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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
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) |
July 19, 2012 | MA | H 3818 | Requires Habitual Violent Offenders to Serve Their Full Sentence | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 7) |
July 30, 2018 | MA | H 4835 | Authorizes Funds for Climate Change Adaptation and Environmental Protection | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (36 - 0) |
June 7, 2018 | MA | H 4501 | Authorizes Capital for State Life Sciences Capital Fund | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
Aug. 1, 2022 | MA | H 5163 | Authorizes Technology Improvements to State Judiciary | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 1) |
July 27, 2010 | MA | H 4156 | National Popular Vote Act | Motion Agreed - Senate (28 - 9) |
Dec. 1, 2020 | MA | S 2963 | Amends Various Police Accountability and Reform Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 11) |
June 27, 2012 | MA | H 4174 | Authorizes Funds for State Transportation Projects | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
June 16, 2022 | MA | H 4638 | Appropriates Funds for Transportation Infrastructure Improvements | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 0) |
July 26, 2022 | MA | H 5090 | Expands Protections for Reproductive and Gender-Affirming Care | (39 - 1) |
July 21, 2022 | MA | H 5060 | Establishes Various New Programs and Laws to Promote Growth in the Clean Energy Industry | (38 - 2) |
Aug. 1, 2022 | MA | H 5164 | Authorizes Sports Wagering in the Commonwealth | (36 - 4) |
July 28, 2022 | MA | H 5106 | Establishes New Rules for the Governance and Improvement of Veterans' Homes in the Commonwealth | (40 - 0) |
May 26, 2022 | MA | H 4805 | Authorizes State Drivers Licenses for Certain Undocumented Persons | (32 - 8) |
May 5, 2022 | MA | H 4470 | Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Certain Undocumented Persons | (32 - 8) |
March 31, 2022 | MA | H 4554 | Prohibits Discrimination on the Basis of Hair or Hairstyle | (40 - 0) |
April 14, 2022 | MA | H 4524 | Expands Commonwealth Involvement in Offshore Wind, Clean Energy Industries | (37 - 3) |
June 13, 2024 | MA | H 4744 | Classifies Coercive Control as a Form of Domestic Violence | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (38 - 0) |
Sept. 28, 2023 | MA | H 4104 | Exempts Decedents Estates from State Estate Tax if Under $2 Million | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (38 - 1) |
Jan. 14, 2010 | MA | S 2247 | Education Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 12) |
July 30, 2018 | MA | H 4834 | Establishes Automatic Voter Registration | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (36 - 0) |
July 7, 2017 | MA | H 3800 | Establishes State Budget for Fiscal Year 2018 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (36 - 2) |
July 2, 2020 | MA | H 4820 | Expands Voting Options in Response to COVID-19 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (39 - 0) |
July 21, 2022 | MA | H 5034 | Appropriates $3.8 Billion for Economic Development | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 0) |
June 12, 2014 | MA | H 4111 | Appropriates Funds for the Expansion of the Boston Convention Center | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
May 25, 2017 | MA | H 3601 | Appropriates Funds for the 2018 Fiscal Year | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 0) |
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) |
7/19 | H 3818 | Requires Habitual Violent Offenders to Serve Their Full Sentence | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 7) |
7/30 | H 4835 | Authorizes Funds for Climate Change Adaptation and Environmental Protection | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (36 - 0) |
6/07 | H 4501 | Authorizes Capital for State Life Sciences Capital Fund | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
8/01 | H 5163 | Authorizes Technology Improvements to State Judiciary | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 1) |
7/27 | H 4156 | National Popular Vote Act | Motion Agreed - Senate (28 - 9) |
12/01 | S 2963 | Amends Various Police Accountability and Reform Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 11) |
6/27 | H 4174 | Authorizes Funds for State Transportation Projects | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
6/16 | H 4638 | Appropriates Funds for Transportation Infrastructure Improvements | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 0) |
7/26 | H 5090 | Expands Protections for Reproductive and Gender-Affirming Care | (39 - 1) |
7/21 | H 5060 | Establishes Various New Programs and Laws to Promote Growth in the Clean Energy Industry | (38 - 2) |
8/01 | H 5164 | Authorizes Sports Wagering in the Commonwealth | (36 - 4) |
7/28 | H 5106 | Establishes New Rules for the Governance and Improvement of Veterans' Homes in the Commonwealth | (40 - 0) |
5/26 | H 4805 | Authorizes State Drivers Licenses for Certain Undocumented Persons | (32 - 8) |
5/05 | H 4470 | Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Certain Undocumented Persons | (32 - 8) |
3/31 | H 4554 | Prohibits Discrimination on the Basis of Hair or Hairstyle | (40 - 0) |
4/14 | H 4524 | Expands Commonwealth Involvement in Offshore Wind, Clean Energy Industries | (37 - 3) |
6/13 | H 4744 | Classifies Coercive Control as a Form of Domestic Violence | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (38 - 0) |
9/28 | H 4104 | Exempts Decedents Estates from State Estate Tax if Under $2 Million | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (38 - 1) |
1/14 | S 2247 | Education Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 12) |
7/30 | H 4834 | Establishes Automatic Voter Registration | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (36 - 0) |
7/07 | H 3800 | Establishes State Budget for Fiscal Year 2018 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (36 - 2) |
7/02 | H 4820 | Expands Voting Options in Response to COVID-19 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (39 - 0) |
7/21 | H 5034 | Appropriates $3.8 Billion for Economic Development | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 0) |
6/12 | H 4111 | Appropriates Funds for the Expansion of the Boston Convention Center | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
5/25 | H 3601 | Appropriates Funds for the 2018 Fiscal Year | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 0) |