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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 13, 2019 | CO | SB 19-181 | Amends Local Environmental Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 15) |
| March 12, 2019 | SD | HB 1191 | Authorizes the Cultivation of Industrial Hemp | Veto Override Failed - Senate (20 - 13) |
| March 12, 2019 | IA | SF 519 | Establishes Trespass Charges for Undercover Investigators at Certain Agricultural Facilities | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 8) |
| March 8, 2019 | WV | HB 3142 | Reduces Severance Tax on Steam Coal | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12) |
| March 6, 2019 | NM | SB 489 | Authorizes State Investment in Renewable Energies | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 9) |
| March 6, 2019 | NM | SB 489 | Authorizes State Investment in Renewable Energies | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 9) |
| March 5, 2019 | HI | SB 522 | Prohibits Certain Plastics | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 1) |
| March 5, 2019 | MD | SB 285 | Prohibits Use of Foam Containers | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13) |
| March 1, 2019 | WA | SB 5116 | Increases State Clean Energy Efforts to be 100 Percent Carbon Free by 2045 | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 19) |
| March 1, 2019 | WA | SB 5116 | Increases State Clean Energy Efforts to be 100 Percent Carbon Free by 2045 | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 19) |
| Feb. 28, 2019 | National | PN 22 | Nomination of Andrew Wheeler to be Administrator of Environmental Protection Agency | (52 - 47) |
| Feb. 27, 2019 | National | PN 22 | Nomination of Andrew Wheeler to be Administrator of Environmental Protection Agency | Cloture Invoked - Senate (52 - 46) |
| Feb. 25, 2019 | IN | SB 553 | Authorizes Public Use of Shore of Lake Michigan | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 16) |
| Feb. 20, 2019 | KS | SB 32 | Authorizes The Farm Bureau To Offer Coverage | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 11) |
| Feb. 19, 2019 | ND | SB 2315 | Establishes Hunters Access Advisory Group | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 18) |
| Feb. 19, 2019 | OR | SB 256 | Prohibits Oil and Gas Exploration In Coastal Waters | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 6) |
| Feb. 13, 2019 | KY | SB 100 | Requires Net Metering for Solar Power | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| Feb. 12, 2019 | National | S 47 | Natural Resources Management Act | Bill Passed - Senate (92 - 8) |
| Feb. 12, 2019 | National | S 47 | Natural Resources Management Act | Bill Passed - Senate (92 - 8) |
| Dec. 11, 2018 | National | HR 2 | Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (87 - 13) |
| Dec. 5, 2018 | MI | SB 1197 | Establishes Mackinac Straits Corridor Authority | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| Oct. 29, 2018 | NJ | S 678 | Prohibits Disposal of Fracking Waste | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 5) |
| Oct. 29, 2018 | NJ | S 678 | Prohibits Disposal of Fracking Waste | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 5) |
| Aug. 1, 2018 | National | HR 6147 | Interior, Environment, Financial Services, and General Government Appropriations Act, 2019 | Bill Passed - Senate (92 - 6) |
| Aug. 1, 2018 | National | HR 6147 | Interior, Environment, Financial Services, and General Government Appropriations Act, 2019 | Bill Passed - Senate (92 - 6) |
| July 31, 2018 | MA | H 4857 | Increases State Clean Energy Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 0) |
| July 30, 2018 | MA | H 4835 | Authorizes Funds for Climate Change Adaptation and Environmental Protection | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (36 - 0) |
| June 28, 2018 | National | HR 2 | Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 | Bill Passed - Senate (86 - 11) |
| June 27, 2018 | NC | HB 374 | Limits Nuisance Damages Against Livestock Farmers | Veto Override Passed - Senate (34 - 11) |
| June 26, 2018 | NC | SB 711 | Limits Nuisance Damages Against Livestock Farmers | Veto Override Passed - Senate (37 - 9) |
| June 22, 2018 | PA | HB 2468 | Requires Court Order for Eminent Domain on Conserved Lands | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12) |
| June 20, 2018 | ME | LD 1584 | Expands Local Food Economy by Promoting Local Foods Procurement | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 11) |
| June 12, 2018 | MI | SB 542 | Establishes Pesticide Notification Registry | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 12) |
| June 12, 2018 | MI | SB 653 | Establishes a New Environmental Rules Committee | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| June 12, 2018 | MI | SB 654 | Establishes an Environmental Science Review Board | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| June 12, 2018 | MI | SB 652 | Establishes 11-Member Stakeholder Committee to Review and Amend Environmental Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate |
| June 6, 2018 | OH | HB 506 | Amends Laws Related to High-Volume Dog Breeding | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 1) |
| June 6, 2018 | NY | S 7415 | Prohibits Leasing Plans for Pets | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 0) |
| May 29, 2018 | CA | SB 836 | Prohibits Smoking on State Beaches | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 11) |
| May 16, 2018 | MI | SB 839 | Amends Mining Permit Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
| May 15, 2018 | MN | HF 3819 | Repeals Ramsey Soil and Water Conservation District | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 20) |
| May 14, 2018 | LA | SB 236 | Amends Laws Concerning Sexual Abuse of Animals | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (36 - 1) |
| May 10, 2018 | CA | AB 1668 | Requires Water-Use Targets | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
| May 3, 2018 | MO | SB 782 | Amends Department of Natural Resources Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 11) |
| May 3, 2018 | MO | SB 782 | Amends Department of Natural Resources Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 11) |
| May 3, 2018 | MO | SB 917 | Authorizes State to Establish Coal Ash Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 8) |
| May 2, 2018 | OK | SB 893 | Amends Taxation of Zero-Emission Facilities | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 8) |
| April 19, 2018 | MN | HF 3157 | Prohibits Misrepresentation of a Service Animal | Bill Passed - Senate (67 - 0) |
| April 12, 2018 | National | PN 1426 | Nomination of Andrew Wheeler to Deputy Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency | (53 - 45) |
| April 12, 2018 | NJ | A 3723 | Amends Clean Energy Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 8) |