Key Votes

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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:

  1. The vote should be helpful in portraying how a member stands on a particular issue
  2. The vote should be clear for any person to understand
  3. The vote has received media attention
  4. The vote was passed or defeated by a very close margin
  5. Occasionally, if a specific bill is consistently inquired about on the Voter's Research Hotline, the vote will be added

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.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Nov. 18, 2020 PA HB 1808 Defines Waste Classification in the Recycling Industry to Encourage Investment Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19)
Nov. 17, 2020 PA SB 790 Repeals Certain Oil and Gas Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 19)
Nov. 16, 2020 NJ S 2484 Establishes the Office of Clean Energy Equity Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10)
Oct. 1, 2020 CT HB 7001 Amends The Connecticut Property Transfer Act of 1985 Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 0)
Oct. 1, 2020 CT HB 7008 Expands the Existing Environmental Justice Law Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 1)
Sept. 22, 2020 VT H 688 Establishes the Global Warming Solutions Act Veto Override Passed - Senate (22 - 8)
Sept. 9, 2020 PA HB 2025 Requires Legislative Authorization Before Entering a State or Regional Greenhouse Gas Cap-and-Trade Program Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17)
Aug. 27, 2020 NJ A 3367 Requires Installment of Electric Vehicle Charging Stations in Common Interest Communities Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 2)
Aug. 27, 2020 NJ S 2607 Requires Municipal Master Plans to Factor in Climate Change Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 11)
July 22, 2020 NY S 6502 Prohibits the Use of Glyphosate on State Property Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 15)
July 21, 2020 NY S 5612 Increases Protections of Certain Streams and Protected Waterways Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 17)
July 13, 2020 PA HB 732 Establishes Tax Credit for Companies that Invest and Create Jobs Building Petrochemical or Fertilizer Plants using Dry Natural Gas Produced in Pennsylvania Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 9)
June 29, 2020 NJ S 232 Requires the Evaluation of Environmental and Public Health Stressors Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
June 26, 2020 VT H 688 Establishes the Global Warming Solutions Act Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 5)
June 17, 2020 National HR 1957 Great American Outdoors Act Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 25)
June 11, 2020 CO HB 20-1265 Establishes an Emergency Notification Service for Air Quality Incidents Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
June 10, 2020 CO HB 20-1143 Increases Maximum Fines for Air and Water Quality Violations Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14)
May 27, 2020 OH HB 242 Prohibits Local Government from Enacting Fees on Plastic Bags in Stores Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9)
May 20, 2020 LA SB 440 Limits Environmental Lawsuits Against Oil and Gas Companies Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
May 19, 2020 VT S 337 Establishes New Programs to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 2)
April 22, 2020 VA SB 883 Establishes the Virginia Council on Environmental Justice Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
March 10, 2020 WY HB 200 Establishes Low-Carbon Energy Standards and Subsidizes Carbon Capture Projects Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 10)
March 9, 2020 WA SB 5323 Establishes Standards for the Use of Plastic Bags at Retail Establishments Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 15)
March 8, 2020 VA SB 710 Expands Renewable Energy Tax Credits Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 12)
March 7, 2020 WV HB 4615 Increases Penalties for Critical Infrastructure Protesting Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
March 5, 2020 NJ A 2371 Requires Recycling of Food Waste Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 17)
March 5, 2020 WA HB 2311 Requires State Greenhouse Gas Emissions be Reduced to Zero by 2050 Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21)
March 5, 2020 NJ S 864 Prohibits Single-Use Plastic Bags and Styrofoam Containers Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
Feb. 18, 2020 NM SB 2 Establishes an Electric Vehicle Tax Credit Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 18)
Feb. 3, 2020 IN SB 438 Establishes Regulations for Pesticides Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 9)
Jan. 29, 2020 FL SB 172 Prohibits Local Governments from Prohibiting Certain Drugs and Cosmetics Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 14)
Jan. 22, 2020 VA SB 318 Reduces Number of Balloons that Can be Released per Hour Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15)
Date No. Title Outcome
11/18 HB 1808 Defines Waste Classification in the Recycling Industry to Encourage Investment Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19)
11/17 SB 790 Repeals Certain Oil and Gas Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 19)
11/16 S 2484 Establishes the Office of Clean Energy Equity Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10)
10/01 HB 7001 Amends The Connecticut Property Transfer Act of 1985 Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 0)
10/01 HB 7008 Expands the Existing Environmental Justice Law Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 1)
9/22 H 688 Establishes the Global Warming Solutions Act Veto Override Passed - Senate (22 - 8)
9/09 HB 2025 Requires Legislative Authorization Before Entering a State or Regional Greenhouse Gas Cap-and-Trade Program Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17)
8/27 A 3367 Requires Installment of Electric Vehicle Charging Stations in Common Interest Communities Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 2)
8/27 S 2607 Requires Municipal Master Plans to Factor in Climate Change Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 11)
7/22 S 6502 Prohibits the Use of Glyphosate on State Property Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 15)
7/21 S 5612 Increases Protections of Certain Streams and Protected Waterways Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 17)
7/13 HB 732 Establishes Tax Credit for Companies that Invest and Create Jobs Building Petrochemical or Fertilizer Plants using Dry Natural Gas Produced in Pennsylvania Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 9)
6/29 S 232 Requires the Evaluation of Environmental and Public Health Stressors Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
6/26 H 688 Establishes the Global Warming Solutions Act Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 5)
6/17 HR 1957 Great American Outdoors Act Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 25)
6/11 HB 20-1265 Establishes an Emergency Notification Service for Air Quality Incidents Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
6/10 HB 20-1143 Increases Maximum Fines for Air and Water Quality Violations Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14)
5/27 HB 242 Prohibits Local Government from Enacting Fees on Plastic Bags in Stores Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9)
5/20 SB 440 Limits Environmental Lawsuits Against Oil and Gas Companies Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
5/19 S 337 Establishes New Programs to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 2)
4/22 SB 883 Establishes the Virginia Council on Environmental Justice Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
3/10 HB 200 Establishes Low-Carbon Energy Standards and Subsidizes Carbon Capture Projects Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 10)
3/09 SB 5323 Establishes Standards for the Use of Plastic Bags at Retail Establishments Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 15)
3/08 SB 710 Expands Renewable Energy Tax Credits Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 12)
3/07 HB 4615 Increases Penalties for Critical Infrastructure Protesting Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
3/05 A 2371 Requires Recycling of Food Waste Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 17)
3/05 HB 2311 Requires State Greenhouse Gas Emissions be Reduced to Zero by 2050 Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21)
3/05 S 864 Prohibits Single-Use Plastic Bags and Styrofoam Containers Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
2/18 SB 2 Establishes an Electric Vehicle Tax Credit Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 18)
2/03 SB 438 Establishes Regulations for Pesticides Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 9)
1/29 SB 172 Prohibits Local Governments from Prohibiting Certain Drugs and Cosmetics Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 14)
1/22 SB 318 Reduces Number of Balloons that Can be Released per Hour Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15)

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