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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
May 18, 2006 | MA | H 229 | Primary Seat Belt Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15) |
May 4, 2006 | MA | H 4479 | Health Care Access & Affordability Bill Section 113 | Veto Override Passed - Senate (37 - 2) |
May 4, 2006 | MA | H 4479 | Health Care Access & Affordability Bill Section 113 | Veto Override Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
May 24, 2006 | MA | H 4479 | MassHealth Immigrant Eligibility Veto Override | Veto Override Passed - Senate (34 - 5) |
May 24, 2006 | MA | Amdt 8 to SB 3 | Sales Tax Holiday | Amendment Adopted - Senate (23 - 16) |
June 22, 2006 | MA | S 2258 | Massage Therapist Licensing | Veto Override Passed - Senate (29 - 8) |
July 13, 2006 | MA | H 126 | Unsigned Political Posters | Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 6) |
July 13, 2006 | MA | H 4176 | Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes | Veto Override Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
June 7, 2006 | MA | H 4176 | Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
June 14, 2007 | MA | S 2220 | Constitutional Amendment Defining Marriage | Bill Failed - Senate (5 - 34) |
July 31, 2007 | MA | HB 2876 | Sales Tax Holiday | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 4) |
Nov. 15, 2007 | MA | S 2414 | Presidential Primary Date Change | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
Feb. 7, 2008 | MA | H 4488 | Education Reorganization | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
May 6, 2008 | MA | H 4645 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
June 12, 2008 | MA | H 4554 | Life-Science Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 7) |
March 20, 2008 | MA | H 4554 | Life-Science Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4) |
July 29, 2008 | MA | S 2807 | Election Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
June 18, 2009 | MA | S 2087 | Massachusetts Transportation Agency Consolidation | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 11) |
Sept. 22, 2009 | MA | H 4246 | Authorizing Governor to Appoint Interim U.S. Senator | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
Nov. 17, 2009 | MA | S 2205 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 11) |
Jan. 14, 2010 | MA | S 2247 | Education Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 12) |
Nov. 18, 2009 | MA | S 2210 | Sentencing Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
July 15, 2010 | MA | H 4156 | National Popular Vote Act | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
July 1, 2010 | MA | H 4619 | Gambling Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15) |
July 31, 2010 | MA | H 5000 | Gambling Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 15) |
July 27, 2010 | MA | H 4156 | National Popular Vote Act | Motion Agreed - Senate (28 - 9) |
Feb. 10, 2011 | MA | S 9 | Establishing a Redistricting Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4) |
Oct. 13, 2011 | MA | H 3711 | Authorizes Gambling Casinos | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
Sept. 15, 2011 | MA | S 2018 | Massachusetts Pension System | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
June 27, 2012 | MA | H 4174 | Authorizes Funds for State Transportation Projects | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
May 15, 2012 | MA | S Amdt 125 | Requires Establishing a Single Payer Health Care System Benchmark | Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 22) |
July 19, 2012 | MA | H 3818 | Requires Habitual Violent Offenders to Serve Their Full Sentence | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 7) |
Nov. 19, 2013 | MA | S 1925 | Increases the Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 7) |
Nov. 19, 2013 | MA | Amdt 1 | Increases the Minimum Wage for Tipped Employees | Amendment Adopted - Senate (31 - 7) |
July 16, 2014 | MA | H 4108 | Amends Charter School Laws | Bill Failed - Senate (9 - 30) |
June 12, 2014 | MA | H 4111 | Appropriates Funds for the Expansion of the Boston Convention Center | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
May 1, 2014 | MA | S 2123 | Increases the Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 5) |
June 12, 2014 | MA | S 2123 | Increases the Minimum Wage | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 4) |
July 31, 2014 | MA | H 4278 | Amends Firearm Laws | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 3) |
July 16, 2014 | MA | H 4184 | Requires Parole Eligibility for Certain Juveniles Sentenced to Life Imprisonment | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 4) |
July 1, 2014 | MA | Amdt 17 | Limits Use of Non-Competition Agreements | Amendment Adopted - Senate (32 - 7) |
Sept. 17, 2015 | MA | S 1981 | Requires Foreclosure Title Clearing | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 7) |
April 7, 2016 | MA | S 2220 | Increases Spending Cap on Charter School Tuition | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
May 12, 2016 | MA | S 735 | Prohibits Discrimination Based on Gender Identity | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 4) |
April 28, 2016 | MA | S 2269 | Increases Smoking Age to 21 | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 2) |
June 9, 2016 | MA | S 2311 | Amends Residential Zoning Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
May 25, 2017 | MA | H 3601 | Appropriates Funds for the 2018 Fiscal Year | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 0) |
