Key Votes

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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:

  1. The vote should be helpful in portraying how a member stands on a particular issue
  2. The vote should be clear for any person to understand
  3. The vote has received media attention
  4. The vote was passed or defeated by a very close margin
  5. Occasionally, if a specific bill is consistently inquired about on the Voter's Research Hotline, the vote will be added

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.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
March 31, 2014 MD SB 973 Establishes an Automated Assessment System for Pretrial Releases Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 9)
March 20, 2014 MD HB 739 Amends Estate Tax Laws Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 10)
March 14, 2014 MD SB 364 Reduces Penalties for Possession of Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 8)
March 4, 2014 MD SB 212 Prohibits Discrimination Based on Gender Identity Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 15)
Feb. 6, 2014 MD SB 263 Amends Baltimore's Needle and Syringe Exchange Program Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 6)
Feb. 5, 2014 MD SB 75 Prohibits the Sale of Alcoholic Products with Alcohol Content Above 95 Percent Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 10)
Jan. 29, 2014 MD SB 134 Amends the Maryland Health Insurance Plan Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (34 - 7)
April 8, 2013 MD HB 224 Amends Voting Procedures Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 11)
April 4, 2013 MD SB 281 Amends Firearms Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 19)
April 4, 2013 MD SB 422 Requires Public School Teachers to Pay Labor Union Fees Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13)
March 29, 2013 MD HB 1515 Increases the Gas Tax Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20)
March 27, 2013 MD SB 274 Expands Medicaid Coverage Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 11)
March 25, 2013 MD SB 715 Amends Driver's License Requirements for Undocumented Individuals Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18)
March 25, 2013 MD SB 339 Classifies Using a Cell Phone While Driving As a Primary Offense Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 6)
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 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. 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)
May 15, 2012 MD SB 1301 Amends Teacher Pension Funding Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 13)
May 15, 2012 MD SB 1302 Increases Tax Rates for Certain Individuals Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 19)
April 9, 2012 MD SB 236 Septic System Installation Requirements Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 15)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/31 SB 973 Establishes an Automated Assessment System for Pretrial Releases Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 9)
3/20 HB 739 Amends Estate Tax Laws Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 10)
3/14 SB 364 Reduces Penalties for Possession of Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 8)
3/04 SB 212 Prohibits Discrimination Based on Gender Identity Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 15)
2/06 SB 263 Amends Baltimore's Needle and Syringe Exchange Program Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 6)
2/05 SB 75 Prohibits the Sale of Alcoholic Products with Alcohol Content Above 95 Percent Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 10)
1/29 SB 134 Amends the Maryland Health Insurance Plan Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (34 - 7)
4/08 HB 224 Amends Voting Procedures Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 11)
4/04 SB 281 Amends Firearms Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 19)
4/04 SB 422 Requires Public School Teachers to Pay Labor Union Fees Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13)
3/29 HB 1515 Increases the Gas Tax Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20)
3/27 SB 274 Expands Medicaid Coverage Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 11)
3/25 SB 715 Amends Driver's License Requirements for Undocumented Individuals Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18)
3/25 SB 339 Classifies Using a Cell Phone While Driving As a Primary Offense Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 6)
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)
3/11 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)
2/08 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)
5/15 SB 1301 Amends Teacher Pension Funding Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 13)
5/15 SB 1302 Increases Tax Rates for Certain Individuals Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 19)
4/09 SB 236 Septic System Installation Requirements Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 15)

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