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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 6, 2009 | MD | HB 302 | Allowing Judges to Confiscate Firearms from Domestic Abuse Suspects | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 15) |
| April 2, 2009 | MD | SB 277 | Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| April 2, 2009 | MD | SB 277 | Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| March 24, 2008 | MD | SB 597 | Property Transfer Tax Exemptions for Domestic Partners | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21) |
| March 20, 2008 | MD | SB 2 | Banning Cell Phones While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21) |
| March 18, 2008 | MD | SB 269 | Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21) |
| March 18, 2008 | MD | SB 269 | Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21) |
| March 18, 2008 | MD | SB 566 | Hospital Visitation/Decision-Making Rights for Domestic Partners | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
| March 14, 2008 | MD | SB 461 | Prohibiting Cell Phone Use by Drivers Under 18 | Bill Failed - Senate (22 - 21) |
| March 14, 2008 | MD | SB 461 | Prohibiting Cell Phone Use by Drivers Under 18 | Bill Failed - Senate (22 - 21) |
| March 12, 2008 | MD | SB 42 | Temporary Confiscation of Firearms | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 17) |
| March 12, 2008 | MD | SB 42 | Temporary Confiscation of Firearms | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 17) |
| Feb. 22, 2008 | MD | SB 243 | Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 10) |
| Feb. 22, 2008 | MD | SB 243 | Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 10) |
| Feb. 21, 2008 | MD | SB 111 | Expanding Hate Crimes Classification to Homeless | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 4) |
| Nov. 19, 2007 | MD | HB 5 | Sales Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 20) |
| April 9, 2007 | MD | HB 992 | Parole for Drug Offenders | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
| April 9, 2007 | MD | HB 992 | Parole for Drug Offenders | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
| April 5, 2007 | MD | HB 359 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
| March 26, 2007 | MD | SB 91 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 13) |
| March 23, 2007 | MD | SB 488 | Felon Voting Rights | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 19) |
| March 23, 2007 | MD | SB 488 | Felon Voting Rights | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 19) |
| March 16, 2007 | MD | SB 533 | Removal of Remarriage Barriers | Bill Failed - Senate (22 - 22) |
| March 16, 2007 | MD | SB 533 | Removal of Remarriage Barriers | Bill Failed - Senate (22 - 22) |
| March 6, 2007 | MD | SB 160 | Discrimination Against the Homeless | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 9) |
| March 6, 2007 | MD | SB 160 | Discrimination Against the Homeless | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 9) |
| Feb. 27, 2007 | MD | SB 61 | Evidence in Sexual Misconduct Trials | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| June 15, 2006 | MD | HB 2 | Mandatory Sentences and Other Penalties for Sex Offenders | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 5) |
| June 15, 2006 | MD | HB 2 | Mandatory Sentences and Other Penalties for Sex Offenders | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 5) |
| March 28, 2006 | MD | SB 297 | Pharmacists Dispensing Emergency Contraception | Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 24) |
| March 28, 2006 | MD | SB 539 | Hate Crimes Against Homeless Persons Bill | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 25) |
| March 28, 2006 | MD | SB 539 | Hate Crimes Against Homeless Persons Bill | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 25) |
| March 27, 2006 | MD | Amendment 3929 to SB 297 | Prohibiting Requirement of Pharmacist to Dispense Emergency Contraception Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (17 - 28) |
| March 27, 2006 | MD | SB 539 | Hate Crimes Against Homeless Persons Bill | Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 22) |
| March 27, 2006 | MD | SB 539 | Hate Crimes Against Homeless Persons Bill | Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 22) |
| March 15, 2006 | MD | Amendment 503528 to SB 110 | Funding to Family Planning Programs Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (18 - 29) |
| March 15, 2006 | MD | Amendment 553220 | Needle Exchange Funding Prohibition Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 32) |
| March 15, 2006 | MD | Amendment 553220 | Needle Exchange Funding Prohibition Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 32) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/06 | HB 302 | Allowing Judges to Confiscate Firearms from Domestic Abuse Suspects | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 15) |
| 4/02 | SB 277 | Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| 4/02 | SB 277 | Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| 3/24 | SB 597 | Property Transfer Tax Exemptions for Domestic Partners | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21) |
| 3/20 | SB 2 | Banning Cell Phones While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21) |
| 3/18 | SB 269 | Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21) |
| 3/18 | SB 269 | Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21) |
| 3/18 | SB 566 | Hospital Visitation/Decision-Making Rights for Domestic Partners | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
| 3/14 | SB 461 | Prohibiting Cell Phone Use by Drivers Under 18 | Bill Failed - Senate (22 - 21) |
| 3/14 | SB 461 | Prohibiting Cell Phone Use by Drivers Under 18 | Bill Failed - Senate (22 - 21) |
| 3/12 | SB 42 | Temporary Confiscation of Firearms | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 17) |
| 3/12 | SB 42 | Temporary Confiscation of Firearms | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 17) |
| 2/22 | SB 243 | Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 10) |
| 2/22 | SB 243 | Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 10) |
| 2/21 | SB 111 | Expanding Hate Crimes Classification to Homeless | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 4) |
| 11/19 | HB 5 | Sales Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 20) |
| 4/09 | HB 992 | Parole for Drug Offenders | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
| 4/09 | HB 992 | Parole for Drug Offenders | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
| 4/05 | HB 359 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
| 3/26 | SB 91 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 13) |
| 3/23 | SB 488 | Felon Voting Rights | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 19) |
| 3/23 | SB 488 | Felon Voting Rights | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 19) |
| 3/16 | SB 533 | Removal of Remarriage Barriers | Bill Failed - Senate (22 - 22) |
| 3/16 | SB 533 | Removal of Remarriage Barriers | Bill Failed - Senate (22 - 22) |
| 3/06 | SB 160 | Discrimination Against the Homeless | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 9) |
| 3/06 | SB 160 | Discrimination Against the Homeless | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 9) |
| 2/27 | SB 61 | Evidence in Sexual Misconduct Trials | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| 6/15 | HB 2 | Mandatory Sentences and Other Penalties for Sex Offenders | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 5) |
| 6/15 | HB 2 | Mandatory Sentences and Other Penalties for Sex Offenders | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 5) |
| 3/28 | SB 297 | Pharmacists Dispensing Emergency Contraception | Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 24) |
| 3/28 | SB 539 | Hate Crimes Against Homeless Persons Bill | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 25) |
| 3/28 | SB 539 | Hate Crimes Against Homeless Persons Bill | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 25) |
| 3/27 | Amendment 3929 to SB 297 | Prohibiting Requirement of Pharmacist to Dispense Emergency Contraception Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (17 - 28) |
| 3/27 | SB 539 | Hate Crimes Against Homeless Persons Bill | Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 22) |
| 3/27 | SB 539 | Hate Crimes Against Homeless Persons Bill | Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 22) |
| 3/15 | Amendment 503528 to SB 110 | Funding to Family Planning Programs Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (18 - 29) |
| 3/15 | Amendment 553220 | Needle Exchange Funding Prohibition Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 32) |
| 3/15 | Amendment 553220 | Needle Exchange Funding Prohibition Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 32) |