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.


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Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Jan. 17, 2006 MD HB 391 Minimum Wage Increase Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 17)
Jan. 12, 2006 MD HB 391 Minimum Wage Increase Veto Override Passed - House (91 - 48)
March 28, 2006 MD SB 539 Hate Crimes Against Homeless Persons Bill Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 25)
March 27, 2006 MD SB 539 Hate Crimes Against Homeless Persons Bill Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 22)
Jan. 12, 2006 MD SB 790 Health Care for Large Companies Veto Override Passed - House (88 - 50)
Jan. 12, 2006 MD SB 790 Health Care for Large Companies Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 17)
March 15, 2006 MD Amendment 503528 to SB 110 Funding to Family Planning Programs Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (18 - 29)
March 28, 2006 MD SB 297 Pharmacists Dispensing Emergency Contraception Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 24)
March 27, 2006 MD Amendment 3929 to SB 297 Prohibiting Requirement of Pharmacist to Dispense Emergency Contraception Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (17 - 28)
June 15, 2006 MD HB 2 Mandatory Sentences and Other Penalties for Sex Offenders Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 5)
Feb. 27, 2007 MD SB 61 Evidence in Sexual Misconduct Trials Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20)
April 9, 2007 MD HB 992 Parole for Drug Offenders Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18)
March 26, 2007 MD HB 992 Parole for Drug Offenders Bill Passed - House (71 - 66)
March 23, 2007 MD HB 6 Resident Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (81 - 57)
April 5, 2007 MD HB 359 Indoor Smoking Ban Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14)
March 24, 2007 MD HB 359 Indoor Smoking Ban Bill Passed - House (98 - 40)
April 3, 2007 MD SB 91 Indoor Smoking Ban Bill Passed - House (99 - 39)
March 26, 2007 MD SB 91 Indoor Smoking Ban Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 13)
March 16, 2007 MD HB 754 Tobacco Tax to Fund Health Care Bill Passed - House (102 - 37)
March 16, 2007 MD SB 533 Removal of Remarriage Barriers Bill Failed - Senate (22 - 22)
April 9, 2007 MD HB 430 State Living Wage Concurrence Vote Passed - House (91 - 49)
April 9, 2007 MD HB 430 State Living Wage Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 16)
April 6, 2007 MD HB 430 State Living Wage Bill Passed - House (88 - 50)
Feb. 21, 2008 MD SB 111 Expanding Hate Crimes Classification to Homeless Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 4)
Feb. 22, 2008 MD SB 243 Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 10)
March 28, 2008 MD HB 362 Department of Information Technology Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 14)
March 4, 2008 MD HB 362 Department of Information Technology Bill Passed - House (105 - 31)
March 12, 2008 MD SB 42 Temporary Confiscation of Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 17)
March 14, 2008 MD SB 461 Prohibiting Cell Phone Use by Drivers Under 18 Bill Failed - Senate (22 - 21)
April 4, 2008 MD SB 566 Hospital Visitation/Decision-Making Rights for Domestic Partners Bill Passed - House (88 - 46)
March 18, 2008 MD SB 566 Hospital Visitation/Decision-Making Rights for Domestic Partners Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17)
April 4, 2008 MD SB 597 Property Transfer Tax Exemptions for Domestic Partners Bill Passed - House (86 - 47)
March 24, 2008 MD SB 597 Property Transfer Tax Exemptions for Domestic Partners Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21)
March 26, 2009 MD SB 279 Capital Punishment Restrictions Bill Passed - House (87 - 52)
March 5, 2009 MD SB 279 Capital Punishment Restrictions Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13)
April 10, 2009 MD HB 310 Extending Unemployment Benefits to Part-Time Employees Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 9)
April 10, 2009 MD HB 310 Extending Unemployment Benefits to Part-Time Employees Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 9)
March 26, 2009 MD HB 310 Extending Unemployment Benefits to Part-Time Employees Bill Passed - House (94 - 43)
March 26, 2009 MD HB 310 Extending Unemployment Benefits to Part-Time Employees Bill Passed - House (94 - 43)
April 13, 2009 MD SB 785 Inheritance Tax Exemption for Domestic Partners Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 18)
April 13, 2009 MD SB 785 Inheritance Tax Exemption for Domestic Partners Bill Passed - House (94 - 38)
April 13, 2009 MD HB 387 "Lawful Status" Requirements for ID Cards, Vehicle Licenses and Permits Conference Report Adopted - House (76 - 60)
March 5, 2010 MD SB 248 Increasing Civil Court Case Surcharges Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 11)
April 12, 2010 MD SB 590 Establishes a Public School Labor Relations Board Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 12)
April 9, 2010 MD SB 590 Establishes a Public School Labor Relations Board Bill Passed - House (103 - 35)
April 12, 2010 MD SB 789 Requires Shift Breaks for Certain Employees Bill Passed - House (94 - 45)
April 1, 2010 MD SB 789 Requires Shift Breaks for Certain Employees Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 18)
April 12, 2010 MD HB 465 Establishes Collective Bargaining Procedures for Certain Child Care Providers Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 18)
