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 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 15, 2013 | MD | SB 276 | Repeals the Death Penalty | Bill Passed - House (82 - 56) |
| 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. 28, 2013 | MD | SB 281 | Amends Firearms Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 19) |
| 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. 14, 2012 | MD | SB 1 | Expands Gambling | Bill Passed - House (71 - 59) |
| March 27, 2012 | MD | SB 892 | Expands Gambling | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 11) |
| March 15, 2012 | MD | HB 650 | Reduces Prison Sentences for Inmates Seeking Education | Bill Passed - House (81 - 54) |
| Feb. 23, 2012 | MD | HB 438 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 22) |
| 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) |
| Feb. 17, 2012 | MD | HB 438 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (72 - 67) |
| 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) |
| March 26, 2011 | MD | HB 235 | Prohibiting Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Discrimination | Bill Passed - House (86 - 52) |
| March 9, 2011 | MD | Amendment 223923 | Civil Marriage Protection Act | Amendment Rejected - House (63 - 72) |
| Feb. 23, 2011 | MD | SB 116 | Civil Marriage Protection Act | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 22) |
| Feb. 23, 2011 | MD | SB 116 | Civil Marriage Protection Act | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 22) |
| April 10, 2010 | MD | SB 627 | Establishes Medical Marijuana Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 12) |
| April 9, 2010 | MD | SB 321 | Prohibiting Hand-Held Cell Phone Use While Driving | Bill Passed - House (125 - 14) |
| March 24, 2010 | MD | SB 1035 | Authorizes Card Games at a Specific Facility | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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) |
| 3/15 | SB 276 | Repeals the Death Penalty | Bill Passed - House (82 - 56) |
| 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) |
| 2/28 | SB 281 | Amends Firearms Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 19) |
| 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) |
| 8/14 | SB 1 | Expands Gambling | Bill Passed - House (71 - 59) |
| 3/27 | SB 892 | Expands Gambling | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 11) |
| 3/15 | HB 650 | Reduces Prison Sentences for Inmates Seeking Education | Bill Passed - House (81 - 54) |
| 2/23 | HB 438 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 22) |
| 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) |
| 2/17 | HB 438 | Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (72 - 67) |
| 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) |
| 3/26 | HB 235 | Prohibiting Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Discrimination | Bill Passed - House (86 - 52) |
| 3/09 | Amendment 223923 | Civil Marriage Protection Act | Amendment Rejected - House (63 - 72) |
| 2/23 | SB 116 | Civil Marriage Protection Act | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 22) |
| 2/23 | SB 116 | Civil Marriage Protection Act | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 22) |
| 4/10 | SB 627 | Establishes Medical Marijuana Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 12) |
| 4/09 | SB 321 | Prohibiting Hand-Held Cell Phone Use While Driving | Bill Passed - House (125 - 14) |
| 3/24 | SB 1035 | Authorizes Card Games at a Specific Facility | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13) |