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
June 18, 2014 MA S 2123 Increases the Minimum Wage Conference Report Adopted - House (124 - 24)
June 18, 2014 MA S 2132 Establishes Labor Standards for Domestic Workers Bill Passed - House (126 - 22)
June 18, 2014 MA H 4184 Authorizes Parole Eligibility for Certain Juveniles Sentenced to Life Imprisonment Bill Passed - House (129 - 16)
June 11, 2014 MA Amdt 46 Establishes a Sales Tax Holiday Amendment Adopted - House (132 - 14)
May 28, 2014 MA H 4111 Appropriates Funds for the Expansion of the Boston Convention Center Bill Passed - House (131 - 19)
May 21, 2014 MA H 4108 Amends Charter School Laws Bill Passed - House (114 - 35)
April 2, 2014 MA H 4026 Increases the Minimum Wage Bill Passed - House (125 - 24)
April 24, 2013 MA H 3401 2013-2014 Budget Bill Passed - House (127 - 29)
April 8, 2013 MA H 3382 Expands Retail Tax to Include Computer System Design Services Bill Passed - House (97 - 55)
July 31, 2012 MA S 2400 Establishes Accountable Care Organizations Conference Report Adopted - House (133 - 20)
July 18, 2012 MA H 3818 Requires Habitual Violent Offenders to Serve Their Full Sentence Conference Report Adopted - House (139 - 14)
June 27, 2012 MA S 2214 Amends Renewable Energy Contract Requirements Bill Passed - House (135 - 16)
June 5, 2012 MA S 2270 Reduces Health Care Spending Bill Passed - House (148 - 7)
May 31, 2012 MA H Amdt 11 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Amendment Adopted - House (105 - 43)
May 30, 2012 MA H 3986 Authorizes Child Care Workers to Form Labor Organizations Bill Passed - House (117 - 32)
April 25, 2012 MA H Amdt 804.1 Electronic Benefit Transfer Cards Amendment Adopted - House (123 - 33)
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)
July 31, 2010 MA H 5000 Gambling Law Amendments Conference Report Adopted - House (117 - 36)
July 20, 2010 MA H 4156 National Popular Vote Act Motion Agreed - House (116 - 34)
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)
Date No. Title Outcome
6/18 S 2123 Increases the Minimum Wage Conference Report Adopted - House (124 - 24)
6/18 S 2132 Establishes Labor Standards for Domestic Workers Bill Passed - House (126 - 22)
6/18 H 4184 Authorizes Parole Eligibility for Certain Juveniles Sentenced to Life Imprisonment Bill Passed - House (129 - 16)
6/11 Amdt 46 Establishes a Sales Tax Holiday Amendment Adopted - House (132 - 14)
5/28 H 4111 Appropriates Funds for the Expansion of the Boston Convention Center Bill Passed - House (131 - 19)
5/21 H 4108 Amends Charter School Laws Bill Passed - House (114 - 35)
4/02 H 4026 Increases the Minimum Wage Bill Passed - House (125 - 24)
4/24 H 3401 2013-2014 Budget Bill Passed - House (127 - 29)
4/08 H 3382 Expands Retail Tax to Include Computer System Design Services Bill Passed - House (97 - 55)
7/31 S 2400 Establishes Accountable Care Organizations Conference Report Adopted - House (133 - 20)
7/18 H 3818 Requires Habitual Violent Offenders to Serve Their Full Sentence Conference Report Adopted - House (139 - 14)
6/27 S 2214 Amends Renewable Energy Contract Requirements Bill Passed - House (135 - 16)
6/05 S 2270 Reduces Health Care Spending Bill Passed - House (148 - 7)
5/31 H Amdt 11 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Amendment Adopted - House (105 - 43)
5/30 H 3986 Authorizes Child Care Workers to Form Labor Organizations Bill Passed - House (117 - 32)
4/25 H Amdt 804.1 Electronic Benefit Transfer Cards Amendment Adopted - House (123 - 33)
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)
7/31 H 5000 Gambling Law Amendments Conference Report Adopted - House (117 - 36)
7/20 H 4156 National Popular Vote Act Motion Agreed - House (116 - 34)
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)

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