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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 30, 2010 | National | HR 3534 | Offshore Drilling Regulations and Other Energy Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (209 - 193) |
| July 10, 2010 | NC | HB 1829 | Renewable Energy Incentives | Conference Report Adopted - House (84 - 19) |
| June 29, 2010 | NJ | S 2036 | Offshore Wind Economic Development Act | Bill Passed - House (71 - 6) |
| June 28, 2010 | NJ | S 2036 | Offshore Wind Economic Development Act | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| June 8, 2010 | LA | SB 432 | Oil and Gas Processing Tax | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (6 - 31) |
| June 3, 2010 | CA | AB 2514 | Energy Storage Targets | Amendment Adopted - House (41 - 28) |
| May 28, 2010 | National | HR 5116 | Science and Technology Funding | Bill Passed - House (262 - 150) |
| May 4, 2010 | CT | SB 493 | Increasing Use of Renewable Energy | Bill Passed - House (81 - 40) |
| May 4, 2010 | CT | SB 493 | Increasing Use of Renewable Energy | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14) |
| April 28, 2010 | CO | HB 1348 | Regulations on Radioactive Material | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
| April 18, 2010 | AK | SB 305 | Separating Oil and Gas When Calculating Production Tax | Bill Passed - House (23 - 17) |
| April 14, 2010 | HI | HB 2421 | Petroleum Tax ("Barrel Tax") Increase | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 7) |
| April 14, 2010 | HI | HB 2421 | Petroleum Tax ("Barrel Tax") Increase | Conference Report Adopted - House (37 - 11) |
| April 12, 2010 | MD | SB 277 | Modifies the Solar Energy Portfolio Standard | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 15) |
| April 10, 2010 | MD | SB 277 | Modifies the Solar Energy Portfolio Standard | Bill Passed - House (109 - 31) |
| March 31, 2010 | CO | HB 1365 | Utility Emission Reduction Plan | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (53 - 12) |
| March 31, 2010 | CO | HB 1365 | Utility Emission Reduction Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
| March 11, 2010 | CA | SBx8 32 | Tax Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
| March 11, 2010 | UT | SB 47 | Energy Management Program | Bill Passed - House (53 - 19) |
| March 9, 2010 | UT | SB 47 | Energy Management Program | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 7) |
| March 8, 2010 | CO | HB 1001 | Increasing Renewable Energy Standards | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (37 - 26) |
| March 8, 2010 | CA | SBx8 32 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (47 - 29) |
| March 8, 2010 | UT | HB 286 | Prohibiting Retirement System Investment in Iranian Petroleum | Bill Passed - House (39 - 34) |
| March 5, 2010 | CO | HB 1001 | Increases Renewable Energy Standards | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| March 3, 2010 | AZ | HB 2337 | Incandescent Light Bulb Regulation Amendments | Bill Passed - House (33 - 27) |
| Feb. 26, 2010 | WY | HB 101 | Wind-Generated Electricity Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 1) |
| Feb. 25, 2010 | IN | SB 313 | Allowing Renewable Energy Generation Credits | Bill Passed - House (68 - 31) |
| Feb. 24, 2010 | VT | S 289 | Authorizing Nuclear Power Plant Operation Until 2032 | Bill Failed - Senate (4 - 26) |
| Feb. 22, 2010 | VA | HB 756 | Allocating Offshore Drilling Royalties | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19) |
| Feb. 18, 2010 | WY | HB 101 | Wind-Generated Electricity Tax | Bill Passed - House (40 - 18) |
| Feb. 16, 2010 | CO | HB 1190 | Suspending Sales Tax Exemption | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (35 - 30) |
| Feb. 15, 2010 | CO | SB 100 | Multi-County Local Improvement Districts | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
| Feb. 10, 2010 | CO | HB 1190 | Suspending Sales Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16) |
| Feb. 10, 2010 | VA | SB 601 | Allocating Offshore Drilling Royalties | Motion Agreed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| Feb. 10, 2010 | NM | HB 276 | New Mexico Air Quality Act Amendments | Bill Failed - House (32 - 33) |
| Feb. 8, 2010 | VA | HB 756 | Allocating Offshore Drilling Royalties | Bill Passed - House (71 - 26) |
| Feb. 3, 2010 | CO | HB 1190 | Suspending Sales Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - House (35 - 30) |
| Jan. 20, 2010 | WA | HB 2561 | Energy Efficiency Improvement Bonds | Bill Passed - House (57 - 41) |
| Jan. 20, 2010 | KY | SB 26 | Allowing Nuclear Power Facility Construction | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10) |
| Nov. 20, 2009 | WV | SB 4004 | Gasoline Tax Amendments | Bill Passed - House (64 - 23) |
| Nov. 18, 2009 | WV | SB 4004 | Gasoline Tax Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 2) |
| Sept. 16, 2009 | WI | SB 185 | State Regulation of Wind Energy Systems | Bill Passed - House (65 - 31) |
| Sept. 12, 2009 | CA | SB 14 | Renewable Energy Requirements | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| Sept. 12, 2009 | CA | SB 14 | Renewable Energy Requirements | Bill Passed - House (49 - 28) |
| Aug. 10, 2009 | AK | HB 199 | Federal Funds Appropriations | Veto Override Passed - House (30 - 9) |
| Aug. 10, 2009 | AK | HB 199 | Federal Funds Appropriations | Veto Override Passed - Senate (15 - 5) |
| Aug. 6, 2009 | National | HR 3435 | Supplemental Appropriations for the "Cash for Clunkers" Program | Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 37) |
