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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 29, 2011 | NJ | S 2576 | Prohibits Hydraulic Fracturing | Bill Passed - House (58 - 11) |
| June 22, 2011 | National | HR 2021 | Impact of Drilling on Air Quality | Bill Passed - House (253 - 166) |
| June 15, 2011 | OH | HB 133 | Establishes the Oil and Gas Leasing Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| 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) |
| May 31, 2011 | IL | HB 1723 | Amending The Illinois Nuclear Safety Preparedness Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (69 - 44) |
| May 31, 2011 | IL | SB 1652 | Smart Grid Technology | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 24) |
| May 30, 2011 | IL | SB 1652 | Smart Grid Technology | Bill Passed - House (67 - 47) |
| May 25, 2011 | OH | HB 133 | Establishes the Oil and Gas Leasing Commission | Bill Passed - House (54 - 41) |
| May 25, 2011 | OH | HB 133 | Establishes the Oil and Gas Leasing Commission | Bill Passed - House (54 - 41) |
| May 18, 2011 | National | S 953 | Offshore Production and Safety Act | Motion Rejected - Senate (42 - 57) |
| May 17, 2011 | National | S 940 | Amending Oil Company Tax Laws | Motion Rejected - Senate (52 - 48) |
| May 11, 2011 | MN | SF 86 | Repeals Carbon Dioxide Emissions Prohibition | Bill Passed - House (76 - 54) |
| May 5, 2011 | National | HR 1230 | Offshore Leasing Act | Bill Passed - House (266 - 149) |
| April 28, 2011 | MT | SB 329 | Oil and Natural Gas Revenue for Schools | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 19) |
| April 28, 2011 | MT | SB 329 | Oil and Natural Gas Revenue for Schools | Conference Report Adopted - House (50 - 49) |
| April 20, 2011 | MT | HB 198 | Eminent Domain Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22) |
| April 11, 2011 | MD | SB 690 | Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 20) |
| April 9, 2011 | MD | SB 690 | Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard Amendments | Bill Passed - House (74 - 60) |
| March 31, 2011 | AK | HB 110 | Reducing the Oil and Gas Production Tax | Bill Passed - House (22 - 16) |
| March 30, 2011 | NH | HB 519 | Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Bill Passed - House (251 - 108) |
| March 29, 2011 | WA | SB 5251 | Electric Vehicle Registration Fees | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 16) |
| March 14, 2011 | NJ | A 3648 | Electric Vehicle Charging Stations | Bill Passed - House (47 - 28) |
| Feb. 28, 2011 | UT | SB 270 | Modifications to Sales and Use Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 9) |
| 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. 22, 2011 | AR | SB 275 | Reduction of Excise Tax on Electricity and Natural Gas | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9) |
| Feb. 17, 2011 | MN | SF 4 | Repealing the Ban on Construction of New Nuclear Power Plants | Bill Passed - House (81 - 50) |
| Feb. 16, 2011 | AR | HB 1052 | Reducing Taxes on Manufacturer Utilities | Bill Passed - House (88 - 8) |
| Feb. 9, 2011 | WY | HB 191 | Wind Power Tax | Bill Failed - House (27 - 32) |
| Feb. 8, 2011 | WY | HB 191 | Wind Power Tax | Bill Failed - House (29 - 29) |
| Feb. 7, 2011 | MT | HB 198 | Eminent Domain Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (69 - 30) |
| Feb. 2, 2011 | MN | SF 4 | Repealing the Ban on Construction of New Nuclear Power Plants | Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 14) |
| Jan. 28, 2011 | MT | SB 104 | Limitations on Electricity Pricing | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22) |
| Jan. 24, 2011 | MN | SF 86 | Repeals Carbon Dioxide Emissions Prohibition | |
| Jan. 21, 2011 | ND | SB 2131 | Surface Access Fee for Oil and Gas Exploration and Production | Bill Failed - Senate (6 - 40) |
| Jan. 10, 2011 | NJ | S 2381 | Electric Generation Facilities Pilot Program | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 6) |
| Jan. 10, 2011 | NJ | S 2381 | Electric Generation Facilities Pilot Program | Bill Passed - House (57 - 15) |
| Nov. 29, 2010 | NY | S 8129B | Suspending Hydraulic Fracturing for the Extraction of Natural Gas | Bill Passed - House (93 - 43) |
| Oct. 18, 2010 | NJ | S 2381 | Establishing pilot program to promote construction of electric generation facilities | |
| Sept. 29, 2010 | PA | SB 1155 | Establishing a Natural Gas Severance Tax | Bill Passed - House (104 - 94) |
| Sept. 16, 2010 | National | HR 4785 | Authorizing Loans for Energy Efficiency Purposes | Bill Passed - House (240 - 172) |
| Sept. 14, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4595 | Business Transaction Reporting Requirement Amendments | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 42) |
| Aug. 30, 2010 | CA | AB 234 | Marine Oil Shipping Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (45 - 28) |
| Aug. 23, 2010 | CA | AB 234 | Marine Oil Shipping Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| Aug. 3, 2010 | NY | S 8129B | Suspending Hydraulic Fracturing for the Extraction of Natural Gas | Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 9) |
