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.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
July 30, 2024 MA H 4750 Amends and Redefines Parentage Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 0)
June 13, 2024 MA H 4744 Classifies Coercive Control as a Form of Domestic Violence Conference Report Adopted - Senate (38 - 0)
April 25, 2024 MA H 4582 Appropriates Funding for Homeless Shelter Costs and Amends Stay Limits Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9)
April 25, 2024 MA H 4582 Appropriates Funding for Homeless Shelter Costs and Amends Stay Limits Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9)
Aug. 1, 2022 MA H 5163 Authorizes Technology Improvements to State Judiciary Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 1)
July 28, 2022 MA H 5106 Establishes New Rules for the Governance and Improvement of Veterans' Homes in the Commonwealth (40 - 0)
July 26, 2022 MA H 5090 Expands Protections for Reproductive and Gender-Affirming Care (39 - 1)
June 30, 2022 MA S 2988 Limits Use of Asset Forfeiture Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9)
June 9, 2022 MA H 4805 Authorizes State Drivers Licenses for Certain Undocumented Persons Veto Override Passed - Senate (32 - 8)
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 28, 2019 MA H 3638 Appropriates Funding to Family Planning and Women Reproductive Health Clinics Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5)
July 30, 2018 MA H 4841 Authorizes New Tax Regulations and Insurance Requirements for Short-Term Rentals Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 8)
June 28, 2018 MA S 2562 Authorizes Non-Binary Gender on Driver's Licenses Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 1)
May 12, 2016 MA S 735 Prohibits Discrimination Based on Gender Identity Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 4)
June 12, 2014 MA S 2123 Increases the Minimum Wage Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 4)
May 1, 2014 MA S 2123 Increases the Minimum Wage Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 5)
Nov. 19, 2013 MA Amdt 1 Increases the Minimum Wage for Tipped Employees Amendment Adopted - Senate (31 - 7)
Nov. 19, 2013 MA S 1925 Increases the Minimum Wage Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 7)
Sept. 15, 2011 MA S 2018 Massachusetts Pension System Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10)
Feb. 10, 2011 MA S 9 Establishing a Redistricting Commission Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4)
Nov. 18, 2009 MA S 2210 Sentencing Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
Sept. 22, 2009 MA H 4246 Authorizing Governor to Appoint Interim U.S. Senator Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
June 18, 2009 MA S 2087 Massachusetts Transportation Agency Consolidation Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 11)
Feb. 7, 2008 MA H 4488 Education Reorganization Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5)
June 14, 2007 MA S 2220 Constitutional Amendment Defining Marriage Bill Failed - Senate (5 - 34)
June 14, 2007 MA S 2220 Constitutional Amendment Defining Marriage Bill Failed - Senate (5 - 34)
May 24, 2006 MA H 4479 MassHealth Immigrant Eligibility Veto Override Veto Override Passed - Senate (34 - 5)
Date No. Title Outcome
7/30 H 4750 Amends and Redefines Parentage Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 0)
6/13 H 4744 Classifies Coercive Control as a Form of Domestic Violence Conference Report Adopted - Senate (38 - 0)
4/25 H 4582 Appropriates Funding for Homeless Shelter Costs and Amends Stay Limits Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9)
4/25 H 4582 Appropriates Funding for Homeless Shelter Costs and Amends Stay Limits Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9)
8/01 H 5163 Authorizes Technology Improvements to State Judiciary Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 1)
7/28 H 5106 Establishes New Rules for the Governance and Improvement of Veterans' Homes in the Commonwealth (40 - 0)
7/26 H 5090 Expands Protections for Reproductive and Gender-Affirming Care (39 - 1)
6/30 S 2988 Limits Use of Asset Forfeiture Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9)
6/09 H 4805 Authorizes State Drivers Licenses for Certain Undocumented Persons Veto Override Passed - Senate (32 - 8)
5/26 H 4805 Authorizes State Drivers Licenses for Certain Undocumented Persons (32 - 8)
5/05 H 4470 Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Certain Undocumented Persons (32 - 8)
3/28 H 3638 Appropriates Funding to Family Planning and Women Reproductive Health Clinics Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5)
7/30 H 4841 Authorizes New Tax Regulations and Insurance Requirements for Short-Term Rentals Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 8)
6/28 S 2562 Authorizes Non-Binary Gender on Driver's Licenses Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 1)
5/12 S 735 Prohibits Discrimination Based on Gender Identity Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 4)
6/12 S 2123 Increases the Minimum Wage Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 4)
5/01 S 2123 Increases the Minimum Wage Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 5)
11/19 Amdt 1 Increases the Minimum Wage for Tipped Employees Amendment Adopted - Senate (31 - 7)
11/19 S 1925 Increases the Minimum Wage Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 7)
9/15 S 2018 Massachusetts Pension System Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10)
2/10 S 9 Establishing a Redistricting Commission Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4)
11/18 S 2210 Sentencing Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
9/22 H 4246 Authorizing Governor to Appoint Interim U.S. Senator Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
6/18 S 2087 Massachusetts Transportation Agency Consolidation Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 11)
2/07 H 4488 Education Reorganization Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5)
6/14 S 2220 Constitutional Amendment Defining Marriage Bill Failed - Senate (5 - 34)
6/14 S 2220 Constitutional Amendment Defining Marriage Bill Failed - Senate (5 - 34)
5/24 H 4479 MassHealth Immigrant Eligibility Veto Override Veto Override Passed - Senate (34 - 5)

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