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
April 7, 2009 ID H 138 Allowing Lawsuits for Nonnative Species Attacks Bill Passed - House (46 - 24)
April 7, 2009 ID H 276 2009-2010 Department of Environmental Quality Budget Bill Passed - House (53 - 16)
April 2, 2009 MN Ending Prohibition on New Nuclear Power Plants Amendment Adopted - Senate (42 - 24)
April 2, 2009 MN Ending Prohibition on New Nuclear Power Plants Amendment Adopted - Senate (42 - 24)
April 1, 2009 MD SB 844 Public Service Commission Regulation of New Electric Generation Facilities Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 19)
March 27, 2009 VT H 436 Nuclear Plant Decommissioning Fund Amendments Bill Passed - House (93 - 46)
March 25, 2009 National HR 146 Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 Concurrence Vote Passed - House (285 - 140)
March 25, 2009 National HR 146 Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 Concurrence Vote Passed - House (285 - 140)
March 25, 2009 PA SB 490 Oil and Gas Lease Fund Appropriations Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17)
March 20, 2009 MT HB 418 Amendments Regarding Horse Slaughterhouses Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23)
March 20, 2009 KS HB 2295 Dairy Labeling Requirements Bill Passed - House (75 - 44)
March 19, 2009 National HR 146 Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 Bill Passed - Senate (77 - 20)
March 19, 2009 National HR 146 Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 Bill Passed - Senate (77 - 20)
March 11, 2009 National S 22 Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 Bill Failed - House (282 - 144)
March 11, 2009 National S 22 Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 Bill Failed - House (282 - 144)
March 9, 2009 UT HB 379 Environmental Lawsuit Delay Bond Bill Passed - House (52 - 22)
March 5, 2009 KS HB 2014 Allowing Coal Power Plants Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9)
March 5, 2009 KS HB 2014 Allowing Coal Power Plants Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9)
March 5, 2009 ID S 1119 Allowing Public Utility Assistance Programs Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 18)
March 4, 2009 OK HB 1332 Increased Regulation of Pet Breeders Bill Passed - House (74 - 26)
March 3, 2009 UT HB 187 Restricting Access to Public Waters on Private Property Bill Failed - House (34 - 41)
March 2, 2009 MD SB 278 Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 9)
March 2, 2009 MD SB 278 Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 9)
Feb. 27, 2009 KS HB 2014 Allowing Coal Power Plants Bill Passed - House (79 - 44)
Feb. 27, 2009 NE LB 5 Trapping In Rights-of-Way Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18)
Feb. 27, 2009 KS HB 2014 Allowing Coal Power Plants Bill Passed - House (79 - 44)
Feb. 26, 2009 GA SB 31 Energy Rate Increases to Finance Nuclear Power Plant Construction Bill Passed - House (107 - 66)
Feb. 25, 2009 IN HB 1730 Exempting Energy Efficient Projects From Referendum Requirements Bill Passed - House (52 - 48)
Feb. 25, 2009 IN HB 1730 Exempting Energy Efficient Projects From Referendum Requirements Bill Passed - House (52 - 48)
Feb. 25, 2009 MT HB 418 Amendments Regarding Horse Slaughterhouses Bill Passed - House (66 - 33)
Feb. 21, 2009 MT SB 387 Restrictions on Appeals for Energy Project Permits Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23)
Feb. 21, 2009 MT SB 387 Restrictions on Appeals for Energy Project Permits Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23)
Feb. 11, 2009 WY HB 32 Gray Wolf Management Plan Amendments Bill Failed - House (7 - 52)
Feb. 11, 2009 GA SB 31 Energy Rate Increases to Finance Nuclear Power Plant Construction Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 16)
Feb. 2, 2009 MT SJ 7 Statement of Opposition to Expansion of EPA Jurisdiction (H.R. 2421) Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (32 - 18)
Feb. 2, 2009 SD HB 1004 Legalizing the Killing of Threatening Mountain Lions Bill Passed - House (37 - 32)
Jan. 26, 2009 MT SB 131 Wildland-Urban Interface Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
Jan. 22, 2009 MS HB 1090 Increasing Public Utilities Staff Oversight Bill Passed - House (64 - 53)
Jan. 21, 2009 MT SB 31 Revising Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Commission Membership Qualifications Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 20)
Jan. 20, 2009 MT HB 62 Mandatory Trapper Education Course Bill Passed - House (51 - 48)
Jan. 15, 2009 National S 22 Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 21)
Jan. 15, 2009 National S 22 Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 21)
Jan. 14, 2009 FL SB 2-A 2008-2009 Budget Amendments Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 13)
Jan. 14, 2009 FL SB 2-A 2008-2009 Budget Amendments Conference Report Adopted - House (74 - 43)
Dec. 18, 2008 CA ABx1 5 Modifying Transportation Project Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10)
Dec. 18, 2008 CA ABx1 2 Tax Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
Nov. 17, 2008 NJ A 3374 Public Assistance Appropriations Bill Passed - House (67 - 10)
