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. 17, 2025 | MA | H 4530 | Appropriates Funds to Health Care Systems for Fiscal Year 2025 | Bill Passed - House (148 - 1) |
| July 31, 2025 | MA | H 4307 | Appropriates Funds for Municipal Road and Bridge Improvement Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 0) |
| July 31, 2025 | MA | H 4307 | Appropriates Funds for Municipal Road and Bridge Improvement Projects | Bill Passed - House (156 - 0) |
| June 30, 2025 | MA | H 4240 | Appropriates Funding for the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 State Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (139 - 6) |
| June 30, 2025 | MA | H 4240 | Appropriates Funding for the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 State Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 2) |
| June 18, 2025 | MA | H 4227 | Appropriates Funds for Transportation and Education for Fiscal Year 2025 | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 0) |
| June 18, 2025 | MA | H 4227 | Appropriates Funds for Transportation and Education for Fiscal Year 2025 | Bill Passed - House (148 - 4) |
| April 26, 2024 | MA | H 4600 | Appropriates Funding for the Fiscal Year 2025 State Budget | Bill Passed - House (153 - 4) |
| 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) |
| June 30, 2022 | MA | S 2988 | Limits Use of Asset Forfeiture | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
| Jan. 27, 2022 | MA | S 2554 | Establishes Early Voting Opportunities | (124 - 34) |
| Sept. 23, 2021 | MA | H 4121 | Establishes House Working Group on COVID-19 | Bill Passed - House (131 - 28) |
| Sept. 23, 2021 | MA | H 4121 | Establishes House Working Group on COVID-19 | Bill Passed - House (131 - 28) |
| June 10, 2021 | MA | H 3863 | Amends the Redistricting Process to Redraw Congressional Boundaries | Bill Passed - House (131 - 29) |
| June 10, 2021 | MA | H 3871 | Appropriates Funds for a Supplemental Budget | Bill Passed - House (131 - 29) |
| March 11, 2021 | MA | H 73 | Establishes That Early Voting by Mail-In Ballot Can Continue Through the End of June | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 0) |
| July 2, 2020 | MA | H 4820 | Expands Voting Options in Response to COVID-19 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (39 - 0) |
| July 31, 2018 | MA | H 4857 | Increases State Clean Energy Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 0) |
| July 30, 2018 | MA | H 4834 | Establishes Automatic Voter Registration | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (36 - 0) |
| July 30, 2018 | MA | H 4834 | Establishes Automatic Voter Registration | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (36 - 0) |
| July 18, 2018 | MA | H 4546 | Authorizes Creation of Community Benefit Districts | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| June 7, 2018 | MA | H 4501 | Authorizes Capital for State Life Sciences Capital Fund | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
| July 7, 2017 | MA | H 3800 | Establishes State Budget for Fiscal Year 2018 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (36 - 2) |
| July 7, 2017 | MA | H 3800 | Establishes State Budget for Fiscal Year 2018 | Conference Report Adopted - House (140 - 9) |
| May 24, 2017 | MA | H 3034 | Limits the Use of Prison Labor | Bill Passed - House (120 - 35) |
| May 31, 2012 | MA | H Amdt 11 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Amendment Adopted - House (105 - 43) |
| March 2, 2011 | MA | S 9 | Establishing a Redistricting Commission | Bill Passed - House (123 - 30) |
| 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) |
| Feb. 10, 2011 | MA | S 9 | Establishing a Redistricting Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4) |
| 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) |
| June 2, 2010 | MA | H 4156 | National Popular Vote Act | Bill Passed - House (114 - 35) |
| 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) |
| 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. 22, 2009 | MA | H 4246 | Authorizing Governor to Appoint Interim U.S. Senator | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
| 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) |
| Sept. 17, 2009 | MA | H 4246 | Authorizing Governor to Appoint Interim U.S. Senator | Bill Passed - House (95 - 59) |
| Sept. 17, 2009 | MA | H 4246 | Authorizing Governor to Appoint Interim U.S. Senator | Bill Passed - House (95 - 59) |
| 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 | S 2807 | Election Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
| July 29, 2008 | MA | S 2807 | Election Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
