David F. DeCoste
Republican · MA · Massachusetts State Representative, 5th Plymouth District
David DeCoste is a Republican state representative from Norwell, in office since 2015, and a 22-year U.S. Army veteran who retired as a major. He is his party's ranking member on the housing, public service, and transportation committees.
Where David F. DeCoste stands, based on their records
Opposes
Environment and Public Health (2 records), Reduce Wealth Gap (1 record), Labor Rights (1 record),
Mixed record
Government Spending Reduction (8 support · 1 oppose), Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties (1 support · 3 oppose), Housing Affordability (1 support · 1 oppose)
Track record
Track record — Environment and Public Health
Environment and Public Health · 2 oppose
Voted no on the 2021 climate bill setting a goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 (S. 9). It passed the House 144-14.
January 28, 2021Opposes Environment and Public Health
Source: malegislature.gov
Voted no on the 2019 tobacco law that banned flavored tobacco and vaping products, including menthol cigarettes, and taxed e-cigarettes (H. 4196). It passed the House 119-33.
November 21, 2019Opposes Environment and Public Health
Source: malegislature.gov
Track record — Reduce Wealth Gap
Reduce Wealth Gap · 1 oppose
Voted no on the 2018 'grand bargain' law that raised the minimum wage to $15 by 2023 and created paid family and medical leave (H. 4640). It passed the House 119-24.
June 20, 2018Opposes Reduce Wealth Gap
Source: malegislature.gov
Track record — Labor Rights
Labor Rights · 1 oppose
Voted no on the 2018 'grand bargain' law that raised the minimum wage to $15 by 2023 and created paid family and medical leave (H. 4640). It passed the House 119-24.
June 20, 2018Opposes Labor Rights
Source: malegislature.gov
Track record — Anti-Corruption
Anti-Corruption · 1 oppose
Voted no on a 2026 bill to make the Legislature and the Governor's office subject to public records requests (H. 5469). It passed the House 125-28.
June 3, 2026Opposes Anti-Corruption
Source: malegislature.gov
Track record — Immigration
Immigration · 2 oppose
Voted no on the PROTECT Act, a bill to ban civil immigration arrests in courthouses without a judge's warrant and to bar local police from asking about immigration status in non-criminal matters (H. 5305). It passed the House 134-21.
March 25, 2026Opposes Immigration
Source: malegislature.gov
Voted no both times the House voted on letting residents get a driver's license regardless of immigration status (the Work and Family Mobility Act, H. 4805). The final House tally was 119-36.
June 8, 2022Opposes Immigration
Source: malegislature.gov
Track record — Government Spending Reduction
Government Spending Reduction · 8 support · 1 oppose
Voted yes on the final $63.4 billion fiscal 2027 state budget (H. 5555). It passed the House 142-6.
July 1, 2026Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: malegislature.gov
Voted no on the final $60.9 billion fiscal 2026 state budget (H. 4240). It passed the House 139-6.
June 30, 2025Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: malegislature.gov
Voted no on a 2025 spending bill with $425 million for the emergency family shelter system and tighter shelter eligibility rules (H. 57). It passed the House 126-26.
February 6, 2025Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: malegislature.gov
Voted no on the House version of the Affordable Homes Act, a multibillion-dollar housing borrowing bill (H. 4707). It passed the House 145-13.
June 5, 2024Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: malegislature.gov
Voted no on the House version of the fiscal 2025 state budget (H. 4600). It passed the House 153-4.
April 26, 2024Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: malegislature.gov
Voted no on a 2024 spending bill adding $251 million for the emergency family shelter system and capping most shelter stays at nine months (H. 4582). It passed the House 123-35.
April 25, 2024Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: malegislature.gov
Voted no on re-passing budget sections that made phone calls from state prisons and county jails free for incarcerated people (H. 4052). It passed the House 132-26.
November 8, 2023Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: malegislature.gov
Voted no on the 2020 House transportation tax bill, which proposed raising the gas tax 5 cents, the diesel tax 9 cents, and ride-hailing fees to fund transit (H. 4508). It passed the House 113-40.
March 4, 2020Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: malegislature.gov
Voted no on overriding Governor Baker's veto of pay raises for legislative leaders, judges, and statewide officials (H. 58). It passed the House 116-43.
February 2, 2017Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: malegislature.gov
Track record — Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties
Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties · 1 support · 3 oppose
Filed a bill in 2025 to allow the death penalty for murdering a police officer (H. 1666), after filing death penalty bills in 2019, 2021, and 2023. Each was sent to study.
February 27, 2025Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties
Source: malegislature.gov
Voted no on re-passing budget sections that made phone calls from state prisons and county jails free for incarcerated people (H. 4052). It passed the House 132-26.
November 8, 2023Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties
Source: malegislature.gov
Voted no on the final 2020 police reform law, which created a state board to certify and decertify police officers and limited chokeholds (S. 2963). It passed the House 91-67.
December 1, 2020Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties
Source: malegislature.gov
Voted yes on the final 2018 criminal justice reform law, which repealed some mandatory minimum drug sentences and expanded record clearing (S. 2371). It passed the House 148-5.
April 4, 2018Supports Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties
Source: malegislature.gov
Track record — Housing Affordability
Housing Affordability · 1 support · 1 oppose
Filed a bill in 2025 to count manufactured homes as affordable housing (H. 1492), a proposal he has filed every session since 2015. Each was sent to study.
February 27, 2025Supports Housing Affordability
Source: malegislature.gov
Voted no on the House version of the Affordable Homes Act, a multibillion-dollar housing borrowing bill (H. 4707). It passed the House 145-13.
