Massachusetts Criminal Justice 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
Jan. 10, 2024 MA H 4241 Prohibits Revenge Porn and Increases Penalties Bill Passed - House (151 - 0)
Oct. 18, 2023 MA H 4135 Amends and Updates Various State Gun Control Laws Bill Passed - House (120 - 38)
Oct. 18, 2023 MA H 4135 Amends and Updates Various State Gun Control Laws Bill Passed - House (120 - 38)
Oct. 18, 2023 MA H 4139 Amends and Updates Various State Gun Control Laws Bill Passed - House (120 - 38)
June 16, 2022 MA S 2924 Specifies Mail-In Voting Regulations Bill Passed - House (126 - 29)
June 15, 2021 MA S 2472 Extends Certain COVID-19 Measures Adopted During the State of Emergency Bill Passed - House (146 - 14)
June 15, 2021 MA S 2475 Amends Measures Adopted During the COVID-19 Pandemic Bill Passed - House (150 - 10)
Dec. 1, 2020 MA S 2963 Amends Various Police Accountability and Reform Laws Concurrence Vote Passed - House (91 - 67)
June 30, 2020 MA H 4818 Establishes a Special Commission to Reduce Racial Inequalities in Maternal Health Bill Passed - House (159 - 0)
June 28, 2018 MA H 4670 Authorizes Temporary Firearm Removal to Those Deemed a Threat Concurrence Vote Passed - House (132 - 15)
May 23, 2018 MA H 4517 Authorizes Extreme Risk Protection Orders Bill Passed - House (139 - 14)
May 23, 2018 MA H 4517 Authorizes Extreme Risk Protection Orders Bill Passed - House (139 - 14)
April 4, 2018 MA S 2371 Amends Criminal Justice Law Conference Report Adopted - House (148 - 5)
April 4, 2018 MA S 2372 Establishes the Garden of Peace Trust Fund Conference Report Adopted - House (152 - 0)
Oct. 11, 2017 MA Amdt 1 Prohibits Sale or Possession of "Bump Stocks" Bill Passed - House (152 - 3)
June 21, 2017 MA H 3768 Authorizes Reforms to Recreational Marijuana Laws Bill Passed - House (126 - 28)
May 24, 2017 MA H 3034 Limits the Use of Prison Labor Bill Passed - House (120 - 35)
July 31, 2014 MA H 4278 Amends Firearm Laws Conference Report Adopted - House (122 - 30)
July 31, 2014 MA H 4278 Amends Firearm Laws Conference Report Adopted - House (122 - 30)
July 31, 2014 MA H 4278 Amends Firearm Laws Conference Report Adopted - House (122 - 30)
July 23, 2014 MA S 2283 Authorizes Withdrawal Orders around Reproductive Health Care Facilities Bill Passed - House (116 - 35)
July 16, 2014 MA H 4184 Requires Parole Eligibility for Certain Juveniles Sentenced to Life Imprisonment Conference Report Adopted - House (131 - 18)
July 9, 2014 MA H 4278 Amends Firearm Laws Bill Passed - House (112 - 38)
July 9, 2014 MA H 4278 Amends Firearm Laws Bill Passed - House (112 - 38)
July 9, 2014 MA H 4278 Amends Firearm Laws Bill Passed - House (112 - 38)
June 18, 2014 MA H 4184 Authorizes Parole Eligibility for Certain Juveniles Sentenced to Life Imprisonment Bill Passed - House (129 - 16)
July 31, 2012 MA S 2400 Establishes Accountable Care Organizations Conference Report Adopted - House (133 - 20)
July 18, 2012 MA H 3818 Requires Habitual Violent Offenders to Serve Their Full Sentence Conference Report Adopted - House (139 - 14)
May 31, 2012 MA H Amdt 11 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Amendment Adopted - House (105 - 43)
April 25, 2012 MA H Amdt 804.1 Electronic Benefit Transfer Cards Amendment Adopted - House (123 - 33)
May 26, 2010 MA H 4703 Sentencing Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (139 - 17)
Feb. 4, 2010 MA H 4466 Expanding Driving Regulations Bill Passed - House (146 - 9)
Oct. 8, 2009 MA SB 2028 Pandemic and Disaster Preparedness Plan Bill Passed - House (114 - 36)
July 29, 2008 MA Peterson Amdt to H 5022 Reducing Firearm Licensing Fee Amendment Adopted - House (97 - 59)
Jan. 23, 2008 MA H 4477 Cell Phone Driving Ban Bill Passed - House (107 - 47)
