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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov. 6, 2025 | MA | S 2676 | Expands Authorizations for Military-Connected Students Regarding School Transferal | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 0) |
| Nov. 5, 2025 | MA | H 4706 | Establishes a State Caregiver Commission and Amends Regulations Regarding Home Care | Bill Passed - House (153 - 1) |
| Oct. 22, 2025 | MA | H 4644 | Amends Reporting Requirements for the Department of Children and Families and Requires it to Establish a 5-Year Plan | Bill Passed - House (159 - 1) |
| Oct. 16, 2025 | MA | S 2641 | Requires the Manufacturers of Menstrual Products to Label the Ingredients of the Product on the Product's Box or Packaging | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 0) |
| Oct. 16, 2025 | MA | S 2640 | Expands Access to Disposable Menstrual Products in Public Schools, Homeless Shelters, Jails, and Prisons | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 0) |
| Oct. 16, 2025 | MA | S 2641 | Requires the Manufacturers of Menstrual Products to Label the Ingredients of the Product on the Product's Box or Packaging | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 0) |
| July 31, 2025 | MA | S 2575 | Increases Pay for Public Defenders | Conference Report Adopted - House (150 - 6) |
| July 17, 2025 | MA | S 2550 | Amends Various Laws Relating to Child Custody in Massachusetts | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 0) |
| Feb. 12, 2025 | MA | H 58 | Appropriates Funding for the State's Family Shelter System and Reduces the Number of Families Served | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 6) |
| Feb. 6, 2025 | MA | H 58 | Appropriates Funding for the State's Family Shelter System and Reduces the Number of Families Served | Bill Passed - House (126 - 26) |
| July 30, 2024 | MA | H 4750 | Amends and Redefines Parentage | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 0) |
| June 13, 2024 | MA | H 4744 | Classifies Coercive Control as a Form of Domestic Violence | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (38 - 0) |
| June 12, 2024 | MA | H 4672 | Amends the Legal Definition of Parentage | Bill Passed - House (156 - 0) |
| June 5, 2024 | MA | H 4707 | Appropriates $6.5 Billion for State Affordable Housing Bonds | Bill Passed - House (145 - 13) |
| April 25, 2024 | MA | H 4582 | Appropriates Funding for Homeless Shelter Costs and Amends Stay Limits | Conference Report Adopted - House (123 - 35) |
| April 25, 2024 | MA | H 4582 | Appropriates Funding for Homeless Shelter Costs and Amends Stay Limits | Conference Report Adopted - House (123 - 35) |
| April 25, 2024 | MA | H 4582 | Appropriates Funding for Homeless Shelter Costs and Amends Stay Limits | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9) |
| April 25, 2024 | MA | H 4582 | Appropriates Funding for Homeless Shelter Costs and Amends Stay Limits | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9) |
| Jan. 10, 2024 | MA | H 4241 | Prohibits Revenge Porn and Increases Penalties | Bill Passed - House (151 - 0) |
| Aug. 1, 2022 | MA | H 5163 | Authorizes Technology Improvements to State Judiciary | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 1) |
| Aug. 1, 2022 | MA | H 5163 | Authorizes Technology Improvements to State Judiciary | Bill Passed - House (147 - 6) |
| July 28, 2022 | MA | H 5106 | Establishes New Rules for the Governance and Improvement of Veterans' Homes in the Commonwealth | (40 - 0) |
| July 26, 2022 | MA | H 5090 | Expands Protections for Reproductive and Gender-Affirming Care | Bill Passed - House (137 - 16) |
| July 26, 2022 | MA | H 5090 | Expands Protections for Reproductive and Gender-Affirming Care | (39 - 1) |
| June 30, 2022 | MA | S 2988 | Limits Use of Asset Forfeiture | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
| June 9, 2022 | MA | H 4805 | Authorizes State Drivers Licenses for Certain Undocumented Persons | Veto Override Passed - Senate (32 - 8) |
| June 8, 2022 | MA | H 4805 | Authorizes State Drivers Licenses for Certain Undocumented Persons | Veto Override Passed - House (119 - 36) |
| May 26, 2022 | MA | H 4805 | Authorizes State Drivers Licenses for Certain Undocumented Persons | Bill Passed - House (117 - 36) |
| May 26, 2022 | MA | H 4805 | Authorizes State Drivers Licenses for Certain Undocumented Persons | (32 - 8) |
| May 5, 2022 | MA | H 4470 | Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Certain Undocumented Persons | (32 - 8) |
| Feb. 16, 2022 | MA | H 4461 | Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Certain Undocumented Immigrants | (120 - 36) |
| Feb. 16, 2022 | MA | H 4470 | Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Certain Undocumented Persons | Bill Passed - House (120 - 36) |
| Feb. 10, 2022 | MA | H 4441 | Expands Protections for Veterans | Bill Passed - House (156 - 1) |
| Sept. 23, 2021 | MA | H 4121 | Establishes House Working Group on COVID-19 | Bill Passed - House (131 - 28) |
