Nonpartisan · Data from OpenStates / Plural Policy · Maryland
Republican
· State Senator
Steve Hershey
Represents District 36 in the State Senate.
Votes with Republicans
98%
on 240 party-line votes · Senate Republicans median 94%
Cast a vote
87%
Yea or Nay on 1,080 of 1,244 roll calls · Senate median 96%
Their bills that became law
2 of 11
as a primary sponsor, this session · Republicans median 5
Roll calls on record
1,244
2026 Regular Session
Votes and bills updated Oct 10, 2026 from LegiScan (CC BY 4.0), which republishes the legislature’s own records. Profile details from OpenStates / Plural Policy. Figures cover 2026 Regular Session.
How Steve Hershey votes
A party-line vote is a roll call where most voting Democrats and most voting Republicans took opposite sides. Absences and not-voting are never counted. Same method as our Congress pages.
Where Steve Hershey sits in the Senate
Each dot is one member of the Senate, placed by how often they voted on the Democratic side of party-line votes. Steve Hershey is circled.
Always on the Republican sideAlways on the Democratic side
Times they broke with their party
4 of 240 party-line votes.
HB1249 · Certified Recovery Residences – Refusing Services to Individuals Receiving Medication-Assisted Treatment – Prohibition
In plain English Requires certified recovery residences to serve individuals receiving medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder and not require them to stop or change that treatment.
Third Reading Passed · 2026-04-13 · Passed 36–10 · most Republicans voted the other way
SB325 · Land Use – Permitting – Development Rights (Maryland Housing Certainty Act)
In plain English Requires local authorities to approve housing development applications based only on laws in effect when the application is submitted, and grants developers vested rights for five years or longer.
Third Reading Passed · 2026-04-10 · Passed 35–7 · most Republicans voted the other way
SB325 · Land Use – Permitting – Development Rights (Maryland Housing Certainty Act)
In plain English Requires local authorities to approve housing development applications based only on laws in effect when the application is submitted, and grants developers vested rights for five years or longer.
Third Reading Passed · 2026-03-19 · Passed 35–10 · most Republicans voted the other way
SB108 · Environment – Water Resources and Wetlands – Enforcement
Third Reading Passed · 2026-03-10 · Passed 32–10 · most Republicans voted the other way
Closest votes they cast
Roll calls decided by the fewest votes, one per bill.
HB1222 · Prince George's County – State's Attorney Salary – Alteration PG 426-26
In plain English Increases the Prince George's County State's Attorney salary to $250,000, excluding the current officeholder.
Committee Amendment 513122/1 Rejected · 2026-04-13 · Failed 22–22
SB841 · Utility RELIEF (Reducing Energy Load Inflation for Everyday Families) Act
In plain English Requires the Office of Home Energy Programs to manage electric assistance for certain customers, establishes a nonprofit green energy loan program, and changes solar permitting procedures, among other changes.
Floor Amendment 813629/1 (Senator Jennings) Adopted · 2026-04-02 · Failed 20–19
SB626 · Sex Designation on Certificates of Birth, Licenses, and Identification Cards and Birth Information Histories (Birth Certificate Modernization Act)
In plain English Requires the state to maintain birth information histories and allows government access to them, and changes when new birth certificates are issued for sex designation changes.
Motion to Postpone Indefinitely (Senator Hershey) Rejected · 2026-03-20 · Failed 20–21
HB154 · Open Meetings Act – County Boards of Education – Enhanced Requirements (Local Boards of Education Transparency Act)
In plain English Requires county school boards to keep archived video recordings of open meetings on their websites for at least five years.
Floor Amendment 793028/1 (Senator Ready) Adopted · 2026-04-08 · Passed 24–20
SB284 · Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act of 2026
Floor Amendment 673521/1 (Senator Hershey) Rejected · 2026-03-17 · Failed 20–24
Democrats they vote with most
Share of contested roll calls (the losing side got at least 10%) where both voted and landed on the same side. Unanimous votes are left out, because on those everyone agrees.
Mary-Dulany JamesDemocrat · District 34 · 213 shared contested votes
33%
Ron WatsonDemocrat · District 23 · 249 shared contested votes
14%
Carl JacksonDemocrat · District 8 · 237 shared contested votes
14%
Their session, month by month
Dark bars are roll calls they were recorded on each month; the red part is the ones without a Yea or Nay (164 in all). Gaps are months the chamber wasn’t voting.
