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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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) |