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 30, 2012 | MD | HB 441 | Maryland Offshore Wind Energy Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (88 - 47) |
| March 29, 2012 | National | S 2204 | Amends Energy-Related Tax Credits | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 47) |
| March 29, 2012 | National | S 2204 | Amends Energy-Related Tax Credits | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 47) |
| March 27, 2012 | AK | HB 9 | Specifies the Powers of the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation | Bill Passed - House (27 - 12) |
| March 19, 2012 | SD | HB 1228 | Tax Credits for Alternative Energy Projects | Veto Override Failed - House (44 - 23) |
| March 15, 2012 | NJ | S 1322 | Requires Participation In the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
| March 14, 2012 | ID | H 464 | Prohibits Local Ordinances from Limiting Oil and Gas Extraction | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
| March 8, 2012 | National | S Amdt 1537 | Approving the Keystone XL Pipeline Project | Amendment Rejected - Senate (56 - 42) |
| March 8, 2012 | FL | HB 4001 | Repeals Provisions for Cap and Trade Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 5) |
| March 1, 2012 | SD | HB 1228 | Tax Credits for Alternative Energy Projects | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 16) |
| March 1, 2012 | FL | HB 4001 | Repeals Provisions for Cap and Trade Regulations | Bill Passed - House (82 - 34) |
| Feb. 28, 2012 | SD | HB 1228 | Tax Credits for Alternative Energy Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| Feb. 17, 2012 | National | HR 3630 | Extends Payroll Tax Cut | Conference Report Adopted - House (293 - 132) |
| Feb. 17, 2012 | National | HR 3630 | Extends Payroll Tax Cut | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (60 - 36) |
| Feb. 17, 2012 | ID | H 464 | Prohibits Local Ordinances from Limiting Oil and Gas Extraction | Bill Passed - House (54 - 13) |
| Feb. 16, 2012 | National | HR 3408 | Authorizes Development of Oil Shale Resources | Bill Passed - House (237 - 187) |
| Feb. 15, 2012 | FL | HB 7087 | Increases Certain Business Tax Credits and Sales Tax Exemptions | Bill Passed - House (92 - 22) |
| Feb. 8, 2012 | PA | HB 1950 | Amends Statutes Concerning Oil and Gas Resources | Conference Report Adopted - House (101 - 90) |
| Feb. 7, 2012 | PA | HB 1950 | Amends Statutes Concerning Oil and Gas Resources | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 19) |
| Feb. 6, 2012 | UT | HB 210 | Restricts the Use of Severance Tax Revenue | Bill Failed - House (36 - 39) |
| Jan. 30, 2012 | MN | Anderson Nomination | Confirmation of Ellen Anderson as Public Utilities Commissioner | Motion Rejected - Senate (29 - 37) |
| Jan. 25, 2012 | NH | Amdt 367s | Restricting Eminent Domain Petitions | Amendment Adopted - Senate (16 - 8) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/30 | HB 441 | Maryland Offshore Wind Energy Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (88 - 47) |
| 3/29 | S 2204 | Amends Energy-Related Tax Credits | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 47) |
| 3/29 | S 2204 | Amends Energy-Related Tax Credits | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 47) |
| 3/27 | HB 9 | Specifies the Powers of the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation | Bill Passed - House (27 - 12) |
| 3/19 | HB 1228 | Tax Credits for Alternative Energy Projects | Veto Override Failed - House (44 - 23) |
| 3/15 | S 1322 | Requires Participation In the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
| 3/14 | H 464 | Prohibits Local Ordinances from Limiting Oil and Gas Extraction | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
| 3/08 | S Amdt 1537 | Approving the Keystone XL Pipeline Project | Amendment Rejected - Senate (56 - 42) |
| 3/08 | HB 4001 | Repeals Provisions for Cap and Trade Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 5) |
| 3/01 | HB 1228 | Tax Credits for Alternative Energy Projects | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 16) |
| 3/01 | HB 4001 | Repeals Provisions for Cap and Trade Regulations | Bill Passed - House (82 - 34) |
| 2/28 | HB 1228 | Tax Credits for Alternative Energy Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| 2/17 | HR 3630 | Extends Payroll Tax Cut | Conference Report Adopted - House (293 - 132) |
| 2/17 | HR 3630 | Extends Payroll Tax Cut | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (60 - 36) |
| 2/17 | H 464 | Prohibits Local Ordinances from Limiting Oil and Gas Extraction | Bill Passed - House (54 - 13) |
| 2/16 | HR 3408 | Authorizes Development of Oil Shale Resources | Bill Passed - House (237 - 187) |
| 2/15 | HB 7087 | Increases Certain Business Tax Credits and Sales Tax Exemptions | Bill Passed - House (92 - 22) |
| 2/08 | HB 1950 | Amends Statutes Concerning Oil and Gas Resources | Conference Report Adopted - House (101 - 90) |
| 2/07 | HB 1950 | Amends Statutes Concerning Oil and Gas Resources | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 19) |
| 2/06 | HB 210 | Restricts the Use of Severance Tax Revenue | Bill Failed - House (36 - 39) |
| 1/30 | Anderson Nomination | Confirmation of Ellen Anderson as Public Utilities Commissioner | Motion Rejected - Senate (29 - 37) |
| 1/25 | Amdt 367s | Restricting Eminent Domain Petitions | Amendment Adopted - Senate (16 - 8) |