← Maryland Delegation
NayYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaNayNayYeaNayYeaNVNVNayYeaNVYeaYeaYeaNayNVNVYeaNVNVYeaNVNayYeaYeaYeaYeaNVNayNVNVYeaNVNVYeaNayNVYeaNayNayNVYeaYeaYeaYeaNVNVNayNayYeaYeaNVYeaYea
Their bills, from filing to law
Bills Steve Hershey was a primary sponsor of this session. Most bills from either party never leave committee; in Illinois many never get past the Assignments or Rules committee.
Introduced11
Out of committee2
Passed one chamber2
Passed both chambers2
Became law2
Never left committee9
For comparison, the median Republican member of the Senate has 5 bills that became law this session.
What their bills are about
Reports 4Energy and Climate 3Energy Matters 3Revenue and Taxes 3Elections 2Attorney General 2
Legislative and Congressional Redistricting and Legislative and Congressional Redistricting and Apportionment Commission (Fair Districts for Maryland Act)
Requiring single-member delegate districts; altering certain standards for the drawing of legislative districts; establishing standards for the drawing of congressional districts; establishing the Legislative and Congressional Redistricting and Apportionment Commission as an independent unit of State government to divide the State into certain legislative districts…
Not out of committeeFirst Reading Senate Rules · 2026-08-03
Maryland Medical Assistance Program – Coverage for the Treatment of Obesity – Authorization
Authorizing, beginning January 1, 2027, the Maryland Medical Assistance Program to provide comprehensive coverage for the treatment of obesity; requiring the Maryland Department of Health to provide notice to Program recipients if the Department elects to provide the comprehensive coverage; authorizing the Department to apply…
Became lawEnacted under Article II, Section 17(c) of the Maryland Constitution – Chapter 866 · 2026-05-31
Queen Anne's County – Authorized Uses of Revenues From Development Impact Fees – Expansion
In plain English Allows Queen Anne's County to use development impact fee revenue to pay for replacing public school buildings.
Official synopsis: Authorizing the County Commissioners of Queen Anne's County to use revenue from development impact fees to finance the capital costs related to the replacement of public school facilities.
Became lawApproved by the Governor – Chapter 586 · 2026-05-12
Alcohol and Cannabis – Cannabinoid Beverages Off-Premises Sales Permit – Establishment
Authorizing the holder of a Class 1 wholesaler's license to acquire and deliver cannabinoid beverages to the holder of a Class A alcoholic beverages license that has been issued a certain permit; authorizing a local board of license commissioners to issue the permit to a…
Not out of committeeHearing 3/31 at 1:00 p.m. · 2026-03-25
Energy Efficiency and Conservation Programs, Services, and Plans – Moratorium
Prohibiting a unit of State government from implementing or enforcing, after July 1, 2026, certain provisions of law relating to energy efficiency and conservation programs, services, and plans that support certain greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals and targets; requiring the Public Service Commission to continue…
Not out of committeeHearing 3/05 at 1:00 p.m. · 2026-02-16
Vehicle Laws – Registration Fees – Alterations
Altering certain motor vehicle registration fees for certain classes of motor vehicles.
Not out of committeeHearing 3/04 at 1:00 p.m. (Judicial Proceedings) · 2026-02-12
Nonprofit Hospitals – Community Benefits
Requiring certain nonprofit hospitals to provide a certain value of community benefits each year; requiring the Health Services Cost Review Commission to report on the compliance of nonprofit hospitals with the community benefits requirement to the Attorney General and the Comptroller; authorizing the Comptroller to…
Not out of committeeHearing 3/10 at 1:00 p.m. · 2026-02-12
Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard – Alterations
Decreasing the renewable energy portfolio standard for Tier 1 renewable sources for 2027, 2028, 2029, and 2030.
Not out of committeeHearing 2/26 at 1:00 p.m. · 2026-02-10
Environment – Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative – Withdrawal (Restoring Energy Freedom Act)
Requiring the Governor to withdraw the State from participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.
Not out of committeeHearing 2/19 at 1:00 p.m. · 2026-02-09
Queen Anne's County – Circuit Court Judgeships
Increasing to two the number of resident judges of the Circuit Court for Queen Anne's County.
Not out of committeeHearing 2/03 at 2:00 p.m. · 2026-01-28
Legislative and Congressional Redistricting and Legislative and Congressional Redistricting and Apportionment Commission (Fair Districts for Maryland Act)
Requiring single-member delegate districts; altering certain standards for the drawing of legislative districts; establishing standards for the drawing of congressional districts; establishing the Legislative and Congressional Redistricting and Apportionment Commission as an independent unit of State government to divide the State into certain legislative districts…
Not out of committeeFirst Reading Senate Rules · 2026-01-14
“In plain English” lines are written by ThePolitibase with AI (Claude), from the official synopsis only; the synopsis is the authoritative text. Descriptions are the legislature’s own synopsis. Bill data from LegiScan, CC BY 4.0.
