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
Sept. 7, 2011 NH SB 154 Withdrawing from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Veto Override Failed - Senate (15 - 9)
Sept. 6, 2011 CA AB 376 Prohibiting the Sale of Shark Fins Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 9)
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 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 6, 2011 CO HB 1005 Repeals Taxes on Agricultural Products Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 5)
April 20, 2011 MT HB 198 Eminent Domain Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22)
April 20, 2011 WA SB 5622 Recreation Access on State Lands Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14)
April 11, 2011 MD SB 690 Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 20)
March 31, 2011 CA SB 104 Labor Representatives Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
March 29, 2011 WA SB 5251 Electric Vehicle Registration Fees Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 16)
March 29, 2011 WA SB 5251 Electric Vehicle Registration Fees Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 16)
March 22, 2011 IA SF 464 Establishment of an Open Season for Hunting Mourning Doves Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18)
March 10, 2011 MO SB 113 Regulating Animal Care Facilities Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14)
March 5, 2011 WA SB 5769 Coal-Fired Power Plants Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 13)
March 5, 2011 WA SB 5769 Coal-Fired Power Plants Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 13)
March 1, 2011 AZ SB 1394 Regulation of Greenhouse Substances and Freedom to Breathe Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8)
Feb. 24, 2011 MN HF 1 Environmental Review Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 16)
Feb. 24, 2011 MT SB 226 Amends Utility Net Metering Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 24)
Feb. 24, 2011 CA SB 2 Increasing Renewable Energy Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11)
Feb. 24, 2011 MT SB 330 Waiver from Renewable Portfolio Standard Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22)
Feb. 2, 2011 MN SF 4 Repealing the Ban on Construction of New Nuclear Power Plants Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 14)
Date No. Title Outcome
9/07 SB 154 Withdrawing from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Veto Override Failed - Senate (15 - 9)
9/06 AB 376 Prohibiting the Sale of Shark Fins Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 9)
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)
6/15 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)
5/06 HB 1005 Repeals Taxes on Agricultural Products Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 5)
4/20 HB 198 Eminent Domain Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22)
4/20 SB 5622 Recreation Access on State Lands Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14)
4/11 SB 690 Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 20)
3/31 SB 104 Labor Representatives Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
3/29 SB 5251 Electric Vehicle Registration Fees Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 16)
3/29 SB 5251 Electric Vehicle Registration Fees Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 16)
3/22 SF 464 Establishment of an Open Season for Hunting Mourning Doves Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18)
3/10 SB 113 Regulating Animal Care Facilities Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14)
3/05 SB 5769 Coal-Fired Power Plants Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 13)
3/05 SB 5769 Coal-Fired Power Plants Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 13)
3/01 SB 1394 Regulation of Greenhouse Substances and Freedom to Breathe Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8)
2/24 HF 1 Environmental Review Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 16)
2/24 SB 226 Amends Utility Net Metering Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 24)
2/24 SB 2 Increasing Renewable Energy Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11)
2/24 SB 330 Waiver from Renewable Portfolio Standard Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22)
2/02 SF 4 Repealing the Ban on Construction of New Nuclear Power Plants Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 14)

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