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
Sept. 15, 2011 MA S 2018 Massachusetts Pension System Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10)
Sept. 14, 2011 MA H 3711 Authorizes Gambling Casinos Bill Passed - House (123 - 32)
April 26, 2011 MA Amdt 749.1 Collective Bargaining Restrictions Amendment Adopted - House (113 - 42)
March 2, 2011 MA S 9 Establishing a Redistricting Commission Bill Passed - House (123 - 30)
Feb. 10, 2011 MA S 9 Establishing a Redistricting Commission Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4)
July 31, 2010 MA H 5000 Gambling Law Amendments Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 15)
July 31, 2010 MA H 5000 Gambling Law Amendments Conference Report Adopted - House (117 - 36)
July 27, 2010 MA H 4156 National Popular Vote Act Motion Agreed - Senate (28 - 9)
July 20, 2010 MA H 4156 National Popular Vote Act Motion Agreed - House (116 - 34)
July 15, 2010 MA H 4156 National Popular Vote Act Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10)
July 1, 2010 MA H 4619 Gambling Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15)
June 2, 2010 MA H 4156 National Popular Vote Act Bill Passed - House (114 - 35)
May 26, 2010 MA H 4703 Sentencing Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (139 - 17)
April 28, 2010 MA Sánchez Amdt Sending Public Benefits Amendment to Study Amendment Adopted - House (83 - 75)
April 14, 2010 MA H 4591 Gaming Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (120 - 37)
Feb. 4, 2010 MA H 4466 Expanding Driving Regulations Bill Passed - House (146 - 9)
Jan. 28, 2010 MA H 4441 School Nutrition Standards Bill Passed - House (152 - 4)
Jan. 14, 2010 MA S 2247 Education Law Amendments Conference Report Adopted - House (98 - 47)
Jan. 14, 2010 MA S 2247 Education Law Amendments Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 12)
Nov. 18, 2009 MA S 2210 Sentencing Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
Nov. 17, 2009 MA S 2205 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 11)
Oct. 8, 2009 MA SB 2028 Pandemic and Disaster Preparedness Plan Bill Passed - House (114 - 36)
Sept. 22, 2009 MA H 4246 Authorizing Governor to Appoint Interim U.S. Senator Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
Sept. 17, 2009 MA H 4246 Authorizing Governor to Appoint Interim U.S. Senator Bill Passed - House (95 - 59)
June 18, 2009 MA S 2087 Massachusetts Transportation Agency Consolidation Conference Report Adopted - House (130 - 25)
June 18, 2009 MA S 2087 Massachusetts Transportation Agency Consolidation Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 11)
June 3, 2009 MA H Amendment 2 Eliminate Evacuation Day and Bunker Hill Day Amendment Rejected - House (78 - 78)
May 1, 2009 MA H 4101 2009-2010 Budget Bill Passed - House (137 - 19)
April 27, 2009 MA Sciortino Amdt Sales Tax Increase Amendment Adopted - House (108 - 51)
April 7, 2009 MA S 2024 Massachusetts Transportation Agency Consolidation Bill Passed - House (147 - 7)
July 29, 2008 MA Peterson Amdt to H 5022 Reducing Firearm Licensing Fee Amendment Adopted - House (97 - 59)
July 29, 2008 MA SB 800 Repealing Out of State Marriage Restrictions Bill Passed - House (119 - 36)
July 29, 2008 MA S 2807 Election Day Voter Registration Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5)
July 9, 2008 MA Frost Amdt - National Popular Vote Plan Ratification Threshold Bill Failed - House (34 - 120)
July 9, 2008 MA H 678 National Popular Vote Plan Bill Passed - House (116 - 37)
July 9, 2008 MA Jones Amdt - Presidential Electors by Congressional District Bill Failed - House (34 - 120)
June 12, 2008 MA H 4554 Life-Science Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 7)
June 11, 2008 MA H 4554 Life-Science Bill Conference Report Adopted - House (142 - 15)
June 4, 2008 MA H 4346 Trans Fat Ban Bill Passed - House (116 - 34)
May 6, 2008 MA H 4645 Cigarette Tax Increase Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6)
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)
March 20, 2008 MA H 4920 to 4307 Establishing and Regulating Casinos Amendment Adopted - House (106 - 48)
March 20, 2008 MA H 4554 Life-Science Bill Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4)
March 12, 2008 MA DeLeo Amdt Legislative Committee Chair Pay Raises Amendment Adopted - House (126 - 20)
Feb. 7, 2008 MA H 4488 Education Reorganization Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5)
Feb. 6, 2008 MA H 4488 Education Reorganization Bill Passed - House (135 - 19)
