Legislative Scorecard Based on the U.S. Constitution
The Legislative Scorecard is a nationwide educational program of The John Birch Society. Its purpose is to create an informed electorate on how state legislators are voting. The Scorecard is nonpartisan; it does not promote any candidate or political party. Bills are selected for their constitutional implications and cost to the taxpayers.
Please share this Scorecard in your district to inform people about your legislator's record on key votes.
U.S. Constitution, Amendment I --- 11 C.F.R. §114(4)(c)(4) --- 616 F.2d 45 (2d Cir. 1980)
Legislative Scorecard
Based on the U.S. Constitution
MD Scorecard 2023
The Legislative Scorecard is a nationwide educational program of The John Birch Society. Its purpose is to create an informed electorate on how state legislators are voting. The Scorecard is nonpartisan; it does not promote any candidate or political party. Bills are selected for their constitutional implications and cost to the taxpayers.
Please share this Scorecard in your district to inform people about your legislator's record on key votes.
U.S. Constitution, Amendment I --- 11 C.F.R. §114(4)(c)(4) --- 616 F.2d 45 (2d Cir. 1980)
The following scorecard lists several key votes in the Maryland General Assembly in 2023 and ranks state delegates and senators based on their fidelity to (U.S.) constitutional and limited-government principles.
This is our second state-level Scorecard; the selected votes may not be reflective of legislators’ overall records. Their cumulative scores will change as we add more votes. Please check regularly for updates.
Senate
1. "Hate Crime" Commission
HB1066 "Hate Crime" Commission (passed 40 to 7 on 4/10/2023). Establishes the Commission on Hate Crime Response and Prevention to “develop strategies to prevent and respond to hate crime activity” and “evaluate State laws and policies.”
2. Dashain Day
3. Disarming and Tracking Gun Owners
4. 'Right to Abortion' in the Maryland Constitution
HB705 'Right to Abortion' in the Maryland Constitution (passed 33 to 14 on 3/31/2023). Proposes to amend the Maryland Constitution to declare a “fundamental right” to “reproductive freedom,” including but not limited to the ability to “prevent, continue, or end one’s own pregnancy.”
5. Medicaid-Covered Sex Mutilation
HB283 Medicaid-Covered Sex Mutilation (passed 31 to 13 on 3/31/2023). Requires Medicaid, under the “Trans Health Equity Act,” to provide coverage for “gender-affirming treatment” to all “transgender, nonbinary, intersex, two-spirit, and other gender diverse individuals.”
6. 'No-Fault Divorce'
Name | Party | District | Score | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Malcolm Augustine | D | SD-047 | 0% | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Jack Bailey | R | SD-029 | 100% | + | . | . | + | + | + |
Pamela Beidle | D | SD-032 | 0% | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Joanne Benson | D | SD-024 | 0% | - | . | - | - | - | . |
Mary Carozza | R | SD-038 | 67% | + | - | - | + | + | + |
Jill Carter | D | SD-041 | 0% | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Paul Corderman | R | SD-002 | 80% | + | . | + | + | + | - |
Sarah Elfreth | D | SD-030 | 0% | - | . | . | - | - | - |
Arthur Ellis | D | SD-028 | 0% | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Brian Feldman | D | SD-015 | 0% | - | - | - | - | - | - |
William Ferguson | D | SD-046 | 0% | - | - | - | - | - | - |
William Folden | R | SD-004 | 20% | - | - | - | + | . | - |
Jason Gallion | R | SD-035 | 67% | + | - | - | + | + | + |
Dawn Gile | D | SD-033 | 0% | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Melony Griffith | D | SD-025 | 0% | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Guy Guzzone | D | SD-013 | 0% | - | . | - | - | - | - |
Antonio Hayes | D | SD-040 | 0% | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Stephen Hershey | R | SD-036 | 50% | - | - | - | + | + | + |
Katie Hester | D | SD-009 | 0% | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Shelly Hettleman | D | SD-011 | 0% | - | . | - | - | - | - |
Michael Jackson | D | SD-027 | 20% | - | . | - | + | - | - |
Mary James | D | SD-034 | 0% | - | - | - | - | - | . |
J.B. Jennings | R | SD-007 | 50% | - | . | - | + | + | . |
Cheryl Kagan | D | SD-017 | 0% | - | . | - | - | - | - |
Ariana Kelly | D | SD-016 | 0% | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Nancy King | D | SD-039 | 0% | - | . | - | - | - | - |
Katherine Klausmeier | D | SD-008 | 0% | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Benjamin Kramer | D | SD-019 | 0% | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Clarence Lam | D | SD-012 | 0% | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Johnny Mautz | R | SD-037 | 67% | - | - | + | + | + | + |
Cory McCray | D | SD-045 | 0% | - | . | - | - | - | - |
Mike Mckay | R | SD-001 | 50% | - | - | - | + | + | + |
Anthony Muse | D | SD-026 | 0% | - | - | . | - | . | - |
Justin Ready | R | SD-005 | 67% | + | - | - | + | + | + |
James Rosapepe | D | SD-021 | 0% | - | . | - | - | - | - |
Johnny Salling | R | SD-006 | 67% | + | - | - | + | + | + |
Bryan Simonaire | R | SD-031 | 67% | + | - | - | + | + | + |
William Smith | D | SD-020 | 0% | - | - | - | - | . | - |
Charles Sydnor | D | SD-044 | 0% | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Jeff Waldstreicher | D | SD-018 | 0% | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Mary Washington | D | SD-043 | 0% | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Alonzo Washington | D | SD-022 | 0% | - | - | . | - | - | . |
Ron Watson | D | SD-023 | 33% | - | - | - | - | + | + |
Chris West | R | SD-042 | 33% | - | - | - | + | + | - |
Karen Young | D | SD-003 | 0% | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Craig Zucker | D | SD-014 | 0% | - | . | - | - | - | - |
Average Constitutional Score by Party
Party | Score |
---|---|
Democrat | 1.6% |
Republican | 60.4% |