| July 31, 2009 | National | HR 3435 | Supplemental Appropriations for the "Cash for Clunkers" Program | Bill Passed - House (316 - 109) |
| July 24, 2009 | CA | ABX4 23 | Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Revisions: Oil Drilling | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
| June 30, 2009 | OH | SCR 15 | Resolution Opposing Federal Cap and Trade Legislation | Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 11) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7/30 | HR 3534 | Offshore Drilling Regulations and Other Energy Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (209 - 193) |
| 7/10 | HB 1829 | Renewable Energy Incentives | Conference Report Adopted - House (84 - 19) |
| 6/29 | S 2036 | Offshore Wind Economic Development Act | Bill Passed - House (71 - 6) |
| 6/28 | S 2036 | Offshore Wind Economic Development Act | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| 6/08 | SB 432 | Oil and Gas Processing Tax | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (6 - 31) |
| 6/03 | AB 2514 | Energy Storage Targets | Amendment Adopted - House (41 - 28) |
| 5/28 | HR 5116 | Science and Technology Funding | Bill Passed - House (262 - 150) |
| 5/04 | SB 493 | Increasing Use of Renewable Energy | Bill Passed - House (81 - 40) |
| 5/04 | SB 493 | Increasing Use of Renewable Energy | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14) |
| 4/28 | HB 1348 | Regulations on Radioactive Material | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
| 4/18 | SB 305 | Separating Oil and Gas When Calculating Production Tax | Bill Passed - House (23 - 17) |
| 4/14 | HB 2421 | Petroleum Tax ("Barrel Tax") Increase | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 7) |
| 4/14 | HB 2421 | Petroleum Tax ("Barrel Tax") Increase | Conference Report Adopted - House (37 - 11) |
| 4/12 | SB 277 | Modifies the Solar Energy Portfolio Standard | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 15) |
| 4/10 | SB 277 | Modifies the Solar Energy Portfolio Standard | Bill Passed - House (109 - 31) |
| 3/31 | HB 1365 | Utility Emission Reduction Plan | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (53 - 12) |
| 3/31 | HB 1365 | Utility Emission Reduction Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
| 3/11 | SBx8 32 | Tax Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
| 3/11 | SB 47 | Energy Management Program | Bill Passed - House (53 - 19) |
| 3/09 | SB 47 | Energy Management Program | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 7) |
| 3/08 | HB 1001 | Increasing Renewable Energy Standards | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (37 - 26) |
| 3/08 | SBx8 32 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (47 - 29) |
| 3/08 | HB 286 | Prohibiting Retirement System Investment in Iranian Petroleum | Bill Passed - House (39 - 34) |
| 3/05 | HB 1001 | Increases Renewable Energy Standards | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 3/03 | HB 2337 | Incandescent Light Bulb Regulation Amendments | Bill Passed - House (33 - 27) |
| 2/26 | HB 101 | Wind-Generated Electricity Tax | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 1) |
| 2/25 | SB 313 | Allowing Renewable Energy Generation Credits | Bill Passed - House (68 - 31) |
| 2/24 | S 289 | Authorizing Nuclear Power Plant Operation Until 2032 | Bill Failed - Senate (4 - 26) |
| 2/22 | HB 756 | Allocating Offshore Drilling Royalties | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19) |
| 2/18 | HB 101 | Wind-Generated Electricity Tax | Bill Passed - House (40 - 18) |
| 2/16 | HB 1190 | Suspending Sales Tax Exemption | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (35 - 30) |
| 2/15 | SB 100 | Multi-County Local Improvement Districts | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
| 2/10 | HB 1190 | Suspending Sales Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 16) |
| 2/10 | SB 601 | Allocating Offshore Drilling Royalties | Motion Agreed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| 2/10 | HB 276 | New Mexico Air Quality Act Amendments | Bill Failed - House (32 - 33) |
| 2/08 | HB 756 | Allocating Offshore Drilling Royalties | Bill Passed - House (71 - 26) |
| 2/03 | HB 1190 | Suspending Sales Tax Exemption | Bill Passed - House (35 - 30) |
| 1/20 | HB 2561 | Energy Efficiency Improvement Bonds | Bill Passed - House (57 - 41) |
| 1/20 | SB 26 | Allowing Nuclear Power Facility Construction | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10) |
| 11/20 | SB 4004 | Gasoline Tax Amendments | Bill Passed - House (64 - 23) |
| 11/18 | SB 4004 | Gasoline Tax Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 2) |
| 9/16 | SB 185 | State Regulation of Wind Energy Systems | Bill Passed - House (65 - 31) |
| 9/12 | SB 14 | Renewable Energy Requirements | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| 9/12 | SB 14 | Renewable Energy Requirements | Bill Passed - House (49 - 28) |
| 8/10 | HB 199 | Federal Funds Appropriations | Veto Override Passed - House (30 - 9) |
| 8/10 | HB 199 | Federal Funds Appropriations | Veto Override Passed - Senate (15 - 5) |
| 8/06 | HR 3435 | Supplemental Appropriations for the "Cash for Clunkers" Program | Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 37) |
| 7/31 | HR 3435 | Supplemental Appropriations for the "Cash for Clunkers" Program | Bill Passed - House (316 - 109) |
| 7/24 | ABX4 23 | Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Revisions: Oil Drilling | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
| 6/30 | SCR 15 | Resolution Opposing Federal Cap and Trade Legislation | Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 11) |