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:
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.
| Date | State | Bill No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sept. 7, 2011 | NH | SB 154 | Withdrawing from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative | Veto Override Failed - Senate (15 - 9) |
| Sept. 7, 2011 | NH | SB 154 | Withdrawing from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative | Veto Override Failed - Senate (15 - 9) |
| Sept. 7, 2011 | CA | SB 292 | Authorizes Governor to Expedite Environmental Review | Bill Passed - House (63 - 13) |
| Sept. 6, 2011 | CA | AB 376 | Prohibiting the Sale of Shark Fins | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 9) |
| July 27, 2011 | National | H Amdt 735 | Repeals Laws that Limited Funding for the Endangered Species Act | Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 202) |
| July 27, 2011 | National | H Amdt 735 | Repeals Laws that Limited Funding for the Endangered Species Act | Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 202) |
| July 13, 2011 | National | HR 2018 | Amending Clean Water Laws | Bill Passed - House (239 - 184) |
| July 12, 2011 | National | HR 2417 | Repeals Energy Efficiency Standards for Incandescent Light Bulbs | Motion Rejected - House (233 - 193) |
| June 29, 2011 | NJ | S 2576 | Prohibits Hydraulic Fracturing | Bill Passed - House (58 - 11) |
| June 28, 2011 | AK | SB 45 | Extending the Coastal Management Program | Bill Failed - House (18 - 18) |
| June 28, 2011 | OH | HB 231 | Withdrawal Permit for Water Usage at Lake Erie | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
| June 27, 2011 | AK | SB 45 | Extending the Coastal Management Program | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 7) |
| June 23, 2011 | DE | SB 129 | Removes Protected Wildlife Designation from Coyotes | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 7) |
| June 22, 2011 | National | HR 2021 | Impact of Drilling on Air Quality | Bill Passed - House (253 - 166) |
| June 22, 2011 | OH | HB 231 | Withdrawal Permit for Water Usage at Lake Erie | Bill Passed - House (60 - 39) |
| June 15, 2011 | OH | HB 133 | Establishes the Oil and Gas Leasing Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| June 2, 2011 | CA | SB 568 | Recycling Polystyrene Food Containers | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
| May 31, 2011 | IL | SB 1652 | Smart Grid Technology | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 24) |
| May 31, 2011 | IL | HB 1723 | Amending The Illinois Nuclear Safety Preparedness Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (69 - 44) |
| May 30, 2011 | IL | SB 1652 | Smart Grid Technology | Bill Passed - House (67 - 47) |
| May 25, 2011 | OH | HB 133 | Establishes the Oil and Gas Leasing Commission | Bill Passed - House (54 - 41) |
| May 16, 2011 | CA | SB 104 | Labor Representatives | Bill Passed - House (51 - 26) |
| May 11, 2011 | MN | SF 86 | Repeals Carbon Dioxide Emissions Prohibition | Bill Passed - House (76 - 54) |
| May 11, 2011 | MN | SF 86 | Repeals Carbon Dioxide Emissions Prohibition | Bill Passed - House (76 - 54) |
| May 9, 2011 | CO | HB 1005 | Repeals Taxes on Agricultural Products | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (46 - 18) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9/07 | SB 154 | Withdrawing from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative | Veto Override Failed - Senate (15 - 9) |
| 9/07 | SB 154 | Withdrawing from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative | Veto Override Failed - Senate (15 - 9) |
| 9/07 | SB 292 | Authorizes Governor to Expedite Environmental Review | Bill Passed - House (63 - 13) |
| 9/06 | AB 376 | Prohibiting the Sale of Shark Fins | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 9) |
| 7/27 | H Amdt 735 | Repeals Laws that Limited Funding for the Endangered Species Act | Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 202) |
| 7/27 | H Amdt 735 | Repeals Laws that Limited Funding for the Endangered Species Act | Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 202) |
| 7/13 | HR 2018 | Amending Clean Water Laws | Bill Passed - House (239 - 184) |
| 7/12 | HR 2417 | Repeals Energy Efficiency Standards for Incandescent Light Bulbs | Motion Rejected - House (233 - 193) |
| 6/29 | S 2576 | Prohibits Hydraulic Fracturing | Bill Passed - House (58 - 11) |
| 6/28 | SB 45 | Extending the Coastal Management Program | Bill Failed - House (18 - 18) |
| 6/28 | HB 231 | Withdrawal Permit for Water Usage at Lake Erie | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
| 6/27 | SB 45 | Extending the Coastal Management Program | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 7) |
| 6/23 | SB 129 | Removes Protected Wildlife Designation from Coyotes | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 7) |
| 6/22 | HR 2021 | Impact of Drilling on Air Quality | Bill Passed - House (253 - 166) |
| 6/22 | HB 231 | Withdrawal Permit for Water Usage at Lake Erie | Bill Passed - House (60 - 39) |
| 6/15 | HB 133 | Establishes the Oil and Gas Leasing Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| 6/02 | SB 568 | Recycling Polystyrene Food Containers | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
| 5/31 | SB 1652 | Smart Grid Technology | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 24) |
| 5/31 | HB 1723 | Amending The Illinois Nuclear Safety Preparedness Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (69 - 44) |
| 5/30 | SB 1652 | Smart Grid Technology | Bill Passed - House (67 - 47) |
| 5/25 | HB 133 | Establishes the Oil and Gas Leasing Commission | Bill Passed - House (54 - 41) |
| 5/16 | SB 104 | Labor Representatives | Bill Passed - House (51 - 26) |
| 5/11 | SF 86 | Repeals Carbon Dioxide Emissions Prohibition | Bill Passed - House (76 - 54) |
| 5/11 | SF 86 | Repeals Carbon Dioxide Emissions Prohibition | Bill Passed - House (76 - 54) |
| 5/09 | HB 1005 | Repeals Taxes on Agricultural Products | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (46 - 18) |