| July 30, 2010 | National | H Amdt 773 | Ending Moratorium on Deepwater Drilling Rigs that Meet Certain Safety Standards | Amendment Adopted - House (216 - 195) |
| July 30, 2010 | National | HR 5851 | "Whistleblower Protection" for Offshore Oil Workers | Bill Passed - House (315 - 93) |
| July 30, 2010 | National | HR 3534 | Offshore Drilling Regulations and Other Energy Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (209 - 193) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/29 | S 2576 | Prohibits Hydraulic Fracturing | Bill Passed - House (58 - 11) |
| 6/22 | HR 2021 | Impact of Drilling on Air Quality | Bill Passed - House (253 - 166) |
| 6/15 | HB 133 | Establishes the Oil and Gas Leasing Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| 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) |
| 5/31 | HB 1723 | Amending The Illinois Nuclear Safety Preparedness Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (69 - 44) |
| 5/31 | SB 1652 | Smart Grid Technology | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 24) |
| 5/30 | SB 1652 | Smart Grid Technology | Bill Passed - House (67 - 47) |
| 5/25 | HB 133 | Establishes the Oil and Gas Leasing Commission | Bill Passed - House (54 - 41) |
| 5/25 | HB 133 | Establishes the Oil and Gas Leasing Commission | Bill Passed - House (54 - 41) |
| 5/18 | S 953 | Offshore Production and Safety Act | Motion Rejected - Senate (42 - 57) |
| 5/17 | S 940 | Amending Oil Company Tax Laws | Motion Rejected - Senate (52 - 48) |
| 5/11 | SF 86 | Repeals Carbon Dioxide Emissions Prohibition | Bill Passed - House (76 - 54) |
| 5/05 | HR 1230 | Offshore Leasing Act | Bill Passed - House (266 - 149) |
| 4/28 | SB 329 | Oil and Natural Gas Revenue for Schools | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 19) |
| 4/28 | SB 329 | Oil and Natural Gas Revenue for Schools | Conference Report Adopted - House (50 - 49) |
| 4/20 | HB 198 | Eminent Domain Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22) |
| 4/11 | SB 690 | Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 20) |
| 4/09 | SB 690 | Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard Amendments | Bill Passed - House (74 - 60) |
| 3/31 | HB 110 | Reducing the Oil and Gas Production Tax | Bill Passed - House (22 - 16) |
| 3/30 | HB 519 | Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Bill Passed - House (251 - 108) |
| 3/29 | SB 5251 | Electric Vehicle Registration Fees | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 16) |
| 3/14 | A 3648 | Electric Vehicle Charging Stations | Bill Passed - House (47 - 28) |
| 2/28 | SB 270 | Modifications to Sales and Use Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 9) |
| 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) |
| 2/22 | SB 275 | Reduction of Excise Tax on Electricity and Natural Gas | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9) |
| 2/17 | SF 4 | Repealing the Ban on Construction of New Nuclear Power Plants | Bill Passed - House (81 - 50) |
| 2/16 | HB 1052 | Reducing Taxes on Manufacturer Utilities | Bill Passed - House (88 - 8) |
| 2/09 | HB 191 | Wind Power Tax | Bill Failed - House (27 - 32) |
| 2/08 | HB 191 | Wind Power Tax | Bill Failed - House (29 - 29) |
| 2/07 | HB 198 | Eminent Domain Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (69 - 30) |
| 2/02 | SF 4 | Repealing the Ban on Construction of New Nuclear Power Plants | Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 14) |
| 1/28 | SB 104 | Limitations on Electricity Pricing | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22) |
| 1/24 | SF 86 | Repeals Carbon Dioxide Emissions Prohibition | |
| 1/21 | SB 2131 | Surface Access Fee for Oil and Gas Exploration and Production | Bill Failed - Senate (6 - 40) |
| 1/10 | S 2381 | Electric Generation Facilities Pilot Program | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 6) |
| 1/10 | S 2381 | Electric Generation Facilities Pilot Program | Bill Passed - House (57 - 15) |
| 11/29 | S 8129B | Suspending Hydraulic Fracturing for the Extraction of Natural Gas | Bill Passed - House (93 - 43) |
| 10/18 | S 2381 | Establishing pilot program to promote construction of electric generation facilities | |
| 9/29 | SB 1155 | Establishing a Natural Gas Severance Tax | Bill Passed - House (104 - 94) |
| 9/16 | HR 4785 | Authorizing Loans for Energy Efficiency Purposes | Bill Passed - House (240 - 172) |
| 9/14 | S Amdt 4595 | Business Transaction Reporting Requirement Amendments | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 42) |
| 8/30 | AB 234 | Marine Oil Shipping Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (45 - 28) |
| 8/23 | AB 234 | Marine Oil Shipping Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| 8/03 | S 8129B | Suspending Hydraulic Fracturing for the Extraction of Natural Gas | Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 9) |
| 7/30 | H Amdt 773 | Ending Moratorium on Deepwater Drilling Rigs that Meet Certain Safety Standards | Amendment Adopted - House (216 - 195) |
| 7/30 | HR 5851 | "Whistleblower Protection" for Offshore Oil Workers | Bill Passed - House (315 - 93) |
| 7/30 | HR 3534 | Offshore Drilling Regulations and Other Energy Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (209 - 193) |