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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 25, 2013 | MD | SB 339 | Classifies Using a Cell Phone While Driving As a Primary Offense | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 6) |
| March 22, 2013 | MD | HB 860 | Authorizes Construction and Renovation of Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (107 - 30) |
| March 22, 2013 | MD | HB 1515 | Increases the Gas Tax | Bill Passed - House (76 - 63) |
| March 21, 2013 | MD | HB 753 | Classifies Cell Phone Use While Driving as a Primary Offense | Bill Passed - House (106 - 29) |
| March 20, 2013 | MD | SB 30 | Prohibits Smoking in Vehicles Containing Children | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| March 19, 2013 | MD | SB 297 | Reduces Fine for Marijuana Possession Under 10 Grams | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 16) |
| March 18, 2013 | MD | HB 226 | Establishes Offshore Wind Renewable Energy Credits | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (88 - 48) |
| March 15, 2013 | MD | SB 276 | Repeals the Death Penalty | Bill Passed - House (82 - 56) |
| March 15, 2013 | MD | HB 100 | 2013-2014 Budget | Bill Passed - House (101 - 36) |
| March 11, 2013 | MD | SB 279 | Amends Early Voting Procedures | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 12) |
| March 8, 2013 | MD | HB 226 | Establishes Offshore Wind Renewable Energy Credits | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 15) |
| March 6, 2013 | MD | SB 276 | Repeals the Death Penalty | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| Feb. 28, 2013 | MD | SB 281 | Amends Firearms Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 19) |
| Feb. 22, 2013 | MD | HB 226 | Establishes Offshore Wind Renewable Energy Credits | Bill Passed - House (86 - 48) |
| Feb. 8, 2013 | MD | SB 74 | Prohibits Operating a Vessel Under the Influence of Drugs or Alcohol | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 8) |
| Aug. 15, 2012 | MD | SB 1 | Expands Gambling | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 14) |
| Aug. 14, 2012 | MD | SB 1 | Expands Gambling | Bill Passed - House (71 - 59) |
| May 16, 2012 | MD | SB 1301 | Amends Teacher Pension Funding | Bill Passed - House (86 - 51) |
| May 16, 2012 | MD | SB 1302 | Increases Tax Rates for Certain Individuals | Bill Passed - House (77 - 60) |
| May 15, 2012 | MD | SB 1302 | Increases Tax Rates for Certain Individuals | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 19) |
| May 15, 2012 | MD | SB 1301 | Amends Teacher Pension Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 13) |
| April 9, 2012 | MD | SB 236 | Septic System Installation Requirements | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 15) |
| April 6, 2012 | MD | SB 236 | Septic System Installation Requirements | Bill Passed - House (93 - 45) |
| April 6, 2012 | MD | SB 433 | Prohibits Employers from Asking for Private Passwords | Bill Passed - House (128 - 10) |
| April 5, 2012 | MD | HB 443 | Establishes State Health Insurance Exchanges | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 11) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/25 | SB 339 | Classifies Using a Cell Phone While Driving As a Primary Offense | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 6) |
| 3/22 | HB 860 | Authorizes Construction and Renovation of Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (107 - 30) |
| 3/22 | HB 1515 | Increases the Gas Tax | Bill Passed - House (76 - 63) |
| 3/21 | HB 753 | Classifies Cell Phone Use While Driving as a Primary Offense | Bill Passed - House (106 - 29) |
| 3/20 | SB 30 | Prohibits Smoking in Vehicles Containing Children | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| 3/19 | SB 297 | Reduces Fine for Marijuana Possession Under 10 Grams | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 16) |
| 3/18 | HB 226 | Establishes Offshore Wind Renewable Energy Credits | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (88 - 48) |
| 3/15 | SB 276 | Repeals the Death Penalty | Bill Passed - House (82 - 56) |
| 3/15 | HB 100 | 2013-2014 Budget | Bill Passed - House (101 - 36) |
| 3/11 | SB 279 | Amends Early Voting Procedures | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 12) |
| 3/08 | HB 226 | Establishes Offshore Wind Renewable Energy Credits | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 15) |
| 3/06 | SB 276 | Repeals the Death Penalty | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| 2/28 | SB 281 | Amends Firearms Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 19) |
| 2/22 | HB 226 | Establishes Offshore Wind Renewable Energy Credits | Bill Passed - House (86 - 48) |
| 2/08 | SB 74 | Prohibits Operating a Vessel Under the Influence of Drugs or Alcohol | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 8) |
| 8/15 | SB 1 | Expands Gambling | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 14) |
| 8/14 | SB 1 | Expands Gambling | Bill Passed - House (71 - 59) |
| 5/16 | SB 1301 | Amends Teacher Pension Funding | Bill Passed - House (86 - 51) |
| 5/16 | SB 1302 | Increases Tax Rates for Certain Individuals | Bill Passed - House (77 - 60) |
| 5/15 | SB 1302 | Increases Tax Rates for Certain Individuals | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 19) |
| 5/15 | SB 1301 | Amends Teacher Pension Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 13) |
| 4/09 | SB 236 | Septic System Installation Requirements | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 15) |
| 4/06 | SB 236 | Septic System Installation Requirements | Bill Passed - House (93 - 45) |
| 4/06 | SB 433 | Prohibits Employers from Asking for Private Passwords | Bill Passed - House (128 - 10) |
| 4/05 | HB 443 | Establishes State Health Insurance Exchanges | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 11) |