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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov. 17, 2015 | National | S J Res 23 | A Joint Resolution Providing for Congressional Disapproval Under Chapter 8 of Title 5, United States Code, of a Rule Submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency Relating to "Standards of Performance for Greenhouse Gas Emissions from New, Modified, and Reconstructed Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Generating Units" | Bill Passed - Senate (52 - 46) |
| Nov. 17, 2015 | National | S J Res 24 | A Joint Resolution Providing for Congressional Disapproval under Chapter 8 of Title 5, United States Code, of a Rule Submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency Relating to "Carbon Pollution Emission Guidelines for Existing Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Generating Units" | Bill Passed - Senate (52 - 46) |
| Nov. 3, 2015 | National | S 1140 | Federal Water Quality Protection Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (57 - 41) |
| Oct. 8, 2015 | National | HR 538 | Native American Energy Act | Bill Passed - House (254 - 173) |
| Sept. 25, 2015 | National | HR 348 | Responsibly and Professionally Invigorating Development (RAPID) Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (233 - 170) |
| Sept. 25, 2015 | National | HR 348 | Responsibly and Professionally Invigorating Development (RAPID) Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (233 - 170) |
| Sept. 11, 2015 | CA | SB 350 | Establishes Renewable Energy Production Targets | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 14) |
| Sept. 11, 2015 | CA | SB 350 | Establishes Renewable Energy Production Targets | Bill Passed - House (52 - 27) |
| Sept. 4, 2015 | CA | AB 96 | Prohibits Sale of Ivory and Rhino Horn | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 21) |
| Sept. 4, 2015 | CA | AB 888 | Prohibits the Sale of Products Containing Plastic Microbeads | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| Sept. 2, 2015 | CA | AB 96 | Prohibits Sale of Ivory and Rhino Horn | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13) |
| July 22, 2015 | National | HR 1734 | Improving Coal Combustion Residuals Regulations Act of 2016 | Bill Passed - House (258 - 166) |
| July 22, 2015 | National | HR 1734 | Improving Coal Combustion Residuals Regulations Act of 2016 | Bill Passed - House (258 - 166) |
| July 21, 2015 | NC | HB 169 | Repeals Motor Vehicle Emissions Inspections in Certain Counties | Bill Passed - House (72 - 35) |
| July 16, 2015 | National | HR 2898 | Western Water and American Food Security Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (245 - 176) |
| July 9, 2015 | National | HR 2647 | Resilient Federal Forests Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (262 - 167) |
| July 9, 2015 | National | HR 2647 | Resilient Federal Forests Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (262 - 167) |
| June 30, 2015 | WA | SB 5987 | Increases Motor Fuel Tax and Amends Transportation Funding | Bill Passed - House (54 - 44) |
| June 24, 2015 | National | HR 2042 | Ratepayer Protection Act | Bill Passed - House (247 - 180) |
| June 12, 2015 | MN | SF 5 | 2015-2017 Biennium Agriculture and Environment and Natural Resources Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 29) |
| June 12, 2015 | MN | SF 5 | 2015-2017 Biennium Agriculture and Environment and Natural Resources Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 29) |
| June 3, 2015 | CA | SB 350 | Establishes Renewable Energy Production Targets | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| June 3, 2015 | CA | SB 185 | Requires Public Retirement Systems to Divest from Coal Companies | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| June 3, 2015 | CA | SB 32 | Establishes Certain Greenhouse Gas Emission Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| June 3, 2015 | CA | SB 32 | Establishes Certain Greenhouse Gas Emission Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| June 1, 2015 | National | HR 1335 | Strengthening Fishing Communities and Increasing Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act | Bill Passed - House (225 - 152) |
| June 1, 2015 | National | HR 1335 | Strengthening Fishing Communities and Increasing Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act | Bill Passed - House (225 - 152) |
| May 20, 2015 | National | HR 1806 | America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (217 - 205) |
| May 18, 2015 | MN | HF 846 | Requires 50 Foot Buffers around Certain Waterways | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 30) |
| May 18, 2015 | MN | HF 846 | Requires 50 Foot Buffers around Certain Waterways | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 30) |
| May 18, 2015 | MN | HF 846 | Requires 50 Foot Buffers around Certain Waterways | Conference Report Adopted - House (83 - 50) |
| May 18, 2015 | MN | HF 846 | Requires 50 Foot Buffers around Certain Waterways | Conference Report Adopted - House (83 - 50) |
| May 15, 2015 | National | H Amdt 230 | Prohibits Listing Lesser Prairie Chicken as Endangered | Amendment Adopted - House (229 - 190) |
| May 5, 2015 | HI | HB 623 | Requires 100 Percent Dependency on Renewable Energy by 2045 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (24 - 1) |
