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) |
June 22, 2017 | MA | H 3776 | Authorizes Medical Marijuana | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
June 28, 2018 | MA | H 4479 | Increases Minimum Purchase Age for Tobacco Products | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 3) |
Jan. 16, 2020 | MA | H 4218 | Requires School Districts Offer Breakfast After Instruction Begins | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 0) |
March 11, 2021 | MA | H 73 | Establishes That Early Voting by Mail-In Ballot Can Continue Through the End of June | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 0) |
April 25, 2024 | MA | H 4582 | Appropriates Funding for Homeless Shelter Costs and Amends Stay Limits | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9) |
March 9, 2023 | MA | H 58 | Authorizes Appropriations for the 2023 Fiscal Year | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 0) |
June 20, 2018 | MA | H 4640 | Amends Minimum Wage and Paid-Leave Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 0) |
July 30, 2018 | MA | H 4841 | Authorizes New Tax Regulations and Insurance Requirements for Short-Term Rentals | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 8) |
July 18, 2018 | MA | H 4546 | Authorizes Creation of Community Benefit Districts | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
Nov. 17, 2021 | MA | H 4256 | Amends Congressional Districts | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13) |
Feb. 1, 2024 | MA | H 4139 | Amends and Updates Various State Gun Control Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 3) |
April 13, 2023 | MA | H 43 | Establishment of the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 0) |
July 16, 2014 | MA | H 4108 | Amends Charter School Laws | Bill Failed - Senate (9 - 30) |
July 20, 2017 | MA | H 3818 | Amends Voter-Passed Marijuana Law | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 6) |
July 31, 2018 | MA | H 4857 | Increases State Clean Energy Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 0) |
April 25, 2024 | MA | H 4529 | Appropriates Funding for Municipal Roads and Bridges | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 0) |
March 28, 2019 | MA | H 3638 | Appropriates Funding to Family Planning and Women Reproductive Health Clinics | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
July 11, 2024 | MA | H 4804 | Authorizes Grant Programs to Strengthen Economic Leadership Within Various Sectors of Work | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 0) |
Nov. 18, 2020 | MA | H 5151 | Appropriates Funds for the 2021 General Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 0) |
Feb. 27, 2020 | MA | H 4502 | Appropriates Funds for the Executive Office of Education to Contain, Treat, and Prevent COVID-19 | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 0) |
July 1, 2014 | MA | Amdt 17 | Limits Use of Non-Competition Agreements | Amendment Adopted - Senate (32 - 7) |
Nov. 19, 2013 | MA | Amdt 1 | Increases the Minimum Wage for Tipped Employees | Amendment Adopted - Senate (31 - 7) |
Jan. 4, 2021 | MA | S 2995 | Amends State Climate Goals | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (38 - 2) |
Aug. 1, 2022 | MA | S 3097 | Reduces Barriers to Mental Health Care | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (39 - 0) |
July 1, 2010 | MA | H 4619 | Gambling Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15) |