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 18, 2014 | MA | H 4184 | Authorizes Parole Eligibility for Certain Juveniles Sentenced to Life Imprisonment | Bill Passed - House (129 - 16) |
| June 12, 2014 | MA | H 4111 | Appropriates Funds for the Expansion of the Boston Convention Center | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
| May 28, 2014 | MA | H 4111 | Appropriates Funds for the Expansion of the Boston Convention Center | Bill Passed - House (131 - 19) |
| July 19, 2012 | MA | H 3818 | Requires Habitual Violent Offenders to Serve Their Full Sentence | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 7) |
| July 18, 2012 | MA | H 3818 | Requires Habitual Violent Offenders to Serve Their Full Sentence | Conference Report Adopted - House (139 - 14) |
| 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) |
| April 25, 2012 | MA | H Amdt 804.1 | Electronic Benefit Transfer Cards | Amendment Adopted - House (123 - 33) |
| Oct. 13, 2011 | MA | H 3711 | Authorizes Gambling Casinos | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| Sept. 14, 2011 | MA | H 3711 | Authorizes Gambling Casinos | Bill Passed - House (123 - 32) |
| July 31, 2010 | MA | H 5000 | Gambling Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 15) |
| July 31, 2010 | MA | H 5000 | Gambling Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - House (117 - 36) |
| July 1, 2010 | MA | H 4619 | Gambling Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15) |
| 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) |
| Feb. 4, 2010 | MA | H 4466 | Expanding Driving Regulations | Bill Passed - House (146 - 9) |
| 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) |
| June 3, 2009 | MA | H Amendment 2 | Eliminate Evacuation Day and Bunker Hill Day | Amendment Rejected - House (78 - 78) |
| July 29, 2008 | MA | Peterson Amdt to H 5022 | Reducing Firearm Licensing Fee | Amendment Adopted - House (97 - 59) |
| July 29, 2008 | MA | SB 800 | Repealing Out of State Marriage Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (119 - 36) |
| 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) |
| March 20, 2008 | MA | H 4920 to 4307 | Establishing and Regulating Casinos | Amendment Adopted - House (106 - 48) |
| Jan. 23, 2008 | MA | H 4477 | Cell Phone Driving Ban | Bill Passed - House (107 - 47) |
| Nov. 1, 2007 | MA | S 1353 | Reproductive Health Clinic Buffer Zones | Bill Passed - House (122 - 28) |
| Nov. 1, 2007 | MA | S 1353 | Reproductive Health Clinic Buffer Zones | Bill Passed - House (122 - 28) |
| 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) |
| 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 - 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 - Senate (5 - 34) |
| July 13, 2006 | MA | H 126 | Unsigned Political Posters | Veto Override Passed - House (132 - 24) |
| July 13, 2006 | MA | H 4176 | Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes | Veto Override Passed - House (115 - 42) |
| July 13, 2006 | MA | H 4176 | Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes | Veto Override Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| July 13, 2006 | MA | H 126 | Unsigned Political Posters | Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 6) |
| June 7, 2006 | MA | H 4176 | Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| May 24, 2006 | MA | H 4479 | MassHealth Immigrant Eligibility Veto Override | Veto Override Passed - Senate (34 - 5) |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/18 | H 4184 | Authorizes Parole Eligibility for Certain Juveniles Sentenced to Life Imprisonment | Bill Passed - House (129 - 16) |
| 6/12 | H 4111 | Appropriates Funds for the Expansion of the Boston Convention Center | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
| 5/28 | H 4111 | Appropriates Funds for the Expansion of the Boston Convention Center | Bill Passed - House (131 - 19) |
| 7/19 | H 3818 | Requires Habitual Violent Offenders to Serve Their Full Sentence | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 7) |
| 7/18 | H 3818 | Requires Habitual Violent Offenders to Serve Their Full Sentence | Conference Report Adopted - House (139 - 14) |
| 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) |
| 4/25 | H Amdt 804.1 | Electronic Benefit Transfer Cards | Amendment Adopted - House (123 - 33) |
| 10/13 | H 3711 | Authorizes Gambling Casinos | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
| 9/14 | H 3711 | Authorizes Gambling Casinos | Bill Passed - House (123 - 32) |
| 7/31 | H 5000 | Gambling Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 15) |
| 7/31 | H 5000 | Gambling Law Amendments | Conference Report Adopted - House (117 - 36) |
| 7/01 | H 4619 | Gambling Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15) |
| 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) |
| 2/04 | H 4466 | Expanding Driving Regulations | Bill Passed - House (146 - 9) |
| 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) |
| 6/03 | H Amendment 2 | Eliminate Evacuation Day and Bunker Hill Day | Amendment Rejected - House (78 - 78) |
| 7/29 | Peterson Amdt to H 5022 | Reducing Firearm Licensing Fee | Amendment Adopted - House (97 - 59) |
| 7/29 | SB 800 | Repealing Out of State Marriage Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (119 - 36) |
| 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) |
| 3/20 | H 4920 to 4307 | Establishing and Regulating Casinos | Amendment Adopted - House (106 - 48) |
| 1/23 | H 4477 | Cell Phone Driving Ban | Bill Passed - House (107 - 47) |
| 11/01 | S 1353 | Reproductive Health Clinic Buffer Zones | Bill Passed - House (122 - 28) |
| 11/01 | S 1353 | Reproductive Health Clinic Buffer Zones | Bill Passed - House (122 - 28) |
| 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) |
| 6/14 | S 2220 | Constitutional Amendment Defining Marriage | Bill Failed - House (40 - 117) |
| 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 - Senate (5 - 34) |
| 7/13 | H 126 | Unsigned Political Posters | Veto Override Passed - House (132 - 24) |
| 7/13 | H 4176 | Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes | Veto Override Passed - House (115 - 42) |
| 7/13 | H 4176 | Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes | Veto Override Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| 7/13 | H 126 | Unsigned Political Posters | Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 6) |
| 6/07 | H 4176 | Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| 5/24 | H 4479 | MassHealth Immigrant Eligibility Veto Override | Veto Override Passed - Senate (34 - 5) |
| 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) |