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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Oct. 18, 2012 | NJ | A 2641 | Stormwater Management | Bill Passed - House (48 - 31) |
June 21, 2012 | NJ | A 575 | Prohibits Treatment or Storage of Hydraulic Fracturing Waste in New Jersey | Bill Passed - House (56 - 19) |
Aug. 30, 2012 | CA | AB 1478 | Appropriates Funds for State Parks for 2 Years | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (55 - 20) |
Aug. 30, 2012 | CA | AB 1478 | Appropriates Funds for State Parks for 2 Years | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
April 26, 2012 | CA | AB 2405 | Authorizes Low-Emission Vehicles to Use HOV Lanes | Bill Passed - House (49 - 25) |
May 24, 2012 | NJ | ACR 37 | Overturns Department of Environmental Protection Waiver Rules | Resolution Passed - House (47 - 31) |
May 4, 2012 | VT | H 464 | Prohibits Hydraulic Fracturing | Conference Report Adopted - House (103 - 36) |
March 9, 2012 | FL | HB 1263 | Health Inspection Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (86 - 29) |
March 9, 2012 | FL | HB 1263 | Health Inspection Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
June 6, 2012 | NH | HB 1490 | Authorizes New Hamshire to Leave the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative | Conference Report Adopted - House (211 - 74) |
June 6, 2012 | NH | HB 1490 | Authorizes New Hamshire to Leave the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 6) |
April 9, 2012 | AZ | HB 2199 | Authorizes Confidential Environmental Audits by Businesses | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (39 - 15) |
April 3, 2012 | AZ | HB 2199 | Authorizes Confidential Environmental Audits by Businesses | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9) |
March 8, 2012 | FL | HB 4001 | Repeals Provisions for Cap and Trade Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 5) |
March 1, 2012 | FL | HB 4001 | Repeals Provisions for Cap and Trade Regulations | Bill Passed - House (82 - 34) |
May 22, 2012 | OH | HB 473 | Limits Water Withdrawal from the Great Lakes | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12) |
April 25, 2012 | OH | HB 473 | Limits Water Withdrawal from the Great Lakes | Bill Passed - House (59 - 38) |
March 9, 2012 | FL | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 8) |
March 9, 2012 | FL | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (80 - 37) |
Feb. 23, 2012 | FL | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 6) |
Feb. 9, 2012 | FL | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - House (79 - 38) |
March 26, 2012 | IL | HB 5789 | Establishes State Park Fees | Bill Passed - House (81 - 29) |
June 12, 2012 | NC | HB 819 | Requirements for Calculating Sea Level Rise | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 12) |
May 2, 2012 | AZ | HCR 2004 | Establishes State Sovereignty Over Certain Natural Resources | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (38 - 20) |
April 30, 2012 | AZ | HCR 2004 | Establishes State Sovereignty Over Certain Natural Resources | Resolution Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
April 24, 2012 | TN | HJR 587 | Opposes the United Nations Agenda 21 | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
March 15, 2012 | TN | HJR 587 | Opposes the United Nations Agenda 21 | Joint Resolution Passed - House (72 - 23) |
Feb. 29, 2012 | National | HR 1837 | Water Resources in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley | Bill Passed - House (246 - 175) |
Sept. 21, 2012 | National | HR 3409 | Stop the War on Coal Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (233 - 175) |
July 12, 2012 | National | HR 4402 | National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (256 - 160) |
June 21, 2012 | National | HR 4480 | Domestic Energy and Jobs Act | Bill Passed - House (248 - 163) |
April 11, 2012 | NE | LB 1161 | Authorizes Land Study in Nebraska for Keystone XL Pipeline Route | Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 5) |
May 24, 2012 | NJ | S 1322 | Requires Participation In the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative | Bill Passed - House (45 - 33) |
March 15, 2012 | NJ | S 1322 | Requires Participation In the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
Oct. 25, 2012 | NJ | S 1816 | Authorizes Delaware Port Authority to Inspect Hazardous Materials | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 10) |
Oct. 18, 2012 | NJ | S 1816 | Authorizes Delaware Port Authority to Inspect Hazardous Materials | Bill Passed - House (53 - 23) |
March 8, 2012 | National | S Amdt 1537 | Approving the Keystone XL Pipeline Project | Amendment Rejected - Senate (56 - 42) |
May 24, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2108 | Prohibits FDA Approval of Genetically Engineered Fish | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 50) |
March 28, 2012 | AZ | SB 1118 | Appropriates Funds for Forest Restoration | Bill Failed - House (18 - 40) |
July 18, 2012 | MI | SB 1130 | Amends Permit Requirements for Sand Dune Use | Bill Passed - House (63 - 40) |
July 18, 2012 | MI | SB 1130 | Amends Permit Requirements for Sand Dune Use | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
March 1, 2012 | AZ | SB 1507 | Prohibits Implementation of the United Nations Rio Declaration | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
Feb. 7, 2012 | OR | SB 1510 | Establishes Marine Reserves | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5) |
May 31, 2012 | IL | SB 1566 | Increases License Plate Fees | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (33 - 21) |
May 31, 2012 | IL | SB 1566 | Increases License Plate Fees | Bill Passed - House (61 - 56) |
May 31, 2012 | IL | SB 3442 | Requires Recycling of Plastic Bags | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 15) |
