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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 11, 2019 | WA | SB 5116 | Increases State Clean Energy Efforts to be 100 Percent Carbon Free by 2045 | Bill Passed - House (56 - 42) |
| April 11, 2019 | WA | SB 5116 | Increases State Clean Energy Efforts to be 100 Percent Carbon Free by 2045 | Bill Passed - House (56 - 42) |
| April 11, 2019 | FL | HB 521 | Authorizes Mitigation of Conservation Lands by Municipal Governments | Bill Passed - House (72 - 42) |
| April 11, 2019 | IL | HB 840 | Requires Biannual Reports from Nuclear Power Plants | Bill Passed - House (73 - 40) |
| April 8, 2019 | TN | SB 923 | Authorizes Recycling of Plastic Using Pyrolysis | Bill Passed - House (75 - 16) |
| April 5, 2019 | MD | HB 298 | Establishes Oyster Sanctuaries | Veto Override Passed - House (96 - 43) |
| April 5, 2019 | MD | HB 298 | Establishes Oyster Sanctuaries | Veto Override Passed - House (96 - 43) |
| April 4, 2019 | ME | LD 289 | Prohibits Use of Foam Containers | Bill Passed - House (87 - 51) |
| April 1, 2019 | MD | SB 516 | Establishes Renewable Energy Standards and Plan | Bill Passed - House (95 - 41) |
| April 1, 2019 | MD | SB 516 | Establishes Renewable Energy Standards and Plan | Bill Passed - House (95 - 41) |
| March 31, 2019 | NY | S 1508 | Prohibits Retail Stores from Using Plastic Bags | Bill Passed - House (103 - 45) |
| March 28, 2019 | MT | HB 327 | Amends Definitions for Ground Beef and Hamburger | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (75 - 21) |
| March 27, 2019 | IL | HB 2988 | Prohibits Townships from Regulating Wind Farms Outside of City Zoning Areas | Bill Passed - House (95 - 12) |
| March 27, 2019 | IL | HB 2988 | Prohibits Townships from Regulating Wind Farms Outside of City Zoning Areas | Bill Passed - House (95 - 12) |
| March 25, 2019 | ND | SB 2044 | Increases Penalties for Pipeline Protesting | Bill Passed - House (76 - 14) |
| March 25, 2019 | TN | HB 1021 | Prohibits Local Governments from Regulating, Restricting, or Banning Auxiliary Containers | Bill Passed - House (69 - 21) |
| March 25, 2019 | National | HR 1616 | European Energy Security and Diversification Act of 2019 | Bill Passed - House (391 - 24) |
| March 19, 2019 | NH | HB 605 | Increases Penalties for Possessing or Manufacturing Animal Fighting Paraphernalia | "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - House (215 - 124) |
| March 19, 2019 | NH | HB 558 | Prohibits Restaurant Use of Plastic Straws Unless Specifically Requested | Bill Passed - House (196 - 146) |
| March 19, 2019 | NH | HB 560 | Prohibits Single-Use Plastic Bags | Bill Passed - House (201 - 145) |
| March 14, 2019 | KY | SB 100 | Requires Net Metering for Solar Power | Bill Passed - House (55 - 36) |
| March 13, 2019 | UT | HB 353 | Establishes the "Reduction of Single Occupancy Vehicle Trips Pilot Program" | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (44 - 30) |
| March 12, 2019 | IA | SF 519 | Establishes Trespass Charges for Undercover Investigators at Certain Agricultural Facilities | Bill Passed - House (65 - 32) |
| March 12, 2019 | NM | SB 489 | Authorizes State Investment in Renewable Energies | Bill Passed - House (43 - 22) |
| March 12, 2019 | NM | SB 489 | Authorizes State Investment in Renewable Energies | Bill Passed - House (43 - 22) |
| March 7, 2019 | GA | HB 545 | Reduces Statute of Limitations for Certain Nuisance Lawsuits | Bill Passed - House (107 - 58) |
| March 5, 2019 | HI | HB 808 | Prohibits Hunting of Sharks and Rays | Bill Passed - House (51 - 0) |
| March 4, 2019 | AZ | HB 2604 | Prohibits Labeling of "Milk" or "Meat" if Product is not Animal Derived | Bill Failed - House (22 - 36) |
| Feb. 22, 2019 | UT | HB 220 | Authorizes the Disposal of Certain Types of Radioactive Waste in Utah | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (50 - 20) |
| Feb. 14, 2019 | IN | HB 1615 | Increases Penalties for Animal Abuse | Bill Passed - House (81 - 13) |
| Jan. 11, 2019 | National | HR 266 | Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2019 | Bill Passed - House (240 - 179) |
| Jan. 11, 2019 | National | HR 266 | Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2019 | Bill Passed - House (240 - 179) |