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 22, 2009 | OR | SB 76 | Klamath River Dams | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (19 - 9) |
| June 12, 2009 | OR | HB 3298 | Creating a Water Management Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 12) |
| June 9, 2009 | WI | SB 107 | Electronics Sale and Disposal Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| June 3, 2009 | CA | SB 458 | Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
| June 3, 2009 | CA | SB 229 | California Water Commission Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| June 1, 2009 | CA | SB 435 | Smog Check Requirements for Motorcycles | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 17) |
| May 14, 2009 | CA | SB 4 | Prohibiting Smoking at State Park Beaches | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| May 5, 2009 | VT | H 446 | Renewable Energy Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 10) |
| May 1, 2009 | FL | SB 360 | Growth Management Deregulation | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 7) |
| April 29, 2009 | National | S Con Res 13 | 2010 Concurrent Budget Resolution | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (53 - 43) |
| April 13, 2009 | MD | SB 278 | Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (36 - 9) |
| April 8, 2009 | ME | LD 67 | Prohibiting Smoking at State Park Beaches | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| April 2, 2009 | MN | Ending Prohibition on New Nuclear Power Plants | Amendment Adopted - Senate (42 - 24) | |
| March 19, 2009 | National | HR 146 | Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 | Bill Passed - Senate (77 - 20) |
| March 5, 2009 | KS | HB 2014 | Allowing Coal Power Plants | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
| March 2, 2009 | MD | SB 278 | Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 9) |
| Feb. 21, 2009 | MT | SB 387 | Restrictions on Appeals for Energy Project Permits | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23) |
| Feb. 2, 2009 | MT | SJ 7 | Statement of Opposition to Expansion of EPA Jurisdiction (H.R. 2421) | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
| Jan. 26, 2009 | MT | SB 131 | Wildland-Urban Interface | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21) |
| Jan. 15, 2009 | National | S 22 | Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 | Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 21) |
| Jan. 14, 2009 | FL | SB 2-A | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 13) |
| Dec. 18, 2008 | CA | ABx1 5 | Modifying Transportation Project Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10) |
| Sept. 18, 2008 | MI | HB 5524 | Energy Utility Regulations | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 11) |
| Sept. 18, 2008 | MI | SB 213 | Renewable Electricity Standards | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 10) |
| Aug. 30, 2008 | CA | SB 375 | Global Warming and Land Use Policy | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 14) |
| Aug. 22, 2008 | CA | AB 3025 | Polystyrene Packaging Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 17) |
| Aug. 7, 2008 | CA | AB 2270 | Water Softener Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 12) |
| Aug. 7, 2008 | CA | AB 1946 | Expanding Enforcement of Water Pollution Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| Aug. 5, 2008 | CA | SB 974 | Shipping Fee | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| July 17, 2008 | NC | HB 2499 | Water Management During Droughts | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 9) |
| July 10, 2008 | NC | HB 822 | Swine Farm Rebuilding | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 8) |
| June 23, 2008 | AZ | SB 1167 | Off-Highway Vehicle Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 7) |
| June 23, 2008 | AZ | HB 2156 | Reviews for Potential Railroad Sites | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 6) |
| June 11, 2008 | DE | SB 263 | Greenhouse Gas Caps | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 5) |
| June 6, 2008 | National | S Amdt 4825 | Carbon Emissions Cap and Trade Plan | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (48 - 36) |
| May 15, 2008 | MN | HF 3195 | Greenhouse Gas Emissions Cap and Trade Program Report | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 22) |
| May 15, 2008 | NH | HB 1434 | Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 8) |
| May 15, 2008 | MI | SB 860 | Great Lakes Water Management | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| May 7, 2008 | KS | SB 586 | Incentives to Develop Nuclear Power Facilities | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 3) |
| May 6, 2008 | KS | HB 2412 | Coal Plant Incentives | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (24 - 10) |
| May 2, 2008 | CO | HB 1161 | Mining Regulation | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 2) |
| April 30, 2008 | KS | SB 148 | Electricity Generation and Conservation | Veto Override Passed - Senate (32 - 7) |
| April 30, 2008 | MN | HF 3195 | Greenhouse Gas Emissions Cap and Trade Program Report | Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 21) |
| April 23, 2008 | AZ | HB 2017 | Legislative Approval for Regulating Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 7) |
| April 16, 2008 | IL | SB 2052 | Taxes for Levee Repair | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 15) |
| April 7, 2008 | MD | SB 268 | Maryland Strategic Energy Investment Program | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 16) |
| April 7, 2008 | MD | HB 375 | Increasing Renewable Energy Standards | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 13) |
