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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec. 8, 2010 | National | HR 6495 | Mine Safety Act | Bill Failed - House (214 - 193) |
| Nov. 29, 2010 | NY | S 8129B | Suspending Hydraulic Fracturing for the Extraction of Natural Gas | Bill Passed - House (93 - 43) |
| Oct. 18, 2010 | NJ | S 2381 | Establishing pilot program to promote construction of electric generation facilities | |
| Sept. 29, 2010 | PA | SB 1155 | Establishing a Natural Gas Severance Tax | Bill Passed - House (104 - 94) |
| Sept. 23, 2010 | National | HR 5110 | Expanding Casa Grande Ruins National Monument | Bill Failed - House (244 - 174) |
| Sept. 23, 2010 | National | HR 4823 | Establishing Sedona-Red Rock National Scenic Area | Bill Failed - House (258 - 160) |
| Sept. 16, 2010 | National | HR 4785 | Authorizing Loans for Energy Efficiency Purposes | Bill Passed - House (240 - 172) |
| Aug. 31, 2010 | CA | AB 1998 | Ban of Single-Use Carryout Bags in Certain Stores | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 21) |
| Aug. 30, 2010 | CA | AB 234 | Marine Oil Shipping Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (45 - 28) |
| Aug. 23, 2010 | CA | AB 234 | Marine Oil Shipping Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| Aug. 3, 2010 | NY | S 8129B | Suspending Hydraulic Fracturing for the Extraction of Natural Gas | Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 9) |
| July 30, 2010 | National | HR 3534 | Offshore Drilling Regulations and Other Energy Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (209 - 193) |
| July 30, 2010 | National | HR 3534 | Offshore Drilling Regulations and Other Energy Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (209 - 193) |
| July 10, 2010 | NC | HB 1829 | Renewable Energy Incentives | Conference Report Adopted - House (84 - 19) |
| July 2, 2010 | PA | HB 2601 | Environmentally Beneficial and Energy Efficient Technologies | Bill Passed - House (125 - 71) |
| July 1, 2010 | CA | SB 1121 | Overtime Wages for Agricultural Workers | Bill Passed - House (47 - 28) |
| June 29, 2010 | NJ | S 2036 | Offshore Wind Economic Development Act | Bill Passed - House (71 - 6) |
| June 28, 2010 | NJ | S 2036 | Offshore Wind Economic Development Act | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| June 21, 2010 | LA | SB 65 | Coastal Zone Expansion | Conference Report Adopted - House (70 - 17) |
| June 21, 2010 | NY | A 9709 | Omnibus Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 29) |
| June 20, 2010 | LA | SB 381 | Establishing "Crime Against Nature by Solicitation" | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
| June 18, 2010 | LA | SB 381 | Establishing "Crime Against Nature by Solicitation" | Bill Passed - House (80 - 10) |
| June 18, 2010 | NY | A 9709 | Omnibus Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (79 - 52) |
| June 16, 2010 | MI | SR 158 | Oil Spill Prevention Plans for Dairy Farmers | Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
| June 16, 2010 | MI | SR 158 | Oil Spill Prevention Plans for Dairy Farmers | Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
| June 15, 2010 | PA | HB 708 | Recycling Program for Electronic Materials | Bill Passed - House (169 - 30) |
| June 10, 2010 | National | S J Res 26 | Statement of Opposition to EPA Greenhouse Gas Rule | Motion Rejected - Senate (47 - 53) |
| June 8, 2010 | LA | SB 432 | Oil and Gas Processing Tax | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (6 - 31) |
| June 3, 2010 | CA | SB 1121 | Overtime Wages for Agricultural Workers | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| June 3, 2010 | CA | AB 2514 | Energy Storage Targets | Amendment Adopted - House (41 - 28) |
| June 2, 2010 | CA | AB 1998 | Ban of Single-Use Carryout Bags in Certain Stores | Bill Passed - House (42 - 27) |
| June 1, 2010 | CA | AB 2411 | Pet Insurance Guidelines | Bill Passed - House (52 - 22) |
| May 28, 2010 | National | HR 5116 | Science and Technology Funding | Bill Passed - House (262 - 150) |
| May 28, 2010 | NY | A 11308 | Emergency State Parks Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 27) |
| May 28, 2010 | NY | A 11308 | Emergency State Parks Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (86 - 47) |
| May 26, 2010 | LA | SB 38 | Criminalization of Participation in Cockfighting | Bill Passed - House (73 - 13) |
| May 12, 2010 | VT | H 485 | Property Tax and Land Use Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 9) |
| May 11, 2010 | CO | HB 1358 | Authorizing Home Buyers to Purchase Water Efficiency Devices Up Front | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (38 - 27) |
| May 11, 2010 | CO | HB 1238 | Increasing Fines for Moving Traffic Violations in Wildlife Crossing Zones | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (34 - 29) |
| May 11, 2010 | DE | SB 234 | Universal Recycling and Beverage Containers | Bill Passed - House (26 - 12) |
| May 10, 2010 | CO | HB 1238 | Increasing Fines for Moving Traffic Violations in Wildlife Crossing Zones | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| May 10, 2010 | LA | HB 219 | Illegal Dog Restraining | Bill Failed - House (46 - 40) |
| May 7, 2010 | CO | HB 1358 | Authorizing Home Buyers to Purchase Water Efficiency Devices Up Front | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| May 4, 2010 | CT | SB 493 | Increasing Use of Renewable Energy | Bill Passed - House (81 - 40) |
| May 4, 2010 | LA | HCR 144 | Response to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Rig | Motion Agreed - House (60 - 32) |
| May 4, 2010 | CT | SB 493 | Increasing Use of Renewable Energy | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14) |
| May 4, 2010 | CT | HB 5423 | Classroom Experiments and Dissections on Animals | Bill Passed - House (81 - 67) |