June 5, 2024Opposes Housing Affordability
Source: malegislature.gov
Track record — Social Programs and Welfare
Social Programs and Welfare · 2 oppose
Voted no on a 2025 spending bill with $425 million for the emergency family shelter system and tighter shelter eligibility rules (H. 57). It passed the House 126-26.
February 6, 2025Opposes Social Programs and Welfare
Source: malegislature.gov
Voted no on a 2024 spending bill adding $251 million for the emergency family shelter system and capping most shelter stays at nine months (H. 4582). It passed the House 123-35.
April 25, 2024Opposes Social Programs and Welfare
Source: malegislature.gov
Track record — Gun Control
Gun Control · 2 oppose
Voted no both times the House voted on the 2024 gun law that banned untraceable 'ghost guns' and expanded the assault weapons ban (H. 4135 in 2023, final report H. 4885 in 2024). The final House tally was 124-33.
July 18, 2024Opposes Gun Control
Source: malegislature.gov
Voted no on the 2018 'red flag' gun law, which lets family members ask a court to take guns from a person who poses a danger (H. 4670). It passed the House 133-15.
June 28, 2018Opposes Gun Control
Source: malegislature.gov
Track record — Women's Reproductive Rights
Women's Reproductive Rights · 5 oppose
Voted no on the 2026 law removing the state's 24-week limit on abortion (H. 5595). It passed the House 119-33.
July 22, 2026Opposes Women's Reproductive Rights
Source: malegislature.gov
Voted no on the 2025 update to the 'shield' law, which added protections for providers and patients of reproductive and gender-affirming care (S. 2543). It passed the House 132-24.
July 31, 2025Opposes Women's Reproductive Rights
Source: malegislature.gov
Filed an 'unborn victims of violence' bill in 2025 on crimes that injure or end a pregnancy (H. 1663), after similar 2021 and 2023 bills. Each was sent to study.
February 27, 2025Opposes Women's Reproductive Rights
Source: malegislature.gov
Voted no on the 2022 'shield' law protecting abortion and gender-affirming care providers and patients from out-of-state legal action (H. 5090). It passed the House 137-16.
July 26, 2022Opposes Women's Reproductive Rights
Source: malegislature.gov
Voted no on overriding Governor Baker's veto of abortion-access changes that let 16- and 17-year-olds get abortions without parental consent and allowed abortions after 24 weeks for fatal fetal conditions (H. 5179). It passed the House 107-46.
December 28, 2020Opposes Women's Reproductive Rights
Source: malegislature.gov
Track record — Civil Rights
Civil Rights · 6 oppose
Voted no on the 2025 update to the 'shield' law, which added protections for providers and patients of reproductive and gender-affirming care (S. 2543). It passed the House 132-24.
July 31, 2025Opposes Civil Rights
Source: malegislature.gov
Voted no on the 2022 'shield' law protecting abortion and gender-affirming care providers and patients from out-of-state legal action (H. 5090). It passed the House 137-16.
July 26, 2022Opposes Civil Rights
Source: malegislature.gov
Voted no on the 2022 VOTES Act, which made voting by mail and expanded early voting permanent (S. 2924). It passed the House 126-29.
June 16, 2022Opposes Civil Rights
Source: malegislature.gov
Voted no both times the House voted on banning conversion therapy for minors (H. 140, which became law; the 2018 bill was H. 4664). The final House tally was 149-8.
March 13, 2019Opposes Civil Rights
Source: malegislature.gov
Voted no on the final 2018 automatic voter registration law, which registers eligible voters when they deal with the RMV or MassHealth (H. 4834). It passed the House 134-16.
July 27, 2018Opposes Civil Rights
Source: malegislature.gov
Voted no on the 2016 bill banning discrimination against transgender people in public places such as restaurants, stores, and restrooms (S. 735). It passed the House 116-36.
June 1, 2016Opposes Civil Rights
Source: malegislature.gov
Track record — Public Infrastructure
Public Infrastructure · 1 oppose
Voted no on the 2020 House transportation tax bill, which proposed raising the gas tax 5 cents, the diesel tax 9 cents, and ride-hailing fees to fund transit (H. 4508). It passed the House 113-40.
March 4, 2020Opposes Public Infrastructure
Source: malegislature.gov
Track record — General
General · 5 records
Voted no on the House version of a bill to ban student cellphones during the school day and to bar children under 14 from social media (S. 2581). It passed the House 129-25.
April 8, 2026
Source: malegislature.gov
Voted no on the House's 2026 energy bill, which proposed cutting about $1 billion from the Mass Save efficiency program, delaying an offshore wind deadline, and easing limits on nuclear power (H. 5151). It passed the House 128-27.
February 26, 2026
Source: malegislature.gov
Filed a bill in 2025 requiring parents' consent before students take sex education classes (H. 550), after similar 2023 bills were sent to study.
February 27, 2025
Source: malegislature.gov
Filed a bill, at Hanover's request, letting the town fund its trust for retiree health benefits. It was signed into law on March 19, 2020 (Chapter 44 of the Acts of 2020).
March 19, 2020
Source: malegislature.gov
Filed a bill, at Norwell's request, letting Norwell voters recall elected town officials. It was signed into law on January 13, 2017 (Chapter 438 of the Acts of 2016).
January 13, 2017
Source: malegislature.gov
Past race David F. DeCoste ran in:
- State Representative 5th Plymouth District · November 3, 2026 · 5th Plymouth District; Massachusetts · incumbent