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. 11, 2013 | CA | SB 4 | Amends Hydraulic Fracturing Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 8) |
| July 23, 2013 | NC | SB 76 | Amends Hydraulic Fracturing Requirements and Authorizes Off-Shore Drilling | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 11) |
| April 14, 2013 | AK | SB 21 | Amends the Oil Industry Tax Rate Structure | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (12 - 8) |
| March 29, 2013 | MD | HB 1515 | Increases the Gas Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| March 21, 2013 | AK | SB 21 | Amends the Oil Industry Tax Rate Structure | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 9) |
| Feb. 27, 2013 | NC | SB 76 | Amends Hydraulic Fracturing Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 7) |
| Feb. 26, 2013 | ND | SB 2336 | Restructures Oil and Gas Income Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13) |
| Feb. 23, 2013 | VA | HB 2313 | Repeals the Retail Gas Tax and Establishes a Wholesale Gas Tax | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 15) |
| Feb. 13, 2013 | VA | HB 2313 | Repeals the Retail Gas Tax and Establishes a Wholesale Gas Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 14) |
| Nov. 28, 2012 | National | S Amdt 3095 | Repeals the Prohibition on Biofuel Refinery Construction | Amendment Adopted - Senate (54 - 41) |
| July 2, 2012 | NC | SB 820 | Authorizes Hydraulic Fracturing | Veto Override Passed - Senate (29 - 13) |
| June 6, 2012 | NC | SB 820 | Authorizes Hydraulic Fracturing | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19) |
| May 30, 2012 | CA | SB 1054 | Requires Notifying Property Owners Prior to Hydraulic Fracturing | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 18) |
| May 15, 2012 | OH | SB 315 | Regulates Practice of Hydraulic Fracturing | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6) |
| April 11, 2012 | NE | LB 1161 | Authorizes Land Study in Nebraska for Keystone XL Pipeline Route | Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 5) |
| March 29, 2012 | National | S 2204 | Amends Energy-Related Tax Credits | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 47) |
| March 14, 2012 | ID | H 464 | Prohibits Local Ordinances from Limiting Oil and Gas Extraction | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
| March 8, 2012 | National | S Amdt 1537 | Approving the Keystone XL Pipeline Project | Amendment Rejected - Senate (56 - 42) |
| March 8, 2012 | FL | HB 4001 | Repeals Provisions for Cap and Trade Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 5) |
| Feb. 17, 2012 | National | HR 3630 | Extends Payroll Tax Cut | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (60 - 36) |
| Feb. 7, 2012 | PA | HB 1950 | Amends Statutes Concerning Oil and Gas Resources | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 19) |
| Dec. 17, 2011 | National | S Amdt 1465 | Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Extension | Amendment Adopted - Senate (89 - 10) |
| Nov. 15, 2011 | PA | SB 1100 | Regulation of Oil and Natural Gas Resources | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20) |
| June 15, 2011 | OH | HB 133 | Establishes the Oil and Gas Leasing Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| June 14, 2011 | National | S Amdt 436 | Repeals the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (40 - 59) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9/11 | SB 4 | Amends Hydraulic Fracturing Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 8) |
| 7/23 | SB 76 | Amends Hydraulic Fracturing Requirements and Authorizes Off-Shore Drilling | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 11) |
| 4/14 | SB 21 | Amends the Oil Industry Tax Rate Structure | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (12 - 8) |
| 3/29 | HB 1515 | Increases the Gas Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| 3/21 | SB 21 | Amends the Oil Industry Tax Rate Structure | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 9) |
| 2/27 | SB 76 | Amends Hydraulic Fracturing Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 7) |
| 2/26 | SB 2336 | Restructures Oil and Gas Income Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13) |
| 2/23 | HB 2313 | Repeals the Retail Gas Tax and Establishes a Wholesale Gas Tax | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 15) |
| 2/13 | HB 2313 | Repeals the Retail Gas Tax and Establishes a Wholesale Gas Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 14) |
| 11/28 | S Amdt 3095 | Repeals the Prohibition on Biofuel Refinery Construction | Amendment Adopted - Senate (54 - 41) |
| 7/02 | SB 820 | Authorizes Hydraulic Fracturing | Veto Override Passed - Senate (29 - 13) |
| 6/06 | SB 820 | Authorizes Hydraulic Fracturing | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19) |
| 5/30 | SB 1054 | Requires Notifying Property Owners Prior to Hydraulic Fracturing | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 18) |
| 5/15 | SB 315 | Regulates Practice of Hydraulic Fracturing | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6) |
| 4/11 | LB 1161 | Authorizes Land Study in Nebraska for Keystone XL Pipeline Route | Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 5) |
| 3/29 | S 2204 | Amends Energy-Related Tax Credits | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 47) |
| 3/14 | H 464 | Prohibits Local Ordinances from Limiting Oil and Gas Extraction | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
| 3/08 | S Amdt 1537 | Approving the Keystone XL Pipeline Project | Amendment Rejected - Senate (56 - 42) |
| 3/08 | HB 4001 | Repeals Provisions for Cap and Trade Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 5) |
| 2/17 | HR 3630 | Extends Payroll Tax Cut | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (60 - 36) |
| 2/07 | HB 1950 | Amends Statutes Concerning Oil and Gas Resources | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 19) |
| 12/17 | S Amdt 1465 | Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Extension | Amendment Adopted - Senate (89 - 10) |
| 11/15 | SB 1100 | Regulation of Oil and Natural Gas Resources | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20) |
| 6/15 | HB 133 | Establishes the Oil and Gas Leasing Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| 6/14 | S Amdt 436 | Repeals the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (40 - 59) |