| June 30, 2021 | MA | H 3770 | Requires the $400 Million Holyoke Soldiers' Home Construction Project be Completed with Unionized Labor | Veto Override Passed - House (130 - 30) |
| June 10, 2021 | MA | H 3863 | Amends the Redistricting Process to Redraw Congressional Boundaries | Bill Passed - House (131 - 29) |
| June 10, 2021 | MA | H 3862 | Appropriates Funds for the 2021 Fiscal Year and Supplements Existing Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (131 - 29) |
| June 30, 2020 | MA | H 4818 | Establishes a Special Commission to Reduce Racial Inequalities in Maternal Health | Bill Passed - House (159 - 0) |
| March 28, 2019 | MA | H 3638 | Appropriates Funding to Family Planning and Women Reproductive Health Clinics | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
| 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 - Senate (30 - 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 | S 2562 | Authorizes Non-Binary Gender on Driver's Licenses | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 1) |
| June 27, 2018 | MA | H 4664 | Prohibits Gender Conversion Therapy | Bill Passed - House (137 - 14) |
| May 24, 2017 | MA | H 3034 | Limits the Use of Prison Labor | Bill Passed - House (120 - 35) |
| June 1, 2016 | MA | S 735 | Prohibits Discrimination Based on Gender Identity | Bill Passed - House (116 - 36) |
| May 12, 2016 | MA | S 735 | Prohibits Discrimination Based on Gender Identity | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 4) |
| 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 | S 2132 | Establishes Labor Standards for Domestic Workers | Bill Passed - House (126 - 22) |
| June 12, 2014 | MA | S 2123 | Increases the Minimum Wage | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 4) |
| May 1, 2014 | MA | S 2123 | Increases the Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 5) |
| April 2, 2014 | MA | H 4026 | Increases the Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - House (125 - 24) |
| Nov. 19, 2013 | MA | Amdt 1 | Increases the Minimum Wage for Tipped Employees | Amendment Adopted - Senate (31 - 7) |
| Nov. 19, 2013 | MA | S 1925 | Increases the Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 7) |
| May 30, 2012 | MA | H 3986 | Authorizes Child Care Workers to Form Labor Organizations | Bill Passed - House (117 - 32) |
| 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. 15, 2011 | MA | S 2018 | Massachusetts Pension System | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
| 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) |
| 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 28, 2010 | MA | Sánchez Amdt | Sending Public Benefits Amendment to Study | Amendment Adopted - House (83 - 75) |
| Jan. 28, 2010 | MA | H 4441 | School Nutrition Standards | Bill Passed - House (152 - 4) |
| Nov. 18, 2009 | MA | S 2210 | Sentencing Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
| 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 - Senate (27 - 11) |
| June 18, 2009 | MA | S 2087 | Massachusetts Transportation Agency Consolidation | Conference Report Adopted - House (130 - 25) |
| July 29, 2008 | MA | SB 800 | Repealing Out of State Marriage Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (119 - 36) |
| July 29, 2008 | MA | SB 800 | Repealing Out of State Marriage Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (119 - 36) |
| 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) |
| Nov. 1, 2007 | MA | S 1353 | Reproductive Health Clinic Buffer Zones | Bill Passed - House (122 - 28) |
| Oct. 11, 2007 | MA | H 4282 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (126 - 18) |
| Oct. 11, 2007 | MA | H 4282 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (126 - 18) |
| Sept. 27, 2007 | MA | Koutoujian Amendment | Expanding Pension Fund Divestment to Any State with a History of Genocide | Amendment Rejected - House (53 - 101) |
| Sept. 27, 2007 | MA | Jones Amendment | Expanding Pension Fund Divestments to Any State Sponsor of Terrorism | Amendment Rejected - House (32 - 124) |
| Sept. 27, 2007 | MA | S 2255 | State Pension Fund Divestment from Sudan | Bill Passed - House (154 - 2) |
| June 14, 2007 | MA | S 2220 | Constitutional Amendment Defining Marriage | Bill Failed - Senate (5 - 34) |
| June 14, 2007 | MA | S 2220 | Constitutional Amendment Defining Marriage | Bill Failed - Senate (5 - 34) |
| June 14, 2007 | MA | S 2220 | Constitutional Amendment Defining Marriage | Bill Failed - House (40 - 117) |
| June 14, 2007 | MA | S 2220 | Constitutional Amendment Defining Marriage | Bill Failed - House (40 - 117) |
| May 24, 2006 | MA | H 4479 | MassHealth Immigrant Eligibility Veto Override | Veto Override Passed - Senate (34 - 5) |
| May 24, 2006 | MA | H 4988 | Nurse Staffing Bill | Bill Passed - House (133 - 20) |
| April 25, 2006 | MA | H 4479 | Health Care Access & Affordability Bill Section 112 | Veto Override Passed - House (137 - 19) |
| Jan. 11, 2006 | MA | H 1230 | In State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Failed - House (57 - 96) |