Loading committees…
HB2100 · 2026-08-04
Election Districts – General Assembly and Representatives in Congress (Motion Rules Suspend Two Readings Same Day Const/Rule 24 (Senator Feldman) Adopted)
HB2100 · 2026-08-04
Election Districts – General Assembly and Representatives in Congress (Floor Amendment 943226/1 (Senator West) Rejected)
HB2100 · 2026-08-04
Election Districts – General Assembly and Representatives in Congress (Floor Amendment 763427/1 (Senator Salling) Rejected)
HB2100 · 2026-08-04
Election Districts – General Assembly and Representatives in Congress (Floor Amendment 393120/1 (Senator Ready) Rejected)
HB2100 · 2026-08-04
Election Districts – General Assembly and Representatives in Congress (Floor Amendment 713626/1 (Senator Simonaire) Rejected)
HB2100 · 2026-08-04
Election Districts – General Assembly and Representatives in Congress (Floor Amendment 473622/1 (Senator Gallion) Rejected)
HB2100 · 2026-08-04
Election Districts – General Assembly and Representatives in Congress (Floor Amendment 213220/1 (Senator Hershey) Rejected)
HB2100 · 2026-08-04
Election Districts – General Assembly and Representatives in Congress (Third Reading Passed)
HB2101 · 2026-08-04
Arbitration Reform for State Employees Act of 2026 – Withdraw and Repeal of Duplicate Proposed Constitutional Amendment (Motion Rules Suspend Two Readings Same Day Const/Rule 24 (Senator Kagan) Adopted)
HB2101 · 2026-08-04
Arbitration Reform for State Employees Act of 2026 – Withdraw and Repeal of Duplicate Proposed Constitutional Amendment (Third Reading Passed)
HB862 · 2026-08-03
Railroads – Required Crew for Movement of Freight (Overridden)
HB423 · 2026-04-13
Prince George's County – Public High Schools – Drug Detection Products PG 501-26 (Third Reading Passed)
HB38 · 2026-04-13
Financial Institutions – Licensing of Affiliated Insurance Producer-Mortgage Loan Originators – Alterations (Third Reading Passed)
HB405 · 2026-04-13
Condominiums and Homeowners Associations – Governing Documents – Electric Vehicle Recharging Equipment (Third Reading Passed)
HB769 · 2026-04-13
State Board of Social Work Examiners – Provisional License to Practice Social Work – Established (Third Reading Passed)
HB1466 · 2026-04-13
Department of Housing and Community Development – Appraisal Gap From Historic Redlining Financial Assistance Program – Qualified Properties (Third Reading Passed)
HB547 · 2026-04-13
Income Tax – Enhanced Agricultural Management Equipment Subtraction Modification and Parent of a Stillborn Child Credit (Third Readings Passed with Amendments)
HB1554 · 2026-04-13
Sales and Use Tax – Electricity for Agriculture Purposes – Study and Report (Third Reading Passed)
HB1118 · 2026-04-13
Health, Health Insurance, and Health Occupations – Perinatal Behavioral Health Conditions (Third Reading Passed)
HB1091 · 2026-04-13
Health Insurance and Dental Plan Organizations – Dentists – Assignment of Benefits and Reimbursement of Nonpreferred Providers (Third Reading Passed)
HB107 · 2026-04-13
Motor Vehicles – Intelligent Speed Assistance System Pilot Program – Establishment (Third Reading Passed)
HB752 · 2026-04-13
Criminal Law – Theft and Fraud Crimes – Valuation and Forgery of Gift Cards (Third Reading Passed)
HB264 · 2026-04-13
Maryland Data Privacy and Protection Act of 2026 (Third Reading Passed)
HB1526 · 2026-04-13
Carroll County – Alcoholic Beverages – Class 1 Distillery On-Premises Consumption Permit (Third Reading Passed)
HB730 · 2026-04-13
Business Regulation – Maryland Franchise Registration and Disclosure Law – Alterations (Franchise Reform Act) (Third Reading Passed)
HB593 · 2026-04-13
Criminal Law – Interference With Critical Infrastructure or a Public Safety Answering Point (Third Reading Passed)
HB1267 · 2026-04-13
Patuxent Research Refuge and Beltsville Agricultural Research Center – Zoning Classification (Protecting Patuxent Research Refuge Act) (Third Reading Passed)
HB6 · 2026-04-13
Public Institutions of Higher Education – Pregnant and Parenting Students – Plan and Reporting (Third Reading Passed)