| April 7, 2008 | MD | HB 374 | Energy Efficiency Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 13) |
| April 4, 2008 | KS | SB 148 | Electricity Generation and Conservation | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 7) |
| April 2, 2008 | KY | HB 406 | 2008-2010 Biennium Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 3) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/22 | SB 76 | Klamath River Dams | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (19 - 9) |
| 6/12 | HB 3298 | Creating a Water Management Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 12) |
| 6/09 | SB 107 | Electronics Sale and Disposal Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| 6/03 | SB 458 | Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
| 6/03 | SB 229 | California Water Commission Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| 6/01 | SB 435 | Smog Check Requirements for Motorcycles | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 17) |
| 5/14 | SB 4 | Prohibiting Smoking at State Park Beaches | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| 5/05 | H 446 | Renewable Energy Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 10) |
| 5/01 | SB 360 | Growth Management Deregulation | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 7) |
| 4/29 | S Con Res 13 | 2010 Concurrent Budget Resolution | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (53 - 43) |
| 4/13 | SB 278 | Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (36 - 9) |
| 4/08 | LD 67 | Prohibiting Smoking at State Park Beaches | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| 4/02 | Ending Prohibition on New Nuclear Power Plants | Amendment Adopted - Senate (42 - 24) | |
| 3/19 | HR 146 | Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 | Bill Passed - Senate (77 - 20) |
| 3/05 | HB 2014 | Allowing Coal Power Plants | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
| 3/02 | SB 278 | Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 9) |
| 2/21 | SB 387 | Restrictions on Appeals for Energy Project Permits | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23) |
| 2/02 | SJ 7 | Statement of Opposition to Expansion of EPA Jurisdiction (H.R. 2421) | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
| 1/26 | SB 131 | Wildland-Urban Interface | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21) |
| 1/15 | S 22 | Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 | Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 21) |
| 1/14 | SB 2-A | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 13) |
| 12/18 | ABx1 5 | Modifying Transportation Project Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10) |
| 9/18 | HB 5524 | Energy Utility Regulations | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 11) |
| 9/18 | SB 213 | Renewable Electricity Standards | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 10) |
| 8/30 | SB 375 | Global Warming and Land Use Policy | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 14) |
| 8/22 | AB 3025 | Polystyrene Packaging Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 17) |
| 8/07 | AB 2270 | Water Softener Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 12) |
| 8/07 | AB 1946 | Expanding Enforcement of Water Pollution Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| 8/05 | SB 974 | Shipping Fee | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| 7/17 | HB 2499 | Water Management During Droughts | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 9) |
| 7/10 | HB 822 | Swine Farm Rebuilding | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 8) |
| 6/23 | SB 1167 | Off-Highway Vehicle Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 7) |
| 6/23 | HB 2156 | Reviews for Potential Railroad Sites | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 6) |
| 6/11 | SB 263 | Greenhouse Gas Caps | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 5) |
| 6/06 | S Amdt 4825 | Carbon Emissions Cap and Trade Plan | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (48 - 36) |
| 5/15 | HF 3195 | Greenhouse Gas Emissions Cap and Trade Program Report | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 22) |
| 5/15 | HB 1434 | Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 8) |
| 5/15 | SB 860 | Great Lakes Water Management | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| 5/07 | SB 586 | Incentives to Develop Nuclear Power Facilities | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 3) |
| 5/06 | HB 2412 | Coal Plant Incentives | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (24 - 10) |
| 5/02 | HB 1161 | Mining Regulation | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 2) |
| 4/30 | SB 148 | Electricity Generation and Conservation | Veto Override Passed - Senate (32 - 7) |
| 4/30 | HF 3195 | Greenhouse Gas Emissions Cap and Trade Program Report | Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 21) |
| 4/23 | HB 2017 | Legislative Approval for Regulating Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 7) |
| 4/16 | SB 2052 | Taxes for Levee Repair | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 15) |
| 4/07 | SB 268 | Maryland Strategic Energy Investment Program | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 16) |
| 4/07 | HB 375 | Increasing Renewable Energy Standards | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 13) |
| 4/07 | HB 374 | Energy Efficiency Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 13) |
| 4/04 | SB 148 | Electricity Generation and Conservation | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 7) |
| 4/02 | HB 406 | 2008-2010 Biennium Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 3) |