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.


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Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
July 13, 2006 MA H 126 Unsigned Political Posters Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 6)
May 24, 2006 MA H 4479 MassHealth Immigrant Eligibility Veto Override Veto Override Passed - Senate (34 - 5)
May 4, 2006 MA H 4479 Health Care Access & Affordability Bill Section 113 Veto Override Passed - Senate (31 - 9)
May 4, 2006 MA H 4479 Health Care Access & Affordability Bill Section 113 Veto Override Passed - Senate (37 - 2)
July 13, 2006 MA H 4176 Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes Veto Override Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
June 22, 2006 MA S 2258 Massage Therapist Licensing Veto Override Passed - Senate (29 - 8)
May 24, 2006 MA Amdt 8 to SB 3 Sales Tax Holiday Amendment Adopted - Senate (23 - 16)
June 18, 2009 MA S 2087 Massachusetts Transportation Agency Consolidation Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 11)
June 12, 2008 MA H 4554 Life-Science Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 7)
May 6, 2008 MA H 4645 Cigarette Tax Increase Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6)
June 14, 2007 MA S 2220 Constitutional Amendment Defining Marriage Bill Failed - Senate (5 - 34)
May 18, 2006 MA H 229 Primary Seat Belt Bill Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15)
June 7, 2006 MA H 4176 Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8)
July 31, 2007 MA HB 2876 Sales Tax Holiday Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 4)
March 20, 2008 MA H 4554 Life-Science Bill Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4)
Feb. 7, 2008 MA H 4488 Education Reorganization Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5)
Nov. 15, 2007 MA S 2414 Presidential Primary Date Change Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5)
July 29, 2008 MA S 2807 Election Day Voter Registration Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5)
June 9, 2022 MA H 4805 Authorizes State Drivers Licenses for Certain Undocumented Persons Veto Override Passed - Senate (32 - 8)
July 29, 2021 MA H 4002 Appropriates Funds for FY 2022 Veto Override Passed - Senate (34 - 6)
Dec. 29, 2020 MA H 5179 Expands State Abortion Access Veto Override Passed - Senate (32 - 8)
July 16, 2014 MA H 4184 Requires Parole Eligibility for Certain Juveniles Sentenced to Life Imprisonment Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 4)
July 31, 2014 MA H 4278 Amends Firearm Laws Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 3)
July 31, 2010 MA H 5000 Gambling Law Amendments Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 15)
June 12, 2014 MA S 2123 Increases the Minimum Wage Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 4)
Date No. Title Outcome
7/13 H 126 Unsigned Political Posters Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 6)
5/24 H 4479 MassHealth Immigrant Eligibility Veto Override Veto Override Passed - Senate (34 - 5)
5/04 H 4479 Health Care Access & Affordability Bill Section 113 Veto Override Passed - Senate (31 - 9)
5/04 H 4479 Health Care Access & Affordability Bill Section 113 Veto Override Passed - Senate (37 - 2)
7/13 H 4176 Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes Veto Override Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
6/22 S 2258 Massage Therapist Licensing Veto Override Passed - Senate (29 - 8)
5/24 Amdt 8 to SB 3 Sales Tax Holiday Amendment Adopted - Senate (23 - 16)
6/18 S 2087 Massachusetts Transportation Agency Consolidation Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 11)
6/12 H 4554 Life-Science Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 7)
5/06 H 4645 Cigarette Tax Increase Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6)
6/14 S 2220 Constitutional Amendment Defining Marriage Bill Failed - Senate (5 - 34)
5/18 H 229 Primary Seat Belt Bill Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15)
6/07 H 4176 Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8)
7/31 HB 2876 Sales Tax Holiday Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 4)
3/20 H 4554 Life-Science Bill Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4)
2/07 H 4488 Education Reorganization Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5)
11/15 S 2414 Presidential Primary Date Change Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5)
7/29 S 2807 Election Day Voter Registration Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5)
6/09 H 4805 Authorizes State Drivers Licenses for Certain Undocumented Persons Veto Override Passed - Senate (32 - 8)
7/29 H 4002 Appropriates Funds for FY 2022 Veto Override Passed - Senate (34 - 6)
12/29 H 5179 Expands State Abortion Access Veto Override Passed - Senate (32 - 8)
7/16 H 4184 Requires Parole Eligibility for Certain Juveniles Sentenced to Life Imprisonment Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 4)
7/31 H 4278 Amends Firearm Laws Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 3)
7/31 H 5000 Gambling Law Amendments Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 15)
6/12 S 2123 Increases the Minimum Wage Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 4)

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