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
March 10, 2020 WY HB 200 Establishes Low-Carbon Energy Standards and Subsidizes Carbon Capture Projects Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 10)
March 9, 2020 WA SB 5323 Establishes Standards for the Use of Plastic Bags at Retail Establishments Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 15)
March 8, 2020 VA SB 710 Expands Renewable Energy Tax Credits Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 12)
March 7, 2020 WV HB 4615 Increases Penalties for Critical Infrastructure Protesting Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
March 5, 2020 NJ A 2371 Requires Recycling of Food Waste Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 17)
March 5, 2020 WA HB 2311 Requires State Greenhouse Gas Emissions be Reduced to Zero by 2050 Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21)
March 5, 2020 NJ S 864 Prohibits Single-Use Plastic Bags and Styrofoam Containers Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
Feb. 18, 2020 NM SB 2 Establishes an Electric Vehicle Tax Credit Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 18)
Feb. 3, 2020 IN SB 438 Establishes Regulations for Pesticides Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 9)
Jan. 29, 2020 FL SB 172 Prohibits Local Governments from Prohibiting Certain Drugs and Cosmetics Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 14)
Jan. 22, 2020 VA SB 318 Reduces Number of Balloons that Can be Released per Hour Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15)
Oct. 17, 2019 National S J Res 53 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency relating to "Repeal of the Clean Power Plan; Emission Guidelines for Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Existing Electric Utility Generating Units; Revisions to Emission Guidelines Implementing Regulations" Bill Failed - Senate (41 - 53)
Sept. 13, 2019 CA AB 792 Increases Recycled Plastics Percentages Used in Plastic Beverage Bottles Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 7)
Sept. 11, 2019 CA SB 8 Prohibits Smoking at Public Parks and Beaches Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 10)
Sept. 11, 2019 CA AB 936 Amends Environmental Protections Relating to Heavy Crude Oils Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 7)
Sept. 10, 2019 NC SB 553 Establishes the Regulatory Reform Act of 2019 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 14)
Sept. 5, 2019 CA AB 1162 Prohibits Single-Use Plastics for Personal Care Products at Lodging Establishments Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
July 17, 2019 OH HB 6 Amends Clean Energy Standards Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12)
July 8, 2019 CA AB 1054 Establishes Wildfire Victim Compensation Fund Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 7)
June 30, 2019 OR HB 2007 Reduces Number of Diesel Trucks Allowed in Specified Counties Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11)
June 27, 2019 NH HB 582 Establishes a Greenhouse Gas Rebate Program Conference Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 10)
June 27, 2019 NH HB 326 Expands Protections for Wetlands Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 8)
June 27, 2019 NJ A 3726 Requires Food Waste Recycling Programs Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
June 19, 2019 NY S 2000 Establishes Regulations for PFAS Chemicals in Food Containers Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 6)
June 18, 2019 NY S 6599 Increases Renewable Energy Goals Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 21)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/10 HB 200 Establishes Low-Carbon Energy Standards and Subsidizes Carbon Capture Projects Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 10)
3/09 SB 5323 Establishes Standards for the Use of Plastic Bags at Retail Establishments Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 15)
3/08 SB 710 Expands Renewable Energy Tax Credits Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 12)
3/07 HB 4615 Increases Penalties for Critical Infrastructure Protesting Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
3/05 A 2371 Requires Recycling of Food Waste Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 17)
3/05 HB 2311 Requires State Greenhouse Gas Emissions be Reduced to Zero by 2050 Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21)
3/05 S 864 Prohibits Single-Use Plastic Bags and Styrofoam Containers Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
2/18 SB 2 Establishes an Electric Vehicle Tax Credit Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 18)
2/03 SB 438 Establishes Regulations for Pesticides Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 9)
1/29 SB 172 Prohibits Local Governments from Prohibiting Certain Drugs and Cosmetics Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 14)
1/22 SB 318 Reduces Number of Balloons that Can be Released per Hour Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15)
10/17 S J Res 53 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency relating to "Repeal of the Clean Power Plan; Emission Guidelines for Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Existing Electric Utility Generating Units; Revisions to Emission Guidelines Implementing Regulations" Bill Failed - Senate (41 - 53)
9/13 AB 792 Increases Recycled Plastics Percentages Used in Plastic Beverage Bottles Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 7)
9/11 SB 8 Prohibits Smoking at Public Parks and Beaches Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 10)
9/11 AB 936 Amends Environmental Protections Relating to Heavy Crude Oils Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 7)
9/10 SB 553 Establishes the Regulatory Reform Act of 2019 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 14)
9/05 AB 1162 Prohibits Single-Use Plastics for Personal Care Products at Lodging Establishments Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
7/17 HB 6 Amends Clean Energy Standards Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12)
7/08 AB 1054 Establishes Wildfire Victim Compensation Fund Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 7)
6/30 HB 2007 Reduces Number of Diesel Trucks Allowed in Specified Counties Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11)
6/27 HB 582 Establishes a Greenhouse Gas Rebate Program Conference Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 10)
6/27 HB 326 Expands Protections for Wetlands Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 8)
6/27 A 3726 Requires Food Waste Recycling Programs Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
6/19 S 2000 Establishes Regulations for PFAS Chemicals in Food Containers Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 6)
6/18 S 6599 Increases Renewable Energy Goals Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 21)

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