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 1, 2014 | MA | S 2123 | Increases the Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 5) |
Oct. 26, 2017 | MA | S 2200 | Amends Various Criminal Justice Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10) |
Nov. 9, 2017 | MA | S 2202 | Amends Various Healthcare Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 6) |
Nov. 17, 2009 | MA | S 2205 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 11) |
Nov. 18, 2009 | MA | S 2210 | Sentencing Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
June 14, 2007 | MA | S 2220 | Constitutional Amendment Defining Marriage | Bill Failed - Senate (5 - 34) |
April 7, 2016 | MA | S 2220 | Increases Spending Cap on Charter School Tuition | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
Jan. 14, 2010 | MA | S 2247 | Education Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 12) |
June 22, 2006 | MA | S 2258 | Massage Therapist Licensing | Veto Override Passed - Senate (29 - 8) |
Jan. 25, 2018 | MA | S 2260 | Repeals State-Level Law Prohibiting Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 0) |
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) |
April 4, 2018 | MA | S 2371 | Amends Criminal Justice Law | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 0) |
Nov. 15, 2007 | MA | S 2414 | Presidential Primary Date Change | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
Jan. 18, 2024 | MA | S 2551 | Repeals Certain Language in Several State Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 0) |
Oct. 27, 2021 | MA | S 2560 | Establishes Senatorial Districts | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 3) |
June 28, 2018 | MA | S 2562 | Authorizes Non-Binary Gender on Driver's Licenses | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 1) |
July 12, 2018 | MA | S 2595 | Establishes Commission to Study Lead in Drinking Water at Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 0) |
July 19, 2018 | MA | S 2598 | Authorizes Diversion Program for First-Time Prostitution Offenses | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 0) |
July 19, 2018 | MA | S 2599 | Requires Licensure and Oversight of "Bodyworks" Establishments | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 0) |
July 19, 2018 | MA | S 2610 | Establishes State-Level Net Neutrality Policy | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 0) |
March 14, 2024 | MA | S 2697 | Expands Childcare Affordability Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 0) |
July 14, 2020 | MA | S 2800 | Amends Police Standards and Restructures Policing Resources | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7) |
July 29, 2008 | MA | S 2807 | Election Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
June 25, 2024 | MA | S 2829 | Expands the Use of Renewable Energy | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 2) |
June 20, 2024 | MA | S 2830 | Prohibits Single-Use Plastic Shopping Bags at Retail Shops Across the State | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 2) |
July 28, 2020 | MA | S 2844 | Repeals Previous Restrictions on Students with Disabilities Attending Universities of Higher Education | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 0) |
July 28, 2020 | MA | S 2848 | Establishes a Commission to Revise the State Seal and Motto | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 0) |
Dec. 1, 2020 | MA | S 2963 | Amends Various Police Accountability and Reform Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 11) |
July 7, 2022 | MA | S 2973 | Expands Access to Childcare | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 0) |
June 30, 2022 | MA | S 2987 | Prohibits Juvenile Diversion Under Certain Circumstances | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 8) |
June 30, 2022 | MA | S 2988 | Limits Use of Asset Forfeiture | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
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) |
May 12, 2016 | MA | S 735 | Prohibits Discrimination Based on Gender Identity | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 4) |
Feb. 10, 2011 | MA | S 9 | Establishing a Redistricting Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4) |
May 15, 2012 | MA | S Amdt 125 | Requires Establishing a Single Payer Health Care System Benchmark | Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 22) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
5/01 | S 2123 | Increases the Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 5) |
10/26 | S 2200 | Amends Various Criminal Justice Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10) |
11/09 | S 2202 | Amends Various Healthcare Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 6) |
11/17 | S 2205 | Education Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 11) |
11/18 | S 2210 | Sentencing Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
6/14 | S 2220 | Constitutional Amendment Defining Marriage | Bill Failed - Senate (5 - 34) |
4/07 | S 2220 | Increases Spending Cap on Charter School Tuition | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
1/14 | S 2247 | Education Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 12) |
6/22 | S 2258 | Massage Therapist Licensing | Veto Override Passed - Senate (29 - 8) |
1/25 | S 2260 | Repeals State-Level Law Prohibiting Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 0) |
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) |
4/04 | S 2371 | Amends Criminal Justice Law | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 0) |
11/15 | S 2414 | Presidential Primary Date Change | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
1/18 | S 2551 | Repeals Certain Language in Several State Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 0) |
10/27 | S 2560 | Establishes Senatorial Districts | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 3) |
6/28 | S 2562 | Authorizes Non-Binary Gender on Driver's Licenses | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 1) |
7/12 | S 2595 | Establishes Commission to Study Lead in Drinking Water at Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 0) |
7/19 | S 2598 | Authorizes Diversion Program for First-Time Prostitution Offenses | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 0) |
7/19 | S 2599 | Requires Licensure and Oversight of "Bodyworks" Establishments | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 0) |
7/19 | S 2610 | Establishes State-Level Net Neutrality Policy | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 0) |
3/14 | S 2697 | Expands Childcare Affordability Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 0) |
7/14 | S 2800 | Amends Police Standards and Restructures Policing Resources | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7) |
7/29 | S 2807 | Election Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
6/25 | S 2829 | Expands the Use of Renewable Energy | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 2) |
6/20 | S 2830 | Prohibits Single-Use Plastic Shopping Bags at Retail Shops Across the State | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 2) |
7/28 | S 2844 | Repeals Previous Restrictions on Students with Disabilities Attending Universities of Higher Education | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 0) |
7/28 | S 2848 | Establishes a Commission to Revise the State Seal and Motto | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 0) |
12/01 | S 2963 | Amends Various Police Accountability and Reform Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 11) |
7/07 | S 2973 | Expands Access to Childcare | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 0) |
6/30 | S 2987 | Prohibits Juvenile Diversion Under Certain Circumstances | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 8) |
6/30 | S 2988 | Limits Use of Asset Forfeiture | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
1/04 | S 2995 | Amends State Climate Goals | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (38 - 2) |
8/01 | S 3097 | Reduces Barriers to Mental Health Care | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (39 - 0) |
5/12 | S 735 | Prohibits Discrimination Based on Gender Identity | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 4) |
2/10 | S 9 | Establishing a Redistricting Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4) |
5/15 | S Amdt 125 | Requires Establishing a Single Payer Health Care System Benchmark | Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 22) |