April 12, 2010 MD HB 465 Establishes Collective Bargaining Procedures for Certain Child Care Providers Conference Report Adopted - House (100 - 39)
March 23, 2010 MD SB 279 Prohibits False Claims Against State Health Plans and Programs Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 8)
Date No. Title Outcome
1/17 HB 391 Minimum Wage Increase Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 17)
1/12 HB 391 Minimum Wage Increase Veto Override Passed - House (91 - 48)
3/28 SB 539 Hate Crimes Against Homeless Persons Bill Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 25)
3/27 SB 539 Hate Crimes Against Homeless Persons Bill Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 22)
1/12 SB 790 Health Care for Large Companies Veto Override Passed - House (88 - 50)
1/12 SB 790 Health Care for Large Companies Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 17)
3/15 Amendment 503528 to SB 110 Funding to Family Planning Programs Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (18 - 29)
3/28 SB 297 Pharmacists Dispensing Emergency Contraception Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 24)
3/27 Amendment 3929 to SB 297 Prohibiting Requirement of Pharmacist to Dispense Emergency Contraception Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (17 - 28)
6/15 HB 2 Mandatory Sentences and Other Penalties for Sex Offenders Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 5)
2/27 SB 61 Evidence in Sexual Misconduct Trials Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20)
4/09 HB 992 Parole for Drug Offenders Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18)
3/26 HB 992 Parole for Drug Offenders Bill Passed - House (71 - 66)
3/23 HB 6 Resident Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (81 - 57)
4/05 HB 359 Indoor Smoking Ban Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14)
3/24 HB 359 Indoor Smoking Ban Bill Passed - House (98 - 40)
4/03 SB 91 Indoor Smoking Ban Bill Passed - House (99 - 39)
3/26 SB 91 Indoor Smoking Ban Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 13)
3/16 HB 754 Tobacco Tax to Fund Health Care Bill Passed - House (102 - 37)
3/16 SB 533 Removal of Remarriage Barriers Bill Failed - Senate (22 - 22)
4/09 HB 430 State Living Wage Concurrence Vote Passed - House (91 - 49)
4/09 HB 430 State Living Wage Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 16)
4/06 HB 430 State Living Wage Bill Passed - House (88 - 50)
2/21 SB 111 Expanding Hate Crimes Classification to Homeless Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 4)
2/22 SB 243 Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 10)
3/28 HB 362 Department of Information Technology Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 14)
3/04 HB 362 Department of Information Technology Bill Passed - House (105 - 31)
3/12 SB 42 Temporary Confiscation of Firearms Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 17)
3/14 SB 461 Prohibiting Cell Phone Use by Drivers Under 18 Bill Failed - Senate (22 - 21)
4/04 SB 566 Hospital Visitation/Decision-Making Rights for Domestic Partners Bill Passed - House (88 - 46)
3/18 SB 566 Hospital Visitation/Decision-Making Rights for Domestic Partners Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17)
4/04 SB 597 Property Transfer Tax Exemptions for Domestic Partners Bill Passed - House (86 - 47)
3/24 SB 597 Property Transfer Tax Exemptions for Domestic Partners Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21)
3/26 SB 279 Capital Punishment Restrictions Bill Passed - House (87 - 52)
3/05 SB 279 Capital Punishment Restrictions Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13)
4/10 HB 310 Extending Unemployment Benefits to Part-Time Employees Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 9)
4/10 HB 310 Extending Unemployment Benefits to Part-Time Employees Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 9)
3/26 HB 310 Extending Unemployment Benefits to Part-Time Employees Bill Passed - House (94 - 43)
3/26 HB 310 Extending Unemployment Benefits to Part-Time Employees Bill Passed - House (94 - 43)
4/13 SB 785 Inheritance Tax Exemption for Domestic Partners Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 18)
4/13 SB 785 Inheritance Tax Exemption for Domestic Partners Bill Passed - House (94 - 38)
4/13 HB 387 "Lawful Status" Requirements for ID Cards, Vehicle Licenses and Permits Conference Report Adopted - House (76 - 60)
3/05 SB 248 Increasing Civil Court Case Surcharges Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 11)
4/12 SB 590 Establishes a Public School Labor Relations Board Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 12)
4/09 SB 590 Establishes a Public School Labor Relations Board Bill Passed - House (103 - 35)
4/12 SB 789 Requires Shift Breaks for Certain Employees Bill Passed - House (94 - 45)
4/01 SB 789 Requires Shift Breaks for Certain Employees Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 18)
4/12 HB 465 Establishes Collective Bargaining Procedures for Certain Child Care Providers Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 18)
4/12 HB 465 Establishes Collective Bargaining Procedures for Certain Child Care Providers Conference Report Adopted - House (100 - 39)
3/23 SB 279 Prohibits False Claims Against State Health Plans and Programs Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 8)

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