| April 29, 2010 | AZ | SB 1307 | Treatment of Human Embryos | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 12) |
| April 28, 2010 | CO | HB 1348 | Regulations on Radioactive Material | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
| April 28, 2010 | AZ | SB 1307 | Treatment of Human Embryos | Bill Passed - House (35 - 24) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12/08 | HR 6495 | Mine Safety Act | Bill Failed - House (214 - 193) |
| 11/29 | S 8129B | Suspending Hydraulic Fracturing for the Extraction of Natural Gas | Bill Passed - House (93 - 43) |
| 10/18 | S 2381 | Establishing pilot program to promote construction of electric generation facilities | |
| 9/29 | SB 1155 | Establishing a Natural Gas Severance Tax | Bill Passed - House (104 - 94) |
| 9/23 | HR 5110 | Expanding Casa Grande Ruins National Monument | Bill Failed - House (244 - 174) |
| 9/23 | HR 4823 | Establishing Sedona-Red Rock National Scenic Area | Bill Failed - House (258 - 160) |
| 9/16 | HR 4785 | Authorizing Loans for Energy Efficiency Purposes | Bill Passed - House (240 - 172) |
| 8/31 | AB 1998 | Ban of Single-Use Carryout Bags in Certain Stores | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 21) |
| 8/30 | AB 234 | Marine Oil Shipping Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (45 - 28) |
| 8/23 | AB 234 | Marine Oil Shipping Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| 8/03 | S 8129B | Suspending Hydraulic Fracturing for the Extraction of Natural Gas | Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 9) |
| 7/30 | HR 3534 | Offshore Drilling Regulations and Other Energy Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (209 - 193) |
| 7/30 | HR 3534 | Offshore Drilling Regulations and Other Energy Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (209 - 193) |
| 7/10 | HB 1829 | Renewable Energy Incentives | Conference Report Adopted - House (84 - 19) |
| 7/02 | HB 2601 | Environmentally Beneficial and Energy Efficient Technologies | Bill Passed - House (125 - 71) |
| 7/01 | SB 1121 | Overtime Wages for Agricultural Workers | Bill Passed - House (47 - 28) |
| 6/29 | S 2036 | Offshore Wind Economic Development Act | Bill Passed - House (71 - 6) |
| 6/28 | S 2036 | Offshore Wind Economic Development Act | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| 6/21 | SB 65 | Coastal Zone Expansion | Conference Report Adopted - House (70 - 17) |
| 6/21 | A 9709 | Omnibus Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 29) |
| 6/20 | SB 381 | Establishing "Crime Against Nature by Solicitation" | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
| 6/18 | SB 381 | Establishing "Crime Against Nature by Solicitation" | Bill Passed - House (80 - 10) |
| 6/18 | A 9709 | Omnibus Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (79 - 52) |
| 6/16 | SR 158 | Oil Spill Prevention Plans for Dairy Farmers | Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
| 6/16 | SR 158 | Oil Spill Prevention Plans for Dairy Farmers | Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
| 6/15 | HB 708 | Recycling Program for Electronic Materials | Bill Passed - House (169 - 30) |
| 6/10 | S J Res 26 | Statement of Opposition to EPA Greenhouse Gas Rule | Motion Rejected - Senate (47 - 53) |
| 6/08 | SB 432 | Oil and Gas Processing Tax | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (6 - 31) |
| 6/03 | SB 1121 | Overtime Wages for Agricultural Workers | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 6/03 | AB 2514 | Energy Storage Targets | Amendment Adopted - House (41 - 28) |
| 6/02 | AB 1998 | Ban of Single-Use Carryout Bags in Certain Stores | Bill Passed - House (42 - 27) |
| 6/01 | AB 2411 | Pet Insurance Guidelines | Bill Passed - House (52 - 22) |
| 5/28 | HR 5116 | Science and Technology Funding | Bill Passed - House (262 - 150) |
| 5/28 | A 11308 | Emergency State Parks Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 27) |
| 5/28 | A 11308 | Emergency State Parks Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (86 - 47) |
| 5/26 | SB 38 | Criminalization of Participation in Cockfighting | Bill Passed - House (73 - 13) |
| 5/12 | H 485 | Property Tax and Land Use Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 9) |
| 5/11 | HB 1358 | Authorizing Home Buyers to Purchase Water Efficiency Devices Up Front | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (38 - 27) |
| 5/11 | HB 1238 | Increasing Fines for Moving Traffic Violations in Wildlife Crossing Zones | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (34 - 29) |
| 5/11 | SB 234 | Universal Recycling and Beverage Containers | Bill Passed - House (26 - 12) |
| 5/10 | HB 1238 | Increasing Fines for Moving Traffic Violations in Wildlife Crossing Zones | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| 5/10 | HB 219 | Illegal Dog Restraining | Bill Failed - House (46 - 40) |
| 5/07 | HB 1358 | Authorizing Home Buyers to Purchase Water Efficiency Devices Up Front | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| 5/04 | SB 493 | Increasing Use of Renewable Energy | Bill Passed - House (81 - 40) |
| 5/04 | HCR 144 | Response to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Rig | Motion Agreed - House (60 - 32) |
| 5/04 | SB 493 | Increasing Use of Renewable Energy | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14) |
| 5/04 | HB 5423 | Classroom Experiments and Dissections on Animals | Bill Passed - House (81 - 67) |
| 4/29 | SB 1307 | Treatment of Human Embryos | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 12) |
| 4/28 | HB 1348 | Regulations on Radioactive Material | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
| 4/28 | SB 1307 | Treatment of Human Embryos | Bill Passed - House (35 - 24) |