Nov. 1, 2007 MA S 1353 Reproductive Health Clinic Buffer Zones Bill Passed - House (122 - 28)
June 14, 2007 MA S 2220 Constitutional Amendment Defining Marriage Bill Failed - House (40 - 117)
Date No. Title Outcome
1/10 H 4241 Prohibits Revenge Porn and Increases Penalties Bill Passed - House (151 - 0)
10/18 H 4135 Amends and Updates Various State Gun Control Laws Bill Passed - House (120 - 38)
10/18 H 4135 Amends and Updates Various State Gun Control Laws Bill Passed - House (120 - 38)
10/18 H 4139 Amends and Updates Various State Gun Control Laws Bill Passed - House (120 - 38)
6/16 S 2924 Specifies Mail-In Voting Regulations Bill Passed - House (126 - 29)
6/15 S 2472 Extends Certain COVID-19 Measures Adopted During the State of Emergency Bill Passed - House (146 - 14)
6/15 S 2475 Amends Measures Adopted During the COVID-19 Pandemic Bill Passed - House (150 - 10)
12/01 S 2963 Amends Various Police Accountability and Reform Laws Concurrence Vote Passed - House (91 - 67)
6/30 H 4818 Establishes a Special Commission to Reduce Racial Inequalities in Maternal Health Bill Passed - House (159 - 0)
6/28 H 4670 Authorizes Temporary Firearm Removal to Those Deemed a Threat Concurrence Vote Passed - House (132 - 15)
5/23 H 4517 Authorizes Extreme Risk Protection Orders Bill Passed - House (139 - 14)
5/23 H 4517 Authorizes Extreme Risk Protection Orders Bill Passed - House (139 - 14)
4/04 S 2371 Amends Criminal Justice Law Conference Report Adopted - House (148 - 5)
4/04 S 2372 Establishes the Garden of Peace Trust Fund Conference Report Adopted - House (152 - 0)
10/11 Amdt 1 Prohibits Sale or Possession of "Bump Stocks" Bill Passed - House (152 - 3)
6/21 H 3768 Authorizes Reforms to Recreational Marijuana Laws Bill Passed - House (126 - 28)
5/24 H 3034 Limits the Use of Prison Labor Bill Passed - House (120 - 35)
7/31 H 4278 Amends Firearm Laws Conference Report Adopted - House (122 - 30)
7/31 H 4278 Amends Firearm Laws Conference Report Adopted - House (122 - 30)
7/31 H 4278 Amends Firearm Laws Conference Report Adopted - House (122 - 30)
7/23 S 2283 Authorizes Withdrawal Orders around Reproductive Health Care Facilities Bill Passed - House (116 - 35)
7/16 H 4184 Requires Parole Eligibility for Certain Juveniles Sentenced to Life Imprisonment Conference Report Adopted - House (131 - 18)
7/09 H 4278 Amends Firearm Laws Bill Passed - House (112 - 38)
7/09 H 4278 Amends Firearm Laws Bill Passed - House (112 - 38)
7/09 H 4278 Amends Firearm Laws Bill Passed - House (112 - 38)
6/18 H 4184 Authorizes Parole Eligibility for Certain Juveniles Sentenced to Life Imprisonment Bill Passed - House (129 - 16)
7/31 S 2400 Establishes Accountable Care Organizations Conference Report Adopted - House (133 - 20)
7/18 H 3818 Requires Habitual Violent Offenders to Serve Their Full Sentence Conference Report Adopted - House (139 - 14)
5/31 H Amdt 11 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Amendment Adopted - House (105 - 43)
4/25 H Amdt 804.1 Electronic Benefit Transfer Cards Amendment Adopted - House (123 - 33)
5/26 H 4703 Sentencing Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (139 - 17)
2/04 H 4466 Expanding Driving Regulations Bill Passed - House (146 - 9)
10/08 SB 2028 Pandemic and Disaster Preparedness Plan Bill Passed - House (114 - 36)
7/29 Peterson Amdt to H 5022 Reducing Firearm Licensing Fee Amendment Adopted - House (97 - 59)
1/23 H 4477 Cell Phone Driving Ban Bill Passed - House (107 - 47)
11/01 S 1353 Reproductive Health Clinic Buffer Zones Bill Passed - House (122 - 28)
6/14 S 2220 Constitutional Amendment Defining Marriage Bill Failed - House (40 - 117)

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