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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 9, 2009 | UT | HB 379 | Environmental Lawsuit Delay Bond | Bill Passed - House (52 - 22) |
| March 5, 2009 | KS | HB 2014 | Allowing Coal Power Plants | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
| March 5, 2009 | KS | HB 2014 | Allowing Coal Power Plants | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
| March 5, 2009 | ID | S 1119 | Allowing Public Utility Assistance Programs | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 18) |
| March 4, 2009 | OK | HB 1332 | Increased Regulation of Pet Breeders | Bill Passed - House (74 - 26) |
| March 3, 2009 | UT | HB 187 | Restricting Access to Public Waters on Private Property | Bill Failed - House (34 - 41) |
| March 2, 2009 | MD | SB 278 | Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 9) |
| March 2, 2009 | MD | SB 278 | Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 9) |
| Feb. 27, 2009 | NE | LB 5 | Trapping In Rights-of-Way | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18) |
| Feb. 27, 2009 | KS | HB 2014 | Allowing Coal Power Plants | Bill Passed - House (79 - 44) |
| Feb. 27, 2009 | KS | HB 2014 | Allowing Coal Power Plants | Bill Passed - House (79 - 44) |
| Feb. 26, 2009 | GA | SB 31 | Energy Rate Increases to Finance Nuclear Power Plant Construction | Bill Passed - House (107 - 66) |
| Feb. 25, 2009 | MT | HB 418 | Amendments Regarding Horse Slaughterhouses | Bill Passed - House (66 - 33) |
| Feb. 25, 2009 | IN | HB 1730 | Exempting Energy Efficient Projects From Referendum Requirements | Bill Passed - House (52 - 48) |
| Feb. 25, 2009 | IN | HB 1730 | Exempting Energy Efficient Projects From Referendum Requirements | Bill Passed - House (52 - 48) |
| Feb. 21, 2009 | MT | SB 387 | Restrictions on Appeals for Energy Project Permits | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23) |
| Feb. 21, 2009 | MT | SB 387 | Restrictions on Appeals for Energy Project Permits | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23) |
| Feb. 11, 2009 | WY | HB 32 | Gray Wolf Management Plan Amendments | Bill Failed - House (7 - 52) |
| Feb. 11, 2009 | GA | SB 31 | Energy Rate Increases to Finance Nuclear Power Plant Construction | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 16) |
| Feb. 2, 2009 | MT | SJ 7 | Statement of Opposition to Expansion of EPA Jurisdiction (H.R. 2421) | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
| Feb. 2, 2009 | SD | HB 1004 | Legalizing the Killing of Threatening Mountain Lions | Bill Passed - House (37 - 32) |
| Jan. 26, 2009 | MT | SB 131 | Wildland-Urban Interface | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21) |
| Jan. 22, 2009 | MS | HB 1090 | Increasing Public Utilities Staff Oversight | Bill Passed - House (64 - 53) |
| Jan. 21, 2009 | MT | SB 31 | Revising Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Commission Membership Qualifications | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 20) |
| Jan. 20, 2009 | MT | HB 62 | Mandatory Trapper Education Course | Bill Passed - House (51 - 48) |
| Jan. 15, 2009 | National | S 22 | Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 | Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 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 - House (74 - 43) |
| Jan. 14, 2009 | FL | SB 2-A | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 13) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/09 | HB 379 | Environmental Lawsuit Delay Bond | Bill Passed - House (52 - 22) |
| 3/05 | HB 2014 | Allowing Coal Power Plants | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
| 3/05 | HB 2014 | Allowing Coal Power Plants | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
| 3/05 | S 1119 | Allowing Public Utility Assistance Programs | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 18) |
| 3/04 | HB 1332 | Increased Regulation of Pet Breeders | Bill Passed - House (74 - 26) |
| 3/03 | HB 187 | Restricting Access to Public Waters on Private Property | Bill Failed - House (34 - 41) |
| 3/02 | SB 278 | Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 9) |
| 3/02 | SB 278 | Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 9) |
| 2/27 | LB 5 | Trapping In Rights-of-Way | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18) |
| 2/27 | HB 2014 | Allowing Coal Power Plants | Bill Passed - House (79 - 44) |
| 2/27 | HB 2014 | Allowing Coal Power Plants | Bill Passed - House (79 - 44) |
| 2/26 | SB 31 | Energy Rate Increases to Finance Nuclear Power Plant Construction | Bill Passed - House (107 - 66) |
| 2/25 | HB 418 | Amendments Regarding Horse Slaughterhouses | Bill Passed - House (66 - 33) |
| 2/25 | HB 1730 | Exempting Energy Efficient Projects From Referendum Requirements | Bill Passed - House (52 - 48) |
| 2/25 | HB 1730 | Exempting Energy Efficient Projects From Referendum Requirements | Bill Passed - House (52 - 48) |
| 2/21 | SB 387 | Restrictions on Appeals for Energy Project Permits | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23) |
| 2/21 | SB 387 | Restrictions on Appeals for Energy Project Permits | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23) |
| 2/11 | HB 32 | Gray Wolf Management Plan Amendments | Bill Failed - House (7 - 52) |
| 2/11 | SB 31 | Energy Rate Increases to Finance Nuclear Power Plant Construction | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 16) |
| 2/02 | SJ 7 | Statement of Opposition to Expansion of EPA Jurisdiction (H.R. 2421) | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
| 2/02 | HB 1004 | Legalizing the Killing of Threatening Mountain Lions | Bill Passed - House (37 - 32) |
| 1/26 | SB 131 | Wildland-Urban Interface | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21) |
| 1/22 | HB 1090 | Increasing Public Utilities Staff Oversight | Bill Passed - House (64 - 53) |
| 1/21 | SB 31 | Revising Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Commission Membership Qualifications | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 20) |
| 1/20 | HB 62 | Mandatory Trapper Education Course | Bill Passed - House (51 - 48) |
| 1/15 | S 22 | Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 | Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 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 - House (74 - 43) |
| 1/14 | SB 2-A | 2008-2009 Budget Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 13) |