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 9, 2010 | MD | SB 321 | Prohibiting Hand-Held Cell Phone Use While Driving | Bill Passed - House (125 - 14) |
| April 7, 2010 | MD | HB 825 | Increase in Motor Vehicle Liability Payment | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| March 24, 2010 | MD | SB 778 | Prohibits Public Schools from Sending Vocational Test Scores to Military Recruiters | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 23) |
| March 24, 2010 | MD | SB 1035 | Authorizes Card Games at a Specific Facility | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13) |
| March 24, 2010 | MD | SB 321 | Prohibiting Hand-Held Cell Phone Use While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 23) |
| March 23, 2010 | MD | HB 825 | Increase in Motor Vehicle Liability Payment | Bill Passed - House (97 - 36) |
| April 13, 2009 | MD | SB 278 | Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (36 - 9) |
| April 13, 2009 | MD | SB 278 | Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan | Bill Passed - House (107 - 30) |
| April 10, 2009 | MD | SB 277 | Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems | Bill Passed - House (94 - 41) |
| April 2, 2009 | MD | SB 277 | Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| April 1, 2009 | MD | SB 844 | Public Service Commission Regulation of New Electric Generation Facilities | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 19) |
| March 2, 2009 | MD | SB 278 | Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 9) |
| April 7, 2008 | MD | SB 268 | Maryland Strategic Energy Investment Program | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 16) |
| April 7, 2008 | MD | SB 268 | Maryland Strategic Energy Investment Program | Bill Passed - House (113 - 25) |
| April 7, 2008 | MD | SB 1013 | Regulation of Power Plants | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (34 - 11) |
| April 7, 2008 | MD | HB 375 | Increasing Renewable Energy Standards | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (103 - 24) |
| April 7, 2008 | MD | HB 374 | Energy Efficiency Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (101 - 33) |
| April 7, 2008 | MD | SB 1013 | Regulation of Power Plants | Bill Passed - House (102 - 38) |
| April 7, 2008 | MD | HB 374 | Energy Efficiency Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 13) |
| April 7, 2008 | MD | HB 375 | Increasing Renewable Energy Standards | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 13) |
| April 4, 2008 | MD | SB 597 | Property Transfer Tax Exemptions for Domestic Partners | Bill Passed - House (86 - 47) |
| April 4, 2008 | MD | HB 1626 | Public Utilitiy Regulation | Bill Passed - House (98 - 41) |
| April 4, 2008 | MD | SB 566 | Hospital Visitation/Decision-Making Rights for Domestic Partners | Bill Passed - House (88 - 46) |
| April 3, 2008 | MD | Amnd. 663027/2 | Power Plant Regulation | Amendment Adopted - Senate (27 - 18) |
| April 1, 2008 | MD | SB 268 | Maryland Strategic Energy Investment Program | Bill Failed - Senate (21 - 25) |
| March 31, 2008 | MD | SB 269 | Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems | Bill Passed - House (89 - 47) |
| March 26, 2008 | MD | SB 373 | Tax Credit for Educational Donations | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
| March 24, 2008 | MD | SB 309 | Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 16) |
| March 24, 2008 | MD | SB 597 | Property Transfer Tax Exemptions for Domestic Partners | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21) |
| March 20, 2008 | MD | SB 90 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - House (105 - 34) |
| 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 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 90 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 7) |
| Nov. 19, 2007 | MD | HB 5 | Sales Tax Increase | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (81 - 52) |
| Nov. 19, 2007 | MD | HB 1 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (100 - 33) |
| Nov. 19, 2007 | MD | HB 1 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (100 - 33) |
| Nov. 19, 2007 | MD | HB 1 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (100 - 33) |
| Nov. 19, 2007 | MD | HB 1 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 13) |
| Nov. 19, 2007 | MD | HB 1 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 13) |
| Nov. 19, 2007 | MD | HB 1 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 13) |
| Nov. 19, 2007 | MD | HB 5 | Sales Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 20) |
| Nov. 13, 2007 | MD | HB 1 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (103 - 36) |
| Nov. 13, 2007 | MD | HB 1 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (103 - 36) |
| 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) |
