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 3, 2016 | MD | HB 274 | Repeals Witness Requirement for Uncontested Divorces | Bill Passed - House (94 - 45) |
| April 8, 2015 | MD | SB 743 | Authorizes New Birth Certificates for Sex Changes | Bill Passed - House (91 - 49) |
| March 24, 2015 | MD | SB 743 | Authorizes New Birth Certificates for Sex Changes | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 16) |
| March 24, 2015 | MD | SB 416 | Requires Health Insurers to Cover In Vitro Fertilization for Same-Sex Couples | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 10) |
| April 7, 2014 | MD | HB 295 | Increases the Minimum Wage | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (87 - 47) |
| April 5, 2014 | MD | HB 295 | Increases the Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13) |
| March 27, 2014 | MD | SB 212 | Prohibits Discrimination Based on Gender Identity | Bill Passed - House (82 - 57) |
| March 7, 2014 | MD | HB 295 | Increases the Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - House (89 - 46) |
| March 4, 2014 | MD | SB 212 | Prohibits Discrimination Based on Gender Identity | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 15) |
| April 8, 2013 | MD | SB 422 | Requires Public School Teachers to Pay Labor Union Fees | Bill Passed - House (99 - 41) |
| April 5, 2013 | MD | SB 715 | Amends Driver's License Requirements for Undocumented Individuals | Bill Passed - House (82 - 55) |
| April 4, 2013 | MD | SB 422 | Requires Public School Teachers to Pay Labor Union Fees | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13) |
| March 27, 2013 | MD | SB 274 | Expands Medicaid Coverage | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 11) |
| March 25, 2013 | MD | HB 228 | Amends the State Health Benefits Exchange and Medicaid Program | Bill Passed - House (93 - 43) |
| March 25, 2013 | MD | SB 715 | Amends Driver's License Requirements for Undocumented Individuals | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
| Aug. 14, 2012 | MD | SB 1 | Expands Gambling | Bill Passed - House (71 - 59) |
| Feb. 23, 2012 | MD | HB 438 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 22) |
| Feb. 17, 2012 | MD | HB 438 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (72 - 67) |
| Oct. 20, 2011 | MD | SB 1 | Congressional Redistricting | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 13) |
| Oct. 18, 2011 | MD | SB 1 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (91 - 46) |
| April 11, 2011 | MD | SB 167 | In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Conference Report Adopted - House (74 - 65) |
| April 11, 2011 | MD | SB 167 | In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 19) |
| April 11, 2011 | MD | HB 235 | Prohibiting Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Discrimination | Motion Agreed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| April 8, 2011 | MD | HB 302 | Parole Approval | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (75 - 65) |
| April 5, 2011 | MD | HB 302 | Parole Approval | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 15) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/03 | HB 274 | Repeals Witness Requirement for Uncontested Divorces | Bill Passed - House (94 - 45) |
| 4/08 | SB 743 | Authorizes New Birth Certificates for Sex Changes | Bill Passed - House (91 - 49) |
| 3/24 | SB 743 | Authorizes New Birth Certificates for Sex Changes | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 16) |
| 3/24 | SB 416 | Requires Health Insurers to Cover In Vitro Fertilization for Same-Sex Couples | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 10) |
| 4/07 | HB 295 | Increases the Minimum Wage | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (87 - 47) |
| 4/05 | HB 295 | Increases the Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13) |
| 3/27 | SB 212 | Prohibits Discrimination Based on Gender Identity | Bill Passed - House (82 - 57) |
| 3/07 | HB 295 | Increases the Minimum Wage | Bill Passed - House (89 - 46) |
| 3/04 | SB 212 | Prohibits Discrimination Based on Gender Identity | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 15) |
| 4/08 | SB 422 | Requires Public School Teachers to Pay Labor Union Fees | Bill Passed - House (99 - 41) |
| 4/05 | SB 715 | Amends Driver's License Requirements for Undocumented Individuals | Bill Passed - House (82 - 55) |
| 4/04 | SB 422 | Requires Public School Teachers to Pay Labor Union Fees | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13) |
| 3/27 | SB 274 | Expands Medicaid Coverage | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 11) |
| 3/25 | HB 228 | Amends the State Health Benefits Exchange and Medicaid Program | Bill Passed - House (93 - 43) |
| 3/25 | SB 715 | Amends Driver's License Requirements for Undocumented Individuals | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
| 8/14 | SB 1 | Expands Gambling | Bill Passed - House (71 - 59) |
| 2/23 | HB 438 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 22) |
| 2/17 | HB 438 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (72 - 67) |
| 10/20 | SB 1 | Congressional Redistricting | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 13) |
| 10/18 | SB 1 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (91 - 46) |
| 4/11 | SB 167 | In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Conference Report Adopted - House (74 - 65) |
| 4/11 | SB 167 | In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 19) |
| 4/11 | HB 235 | Prohibiting Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Discrimination | Motion Agreed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| 4/08 | HB 302 | Parole Approval | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (75 - 65) |
| 4/05 | HB 302 | Parole Approval | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 15) |