May 30, 2012 | IL | SB 3442 | Requires Recycling of Plastic Bags | Bill Passed - House (72 - 44) |
March 27, 2012 | GA | SB 362 | Authorizes the Recovery and Sale of Deadhead Logs | Bill Failed - House (67 - 93) |
Feb. 17, 2012 | GA | SB 362 | Authorizes the Recovery and Sale of Deadhead Logs | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12) |
Feb. 15, 2012 | WI | SB 368 | Amends Wetland Development Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
10/18 | A 2641 | Stormwater Management | Bill Passed - House (48 - 31) |
6/21 | A 575 | Prohibits Treatment or Storage of Hydraulic Fracturing Waste in New Jersey | Bill Passed - House (56 - 19) |
8/30 | AB 1478 | Appropriates Funds for State Parks for 2 Years | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (55 - 20) |
8/30 | AB 1478 | Appropriates Funds for State Parks for 2 Years | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
4/26 | AB 2405 | Authorizes Low-Emission Vehicles to Use HOV Lanes | Bill Passed - House (49 - 25) |
5/24 | ACR 37 | Overturns Department of Environmental Protection Waiver Rules | Resolution Passed - House (47 - 31) |
5/04 | H 464 | Prohibits Hydraulic Fracturing | Conference Report Adopted - House (103 - 36) |
3/09 | HB 1263 | Health Inspection Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (86 - 29) |
3/09 | HB 1263 | Health Inspection Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
6/06 | HB 1490 | Authorizes New Hamshire to Leave the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative | Conference Report Adopted - House (211 - 74) |
6/06 | HB 1490 | Authorizes New Hamshire to Leave the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 6) |
4/09 | HB 2199 | Authorizes Confidential Environmental Audits by Businesses | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (39 - 15) |
4/03 | HB 2199 | Authorizes Confidential Environmental Audits by Businesses | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9) |
3/08 | HB 4001 | Repeals Provisions for Cap and Trade Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 5) |
3/01 | HB 4001 | Repeals Provisions for Cap and Trade Regulations | Bill Passed - House (82 - 34) |
5/22 | HB 473 | Limits Water Withdrawal from the Great Lakes | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12) |
4/25 | HB 473 | Limits Water Withdrawal from the Great Lakes | Bill Passed - House (59 - 38) |
3/09 | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 8) |
3/09 | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (80 - 37) |
2/23 | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 6) |
2/09 | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - House (79 - 38) |
3/26 | HB 5789 | Establishes State Park Fees | Bill Passed - House (81 - 29) |
6/12 | HB 819 | Requirements for Calculating Sea Level Rise | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 12) |
5/02 | HCR 2004 | Establishes State Sovereignty Over Certain Natural Resources | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (38 - 20) |
4/30 | HCR 2004 | Establishes State Sovereignty Over Certain Natural Resources | Resolution Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
4/24 | HJR 587 | Opposes the United Nations Agenda 21 | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
3/15 | HJR 587 | Opposes the United Nations Agenda 21 | Joint Resolution Passed - House (72 - 23) |
2/29 | HR 1837 | Water Resources in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley | Bill Passed - House (246 - 175) |
9/21 | HR 3409 | Stop the War on Coal Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (233 - 175) |
7/12 | HR 4402 | National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (256 - 160) |
6/21 | HR 4480 | Domestic Energy and Jobs Act | Bill Passed - House (248 - 163) |
4/11 | LB 1161 | Authorizes Land Study in Nebraska for Keystone XL Pipeline Route | Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 5) |
5/24 | S 1322 | Requires Participation In the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative | Bill Passed - House (45 - 33) |
3/15 | S 1322 | Requires Participation In the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
10/25 | S 1816 | Authorizes Delaware Port Authority to Inspect Hazardous Materials | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 10) |
10/18 | S 1816 | Authorizes Delaware Port Authority to Inspect Hazardous Materials | Bill Passed - House (53 - 23) |
3/08 | S Amdt 1537 | Approving the Keystone XL Pipeline Project | Amendment Rejected - Senate (56 - 42) |
5/24 | S Amdt 2108 | Prohibits FDA Approval of Genetically Engineered Fish | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 50) |
3/28 | SB 1118 | Appropriates Funds for Forest Restoration | Bill Failed - House (18 - 40) |
7/18 | SB 1130 | Amends Permit Requirements for Sand Dune Use | Bill Passed - House (63 - 40) |
7/18 | SB 1130 | Amends Permit Requirements for Sand Dune Use | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
3/01 | SB 1507 | Prohibits Implementation of the United Nations Rio Declaration | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
2/07 | SB 1510 | Establishes Marine Reserves | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5) |
5/31 | SB 1566 | Increases License Plate Fees | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (33 - 21) |
5/31 | SB 1566 | Increases License Plate Fees | Bill Passed - House (61 - 56) |
5/31 | SB 3442 | Requires Recycling of Plastic Bags | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 15) |
5/30 | SB 3442 | Requires Recycling of Plastic Bags | Bill Passed - House (72 - 44) |
3/27 | SB 362 | Authorizes the Recovery and Sale of Deadhead Logs | Bill Failed - House (67 - 93) |
2/17 | SB 362 | Authorizes the Recovery and Sale of Deadhead Logs | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12) |
2/15 | SB 368 | Amends Wetland Development Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15) |