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
Dec. 28, 2020 MA H 5179 Expands State Abortion Access Veto Override Passed - House (107 - 46)
Dec. 1, 2020 MA S 2963 Amends Various Police Accountability and Reform Laws Concurrence Vote Passed - House (91 - 67)
June 30, 2020 MA H 4818 Establishes a Special Commission to Reduce Racial Inequalities in Maternal Health Bill Passed - House (159 - 0)
Nov. 13, 2019 MA H 4183 Prohibits Flavored Tobacco and Vaping Products, Including Menthol Cigarettes Bill Passed - House (127 - 31)
March 13, 2019 MA H 140 Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy for Minors Bill Passed - House (148 - 8)
July 30, 2018 MA H 4841 Authorizes New Tax Regulations and Insurance Requirements for Short-Term Rentals Bill Passed - House (119 - 30)
June 28, 2018 MA H 4670 Authorizes Temporary Firearm Removal to Those Deemed a Threat Concurrence Vote Passed - House (132 - 15)
June 27, 2018 MA H 4664 Prohibits Gender Conversion Therapy Bill Passed - House (137 - 14)
June 20, 2018 MA H 4640 Amends Minimum Wage and Paid-Leave Programs Bill Passed - House (126 - 25)
June 19, 2018 MA H 4617 Increases Access to Affordable High Quality Health Insurance Bill Passed - House (117 - 32)
May 23, 2018 MA H 4517 Authorizes Extreme Risk Protection Orders Bill Passed - House (139 - 14)
May 9, 2018 MA H 4479 Increases Minimum Purchase Age for Tobacco Products Bill Passed - House (147 - 4)
April 4, 2018 MA S 2371 Amends Criminal Justice Law Conference Report Adopted - House (148 - 5)
April 4, 2018 MA S 2372 Establishes the Garden of Peace Trust Fund Conference Report Adopted - House (152 - 0)
Oct. 11, 2017 MA Amdt 1 Prohibits Sale or Possession of "Bump Stocks" Bill Passed - House (152 - 3)
July 7, 2017 MA H 3800 Establishes State Budget for Fiscal Year 2018 Conference Report Adopted - House (140 - 9)
June 21, 2017 MA H 3768 Authorizes Reforms to Recreational Marijuana Laws Bill Passed - House (126 - 28)
May 24, 2017 MA H 3034 Limits the Use of Prison Labor Bill Passed - House (120 - 35)
April 25, 2017 MA H 3601 Appropriates Funds for the 2018 Fiscal Year Bill Passed - House (159 - 1)
June 1, 2016 MA S 735 Prohibits Discrimination Based on Gender Identity Bill Passed - House (116 - 36)
March 9, 2016 MA H 4049 Establishes Regulations for Ride-Sharing Companies Bill Passed - House (139 - 16)
July 31, 2014 MA H 4278 Amends Firearm Laws Conference Report Adopted - House (122 - 30)
July 23, 2014 MA S 2283 Authorizes Withdrawal Orders around Reproductive Health Care Facilities Bill Passed - House (116 - 35)
July 16, 2014 MA H 4184 Requires Parole Eligibility for Certain Juveniles Sentenced to Life Imprisonment Conference Report Adopted - House (131 - 18)
July 9, 2014 MA H 4278 Amends Firearm Laws Bill Passed - House (112 - 38)
Date No. Title Outcome
12/28 H 5179 Expands State Abortion Access Veto Override Passed - House (107 - 46)
12/01 S 2963 Amends Various Police Accountability and Reform Laws Concurrence Vote Passed - House (91 - 67)
6/30 H 4818 Establishes a Special Commission to Reduce Racial Inequalities in Maternal Health Bill Passed - House (159 - 0)
11/13 H 4183 Prohibits Flavored Tobacco and Vaping Products, Including Menthol Cigarettes Bill Passed - House (127 - 31)
3/13 H 140 Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy for Minors Bill Passed - House (148 - 8)
7/30 H 4841 Authorizes New Tax Regulations and Insurance Requirements for Short-Term Rentals Bill Passed - House (119 - 30)
6/28 H 4670 Authorizes Temporary Firearm Removal to Those Deemed a Threat Concurrence Vote Passed - House (132 - 15)
6/27 H 4664 Prohibits Gender Conversion Therapy Bill Passed - House (137 - 14)
6/20 H 4640 Amends Minimum Wage and Paid-Leave Programs Bill Passed - House (126 - 25)
6/19 H 4617 Increases Access to Affordable High Quality Health Insurance Bill Passed - House (117 - 32)
5/23 H 4517 Authorizes Extreme Risk Protection Orders Bill Passed - House (139 - 14)
5/09 H 4479 Increases Minimum Purchase Age for Tobacco Products Bill Passed - House (147 - 4)
4/04 S 2371 Amends Criminal Justice Law Conference Report Adopted - House (148 - 5)
4/04 S 2372 Establishes the Garden of Peace Trust Fund Conference Report Adopted - House (152 - 0)
10/11 Amdt 1 Prohibits Sale or Possession of "Bump Stocks" Bill Passed - House (152 - 3)
7/07 H 3800 Establishes State Budget for Fiscal Year 2018 Conference Report Adopted - House (140 - 9)
6/21 H 3768 Authorizes Reforms to Recreational Marijuana Laws Bill Passed - House (126 - 28)
5/24 H 3034 Limits the Use of Prison Labor Bill Passed - House (120 - 35)
4/25 H 3601 Appropriates Funds for the 2018 Fiscal Year Bill Passed - House (159 - 1)
6/01 S 735 Prohibits Discrimination Based on Gender Identity Bill Passed - House (116 - 36)
3/09 H 4049 Establishes Regulations for Ride-Sharing Companies Bill Passed - House (139 - 16)
7/31 H 4278 Amends Firearm Laws Conference Report Adopted - House (122 - 30)
7/23 S 2283 Authorizes Withdrawal Orders around Reproductive Health Care Facilities Bill Passed - House (116 - 35)
7/16 H 4184 Requires Parole Eligibility for Certain Juveniles Sentenced to Life Imprisonment Conference Report Adopted - House (131 - 18)
7/09 H 4278 Amends Firearm Laws Bill Passed - House (112 - 38)

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