| May 1, 2015 | National | HR 2028 | Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016 | Bill Passed - House (240 - 177) |
| May 1, 2015 | National | HR 2028 | Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016 | Bill Passed - House (240 - 177) |
| April 28, 2015 | OR | SB 913 | Prohibits Sale of Ivory and Rhino Horn | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
| April 23, 2015 | IL | HB 373 | Authorizes Construction of Presidential Libraries and Museums on Park Land | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 13) |
| April 23, 2015 | MO | HB 830 | Authorizes Cultivation of Industrial Hemp | Bill Passed - House (104 - 41) |
| April 21, 2015 | MT | SB 284 | Requires County Commissioners to Approve Bison Relocations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
| April 21, 2015 | MT | SB 245 | Authorizes Post-Season Elk Hunting | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 17) |
| April 15, 2015 | MT | SB 245 | Authorizes Post-Season Elk Hunting | Bill Passed - House (59 - 40) |
| April 15, 2015 | MT | SB 284 | Requires County Commissioners to Approve Bison Relocations | Bill Passed - House (59 - 40) |
| April 14, 2015 | IN | HB 1453 | Authorizes Deer Hunting Preserves | Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 27) |
| April 14, 2015 | WA | SB 5501 | Amends Animal Cruelty Regulations | Bill Passed - House (59 - 38) |
| April 7, 2015 | OK | SB 71 | Expands the Oklahoma Quality Jobs Program Act | Bill Passed - House (51 - 43) |
| March 31, 2015 | NY | S 4610 | 2015-2016 Budget | Bill Passed - House (99 - 47) |
| March 31, 2015 | AL | HB 85 | Requires Animal Shelters to Compile Monthly Reports | Bill Failed - House (28 - 67) |
| March 26, 2015 | NJ | S 2791 | Environmental Protection Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (43 - 30) |
| March 25, 2015 | MT | HB 245 | Authorizes the Sale of Raw Milk | Bill Passed - House (61 - 38) |
| March 24, 2015 | MD | SB 458 | Increases Liabilities for Hydraulic Fracturing | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 17) |
| March 23, 2015 | AZ | HB 2150 | Amends Animal Cruelty Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 12) |
| March 23, 2015 | AZ | HB 2150 | Amends Animal Cruelty Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 12) |
| March 23, 2015 | CO | HB 1259 | Authorizes Collection of Rooftop Precipitation | Bill Passed - House (45 - 20) |
| March 20, 2015 | NM | SB 94 | Authorizes Industrial Hemp Research | Bill Passed - House (54 - 12) |
| March 19, 2015 | ND | SB 2351 | Authorizes Corporate Dairy and Swine Farms | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 16) |
| March 16, 2015 | NJ | S 2791 | Environmental Protection Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| March 14, 2015 | WV | HB 2688 | Authorizes Petroleum Drilling Without Consent of all Property Owners | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (49 - 49) |
| March 14, 2015 | WV | HB 2688 | Authorizes Petroleum Drilling Without Consent of all Property Owners | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
| March 11, 2015 | NC | HB 157 | Authorizes the Environmental Management Commission to Use Existing State and Federal Hydraulic Fracturing Air Emission Regulations | Bill Passed - House (76 - 40) |
| March 9, 2015 | MT | HB 212 | Amends Definitions of Fishing, Hunting, and Trapping | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21) |
| March 9, 2015 | WA | SB 5735 | Establishes Carbon Reduction Investment as Alternative to Meeting Renewable Energy Targets | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| March 9, 2015 | WA | SB 5735 | Establishes Carbon Reduction Investment as Alternative to Meeting Renewable Energy Targets | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23) |
| March 9, 2015 | UT | HB 396 | Prohibits a Seasonal Prohibition on Wood-Burning Stoves | Bill Passed - House (58 - 15) |
| March 9, 2015 | UT | HB 396 | Prohibits a Seasonal Prohibition on Wood-Burning Stoves | Bill Passed - House (58 - 15) |
| March 7, 2015 | NM | HB 235 | Requires Consent to Use Waterways that Flow Through Private Property | Bill Passed - House (34 - 28) |
| March 5, 2015 | UT | HB 104 | Authorizes Cow-Share Programs | Bill Passed - House (61 - 11) |
| March 4, 2015 | OR | SB 324 | Extends Low Carbon Fuel Standards Target Date | Bill Passed - House (31 - 29) |
| March 4, 2015 | WV | HB 2688 | Authorizes Petroleum Drilling Without Consent of all Property Owners | Bill Passed - House (60 - 40) |
| March 2, 2015 | WA | SB 5987 | Increases Gas Tax and Amends Transportation Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
| March 2, 2015 | NM | SB 94 | Authorizes Industrial Hemp Research | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 8) |
| Feb. 27, 2015 | WV | SB 357 | Establishes New Coal Mining Safety Guidelines. | Bill Passed - House (73 - 25) |
| Feb. 26, 2015 | MT | SB 262 | Establishes Water Rights Compact | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19) |
| Feb. 24, 2015 | CO | SB 93 | Requires Compensation for Mineral Rights Owners | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| Feb. 24, 2015 | IN | SJR 12 | Authorizes the Use of Diverse Farming and Ranching Practices | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (22 - 28) |