HB321 · 2026-04-13
Environment – Synthetic Turf Industry and Disposal Study – Deadline Extension (Third Reading Passed)
SB242 · 2026-04-13
Modernizing Civil Relief for Service Members Act (Third Reading Passed)
HB1387 · 2026-04-13
Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund – Fund Producer Commission Rate (Third Reading Passed)
HB611 · 2026-04-13
Prince George’s County – Alcoholic Beverages – Fees PG 317–26 (Third Reading Passed)
HB583 · 2026-04-13
Prince George’s County – Alcoholic Beverages – Notice of Issuance of Class C Per Diem Beer, Wine, and Liquor License PG 319–26 (Third Reading Passed)
HB246 · 2026-04-13
Video Tolls – Class G (Trailer) Vehicles – Liability (Third Reading Passed)
HB870 · 2026-04-13
Environment – Permit Applications for New Buildings – Notice (Large Buildings for Tomorrow Act) (Third Reading Passed)
HB1196 · 2026-04-13
Environment – Water Quality Testing – Secondary Maximum Contaminant Levels Action Plan (Third Reading Passed)
HB750 · 2026-04-13
Criminal Law – Obstruction or Interference With Exercise of Religious Beliefs – Prohibition (Third Reading Passed)
HB640 · 2026-04-13
Mandated Reports, Boards, and Commissions – Revisions (Third Reading Passed)
HB618 · 2026-04-13
Commercial Law – Self-Service Storage Facilities – Alterations (Third Reading Passed)
HB855 · 2026-04-13
Common Ownership Communities – Candidate or Proposition Signs – Display Period (Third Reading Passed)
HB357 · 2026-04-13
Municipalities – Election Dates – Reporting Requirements (Third Reading Passed)
SB18 · 2026-04-13
State Board of Social Work Examiners – Provisional License to Practice Social Work – Established (Third Reading Passed)
SB504 · 2026-04-13
Data Privacy – Consumer Data, Public Records, and Message Switching System (Data Privacy Act) (Third Reading Passed)
HB1530 · 2026-04-13
Higher Education – Undocumented Students – Out-of-State Tuition Exemption Eligibility (Motion Special Order until Next Session (Senator Ready) Rejected)
HB1530 · 2026-04-13
Higher Education – Undocumented Students – Out-of-State Tuition Exemption Eligibility (Third Reading Passed)
HB663 · 2026-04-13
Department of the Environment – Federal Environmental Policy – Reporting (Third Reading Passed)
HB850 · 2026-04-13
Home Builders – Open House – Sales Representative Disclosure Requirements (Third Reading Passed)
HB1587 · 2026-04-13
Gaming – Operation of Electronic Instant Bingo Machines and Report by State Lottery and Gaming Control Agency (Third Reading Passed)
HB1563 · 2026-04-13
Emergency Room Services and Post-Acute Care – Coverage and Facility Studies (Third Reading Passed)
HB1286 · 2026-04-13
Anne Arundel County – Alcoholic Beverages – Barbershop and Beauty Salon License (Third Reading Passed)
HB328 · 2026-04-13
Bicounty Commissions – Public Ethics – Financial Disclosure Statements PG/MC 105-26 (Third Reading Passed)
HB282 · 2026-04-13
Adult Protective Services – Modifications (Third Reading Passed)
HB732 · 2026-04-13
Baltimore County Code of Public Local Laws – 2025 Edition – Legalization (Third Reading Passed)
SB311 · 2026-04-13
Education – The Blueprint for Maryland's Future – Revisions (Third Reading Passed)
HB625 · 2026-04-13
Human-Relevant Research Fund – Collection of Contributions – Responsible Entity (Third Reading Passed)
HB1149 · 2026-04-13
State Finance – Claims of the State – Settlement (Third Reading Passed)
HB833 · 2026-04-13
Commission to Advance Lithium-Ion Battery Safety in Maryland – Reestablishment (Third Reading Passed)
HB456 · 2026-04-13
Howard County – Alcoholic Beverages – Gift Basket Permit Ho. Co. 2-26 (Third Reading Passed)
HB406 · 2026-04-13
Prince George's County – Alcoholic Beverages – Multiple Licenses Prohibition – Exceptions PG 313-26 (Third Reading Passed)
HB684 · 2026-04-13
Health Insurance – Material Changes to Provider Networks – Notification and Special Enrollment Period (Third Reading Passed)
Complete voting record from LegiScan (showing the 60 most recent of 1244 total roll-call votes this session).
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