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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Feb. 1, 2024 | MA | H 4139 | Amends and Updates Various State Gun Control Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 3) |
Jan. 18, 2024 | MA | S 2551 | Repeals Certain Language in Several State Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 0) |
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) |
March 31, 2022 | MA | H 4554 | Prohibits Discrimination on the Basis of Hair or Hairstyle | (40 - 0) |
Dec. 1, 2020 | MA | S 2963 | Amends Various Police Accountability and Reform Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 11) |
July 28, 2020 | MA | S 2844 | Repeals Previous Restrictions on Students with Disabilities Attending Universities of Higher Education | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 0) |
July 14, 2020 | MA | S 2800 | Amends Police Standards and Restructures Policing Resources | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7) |
July 14, 2020 | MA | S 2800 | Amends Police Standards and Restructures Policing Resources | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7) |
July 19, 2018 | MA | S 2598 | Authorizes Diversion Program for First-Time Prostitution Offenses | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 0) |
April 4, 2018 | MA | S 2371 | Amends Criminal Justice Law | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 0) |
Oct. 26, 2017 | MA | S 2200 | Amends Various Criminal Justice Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10) |
July 31, 2014 | MA | H 4278 | Amends Firearm Laws | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 3) |
July 31, 2014 | MA | H 4278 | Amends Firearm Laws | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 3) |
July 31, 2014 | MA | H 4278 | Amends Firearm Laws | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 3) |
July 16, 2014 | MA | H 4184 | Requires Parole Eligibility for Certain Juveniles Sentenced to Life Imprisonment | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 4) |
July 1, 2014 | MA | Amdt 17 | Limits Use of Non-Competition Agreements | Amendment Adopted - Senate (32 - 7) |
July 19, 2012 | MA | H 3818 | Requires Habitual Violent Offenders to Serve Their Full Sentence | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 7) |
Nov. 18, 2009 | MA | S 2210 | Sentencing Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
July 29, 2008 | MA | S 2807 | Election Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
June 14, 2007 | MA | S 2220 | Constitutional Amendment Defining Marriage | Bill Failed - Senate (5 - 34) |
July 13, 2006 | MA | H 4176 | Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes | Veto Override Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
July 13, 2006 | MA | H 126 | Unsigned Political Posters | Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 6) |
June 7, 2006 | MA | H 4176 | Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
2/01 | H 4139 | Amends and Updates Various State Gun Control Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 3) |
1/18 | S 2551 | Repeals Certain Language in Several State Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 0) |
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) |
3/31 | H 4554 | Prohibits Discrimination on the Basis of Hair or Hairstyle | (40 - 0) |
12/01 | S 2963 | Amends Various Police Accountability and Reform Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 11) |
7/28 | S 2844 | Repeals Previous Restrictions on Students with Disabilities Attending Universities of Higher Education | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 0) |
7/14 | S 2800 | Amends Police Standards and Restructures Policing Resources | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7) |
7/14 | S 2800 | Amends Police Standards and Restructures Policing Resources | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7) |
7/19 | S 2598 | Authorizes Diversion Program for First-Time Prostitution Offenses | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 0) |
4/04 | S 2371 | Amends Criminal Justice Law | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 0) |
10/26 | S 2200 | Amends Various Criminal Justice Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10) |
7/31 | H 4278 | Amends Firearm Laws | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 3) |
7/31 | H 4278 | Amends Firearm Laws | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 3) |
7/31 | H 4278 | Amends Firearm Laws | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 3) |
7/16 | H 4184 | Requires Parole Eligibility for Certain Juveniles Sentenced to Life Imprisonment | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 4) |
7/01 | Amdt 17 | Limits Use of Non-Competition Agreements | Amendment Adopted - Senate (32 - 7) |
7/19 | H 3818 | Requires Habitual Violent Offenders to Serve Their Full Sentence | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 7) |
11/18 | S 2210 | Sentencing Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
7/29 | S 2807 | Election Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
6/14 | S 2220 | Constitutional Amendment Defining Marriage | Bill Failed - Senate (5 - 34) |
7/13 | H 4176 | Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes | Veto Override Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
7/13 | H 126 | Unsigned Political Posters | Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 6) |
6/07 | H 4176 | Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |