Nonpartisan · Data from OpenStates / Plural Policy · Maryland
Democratic
· State Senator
Joanne Benson
Represents District 24 in the State Senate.
Votes with Democrats
98%
on 121 party-line votes · Senate Democrats median 98%
Cast a vote
45%
Yea or Nay on 554 of 1,244 roll calls · Senate median 96%
Their bills that became law
0 of 8
as a primary sponsor, this session · Democrats median 7
Roll calls on record
1,244
2026 Regular Session
Votes and bills updated Oct 4, 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 Joanne Benson 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 Joanne Benson 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. Joanne Benson is circled.
Always on the Republican sideAlways on the Democratic side
Times they broke with their party
2 of 121 party-line votes.
HB661 · General Provisions – Commemorative Months – Muslim American Heritage and Jewish American Heritage Months
In plain English Requires the Governor to annually proclaim January as Muslim American Heritage Month and May as Jewish American Heritage Month, with proclamations urging organizations to observe them with programs and activities.
Floor Amendment 203629/1 (Senator Muse) Rejected · 2026-04-10 · Failed 19–25 · most Democrats voted the other way
HB154 · Open Meetings Act – County Boards of Education – Enhanced Requirements (Local Boards of Education Transparency Act)
Floor Amendment 793028/1 (Senator Ready) Adopted · 2026-04-08 · Passed 24–20 · most Democrats 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
Floor Amendment 813629/1 (Senator Jennings) Adopted · 2026-04-02 · Failed 20–19
HB154 · Open Meetings Act – County Boards of Education – Enhanced Requirements (Local Boards of Education Transparency Act)
Floor Amendment 793028/1 (Senator Ready) Adopted · 2026-04-08 · Passed 24–20
SB791 · Correctional Services and Criminal Procedure – Immigration Enforcement – Prohibitions (Community Trust Act)
In plain English Prohibits local correctional facilities and law enforcement from taking certain immigration enforcement actions, with specified exceptions.
Floor Amendment 243822/1 (Senator Salling) Rejected · 2026-04-10 · Failed 18–24
HB661 · General Provisions – Commemorative Months – Muslim American Heritage and Jewish American Heritage Months
In plain English Requires the Governor to annually proclaim January as Muslim American Heritage Month and May as Jewish American Heritage Month, with proclamations urging organizations to observe them with programs and activities.
Floor Amendment 203629/1 (Senator Muse) Rejected · 2026-04-10 · Failed 19–25
Republicans 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.
Chris WestRepublican · District 42 · 127 shared contested votes
36%
Mike McKayRepublican · District 1 · 127 shared contested votes
32%
Bryan SimonaireRepublican · District 31 · 115 shared contested votes
21%
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 (690 in all). Gaps are months the chamber wasn’t voting.
← Maryland Delegation
YeaNayNayNayNayNayNayYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaNayYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYea
Their bills, from filing to law
Bills Joanne Benson 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.
Introduced8
Out of committee0
Passed one chamber0
Passed both chambers0
Became law0
Never left committee8
For comparison, the median Democratic member of the Senate has 7 bills that became law this session.
What their bills are about
Reports 3Safety 3Time 3Crimes and Punishments 3Primary and Secondary Education 2Counties 2
Juvenile Law – Probation and Treatment Services – Required Disposition (Parental Accountability Act)
Requiring the juvenile court to order certain probation for a child found to have committed certain delinquent acts more than once or adjudicated to be a child in need of supervision more than once because of habitual truancy; requiring probation of a child adjudged delinquent…
Not out of committeeWithdrawn by Sponsor · 2026-03-09
Comprehensive Community Safety Funding Act
Imposing an excise tax on certain gross receipts of certain firearms dealers derived from the sales of firearms, firearm accessories, and ammunition in the State and sales of firearms to State residents; and requiring the Comptroller to distribute a certain portion of the tax revenues…
Not out of committeeHearing 3/11 at 1:00 p.m. · 2026-03-09
Criminal Law – Obscene Matter – Visual Representation of Child
Increasing the maximum age from 16 to 18 of a certain child that may not be depicted in certain visual representations; altering the penalties for knowingly possessing and intentionally retaining, and knowingly or intentionally accessing and intentionally viewing, certain visual representations; authorizing a person depicted…
Not out of committeeHearing 3/03 at 1:00 p.m. · 2026-02-12
Public Works Contracts – Apprenticeship Requirements (Maryland Workforce Apprenticeship Utilization Act)
Altering certain apprenticeship requirements relating to public works contracts to require certain contractors and subcontractors to employ a certain number of qualified apprentices or journeyworkers necessary to meet a certain applicable percentage for the project; altering which projects are subject to certain apprenticeship requirements; repealing…
Not out of committeeHearing 2/26 at 1:00 p.m. (Finance) · 2026-02-11
Transportation – Study on Speed Limits – Interstate 495 and Connected Highways
Requiring the Department of Transportation to conduct a study on the implications of requiring the speed limit to deviate by only 5 miles per hour at locations where a highway in the State connects to Interstate 495; and requiring the Department to report its findings…
Not out of committeeHearing 2/25 at 1:00 p.m. · 2026-02-11
Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics – Gene Structure- and Function-Modifying Products – Labeling
Prohibiting a person from offering for sale in the State a gene structure- or function-modifying product unless the product is labeled in a prominent and conspicuous manner with the words "gene structure- or function-modifying product" and all potential risks, side effects, adverse effects, and other…
Not out of committeeWithdrawn by Sponsor · 2026-02-09
Public Middle, High, and Charter Schools – Start Time for Instruction
Requiring, beginning in the 2028-2029 school year, each public middle school and each public high school to begin instruction not earlier than 8 a.m. and 8:30 a.m., respectively, unless granted a waiver by the State Board of Education under certain circumstances; and requiring each county…
Not out of committeeHearing 2/04 at 2:00 p.m. · 2026-01-16
County Boards of Education – Student Technology Use Policy – Requirements
Requiring a county board of education to develop and adopt a policy on the use of personal electronic devices during school hours; requiring the policy to restrict or limit the use of personal electronic devices by students during school hours, except for any purpose documented…
Not out of committeeHearing 2/04 at 2:00 p.m. · 2026-01-16
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).
Primary Office
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