Jan. 23, 2008 MA H 4477 Cell Phone Driving Ban Bill Passed - House (107 - 47)
Nov. 15, 2007 MA S 2414 Presidential Primary Date Change Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5)
Nov. 1, 2007 MA S 1353 Reproductive Health Clinic Buffer Zones Bill Passed - House (122 - 28)
Date No. Title Outcome
9/15 S 2018 Massachusetts Pension System Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10)
9/14 H 3711 Authorizes Gambling Casinos Bill Passed - House (123 - 32)
4/26 Amdt 749.1 Collective Bargaining Restrictions Amendment Adopted - House (113 - 42)
3/02 S 9 Establishing a Redistricting Commission Bill Passed - House (123 - 30)
2/10 S 9 Establishing a Redistricting Commission Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4)
7/31 H 5000 Gambling Law Amendments Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 15)
7/31 H 5000 Gambling Law Amendments Conference Report Adopted - House (117 - 36)
7/27 H 4156 National Popular Vote Act Motion Agreed - Senate (28 - 9)
7/20 H 4156 National Popular Vote Act Motion Agreed - House (116 - 34)
7/15 H 4156 National Popular Vote Act Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10)
7/01 H 4619 Gambling Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15)
6/02 H 4156 National Popular Vote Act Bill Passed - House (114 - 35)
5/26 H 4703 Sentencing Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (139 - 17)
4/28 Sánchez Amdt Sending Public Benefits Amendment to Study Amendment Adopted - House (83 - 75)
4/14 H 4591 Gaming Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (120 - 37)
2/04 H 4466 Expanding Driving Regulations Bill Passed - House (146 - 9)
1/28 H 4441 School Nutrition Standards Bill Passed - House (152 - 4)
1/14 S 2247 Education Law Amendments Conference Report Adopted - House (98 - 47)
1/14 S 2247 Education Law Amendments Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 12)
11/18 S 2210 Sentencing Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
11/17 S 2205 Education Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 11)
10/08 SB 2028 Pandemic and Disaster Preparedness Plan Bill Passed - House (114 - 36)
9/22 H 4246 Authorizing Governor to Appoint Interim U.S. Senator Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
9/17 H 4246 Authorizing Governor to Appoint Interim U.S. Senator Bill Passed - House (95 - 59)
6/18 S 2087 Massachusetts Transportation Agency Consolidation Conference Report Adopted - House (130 - 25)
6/18 S 2087 Massachusetts Transportation Agency Consolidation Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 11)
6/03 H Amendment 2 Eliminate Evacuation Day and Bunker Hill Day Amendment Rejected - House (78 - 78)
5/01 H 4101 2009-2010 Budget Bill Passed - House (137 - 19)
4/27 Sciortino Amdt Sales Tax Increase Amendment Adopted - House (108 - 51)
4/07 S 2024 Massachusetts Transportation Agency Consolidation Bill Passed - House (147 - 7)
7/29 Peterson Amdt to H 5022 Reducing Firearm Licensing Fee Amendment Adopted - House (97 - 59)
7/29 SB 800 Repealing Out of State Marriage Restrictions Bill Passed - House (119 - 36)
7/29 S 2807 Election Day Voter Registration Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5)
7/09 Frost Amdt - National Popular Vote Plan Ratification Threshold Bill Failed - House (34 - 120)
7/09 H 678 National Popular Vote Plan Bill Passed - House (116 - 37)
7/09 Jones Amdt - Presidential Electors by Congressional District Bill Failed - House (34 - 120)
6/12 H 4554 Life-Science Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 7)
6/11 H 4554 Life-Science Bill Conference Report Adopted - House (142 - 15)
6/04 H 4346 Trans Fat Ban Bill Passed - House (116 - 34)
5/06 H 4645 Cigarette Tax Increase Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6)
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)
3/20 H 4920 to 4307 Establishing and Regulating Casinos Amendment Adopted - House (106 - 48)
3/20 H 4554 Life-Science Bill Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4)
3/12 DeLeo Amdt Legislative Committee Chair Pay Raises Amendment Adopted - House (126 - 20)
2/07 H 4488 Education Reorganization Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5)
2/06 H 4488 Education Reorganization Bill Passed - House (135 - 19)
1/23 H 4477 Cell Phone Driving Ban Bill Passed - House (107 - 47)
11/15 S 2414 Presidential Primary Date Change Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5)
11/01 S 1353 Reproductive Health Clinic Buffer Zones Bill Passed - House (122 - 28)

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