Oct. 27, 2008 NJ A 2550 Renewable Energy Facilities Within Industrial Districts Bill Passed - House (60 - 15)
Oct. 27, 2008 NJ A 2550 Renewable Energy Facilities Within Industrial Districts Bill Passed - House (60 - 15)
Oct. 1, 2008 National HR 7081 United States - India Nuclear Agreement Bill Passed - Senate (86 - 13)
Sept. 27, 2008 National HR 7081 United States - India Nuclear Agreement Bill Passed - House (298 - 117)
Sept. 26, 2008 National HR 7060 Renewable Energy Credits and Other Business and Individual Credits Bill Passed - House (257 - 166)
Sept. 18, 2008 MI HB 5524 Energy Utility Regulations Conference Report Adopted - House (78 - 29)
Sept. 18, 2008 MI SB 213 Renewable Electricity Standards Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 10)
Sept. 18, 2008 MI SB 213 Renewable Electricity Standards Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 10)
Sept. 18, 2008 MI SB 213 Renewable Electricity Standards Conference Report Adopted - House (83 - 24)
Sept. 18, 2008 MI SB 213 Renewable Electricity Standards Conference Report Adopted - House (83 - 24)
Sept. 18, 2008 MI HB 5524 Energy Utility Regulations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 11)
Sept. 18, 2008 MI HB 5524 Energy Utility Regulations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 11)
Sept. 18, 2008 MI HB 5524 Energy Utility Regulations Conference Report Adopted - House (78 - 29)
Sept. 16, 2008 National HR 6899 Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling and Extending Certain Renewable Energy Tax Credits Bill Passed - House (236 - 189)
Aug. 30, 2008 CA SB 375 Global Warming and Land Use Policy Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 14)
Aug. 29, 2008 CA AB 2386 Agricultural Union Election Law Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (45 - 31)
Aug. 29, 2008 CA AB 1107 Drought-Related Unemployment Benefits Concurrence Vote Passed - House (60 - 18)
Aug. 28, 2008 CA AB 2765 Aerial Spraying Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (59 - 14)
Aug. 27, 2008 CA AB 2386 Agricultural Union Election Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15)
Aug. 25, 2008 CA SB 375 Global Warming and Land Use Policy Bill Passed - House (49 - 22)
Aug. 22, 2008 CA AB 3025 Polystyrene Packaging Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 17)
Aug. 22, 2008 CA AB 2765 Aerial Spraying Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12)
Aug. 20, 2008 CA AB 2233 Ban on Holding Pets While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17)
Aug. 14, 2008 CA AB 1107 Drought-Related Unemployment Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 10)
Aug. 12, 2008 CA AB 2270 Water Softener Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (53 - 19)
Aug. 12, 2008 CA AB 1946 Expanding Enforcement of Water Pollution Laws Concurrence Vote Passed - House (48 - 29)
Aug. 7, 2008 AK SB 4002 Energy Rebate Bill Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (11 - 5)
Aug. 7, 2008 AK SB 4002 Energy Rebate Bill Bill Passed - House (33 - 5)
Date No. Title Outcome
4/07 H 138 Allowing Lawsuits for Nonnative Species Attacks Bill Passed - House (46 - 24)
4/07 H 276 2009-2010 Department of Environmental Quality Budget Bill Passed - House (53 - 16)
4/02 Ending Prohibition on New Nuclear Power Plants Amendment Adopted - Senate (42 - 24)
4/02 Ending Prohibition on New Nuclear Power Plants Amendment Adopted - Senate (42 - 24)
4/01 SB 844 Public Service Commission Regulation of New Electric Generation Facilities Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 19)
3/27 H 436 Nuclear Plant Decommissioning Fund Amendments Bill Passed - House (93 - 46)
3/25 HR 146 Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 Concurrence Vote Passed - House (285 - 140)
3/25 HR 146 Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 Concurrence Vote Passed - House (285 - 140)
3/25 SB 490 Oil and Gas Lease Fund Appropriations Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17)
3/20 HB 418 Amendments Regarding Horse Slaughterhouses Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23)
3/20 HB 2295 Dairy Labeling Requirements Bill Passed - House (75 - 44)
3/19 HR 146 Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 Bill Passed - Senate (77 - 20)
3/19 HR 146 Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 Bill Passed - Senate (77 - 20)
3/11 S 22 Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 Bill Failed - House (282 - 144)
3/11 S 22 Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 Bill Failed - House (282 - 144)
3/09 HB 379 Environmental Lawsuit Delay Bond Bill Passed - House (52 - 22)
3/05 HB 2014 Allowing Coal Power Plants Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9)
3/05 HB 2014 Allowing Coal Power Plants Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9)
3/05 S 1119 Allowing Public Utility Assistance Programs Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 18)
3/04 HB 1332 Increased Regulation of Pet Breeders Bill Passed - House (74 - 26)
3/03 HB 187 Restricting Access to Public Waters on Private Property Bill Failed - House (34 - 41)
