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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Aug. 1, 2022 | MA | H 5163 | Authorizes Technology Improvements to State Judiciary | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 1) |
June 30, 2022 | MA | S 2988 | Limits Use of Asset Forfeiture | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
March 11, 2021 | MA | H 73 | Establishes That Early Voting by Mail-In Ballot Can Continue Through the End of June | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 0) |
July 2, 2020 | MA | H 4820 | Expands Voting Options in Response to COVID-19 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (39 - 0) |
July 31, 2018 | MA | H 4857 | Increases State Clean Energy Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 0) |
July 30, 2018 | MA | H 4834 | Establishes Automatic Voter Registration | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (36 - 0) |
July 30, 2018 | MA | H 4834 | Establishes Automatic Voter Registration | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (36 - 0) |
July 18, 2018 | MA | H 4546 | Authorizes Creation of Community Benefit Districts | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
June 7, 2018 | MA | H 4501 | Authorizes Capital for State Life Sciences Capital Fund | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
July 7, 2017 | MA | H 3800 | Establishes State Budget for Fiscal Year 2018 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (36 - 2) |
Feb. 10, 2011 | MA | S 9 | Establishing a Redistricting Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4) |
Feb. 10, 2011 | MA | S 9 | Establishing a Redistricting Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4) |
July 27, 2010 | MA | H 4156 | National Popular Vote Act | Motion Agreed - Senate (28 - 9) |
July 15, 2010 | MA | H 4156 | National Popular Vote Act | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
Jan. 14, 2010 | MA | S 2247 | Education Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 12) |
Sept. 22, 2009 | MA | H 4246 | Authorizing Governor to Appoint Interim U.S. Senator | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
Sept. 22, 2009 | MA | H 4246 | Authorizing Governor to Appoint Interim U.S. Senator | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
Sept. 22, 2009 | MA | H 4246 | Authorizing Governor to Appoint Interim U.S. Senator | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
July 29, 2008 | MA | S 2807 | Election Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
July 29, 2008 | MA | S 2807 | Election Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
June 12, 2008 | MA | H 4554 | Life-Science Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 7) |
May 6, 2008 | MA | H 4645 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
Feb. 7, 2008 | MA | H 4488 | Education Reorganization | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
Feb. 7, 2008 | MA | H 4488 | Education Reorganization | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
Nov. 15, 2007 | MA | S 2414 | Presidential Primary Date Change | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
July 31, 2007 | MA | HB 2876 | Sales Tax Holiday | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 4) |
July 13, 2006 | MA | H 126 | Unsigned Political Posters | Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 6) |
May 24, 2006 | MA | H 4479 | MassHealth Immigrant Eligibility Veto Override | Veto Override Passed - Senate (34 - 5) |
May 24, 2006 | MA | Amdt 8 to SB 3 | Sales Tax Holiday | Amendment Adopted - Senate (23 - 16) |
May 4, 2006 | MA | H 4479 | Health Care Access & Affordability Bill Section 113 | Veto Override Passed - Senate (37 - 2) |
May 4, 2006 | MA | H 4479 | Health Care Access & Affordability Bill Section 113 | Veto Override Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
8/01 | H 5163 | Authorizes Technology Improvements to State Judiciary | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 1) |
6/30 | S 2988 | Limits Use of Asset Forfeiture | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
3/11 | H 73 | Establishes That Early Voting by Mail-In Ballot Can Continue Through the End of June | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 0) |
7/02 | H 4820 | Expands Voting Options in Response to COVID-19 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (39 - 0) |
7/31 | H 4857 | Increases State Clean Energy Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 0) |
7/30 | H 4834 | Establishes Automatic Voter Registration | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (36 - 0) |
7/30 | H 4834 | Establishes Automatic Voter Registration | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (36 - 0) |
7/18 | H 4546 | Authorizes Creation of Community Benefit Districts | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
6/07 | H 4501 | Authorizes Capital for State Life Sciences Capital Fund | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
7/07 | H 3800 | Establishes State Budget for Fiscal Year 2018 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (36 - 2) |
2/10 | S 9 | Establishing a Redistricting Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4) |
2/10 | S 9 | Establishing a Redistricting Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4) |
7/27 | H 4156 | National Popular Vote Act | Motion Agreed - Senate (28 - 9) |
7/15 | H 4156 | National Popular Vote Act | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
1/14 | S 2247 | Education Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 12) |
9/22 | H 4246 | Authorizing Governor to Appoint Interim U.S. Senator | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
9/22 | H 4246 | Authorizing Governor to Appoint Interim U.S. Senator | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
9/22 | H 4246 | Authorizing Governor to Appoint Interim U.S. Senator | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
7/29 | S 2807 | Election Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
7/29 | S 2807 | Election Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
6/12 | H 4554 | Life-Science Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 7) |
5/06 | H 4645 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
2/07 | H 4488 | Education Reorganization | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
2/07 | H 4488 | Education Reorganization | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
11/15 | S 2414 | Presidential Primary Date Change | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
7/31 | HB 2876 | Sales Tax Holiday | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 4) |
7/13 | H 126 | Unsigned Political Posters | Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 6) |
5/24 | H 4479 | MassHealth Immigrant Eligibility Veto Override | Veto Override Passed - Senate (34 - 5) |
5/24 | Amdt 8 to SB 3 | Sales Tax Holiday | Amendment Adopted - Senate (23 - 16) |
5/04 | H 4479 | Health Care Access & Affordability Bill Section 113 | Veto Override Passed - Senate (37 - 2) |
5/04 | H 4479 | Health Care Access & Affordability Bill Section 113 | Veto Override Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |