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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/12 | S 2123 | Increases the Minimum Wage | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 4) |
| 5/01 | S 2123 | Increases the Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 5) |
| 4/02 | H 4026 | Increases the Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - House (125 - 24) |
| 11/19 | Amdt 1 | Increases the Minimum Wage for Tipped Employees | Amendment Adopted - Senate (31 - 7) |
| 11/19 | S 1925 | Increases the Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 7) |
| 5/30 | H 3986 | Authorizes Child Care Workers to Form Labor Organizations | Bill Passed - House (117 - 32) |
| 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) |
| 9/15 | S 2018 | Massachusetts Pension System | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
| 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) |
| 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) |
| 4/28 | Sánchez Amdt | Sending Public Benefits Amendment to Study | Amendment Adopted - House (83 - 75) |
| 1/28 | H 4441 | School Nutrition Standards | Bill Passed - House (152 - 4) |
| 11/18 | S 2210 | Sentencing Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
| 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 - Senate (27 - 11) |
| 6/18 | S 2087 | Massachusetts Transportation Agency Consolidation | Conference Report Adopted - House (130 - 25) |
| 7/29 | SB 800 | Repealing Out of State Marriage Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (119 - 36) |
| 7/29 | SB 800 | Repealing Out of State Marriage Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (119 - 36) |
| 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) |
| 11/01 | S 1353 | Reproductive Health Clinic Buffer Zones | Bill Passed - House (122 - 28) |
| 10/11 | H 4282 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (126 - 18) |
| 10/11 | H 4282 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (126 - 18) |
| 9/27 | Koutoujian Amendment | Expanding Pension Fund Divestment to Any State with a History of Genocide | Amendment Rejected - House (53 - 101) |
| 9/27 | Jones Amendment | Expanding Pension Fund Divestments to Any State Sponsor of Terrorism | Amendment Rejected - House (32 - 124) |
| 9/27 | S 2255 | State Pension Fund Divestment from Sudan | Bill Passed - House (154 - 2) |
| 6/14 | S 2220 | Constitutional Amendment Defining Marriage | Bill Failed - Senate (5 - 34) |
| 6/14 | S 2220 | Constitutional Amendment Defining Marriage | Bill Failed - Senate (5 - 34) |
| 6/14 | S 2220 | Constitutional Amendment Defining Marriage | Bill Failed - House (40 - 117) |
| 6/14 | S 2220 | Constitutional Amendment Defining Marriage | Bill Failed - House (40 - 117) |
| 5/24 | H 4479 | MassHealth Immigrant Eligibility Veto Override | Veto Override Passed - Senate (34 - 5) |
| 5/24 | H 4988 | Nurse Staffing Bill | Bill Passed - House (133 - 20) |
| 4/25 | H 4479 | Health Care Access & Affordability Bill Section 112 | Veto Override Passed - House (137 - 19) |
| 1/11 | H 1230 | In State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Failed - House (57 - 96) |