641 Establishes Income Tax Deduction for Agricultural Disaster Aid Payments Veto Override Passed - House (112 - 38)
9/14 HB 1414 Establishes Regulations for the Release of Certain Agricultural Data Veto Override Passed - House (111 - 46)
9/14 SB 641 Establishes Income Tax Deduction for Agricultural Disaster Aid Payments Veto Override Passed - Senate (24 - 6)
8/31 SB 859 Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emission Levels Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
8/31 SB 859 Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emission Levels Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
8/31 SB 859 Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emission Levels Bill Passed - House (51 - 20)
8/31 SB 859 Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emission Levels Bill Passed - House (51 - 20)
8/29 AB 1066 Requires Overtime Pay for Farmworkers Concurrence Vote Passed - House (44 - 32)
8/26 SB 839 Prohibits Orca Captivity and Breeding Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 13)
8/24 SB 32 Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emissions Levels Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
8/24 AB 197 Establishes the Joint Legislative Committee on Climate Change Policies Concurrence Vote Passed - House (45 - 30)
8/23 SB 32 Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emissions Levels Bill Passed - House (48 - 31)
8/22 AB 1066 Requires Overtime Pay for Farmworkers Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
8/22 AB 197 Establishes the Joint Legislative Committee on Climate Change Policies Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
6/20 HB 763 Prohibits Wind Farms in Certain Military Flight Zones Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14)
6/16 SB 839 Prohibits Orca Captivity and Breeding Bill Passed - House (48 - 28)

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