| April 5, 2007 | MD | HB 359 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
| April 5, 2007 | MD | SB 103 | Maryland Clean Cars Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (123 - 17) |
| April 4, 2007 | MD | HB 131 | Maryland Clean Cars Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 9) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/09 | SB 321 | Prohibiting Hand-Held Cell Phone Use While Driving | Bill Passed - House (125 - 14) |
| 4/07 | HB 825 | Increase in Motor Vehicle Liability Payment | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| 3/24 | SB 778 | Prohibits Public Schools from Sending Vocational Test Scores to Military Recruiters | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 23) |
| 3/24 | SB 1035 | Authorizes Card Games at a Specific Facility | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13) |
| 3/24 | SB 321 | Prohibiting Hand-Held Cell Phone Use While Driving | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 23) |
| 3/23 | HB 825 | Increase in Motor Vehicle Liability Payment | Bill Passed - House (97 - 36) |
| 4/13 | SB 278 | Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (36 - 9) |
| 4/13 | SB 278 | Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan | Bill Passed - House (107 - 30) |
| 4/10 | SB 277 | Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems | Bill Passed - House (94 - 41) |
| 4/02 | SB 277 | Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| 4/01 | SB 844 | Public Service Commission Regulation of New Electric Generation Facilities | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 19) |
| 3/02 | SB 278 | Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 9) |
| 4/07 | SB 268 | Maryland Strategic Energy Investment Program | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 16) |
| 4/07 | SB 268 | Maryland Strategic Energy Investment Program | Bill Passed - House (113 - 25) |
| 4/07 | SB 1013 | Regulation of Power Plants | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (34 - 11) |
| 4/07 | HB 375 | Increasing Renewable Energy Standards | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (103 - 24) |
| 4/07 | HB 374 | Energy Efficiency Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (101 - 33) |
| 4/07 | SB 1013 | Regulation of Power Plants | Bill Passed - House (102 - 38) |
| 4/07 | HB 374 | Energy Efficiency Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 13) |
| 4/07 | HB 375 | Increasing Renewable Energy Standards | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 13) |
| 4/04 | SB 597 | Property Transfer Tax Exemptions for Domestic Partners | Bill Passed - House (86 - 47) |
| 4/04 | HB 1626 | Public Utilitiy Regulation | Bill Passed - House (98 - 41) |
| 4/04 | SB 566 | Hospital Visitation/Decision-Making Rights for Domestic Partners | Bill Passed - House (88 - 46) |
| 4/03 | Amnd. 663027/2 | Power Plant Regulation | Amendment Adopted - Senate (27 - 18) |
| 4/01 | SB 268 | Maryland Strategic Energy Investment Program | Bill Failed - Senate (21 - 25) |
| 3/31 | SB 269 | Authorizing Speed Monitoring Systems | Bill Passed - House (89 - 47) |
| 3/26 | SB 373 | Tax Credit for Educational Donations | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
| 3/24 | SB 309 | Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 16) |
| 3/24 | SB 597 | Property Transfer Tax Exemptions for Domestic Partners | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21) |
| 3/20 | SB 90 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - House (105 - 34) |
| 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 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 90 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 7) |
| 11/19 | HB 5 | Sales Tax Increase | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (81 - 52) |
| 11/19 | HB 1 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (100 - 33) |
| 11/19 | HB 1 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (100 - 33) |
| 11/19 | HB 1 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (100 - 33) |
| 11/19 | HB 1 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 13) |
| 11/19 | HB 1 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 13) |
| 11/19 | HB 1 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 13) |
| 11/19 | HB 5 | Sales Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 20) |
| 11/13 | HB 1 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (103 - 36) |
| 11/13 | HB 1 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (103 - 36) |
| 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) |
| 4/05 | HB 359 | Indoor Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
| 4/05 | SB 103 | Maryland Clean Cars Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (123 - 17) |
| 4/04 | HB 131 | Maryland Clean Cars Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 9) |