Key Votes

Chamber

Keyword Search

Search string must be longer than 3 characters.

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.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
July 7, 2022 MA S 2973 Expands Access to Childcare Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 0)
July 1, 2010 MA H 4619 Gambling Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15)
Oct. 13, 2011 MA H 3711 Authorizes Gambling Casinos Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
June 28, 2018 MA S 2562 Authorizes Non-Binary Gender on Driver's Licenses Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 1)
July 19, 2018 MA S 2610 Establishes State-Level Net Neutrality Policy Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 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)
Oct. 26, 2017 MA S 2200 Amends Various Criminal Justice Laws Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10)
July 12, 2018 MA S 2595 Establishes Commission to Study Lead in Drinking Water at Schools Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 0)
June 9, 2016 MA S 2311 Amends Residential Zoning Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
April 28, 2016 MA S 2269 Increases Smoking Age to 21 Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 2)
July 14, 2020 MA S 2800 Amends Police Standards and Restructures Policing Resources Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7)
July 28, 2020 MA S 2848 Establishes a Commission to Revise the State Seal and Motto Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 0)
July 28, 2020 MA S 2844 Repeals Previous Restrictions on Students with Disabilities Attending Universities of Higher Education Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 0)
May 12, 2016 MA S 735 Prohibits Discrimination Based on Gender Identity Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 4)
April 7, 2016 MA S 2220 Increases Spending Cap on Charter School Tuition Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
June 25, 2024 MA S 2829 Expands the Use of Renewable Energy Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 2)
Sept. 17, 2015 MA S 1981 Requires Foreclosure Title Clearing Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 7)
Oct. 27, 2021 MA S 2560 Establishes Senatorial Districts Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 3)
May 1, 2014 MA S 2123 Increases the Minimum Wage Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 5)
Nov. 19, 2013 MA S 1925 Increases the Minimum Wage Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 7)
June 30, 2022 MA S 2988 Limits Use of Asset Forfeiture Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9)
June 30, 2022 MA S 2987 Prohibits Juvenile Diversion Under Certain Circumstances Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 8)
July 15, 2010 MA H 4156 National Popular Vote Act Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10)
Jan. 18, 2024 MA S 2551 Repeals Certain Language in Several State Laws Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 0)
Date No. Title Outcome
7/07 S 2973 Expands Access to Childcare Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 0)
7/01 H 4619 Gambling Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15)
10/13 H 3711 Authorizes Gambling Casinos Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
6/28 S 2562 Authorizes Non-Binary Gender on Driver's Licenses Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 1)
7/19 S 2610 Establishes State-Level Net Neutrality Policy Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 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)
10/26 S 2200 Amends Various Criminal Justice Laws Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10)
7/12 S 2595 Establishes Commission to Study Lead in Drinking Water at Schools Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 0)
6/09 S 2311 Amends Residential Zoning Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
4/28 S 2269 Increases Smoking Age to 21 Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 2)
7/14 S 2800 Amends Police Standards and Restructures Policing Resources Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7)
7/28 S 2848 Establishes a Commission to Revise the State Seal and Motto Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 0)
7/28 S 2844 Repeals Previous Restrictions on Students with Disabilities Attending Universities of Higher Education Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 0)
5/12 S 735 Prohibits Discrimination Based on Gender Identity Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 4)
4/07 S 2220 Increases Spending Cap on Charter School Tuition Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
6/25 S 2829 Expands the Use of Renewable Energy Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 2)
9/17 S 1981 Requires Foreclosure Title Clearing Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 7)
10/27 S 2560 Establishes Senatorial Districts Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 3)
5/01 S 2123 Increases the Minimum Wage Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 5)
11/19 S 1925 Increases the Minimum Wage Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 7)
6/30 S 2988 Limits Use of Asset Forfeiture Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9)
6/30 S 2987 Prohibits Juvenile Diversion Under Certain Circumstances Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 8)
7/15 H 4156 National Popular Vote Act Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10)
1/18 S 2551 Repeals Certain Language in Several State Laws Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 0)

arrow_upward