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
May 29, 2018 CA SB 836 Prohibits Smoking on State Beaches Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 11)
May 10, 2018 CA AB 1668 Requires Water-Use Targets Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12)
May 3, 2018 MO SB 917 Authorizes State to Establish Coal Ash Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 8)
May 3, 2018 MO SB 782 Amends Department of Natural Resources Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 11)
April 12, 2018 National PN 1426 Nomination of Andrew Wheeler to Deputy Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (53 - 45)
April 12, 2018 National PN 1426 Nomination of Andrew Wheeler to Deputy Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency Cloture Invoked - Senate (53 - 45)
April 12, 2018 NJ S 2313 Establishes Zero-Emissions Certificate Program for Nuclear Power Plants Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9)
March 5, 2018 CA AJR 29 Expresses Opposition to Executive Offshore Drilling Proposal Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 5)
Feb. 12, 2018 MD SB 138 Requires Governor to Include Maryland as a Member of US Climate Alliance Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 10)
Feb. 1, 2018 NJ S 598 Requires New Jersey to Join US Climate Alliance Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
Jan. 23, 2018 MI SB 409 Authorizes Private Harbor Permits in the Great Lakes Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
Oct. 18, 2017 MI SB 542 Establishes Pesticide Notification Registry Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12)
Oct. 4, 2017 NC H 56 Transfers Funds for Cape Fear River Cleanup Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 9)
Sept. 7, 2017 National HR 601 Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 and Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Requirements Act, 2017 Bill Passed - Senate (80 - 17)
Aug. 11, 2017 TX HB 7 Specifies Tree Removal Regulations Municipalities May Impose Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 14)
July 17, 2017 CA AB 398 Extends California's Cap-and-Trade Policies Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12)
July 17, 2017 CA AB 617 Establishes Air-Quality Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 13)
June 29, 2017 DE HB 190 Authorizes Commercial Activity in State-Designated Coastal Zones Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 2)
May 31, 2017 CA SB 100 Increases the State Renewable Energy Target Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
May 11, 2017 RI S 112A Expands Renewable Energy Growth Program Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 3)
April 24, 2017 NC SB 434 Amends Local Riparian Buffer Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 31)
April 13, 2017 MT SB 299 Requires Public Disclosure of Fracking Chemicals Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (34 - 16)
April 10, 2017 OR SB 3 Establishes Restrictions on Suction Mining Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9)
April 6, 2017 CA SB 1 Increases Gas and Vehicle Taxes to Pay for Road and Bridge Repairs Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 11)
April 5, 2017 WI SB 76 Reduces Regulations of High-Capacity Water Wells Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 13)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/29 SB 836 Prohibits Smoking on State Beaches Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 11)
5/10 AB 1668 Requires Water-Use Targets Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12)
5/03 SB 917 Authorizes State to Establish Coal Ash Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 8)
5/03 SB 782 Amends Department of Natural Resources Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 11)
4/12 PN 1426 Nomination of Andrew Wheeler to Deputy Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (53 - 45)
4/12 PN 1426 Nomination of Andrew Wheeler to Deputy Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency Cloture Invoked - Senate (53 - 45)
4/12 S 2313 Establishes Zero-Emissions Certificate Program for Nuclear Power Plants Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9)
3/05 AJR 29 Expresses Opposition to Executive Offshore Drilling Proposal Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 5)
2/12 SB 138 Requires Governor to Include Maryland as a Member of US Climate Alliance Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 10)
2/01 S 598 Requires New Jersey to Join US Climate Alliance Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
1/23 SB 409 Authorizes Private Harbor Permits in the Great Lakes Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
10/18 SB 542 Establishes Pesticide Notification Registry Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12)
10/04 H 56 Transfers Funds for Cape Fear River Cleanup Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 9)
9/07 HR 601 Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 and Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Requirements Act, 2017 Bill Passed - Senate (80 - 17)
8/11 HB 7 Specifies Tree Removal Regulations Municipalities May Impose Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 14)
7/17 AB 398 Extends California's Cap-and-Trade Policies Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12)
7/17 AB 617 Establishes Air-Quality Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 13)
6/29 HB 190 Authorizes Commercial Activity in State-Designated Coastal Zones Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 2)
5/31 SB 100 Increases the State Renewable Energy Target Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
5/11 S 112A Expands Renewable Energy Growth Program Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 3)
4/24 SB 434 Amends Local Riparian Buffer Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 31)
4/13 SB 299 Requires Public Disclosure of Fracking Chemicals Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (34 - 16)
4/10 SB 3 Establishes Restrictions on Suction Mining Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9)
4/06 SB 1 Increases Gas and Vehicle Taxes to Pay for Road and Bridge Repairs Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 11)
4/05 SB 76 Reduces Regulations of High-Capacity Water Wells Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 13)

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