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
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
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)

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