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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Jan. 19, 2006 | MA | H 229 | Primary Seat Belt Bill | Bill Passed - House (76 - 74) |
May 23, 2006 | MA | H 229 | Primary Seat Belt Bill | Bill Failed - House (76 - 80) |
Jan. 11, 2006 | MA | H 1230 | In State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Failed - House (57 - 96) |
April 5, 2006 | MA | S 2227 | Slot Machines at Race Tracks Bill | Motion Agreed - House (100 - 55) |
Jan. 25, 2006 | MA | S 1074 | Disclosure of Religious Funds Bill | Bill Failed - House (3 - 147) |
May 24, 2006 | MA | H 4988 | Nurse Staffing Bill | Bill Passed - House (133 - 20) |
April 4, 2006 | MA | H 4479 | Health Care Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (154 - 2) |
April 25, 2006 | MA | H 4479 | Health Care Access & Affordability Bill Section 112 | Veto Override Passed - House (137 - 19) |
April 25, 2006 | MA | H 4479 | Health Care Access & Affordability Bill Section 112 | Veto Override Passed - House (147 - 10) |
April 25, 2006 | MA | H 4479 | Health Care Access & Affordability Bill Section 112 | Veto Override Passed - House (137 - 20) |
April 27, 2006 | MA | C Amdt "H" | Local Education Funding Study Bill | Amendment Adopted - House (144 - 13) |
June 29, 2006 | MA | S 2258 | Massage Therapist Licensing | Veto Override Passed - House (134 - 22) |
June 14, 2007 | MA | S 2220 | Constitutional Amendment Defining Marriage | Bill Failed - House (40 - 117) |
July 26, 2007 | MA | HB 2876 | Sales Tax Holiday | Bill Passed - House (145 - 8) |
Sept. 27, 2007 | MA | Jones Amendment | Expanding Pension Fund Divestments to Any State Sponsor of Terrorism | Amendment Rejected - House (32 - 124) |
Sept. 27, 2007 | MA | Koutoujian Amendment | Expanding Pension Fund Divestment to Any State with a History of Genocide | Amendment Rejected - House (53 - 101) |
Sept. 27, 2007 | MA | S 2255 | State Pension Fund Divestment from Sudan | Bill Passed - House (154 - 2) |
Nov. 1, 2007 | MA | S 1353 | Reproductive Health Clinic Buffer Zones | Bill Passed - House (122 - 28) |
Jan. 23, 2008 | MA | H 4477 | Cell Phone Driving Ban | Bill Passed - House (107 - 47) |
Feb. 6, 2008 | MA | H 4488 | Education Reorganization | Bill Passed - House (135 - 19) |
March 12, 2008 | MA | DeLeo Amdt | Legislative Committee Chair Pay Raises | Amendment Adopted - House (126 - 20) |
March 20, 2008 | MA | H 4920 to 4307 | Establishing and Regulating Casinos | Amendment Adopted - House (106 - 48) |
April 10, 2008 | MA | H 4645 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Passed - House (131 - 23) |
April 10, 2008 | MA | Garry and D'Amico Amendment: Removal of Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Failed - House (49 - 105) | |
June 4, 2008 | MA | H 4346 | Trans Fat Ban | Bill Passed - House (116 - 34) |
June 11, 2008 | MA | H 4554 | Life-Science Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (142 - 15) |
July 29, 2008 | MA | SB 800 | Repealing Out of State Marriage Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (119 - 36) |
July 9, 2008 | MA | H 678 | National Popular Vote Plan | Bill Passed - House (116 - 37) |
July 9, 2008 | MA | Frost Amdt - National Popular Vote Plan Ratification Threshold | Bill Failed - House (34 - 120) | |
July 9, 2008 | MA | Jones Amdt - Presidential Electors by Congressional District | Bill Failed - House (34 - 120) | |
July 29, 2008 | MA | Peterson Amdt to H 5022 | Reducing Firearm Licensing Fee | Amendment Adopted - House (97 - 59) |
June 18, 2009 | MA | S 2087 | Massachusetts Transportation Agency Consolidation | Conference Report Adopted - House (130 - 25) |
June 3, 2009 | MA | H Amendment 2 | Eliminate Evacuation Day and Bunker Hill Day | Amendment Rejected - House (78 - 78) |
April 7, 2009 | MA | S 2024 | Massachusetts Transportation Agency Consolidation | Bill Passed - House (147 - 7) |
Sept. 17, 2009 | MA | H 4246 | Authorizing Governor to Appoint Interim U.S. Senator | Bill Passed - House (95 - 59) |
Oct. 8, 2009 | MA | SB 2028 | Pandemic and Disaster Preparedness Plan | Bill Passed - House (114 - 36) |
Jan. 14, 2010 | MA | S 2247 | Education Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - House (98 - 47) |
Feb. 4, 2010 | MA | H 4466 | Expanding Driving Regulations | Bill Passed - House (146 - 9) |
April 27, 2009 | MA | Sciortino Amdt | Sales Tax Increase | Amendment Adopted - House (108 - 51) |
April 14, 2010 | MA | H 4591 | Gaming Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (120 - 37) |
May 26, 2010 | MA | H 4703 | Sentencing Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (139 - 17) |
June 2, 2010 | MA | H 4156 | National Popular Vote Act | Bill Passed - House (114 - 35) |
Jan. 28, 2010 | MA | H 4441 | School Nutrition Standards | Bill Passed - House (152 - 4) |
July 31, 2010 | MA | H 5000 | Gambling Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - House (117 - 36) |
July 20, 2010 | MA | H 4156 | National Popular Vote Act | Motion Agreed - House (116 - 34) |
April 28, 2010 | MA | Sánchez Amdt | Sending Public Benefits Amendment to Study | Amendment Adopted - House (83 - 75) |
