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 26, 2009 | MD | SB 279 | Capital Punishment Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (87 - 52) |
| March 26, 2009 | MD | HB 310 | Extending Unemployment Benefits to Part-Time Employees | Bill Passed - House (94 - 43) |
| March 17, 2009 | MD | HB 359 | Handgun Permit Eligibility for Domestic Abuse Victims | Bill Failed - House (51 - 86) |
| March 17, 2009 | MD | HB 302 | Allowing Judges to Confiscate Firearms from Domestic Abuse Suspects | Bill Passed - House (92 - 45) |
| April 7, 2008 | MD | SB 268 | Maryland Strategic Energy Investment Program | Bill Passed - House (113 - 25) |
| April 7, 2008 | MD | HB 374 | Energy Efficiency Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (101 - 33) |
| April 7, 2008 | MD | HB 375 | Increasing Renewable Energy Standards | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (103 - 24) |
| April 7, 2008 | MD | SB 1013 | Regulation of Power Plants | Bill Passed - House (102 - 38) |
| April 5, 2008 | MD | SB 90 | 2008-2009 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (109 - 31) |
| April 5, 2008 | MD | SB 46 | Computer Services Sales Tax Repeal and Other Tax Adjustments | Bill Passed - House (93 - 44) |
| April 5, 2008 | MD | SB 646 | Allowing For-Profit Entities to Provide Credit Counseling | Bill Passed - House (124 - 12) |
| April 4, 2008 | MD | SB 597 | Property Transfer Tax Exemptions for Domestic Partners | Bill Passed - House (86 - 47) |
| April 4, 2008 | MD | SB 566 | Hospital Visitation/Decision-Making Rights for Domestic Partners | Bill Passed - House (88 - 46) |
| April 4, 2008 | MD | HB 1626 | Public Utilitiy Regulation | Bill Passed - House (98 - 41) |
| March 31, 2008 | MD | SB 269 | Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems | Bill Passed - House (89 - 47) |
| March 20, 2008 | MD | SB 90 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - House (105 - 34) |
| March 4, 2008 | MD | HB 362 | Department of Information Technology | Bill Passed - House (105 - 31) |
| Nov. 19, 2007 | MD | HB 1 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (100 - 33) |
| Nov. 19, 2007 | MD | HB 5 | Sales Tax Increase | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (81 - 52) |
| Nov. 13, 2007 | MD | HB 1 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (103 - 36) |
| Nov. 11, 2007 | MD | HB 5 | Sales Tax Increase | Bill Passed - House (80 - 56) |
| Nov. 11, 2007 | MD | HB 2 | Tax Reform Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (82 - 55) |
| April 9, 2007 | MD | HB 430 | State Living Wage | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (91 - 49) |
| April 6, 2007 | MD | HB 430 | State Living Wage | Bill Passed - House (88 - 50) |
| April 6, 2007 | MD | SB 634 | Presidential Election by Popular Vote | Bill Passed - House (84 - 54) |
| April 6, 2007 | MD | SB 1 | Early Voting | Bill Passed - House (107 - 32) |
| April 5, 2007 | MD | SB 103 | Maryland Clean Cars Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (123 - 17) |
| April 3, 2007 | MD | SB 91 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (99 - 39) |
| April 2, 2007 | MD | HB 148 | Presidential Election by Popular Vote | Bill Passed - House (85 - 54) |
| March 26, 2007 | MD | HB 992 | Parole for Drug Offenders | Bill Passed - House (71 - 66) |
| March 26, 2007 | MD | SB 488 | Felon Voting Rights | Bill Passed - House (78 - 60) |
| March 24, 2007 | MD | HB 359 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (98 - 40) |
| March 24, 2007 | MD | HB 1220 | Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Green Fund | Bill Passed - House (96 - 41) |
| March 23, 2007 | MD | HB 6 | Resident Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (81 - 57) |
| March 16, 2007 | MD | HB 754 | Tobacco Tax to Fund Health Care | Bill Passed - House (102 - 37) |
| March 14, 2007 | MD | Amendment 643129/1 | 2008-2009 Budget Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (29 - 110) |
| Feb. 20, 2007 | MD | HB 131 | Maryland Clean Cars Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (122 - 16) |
| Feb. 16, 2007 | MD | HB 201 | Early Voting | Bill Passed - House (101 - 31) |
| June 23, 2006 | MD | SB 1 | Electricity Rates | Veto Override Passed - House (87 - 37) |
| June 15, 2006 | MD | SB 1 | Electricity Rates | Bill Passed - House (109 - 26) |
| June 14, 2006 | MD | SB 52 | Maryland Transportation Authority | Veto Override Passed - House (94 - 42) |
| April 8, 2006 | MD | HB 1674 | Restrictions on Campaign Fund-Raising Activities by Members of the Board of Regents | Veto Override Passed - House (88 - 49) |
| April 8, 2006 | MD | HB 1368 | Election Changes | Veto Override Passed - House (93 - 45) |
| April 8, 2006 | MD | HB 1215 | School Closure Regulations | Veto Override Passed - House (97 - 42) |
| April 7, 2006 | MD | HB 853 | Prohibiting Dredging for Oysters & Clams in Atlantic Coastal Bays | Bill Passed - House (88 - 44) |
| April 4, 2006 | MD | HB 1054 | Public Campaign Financing Act for Candidates for the General Assembly | Bill Passed - House (79 - 56) |
| March 31, 2006 | MD | SB 1075 | Governor Cabinet Appointments | Bill Passed - House (89 - 48) |
