Freedom Index

A Legislative Scorecard Based on the Principles of the U.S. Constitution

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 2021-2022

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 2021-2022 and ranks state delegates and senators based on their fidelity to (U.S.) constitutional and limited-government principles.

This is our first 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. Climate Solutions Now Act

Good Vote: No

SB414 Climate Solutions Now Act (Passed 34 to 11 on 3/12/2021). Requires the State to reduce statewide greenhouse gas emissions by 60% from 2006 levels by 2030 and requires the State to achieve net-zero statewide greenhouse gas emissions by 2045, along with other green initiatives.

2. Drop Boxes

Good Vote: No

SB683 Drop Boxes (Passed 32 to 15 on 4/2/2021). Requires a local board of elections to designate the locations of ballot drop boxes. It also requires for a permanent absentee ballot list.

3. Dignity Not Detention Act

Good Vote: No

HB16 Dignity Not Detention Act (Passed 30 to 17 on 4/12/2021).  Creates a “Sanctuary State” by eliminating Immigration Enforcement.

4. Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing

Good Vote: No
SB687 Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (Passed 47 to 0 on 4/9/2021). Requires the Department of Housing and Community Development to report to the General Assembly and the Governor on the efforts by the State, political subdivisions, and housing authorities to promote fair housing choice and racial and economic housing integration.

5. Untraceable Firearms

Good Vote: No

HB425 Untraceable Firearms (Passed 34 to 12 on March 31, 2022). Prohibits the possession of unserialized firearms, "ghost guns" or "privately made firearms", and prohibits a person from purchasing, receiving, selling, offering to sell, or transferring an unfinished frame, receiver and custom made and unserialized firearms.

6. Abortion Care Access Act

Good Vote: No
HB937 Abortion Care Access Act (Veto Overridden 29 to 15 on 4/9/2022). Establishes the Abortion Care Clinical Training Program in the Maryland Department of Health to ensure that there are a sufficient number of health professionals, training funds, and coverage requirements for the Maryland Medical Assistance Program to provide abortion care.
Legislator Scores
[ + ] Pro-liberty Vote[ - ] Anti-liberty Vote[ . ] Did not Vote
Name Party District Score 123456
Malcolm Augustine D SD-047 0% ------
Jack Bailey R SD-029 67% +++--+
Pamela Beidle D SD-032 0% ------
Joanne Benson D SD-024 0% ------
Mary Carozza R SD-038 83% +++-++
Jill Carter D SD-041 0% -----.
Bob Cassilly R SD-034 83% +++-++
Paul Corderman R SD-002 83% +++-++
Adelaide Eckardt R SD-037 83% +++-++
George Edwards R SD-001 83% +++-++
Sarah Elfreth D SD-030 0% ------
Arthur Ellis D SD-028 0% ------
Brian Feldman D SD-015 0% ------
William Ferguson D SD-046 0% ------
Jason Gallion R SD-035 83% +++-++
Melony Griffith D SD-025 0% ------
Guy Guzzone D SD-013 0% ------
Antonio Hayes D SD-040 0% ------
Stephen Hershey R SD-036 75% .++-+.
Katie Hester D SD-009 17% --+---
Shelly Hettleman D SD-011 0% ------
Michael Hough R SD-004 67% +++--+
Michael Jackson D SD-027 17% -----+
J.B. Jennings R SD-007 80% .++-++
Cheryl Kagan D SD-017 0% ------
Delores Kelley D SD-010 0% ------
Ariana Kelly D SD-016 NA ......
Nancy King D SD-039 0% ------
Katherine Klausmeier D SD-008 33% --+-+-
Benjamin Kramer D SD-019 0% ------
Clarence Lam D SD-012 0% ------
Susan Lee D SD-016 0% ------
Johnny Mautz R SD-037 NA ......
Cory McCray D SD-045 0% ------
Mike Mckay R SD-001 NA ......
Obie Patterson D SD-026 0% ------
Paul Pinsky D SD-022 0% ------
Justin Ready R SD-005 80% +++-+.
Edward Reilly R SD-033 60% -++-.+
James Rosapepe D SD-021 0% ------
Johnny Salling R SD-006 83% +++-++
Bryan Simonaire R SD-031 83% +++-++
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 NA ......
Ron Watson D SD-023 NA ....-+
Chris West R SD-042 50% -++--+
Ronald Young D SD-003 0% ------
Karen Young D SD-003 NA ......
Craig Zucker D SD-014 0% ------

Average Constitutional Score by Party

Party Score
Democrat 2.2%
Republican 76.2%