May 1, 2009 | MA | H 4101 | Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2010 | Bill Passed - House (137 - 19) |
Oct. 11, 2007 | MA | H 4282 | Supplemental Budget | Bill Passed - House (126 - 18) |
March 2, 2011 | MA | S 9 | Establishing a Redistricting Commission | Bill Passed - House (123 - 30) |
April 26, 2011 | MA | Amdt 749.1 | Collective Bargaining Restrictions | Amendment Adopted - House (113 - 42) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
1/19 | H 229 | Primary Seat Belt Bill | Bill Passed - House (76 - 74) |
5/23 | H 229 | Primary Seat Belt Bill | Bill Failed - House (76 - 80) |
1/11 | H 1230 | In State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Failed - House (57 - 96) |
4/05 | S 2227 | Slot Machines at Race Tracks Bill | Motion Agreed - House (100 - 55) |
1/25 | S 1074 | Disclosure of Religious Funds Bill | Bill Failed - House (3 - 147) |
5/24 | H 4988 | Nurse Staffing Bill | Bill Passed - House (133 - 20) |
4/04 | H 4479 | Health Care Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (154 - 2) |
4/25 | H 4479 | Health Care Access & Affordability Bill Section 112 | Veto Override Passed - House (137 - 19) |
4/25 | H 4479 | Health Care Access & Affordability Bill Section 112 | Veto Override Passed - House (147 - 10) |
4/25 | H 4479 | Health Care Access & Affordability Bill Section 112 | Veto Override Passed - House (137 - 20) |
4/27 | C Amdt "H" | Local Education Funding Study Bill | Amendment Adopted - House (144 - 13) |
6/29 | S 2258 | Massage Therapist Licensing | Veto Override Passed - House (134 - 22) |
6/14 | S 2220 | Constitutional Amendment Defining Marriage | Bill Failed - House (40 - 117) |
7/26 | HB 2876 | Sales Tax Holiday | Bill Passed - House (145 - 8) |
9/27 | Jones Amendment | Expanding Pension Fund Divestments to Any State Sponsor of Terrorism | Amendment Rejected - House (32 - 124) |
9/27 | Koutoujian Amendment | Expanding Pension Fund Divestment to Any State with a History of Genocide | Amendment Rejected - House (53 - 101) |
9/27 | S 2255 | State Pension Fund Divestment from Sudan | Bill Passed - House (154 - 2) |
11/01 | S 1353 | Reproductive Health Clinic Buffer Zones | Bill Passed - House (122 - 28) |
1/23 | H 4477 | Cell Phone Driving Ban | Bill Passed - House (107 - 47) |
2/06 | H 4488 | Education Reorganization | Bill Passed - House (135 - 19) |
3/12 | DeLeo Amdt | Legislative Committee Chair Pay Raises | Amendment Adopted - House (126 - 20) |
3/20 | H 4920 to 4307 | Establishing and Regulating Casinos | Amendment Adopted - House (106 - 48) |
4/10 | H 4645 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Passed - House (131 - 23) |
4/10 | Garry and D'Amico Amendment: Removal of Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Failed - House (49 - 105) | |
6/04 | H 4346 | Trans Fat Ban | Bill Passed - House (116 - 34) |
6/11 | H 4554 | Life-Science Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (142 - 15) |
7/29 | SB 800 | Repealing Out of State Marriage Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (119 - 36) |
7/09 | H 678 | National Popular Vote Plan | Bill Passed - House (116 - 37) |
7/09 | Frost Amdt - National Popular Vote Plan Ratification Threshold | Bill Failed - House (34 - 120) | |
7/09 | Jones Amdt - Presidential Electors by Congressional District | Bill Failed - House (34 - 120) | |
7/29 | Peterson Amdt to H 5022 | Reducing Firearm Licensing Fee | Amendment Adopted - House (97 - 59) |
6/18 | S 2087 | Massachusetts Transportation Agency Consolidation | Conference Report Adopted - House (130 - 25) |
6/03 | H Amendment 2 | Eliminate Evacuation Day and Bunker Hill Day | Amendment Rejected - House (78 - 78) |
4/07 | S 2024 | Massachusetts Transportation Agency Consolidation | Bill Passed - House (147 - 7) |
9/17 | H 4246 | Authorizing Governor to Appoint Interim U.S. Senator | Bill Passed - House (95 - 59) |
10/08 | SB 2028 | Pandemic and Disaster Preparedness Plan | Bill Passed - House (114 - 36) |
1/14 | S 2247 | Education Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - House (98 - 47) |
2/04 | H 4466 | Expanding Driving Regulations | Bill Passed - House (146 - 9) |
4/27 | Sciortino Amdt | Sales Tax Increase | Amendment Adopted - House (108 - 51) |
4/14 | H 4591 | Gaming Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (120 - 37) |
5/26 | H 4703 | Sentencing Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (139 - 17) |
6/02 | H 4156 | National Popular Vote Act | Bill Passed - House (114 - 35) |
1/28 | H 4441 | School Nutrition Standards | Bill Passed - House (152 - 4) |
7/31 | H 5000 | Gambling Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - House (117 - 36) |
7/20 | H 4156 | National Popular Vote Act | Motion Agreed - House (116 - 34) |
4/28 | Sánchez Amdt | Sending Public Benefits Amendment to Study | Amendment Adopted - House (83 - 75) |
5/01 | H 4101 | Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2010 | Bill Passed - House (137 - 19) |
10/11 | H 4282 | Supplemental Budget | Bill Passed - House (126 - 18) |
3/02 | S 9 | Establishing a Redistricting Commission | Bill Passed - House (123 - 30) |
4/26 | Amdt 749.1 | Collective Bargaining Restrictions | Amendment Adopted - House (113 - 42) |