| July 29, 2008 | MA | SB 800 | Repealing Out of State Marriage Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (119 - 36) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9/17 | H 4530 | Appropriates Funds to Health Care Systems for Fiscal Year 2025 | Bill Passed - House (148 - 1) |
| 7/31 | H 4307 | Appropriates Funds for Municipal Road and Bridge Improvement Projects | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 0) |
| 7/31 | H 4307 | Appropriates Funds for Municipal Road and Bridge Improvement Projects | Bill Passed - House (156 - 0) |
| 6/30 | H 4240 | Appropriates Funding for the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 State Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (139 - 6) |
| 6/30 | H 4240 | Appropriates Funding for the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 State Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 2) |
| 6/18 | H 4227 | Appropriates Funds for Transportation and Education for Fiscal Year 2025 | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 0) |
| 6/18 | H 4227 | Appropriates Funds for Transportation and Education for Fiscal Year 2025 | Bill Passed - House (148 - 4) |
| 4/26 | H 4600 | Appropriates Funding for the Fiscal Year 2025 State Budget | Bill Passed - House (153 - 4) |
| 8/01 | H 5163 | Authorizes Technology Improvements to State Judiciary | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 1) |
| 8/01 | H 5163 | Authorizes Technology Improvements to State Judiciary | Bill Passed - House (147 - 6) |
| 6/30 | S 2988 | Limits Use of Asset Forfeiture | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
| 1/27 | S 2554 | Establishes Early Voting Opportunities | (124 - 34) |
| 9/23 | H 4121 | Establishes House Working Group on COVID-19 | Bill Passed - House (131 - 28) |
| 9/23 | H 4121 | Establishes House Working Group on COVID-19 | Bill Passed - House (131 - 28) |
| 6/10 | H 3863 | Amends the Redistricting Process to Redraw Congressional Boundaries | Bill Passed - House (131 - 29) |
| 6/10 | H 3871 | Appropriates Funds for a Supplemental Budget | Bill Passed - House (131 - 29) |
| 3/11 | H 73 | Establishes That Early Voting by Mail-In Ballot Can Continue Through the End of June | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 0) |
| 7/02 | H 4820 | Expands Voting Options in Response to COVID-19 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (39 - 0) |
| 7/31 | H 4857 | Increases State Clean Energy Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 0) |
| 7/30 | H 4834 | Establishes Automatic Voter Registration | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (36 - 0) |
| 7/30 | H 4834 | Establishes Automatic Voter Registration | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (36 - 0) |
| 7/18 | H 4546 | Authorizes Creation of Community Benefit Districts | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| 6/07 | H 4501 | Authorizes Capital for State Life Sciences Capital Fund | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
| 7/07 | H 3800 | Establishes State Budget for Fiscal Year 2018 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (36 - 2) |
| 7/07 | H 3800 | Establishes State Budget for Fiscal Year 2018 | Conference Report Adopted - House (140 - 9) |
| 5/24 | H 3034 | Limits the Use of Prison Labor | Bill Passed - House (120 - 35) |
| 5/31 | H Amdt 11 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Amendment Adopted - House (105 - 43) |
| 3/02 | S 9 | Establishing a Redistricting Commission | Bill Passed - House (123 - 30) |
| 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) |
| 2/10 | S 9 | Establishing a Redistricting Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4) |
| 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) |
| 6/02 | H 4156 | National Popular Vote Act | Bill Passed - House (114 - 35) |
| 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) |
| 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) |
| 9/22 | H 4246 | Authorizing Governor to Appoint Interim U.S. Senator | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
| 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) |
| 9/17 | H 4246 | Authorizing Governor to Appoint Interim U.S. Senator | Bill Passed - House (95 - 59) |
| 9/17 | H 4246 | Authorizing Governor to Appoint Interim U.S. Senator | Bill Passed - House (95 - 59) |
| 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 | S 2807 | Election Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
| 7/29 | S 2807 | Election Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
| 7/29 | SB 800 | Repealing Out of State Marriage Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (119 - 36) |