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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sept. 13, 2019 | CA | AB 792 | Increases Recycled Plastics Percentages Used in Plastic Beverage Bottles | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 7) |
| Sept. 13, 2019 | CA | SB 1 | Rescinds Federal Freeze of Environmental Deregulations | Bill Passed - House (48 - 22) |
| Sept. 13, 2019 | CA | SB 1 | Rescinds Federal Freeze of Environmental Deregulations | Bill Passed - House (48 - 22) |
| Sept. 11, 2019 | CA | SB 8 | Prohibits Smoking at Public Parks and Beaches | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 10) |
| Sept. 11, 2019 | CA | AB 936 | Amends Environmental Protections Relating to Heavy Crude Oils | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 7) |
| Sept. 10, 2019 | CA | SB 210 | Establishes a Smog-Check Program for Diesel Trucks | Bill Passed - House (51 - 19) |
| Sept. 10, 2019 | CA | AB 44 | Prohibits the Sale and Manufacturing of Fur Products | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
| Sept. 9, 2019 | CA | AB 1254 | Prohibits Hunting of Bobcats | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 8) |
| Sept. 5, 2019 | CA | AB 1162 | Prohibits Single-Use Plastics for Personal Care Products at Lodging Establishments | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| Sept. 3, 2019 | CA | AB 454 | Establishes Protections for Migratory Birds | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9) |
| Aug. 12, 2019 | CA | AB 273 | Prohibits Recreational and Commercial Fur Trapping Licenses | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 9) |
| July 11, 2019 | CA | SB 307 | Prohibits Water Transfers from Desert Groundwater Basins | Bill Passed - House (50 - 24) |
| July 11, 2019 | CA | SB 307 | Prohibits Water Transfers from Desert Groundwater Basins | Bill Passed - House (50 - 24) |
| July 8, 2019 | CA | AB 1054 | Establishes Wildfire Victim Compensation Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 7) |
| May 30, 2019 | CA | AB 56 | Authorizes the California Alternative Energy and Advanced Transportation Financing Authority to Procure Energy Needs for Californians | Bill Passed - House (41 - 21) |
| May 29, 2019 | CA | AB 1046 | Increases Tax Rebates for Electric Vehicles | Bill Passed - House (55 - 21) |
| May 29, 2019 | CA | SB 54 | Requires Single-Use Plastics be made from Recyclable Materials | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8) |
| May 29, 2019 | CA | AB 134 | Establishes a Safe Drinking Water Fund | Bill Passed - House (59 - 0) |
| May 29, 2019 | CA | AB 134 | Establishes a Safe Drinking Water Fund | Bill Passed - House (59 - 0) |
| May 29, 2019 | CA | AB 1415 | Authorizes Penalties for Irrigation Districts Who Fail to Submit Water Management Reports | Bill Passed - House (52 - 20) |
| May 29, 2019 | CA | SB 210 | Establishes a Smog-Check Program for Diesel Trucks | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10) |
| May 29, 2019 | CA | SB 1 | Rescinds Federal Freeze of Environmental Deregulations | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| May 29, 2019 | CA | AB 1162 | Prohibits Single-Use Plastics for Personal Care Products at Lodging Establishments | Bill Passed - House (50 - 24) |
| May 29, 2019 | CA | SB 1 | Rescinds Federal Freeze of Environmental Deregulations | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| May 29, 2019 | CA | AB 1046 | Increases Tax Rebates for Electric Vehicles | Bill Passed - House (55 - 21) |
| May 28, 2019 | CA | SB 43 | Establishes the Feasibility and Practicality of Assessing the Carbon Intensity of Retail Products Subject to the Sales and Use Tax Law | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 10) |
| May 24, 2019 | CA | AB 936 | Amends Environmental Protections Relating to Heavy Crude Oils | Bill Passed - House (45 - 19) |
| May 23, 2019 | CA | AB 454 | Establishes Protections for Migratory Birds | Bill Passed - House (55 - 21) |
| May 23, 2019 | CA | AB 44 | Prohibits the Sale and Manufacturing of Fur Products | Bill Passed - House (52 - 16) |
| May 23, 2019 | CA | SB 627 | Authorizes Prescription of Medical Cannabis for Animals | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 0) |
| May 23, 2019 | CA | AB 161 | Prohibits Paper Receipts | Bill Passed - House (43 - 24) |
| May 23, 2019 | CA | AB 1254 | Prohibits Hunting of Bobcats | Bill Passed - House (54 - 21) |
| May 23, 2019 | CA | AB 792 | Increases Recycled Plastics Percentages Used in Plastic Beverage Bottles | Bill Passed - House (50 - 15) |
| May 21, 2019 | CA | SB 307 | Prohibits Water Transfers from Desert Groundwater Basins | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11) |
| May 21, 2019 | CA | SB 307 | Prohibits Water Transfers from Desert Groundwater Basins | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11) |
| Aug. 31, 2018 | CA | SB 901 | Requires Utilities to File Wildfire Mitigation Plans | Conference Report Adopted - House (49 - 14) |
| Aug. 28, 2018 | CA | SB 100 | Increases the State Renewable Energy Target | Bill Passed - House (44 - 33) |