June 22, 2017 | MA | H 3776 | Authorizes Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
July 7, 2017 | MA | H 3800 | Establishes State Budget for Fiscal Year 2018 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (36 - 2) |
July 20, 2017 | MA | H 3818 | Amends Voter-Passed Marijuana Law | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 6) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
5/18 | H 229 | Primary Seat Belt Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15) |
5/04 | H 4479 | Health Care Access & Affordability Bill Section 113 | Veto Override Passed - Senate (37 - 2) |
5/04 | H 4479 | Health Care Access & Affordability Bill Section 113 | Veto Override Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
5/24 | H 4479 | MassHealth Immigrant Eligibility Veto Override | Veto Override Passed - Senate (34 - 5) |
5/24 | Amdt 8 to SB 3 | Sales Tax Holiday | Amendment Adopted - Senate (23 - 16) |
6/22 | S 2258 | Massage Therapist Licensing | Veto Override Passed - Senate (29 - 8) |
7/13 | H 126 | Unsigned Political Posters | Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 6) |
7/13 | H 4176 | Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes | Veto Override Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
6/07 | H 4176 | Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
6/14 | S 2220 | Constitutional Amendment Defining Marriage | Bill Failed - Senate (5 - 34) |
7/31 | HB 2876 | Sales Tax Holiday | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 4) |
11/15 | S 2414 | Presidential Primary Date Change | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
2/07 | H 4488 | Education Reorganization | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
5/06 | H 4645 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
6/12 | H 4554 | Life-Science Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 7) |
3/20 | H 4554 | Life-Science Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4) |
7/29 | S 2807 | Election Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
6/18 | S 2087 | Massachusetts Transportation Agency Consolidation | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 11) |
9/22 | H 4246 | Authorizing Governor to Appoint Interim U.S. Senator | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
11/17 | S 2205 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 11) |
1/14 | S 2247 | Education Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 12) |
11/18 | S 2210 | Sentencing Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
7/15 | H 4156 | National Popular Vote Act | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
7/01 | H 4619 | Gambling Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15) |
7/31 | H 5000 | Gambling Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 15) |
7/27 | H 4156 | National Popular Vote Act | Motion Agreed - Senate (28 - 9) |
2/10 | S 9 | Establishing a Redistricting Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4) |
10/13 | H 3711 | Authorizes Gambling Casinos | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
9/15 | S 2018 | Massachusetts Pension System | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
6/27 | H 4174 | Authorizes Funds for State Transportation Projects | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
5/15 | S Amdt 125 | Requires Establishing a Single Payer Health Care System Benchmark | Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 22) |
7/19 | H 3818 | Requires Habitual Violent Offenders to Serve Their Full Sentence | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 7) |
11/19 | S 1925 | Increases the Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 7) |
11/19 | Amdt 1 | Increases the Minimum Wage for Tipped Employees | Amendment Adopted - Senate (31 - 7) |
7/16 | H 4108 | Amends Charter School Laws | Bill Failed - Senate (9 - 30) |
6/12 | H 4111 | Appropriates Funds for the Expansion of the Boston Convention Center | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
5/01 | S 2123 | Increases the Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 5) |
6/12 | S 2123 | Increases the Minimum Wage | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 4) |
7/31 | H 4278 | Amends Firearm Laws | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 3) |
7/16 | H 4184 | Requires Parole Eligibility for Certain Juveniles Sentenced to Life Imprisonment | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 4) |
7/01 | Amdt 17 | Limits Use of Non-Competition Agreements | Amendment Adopted - Senate (32 - 7) |
9/17 | S 1981 | Requires Foreclosure Title Clearing | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 7) |
4/07 | S 2220 | Increases Spending Cap on Charter School Tuition | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
5/12 | S 735 | Prohibits Discrimination Based on Gender Identity | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 4) |
4/28 | S 2269 | Increases Smoking Age to 21 | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 2) |
6/09 | S 2311 | Amends Residential Zoning Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
5/25 | H 3601 | Appropriates Funds for the 2018 Fiscal Year | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 0) |
6/22 | H 3776 | Authorizes Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
7/07 | H 3800 | Establishes State Budget for Fiscal Year 2018 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (36 - 2) |
7/20 | H 3818 | Amends Voter-Passed Marijuana Law | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 6) |