| March 31, 2006 | MD | SB 154 | Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and Additional Emission Caps | Bill Passed - House (107 - 27) |
| March 25, 2006 | MD | HB 1035 | Uninsured Employers' Fund -- Liability of Corporate Officers | Bill Passed - House (90 - 45) |
| March 25, 2006 | MD | HB 1674 | Restrictions on Campaign Fund-Raising Activities by Members of the Board of Regents | Bill Passed - House (87 - 47) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/26 | SB 279 | Capital Punishment Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (87 - 52) |
| 3/26 | HB 310 | Extending Unemployment Benefits to Part-Time Employees | Bill Passed - House (94 - 43) |
| 3/17 | HB 359 | Handgun Permit Eligibility for Domestic Abuse Victims | Bill Failed - House (51 - 86) |
| 3/17 | HB 302 | Allowing Judges to Confiscate Firearms from Domestic Abuse Suspects | Bill Passed - House (92 - 45) |
| 4/07 | SB 268 | Maryland Strategic Energy Investment Program | Bill Passed - House (113 - 25) |
| 4/07 | HB 374 | Energy Efficiency Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (101 - 33) |
| 4/07 | HB 375 | Increasing Renewable Energy Standards | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (103 - 24) |
| 4/07 | SB 1013 | Regulation of Power Plants | Bill Passed - House (102 - 38) |
| 4/05 | SB 90 | 2008-2009 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (109 - 31) |
| 4/05 | SB 46 | Computer Services Sales Tax Repeal and Other Tax Adjustments | Bill Passed - House (93 - 44) |
| 4/05 | SB 646 | Allowing For-Profit Entities to Provide Credit Counseling | Bill Passed - House (124 - 12) |
| 4/04 | SB 597 | Property Transfer Tax Exemptions for Domestic Partners | Bill Passed - House (86 - 47) |
| 4/04 | SB 566 | Hospital Visitation/Decision-Making Rights for Domestic Partners | Bill Passed - House (88 - 46) |
| 4/04 | HB 1626 | Public Utilitiy Regulation | Bill Passed - House (98 - 41) |
| 3/31 | SB 269 | Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems | Bill Passed - House (89 - 47) |
| 3/20 | SB 90 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - House (105 - 34) |
| 3/04 | HB 362 | Department of Information Technology | Bill Passed - House (105 - 31) |
| 11/19 | HB 1 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (100 - 33) |
| 11/19 | HB 5 | Sales Tax Increase | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (81 - 52) |
| 11/13 | HB 1 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (103 - 36) |
| 11/11 | HB 5 | Sales Tax Increase | Bill Passed - House (80 - 56) |
| 11/11 | HB 2 | Tax Reform Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (82 - 55) |
| 4/09 | HB 430 | State Living Wage | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (91 - 49) |
| 4/06 | HB 430 | State Living Wage | Bill Passed - House (88 - 50) |
| 4/06 | SB 634 | Presidential Election by Popular Vote | Bill Passed - House (84 - 54) |
| 4/06 | SB 1 | Early Voting | Bill Passed - House (107 - 32) |
| 4/05 | SB 103 | Maryland Clean Cars Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (123 - 17) |
| 4/03 | SB 91 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (99 - 39) |
| 4/02 | HB 148 | Presidential Election by Popular Vote | Bill Passed - House (85 - 54) |
| 3/26 | HB 992 | Parole for Drug Offenders | Bill Passed - House (71 - 66) |
| 3/26 | SB 488 | Felon Voting Rights | Bill Passed - House (78 - 60) |
| 3/24 | HB 359 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (98 - 40) |
| 3/24 | HB 1220 | Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Green Fund | Bill Passed - House (96 - 41) |
| 3/23 | HB 6 | Resident Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (81 - 57) |
| 3/16 | HB 754 | Tobacco Tax to Fund Health Care | Bill Passed - House (102 - 37) |
| 3/14 | Amendment 643129/1 | 2008-2009 Budget Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (29 - 110) |
| 2/20 | HB 131 | Maryland Clean Cars Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (122 - 16) |
| 2/16 | HB 201 | Early Voting | Bill Passed - House (101 - 31) |
| 6/23 | SB 1 | Electricity Rates | Veto Override Passed - House (87 - 37) |
| 6/15 | SB 1 | Electricity Rates | Bill Passed - House (109 - 26) |
| 6/14 | SB 52 | Maryland Transportation Authority | Veto Override Passed - House (94 - 42) |
| 4/08 | HB 1674 | Restrictions on Campaign Fund-Raising Activities by Members of the Board of Regents | Veto Override Passed - House (88 - 49) |
| 4/08 | HB 1368 | Election Changes | Veto Override Passed - House (93 - 45) |
| 4/08 | HB 1215 | School Closure Regulations | Veto Override Passed - House (97 - 42) |
| 4/07 | HB 853 | Prohibiting Dredging for Oysters & Clams in Atlantic Coastal Bays | Bill Passed - House (88 - 44) |
| 4/04 | HB 1054 | Public Campaign Financing Act for Candidates for the General Assembly | Bill Passed - House (79 - 56) |
| 3/31 | SB 1075 | Governor Cabinet Appointments | Bill Passed - House (89 - 48) |
| 3/31 | SB 154 | Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and Additional Emission Caps | Bill Passed - House (107 - 27) |
| 3/25 | HB 1035 | Uninsured Employers' Fund -- Liability of Corporate Officers | Bill Passed - House (90 - 45) |
| 3/25 | HB 1674 | Restrictions on Campaign Fund-Raising Activities by Members of the Board of Regents | Bill Passed - House (87 - 47) |