| Aug. 28, 2018 | CA | SB 100 | Increases the State Renewable Energy Target | Bill Passed - House (44 - 33) |
| May 29, 2018 | CA | SB 836 | Prohibits Smoking on State Beaches | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 11) |
| May 17, 2018 | CA | AB 1668 | Requires Water-Use Targets | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (45 - 26) |
| May 10, 2018 | CA | AB 1668 | Requires Water-Use Targets | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
| March 5, 2018 | CA | AJR 29 | Expresses Opposition to Executive Offshore Drilling Proposal | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 5) |
| Feb. 8, 2018 | CA | AJR 29 | Expresses Opposition to Executive Offshore Drilling Proposal | Bill Passed - House (56 - 9) |
| July 17, 2017 | CA | AB 398 | Extends California's Cap-and-Trade Policies | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (55 - 22) |
| July 17, 2017 | CA | AB 617 | Establishes Air-Quality Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (50 - 24) |
| July 17, 2017 | CA | AB 398 | Extends California's Cap-and-Trade Policies | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12) |
| July 17, 2017 | CA | AB 617 | Establishes Air-Quality Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 13) |
| May 31, 2017 | CA | SB 100 | Increases the State Renewable Energy Target | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| May 31, 2017 | CA | SB 100 | Increases the State Renewable Energy Target | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| April 6, 2017 | CA | SB 1 | Increases Gas and Vehicle Taxes to Pay for Road and Bridge Repairs | Bill Passed - House (54 - 26) |
| April 6, 2017 | CA | SB 1 | Increases Gas and Vehicle Taxes to Pay for Road and Bridge Repairs | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 11) |
| Aug. 31, 2016 | CA | SB 859 | Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emission Levels | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| Aug. 31, 2016 | CA | SB 859 | Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emission Levels | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| Aug. 31, 2016 | CA | SB 859 | Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emission Levels | Bill Passed - House (51 - 20) |
| Aug. 31, 2016 | CA | SB 859 | Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emission Levels | Bill Passed - House (51 - 20) |
| Aug. 29, 2016 | CA | AB 1066 | Requires Overtime Pay for Farmworkers | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (44 - 32) |
| Aug. 26, 2016 | CA | SB 839 | Prohibits Orca Captivity and Breeding | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 13) |
| Aug. 24, 2016 | CA | SB 32 | Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emissions Levels | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| Aug. 24, 2016 | CA | AB 197 | Establishes the Joint Legislative Committee on Climate Change Policies | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (45 - 30) |
| Aug. 23, 2016 | CA | SB 32 | Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emissions Levels | Bill Passed - House (48 - 31) |
| Aug. 22, 2016 | CA | AB 1066 | Requires Overtime Pay for Farmworkers | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| Aug. 22, 2016 | CA | AB 197 | Establishes the Joint Legislative Committee on Climate Change Policies | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| June 16, 2016 | CA | SB 839 | Prohibits Orca Captivity and Breeding | Bill Passed - House (48 - 28) |
| June 2, 2016 | CA | AB 2757 | Requires Overtime Pay for Farmworkers | Bill Failed - House (38 - 35) |
| Sept. 11, 2015 | CA | SB 350 | Establishes Renewable Energy Production Targets | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 14) |
| Sept. 11, 2015 | CA | SB 350 | Establishes Renewable Energy Production Targets | Bill Passed - House (52 - 27) |
| Sept. 4, 2015 | CA | AB 96 | Prohibits Sale of Ivory and Rhino Horn | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 21) |
| Sept. 4, 2015 | CA | AB 888 | Prohibits the Sale of Products Containing Plastic Microbeads | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| Sept. 2, 2015 | CA | AB 96 | Prohibits Sale of Ivory and Rhino Horn | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13) |
| June 3, 2015 | CA | SB 185 | Requires Public Retirement Systems to Divest from Coal Companies | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| June 3, 2015 | CA | SB 350 | Establishes Renewable Energy Production Targets | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| June 3, 2015 | CA | SB 32 | Establishes Certain Greenhouse Gas Emission Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| June 3, 2015 | CA | SB 32 | Establishes Certain Greenhouse Gas Emission Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| Aug. 29, 2014 | CA | SB 270 | Prohibits Retailers from Using Single-Use Carryout Bags | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| Aug. 29, 2014 | CA | SB 1319 | Authorizes Groundwater Sustainability Plan for Certain Water Basins | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |