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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 14, 2009 | CA | SB 4 | Prohibiting Smoking at State Park Beaches | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| May 8, 2009 | KS | HB 2369 | Renewable Energy Standards | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (103 - 18) |
| May 8, 2009 | KS | HB 2369 | Renewable Energy Standards | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (103 - 18) |
| May 8, 2009 | OR | HB 2186 | Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Bill Passed - House (32 - 28) |
| May 8, 2009 | OR | HB 2186 | Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Bill Passed - House (32 - 28) |
| May 8, 2009 | MN | HF 1231 | 2010-2011 Cultural and Outdoor Resources Budget | Bill Passed - House (78 - 51) |
| May 7, 2009 | VT | H 446 | Renewable Energy Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (91 - 49) |
| May 7, 2009 | VT | H 446 | Renewable Energy Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (91 - 49) |
| May 6, 2009 | VT | H 436 | Nuclear Plant Decommisioning Fund | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (85 - 52) |
| May 5, 2009 | VT | H 446 | Renewable Energy Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 10) |
| 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 - House (78 - 37) |
| May 1, 2009 | FL | SB 360 | Growth Management Deregulation | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 7) |
| May 1, 2009 | VT | H 436 | Nuclear Plant Decommissioning Fund Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 4) |
| April 30, 2009 | MN | Ending Prohibition on New Nuclear Power Plant Construction | Amendment Rejected - House (60 - 72) | |
| April 30, 2009 | MN | Ending Prohibition on New Nuclear Power Plant Construction | Amendment Rejected - House (60 - 72) | |
| April 29, 2009 | National | S Con Res 13 | 2010 Concurrent Budget Resolution | Conference Report Adopted - House (233 - 193) |
| April 29, 2009 | National | S Con Res 13 | 2010 Concurrent Budget Resolution | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (53 - 43) |
| April 29, 2009 | CT | HB 6636 | Clean Energy Fund and Electricity Provider Bill | Bill Passed - House (104 - 38) |
| April 27, 2009 | FL | HB 1219 | Permitting Offshore Drilling | Bill Passed - House (70 - 43) |
| April 27, 2009 | FL | HB 1219 | Permitting Offshore Drilling | Bill Passed - House (70 - 43) |
| April 25, 2009 | WA | HB 1614 | Oil Importation Fee for Storm Water Pollution Cleanup | Bill Passed - House (51 - 45) |
| April 25, 2009 | WA | HB 1614 | Oil Importation Fee for Storm Water Pollution Cleanup | Bill Passed - House (51 - 45) |
| April 23, 2009 | CA | SB 789 | Amending Unionization Requirements for Agricultural Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| April 22, 2009 | OK | HB 1332 | Increased Regulation of Pet Breeders | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 16) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/14 | SB 4 | Prohibiting Smoking at State Park Beaches | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| 5/08 | HB 2369 | Renewable Energy Standards | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (103 - 18) |
| 5/08 | HB 2369 | Renewable Energy Standards | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (103 - 18) |
| 5/08 | HB 2186 | Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Bill Passed - House (32 - 28) |
| 5/08 | HB 2186 | Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Bill Passed - House (32 - 28) |
| 5/08 | HF 1231 | 2010-2011 Cultural and Outdoor Resources Budget | Bill Passed - House (78 - 51) |
| 5/07 | H 446 | Renewable Energy Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (91 - 49) |
| 5/07 | H 446 | Renewable Energy Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (91 - 49) |
| 5/06 | H 436 | Nuclear Plant Decommisioning Fund | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (85 - 52) |
| 5/05 | H 446 | Renewable Energy Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 10) |
| 5/05 | H 446 | Renewable Energy Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 10) |
| 5/01 | SB 360 | Growth Management Deregulation | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (78 - 37) |
| 5/01 | SB 360 | Growth Management Deregulation | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 7) |
| 5/01 | H 436 | Nuclear Plant Decommissioning Fund Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 4) |
| 4/30 | Ending Prohibition on New Nuclear Power Plant Construction | Amendment Rejected - House (60 - 72) | |
| 4/30 | Ending Prohibition on New Nuclear Power Plant Construction | Amendment Rejected - House (60 - 72) | |
| 4/29 | S Con Res 13 | 2010 Concurrent Budget Resolution | Conference Report Adopted - House (233 - 193) |
| 4/29 | S Con Res 13 | 2010 Concurrent Budget Resolution | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (53 - 43) |
| 4/29 | HB 6636 | Clean Energy Fund and Electricity Provider Bill | Bill Passed - House (104 - 38) |
| 4/27 | HB 1219 | Permitting Offshore Drilling | Bill Passed - House (70 - 43) |
| 4/27 | HB 1219 | Permitting Offshore Drilling | Bill Passed - House (70 - 43) |
| 4/25 | HB 1614 | Oil Importation Fee for Storm Water Pollution Cleanup | Bill Passed - House (51 - 45) |
| 4/25 | HB 1614 | Oil Importation Fee for Storm Water Pollution Cleanup | Bill Passed - House (51 - 45) |
| 4/23 | SB 789 | Amending Unionization Requirements for Agricultural Employees | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| 4/22 | HB 1332 | Increased Regulation of Pet Breeders | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 16) |