3/02 SB 278 Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 9)
3/02 SB 278 Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 9)
2/27 HB 2014 Allowing Coal Power Plants Bill Passed - House (79 - 44)
2/27 LB 5 Trapping In Rights-of-Way Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18)
2/27 HB 2014 Allowing Coal Power Plants Bill Passed - House (79 - 44)
2/26 SB 31 Energy Rate Increases to Finance Nuclear Power Plant Construction Bill Passed - House (107 - 66)
2/25 HB 1730 Exempting Energy Efficient Projects From Referendum Requirements Bill Passed - House (52 - 48)
2/25 HB 1730 Exempting Energy Efficient Projects From Referendum Requirements Bill Passed - House (52 - 48)
2/25 HB 418 Amendments Regarding Horse Slaughterhouses Bill Passed - House (66 - 33)
2/21 SB 387 Restrictions on Appeals for Energy Project Permits Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23)
2/21 SB 387 Restrictions on Appeals for Energy Project Permits Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23)
2/11 HB 32 Gray Wolf Management Plan Amendments Bill Failed - House (7 - 52)
2/11 SB 31 Energy Rate Increases to Finance Nuclear Power Plant Construction Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 16)
2/02 SJ 7 Statement of Opposition to Expansion of EPA Jurisdiction (H.R. 2421) Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (32 - 18)
2/02 HB 1004 Legalizing the Killing of Threatening Mountain Lions Bill Passed - House (37 - 32)
1/26 SB 131 Wildland-Urban Interface Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
1/22 HB 1090 Increasing Public Utilities Staff Oversight Bill Passed - House (64 - 53)
1/21 SB 31 Revising Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Commission Membership Qualifications Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 20)
1/20 HB 62 Mandatory Trapper Education Course Bill Passed - House (51 - 48)
1/15 S 22 Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 21)
1/15 S 22 Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 21)
1/14 SB 2-A 2008-2009 Budget Amendments Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 13)
1/14 SB 2-A 2008-2009 Budget Amendments Conference Report Adopted - House (74 - 43)
12/18 ABx1 5 Modifying Transportation Project Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10)
12/18 ABx1 2 Tax Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
11/17 A 3374 Public Assistance Appropriations Bill Passed - House (67 - 10)
10/27 A 2550 Renewable Energy Facilities Within Industrial Districts Bill Passed - House (60 - 15)
10/27 A 2550 Renewable Energy Facilities Within Industrial Districts Bill Passed - House (60 - 15)
10/01 HR 7081 United States - India Nuclear Agreement Bill Passed - Senate (86 - 13)
9/27 HR 7081 United States - India Nuclear Agreement Bill Passed - House (298 - 117)
9/26 HR 7060 Renewable Energy Credits and Other Business and Individual Credits Bill Passed - House (257 - 166)
9/18 HB 5524 Energy Utility Regulations Conference Report Adopted - House (78 - 29)
9/18 SB 213 Renewable Electricity Standards Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 10)
9/18 SB 213 Renewable Electricity Standards Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 10)
9/18 SB 213 Renewable Electricity Standards Conference Report Adopted - House (83 - 24)
9/18 SB 213 Renewable Electricity Standards Conference Report Adopted - House (83 - 24)
9/18 HB 5524 Energy Utility Regulations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 11)
9/18 HB 5524 Energy Utility Regulations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 11)
9/18 HB 5524 Energy Utility Regulations Conference Report Adopted - House (78 - 29)
9/16 HR 6899 Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling and Extending Certain Renewable Energy Tax Credits Bill Passed - House (236 - 189)
8/30 SB 375 Global Warming and Land Use Policy Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 14)
8/29 AB 2386 Agricultural Union Election Law Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (45 - 31)
8/29 AB 1107 Drought-Related Unemployment Benefits Concurrence Vote Passed - House (60 - 18)
8/28 AB 2765 Aerial Spraying Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (59 - 14)
8/27 AB 2386 Agricultural Union Election Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15)
8/25 SB 375 Global Warming and Land Use Policy Bill Passed - House (49 - 22)
8/22 AB 3025 Polystyrene Packaging Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 17)
8/22 AB 2765 Aerial Spraying Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 12)
8/20 AB 2233 Ban on Holding Pets While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17)
8/14 AB 1107 Drought-Related Unemployment Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 10)
8/12 AB 2270 Water Softener Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (53 - 19)
8/12 AB 1946 Expanding Enforcement of Water Pollution Laws Concurrence Vote Passed - House (48 - 29)
8/07 SB 4002 Energy Rebate Bill Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (11 - 5)
8/07 SB 4002 Energy Rebate Bill Bill Passed - House (33 - 5)

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