Nonpartisan · Data from OpenStates / Plural Policy · Maryland
Democratic
· State Senator
Katie Hester
Represents District 9 in the State Senate.
Votes with Democrats
93%
on 229 party-line votes · Senate Democrats median 98%
Cast a vote
96%
Yea or Nay on 1,192 of 1,244 roll calls · Senate median 96%
Their bills that became law
8 of 22
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 Katie Hester 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 Katie Hester 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. Katie Hester is circled.
Always on the Republican sideAlways on the Democratic side
Times they broke with their party
15 of 229 party-line votes, most recent 10 shown.
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 743620/1 (Senator Mautz) Rejected · 2026-04-10 · Failed 16–26 · most Democrats voted the other way
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 793424/1 (Senator Mautz) Rejected · 2026-04-10 · Failed 18–24 · most Democrats voted the other way
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 513425/1 (Senator Corderman) Rejected · 2026-04-10 · Failed 17–25 · most Democrats voted the other way
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 · most Democrats voted the other way
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 953323/1 (Senator Carozza) Rejected · 2026-04-10 · Failed 17–25 · most Democrats voted the other way
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 883420/1 (Senator Corderman) Rejected · 2026-04-10 · Failed 17–26 · most Democrats voted the other way
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 653025/1 (Senator Ready) Rejected · 2026-04-10 · Failed 16–25 · 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
SB618 · Public Ethics – Members of the General Assembly – State and Local Government Employment Exemption
Floor Amendment 963723/1 (Senator Gallion) Rejected · 2026-03-23 · Failed 13–29 · most Democrats voted the other way
SB626 · Sex Designation on Certificates of Birth, Licenses, and Identification Cards and Birth Information Histories (Birth Certificate Modernization Act)
Motion to Postpone Indefinitely (Senator Hershey) Rejected · 2026-03-20 · Failed 20–21 · 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
SB626 · Sex Designation on Certificates of Birth, Licenses, and Identification Cards and Birth Information Histories (Birth Certificate Modernization Act)
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)
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
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 · 236 shared contested votes
48%
Mike McKayRepublican · District 1 · 236 shared contested votes
40%
Bryan SimonaireRepublican · District 31 · 192 shared contested votes
31%
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 (52 in all). Gaps are months the chamber wasn’t voting.
← Maryland Delegation
AbsentAbsentAbsentAbsentAbsentAbsentAbsentAbsentAbsentAbsentAbsentYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaNayYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYea
Their bills, from filing to law
Bills Katie Hester 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.
Introduced22
Out of committee9
Passed one chamber9
Passed both chambers8
Became law8
Never left committee13
For comparison, the median Democratic member of the Senate has 7 bills that became law this session.
What their bills are about
Reports 12Standards and Best Practices 11Commerce and Business 9Revenue and Taxes 9Records 8Cybersecurity 8
Education – Artificial Intelligence – Guidelines, Professional Development, and Collaborative (Artificial Intelligence Ready Schools Act)
In plain English Requires the State Department of Education to provide guidance on artificial intelligence to schools, educators, parents, and students, and to develop guidelines and tools for evaluating AI tools in schools.
Official synopsis: Requiring the State Department of Education to provide certain guidance on artificial intelligence to local school systems, educators, parents, and students through an online platform; requiring the Department to develop certain guidelines, best practices, and evaluative tools to assist local school systems in the evaluation…
Became lawApproved by the Governor – Chapter 634 · 2026-05-26
Higher Education – Maryland Artificial Intelligence Partnership
In plain English Creates the Maryland Artificial Intelligence Partnership within the University System of Maryland to coordinate artificial intelligence initiatives and establishes an AI fellowship and incubation lab.
Official synopsis: Establishing the Maryland Artificial Intelligence Partnership in the University System of Maryland to provide a single nexus for certain stakeholders in artificial intelligence initiatives to advance artificial intelligence in the State; establishing the Artificial Intelligence Public Services Fellowship in the University System of Maryland; establishing,…
Became lawApproved by the Governor – Chapter 633 · 2026-05-26
Public Safety – Critical Infrastructure Protection
In plain English Creates a Critical Infrastructure Protection Branch in the Maryland Coordination and Analysis Center and requires emergency management and information technology agencies to coordinate cybersecurity protections for critical infrastructure.
Official synopsis: Establishing the Critical Infrastructure Protection Branch in the Maryland Coordination and Analysis Center; requiring the Department of Emergency Management, in consultation with the Center, to take certain action in response to an attack on the State's critical infrastructure; and requiring the Department of Information Technology…
Became lawApproved by the Governor – Chapter 446 · 2026-05-12
Election Law – Election Misinformation, Election Disinformation, and Deepfakes
In plain English Requires the state elections administrator to respond to credible reports of election misinformation or deepfakes by publicly correcting false information, and prohibits knowingly creating or spreading deepfakes with materially false election information.
Official synopsis: Requiring and authorizing the State Administrator of Elections to take certain actions if the State Administrator receives a credible report that election misinformation or election disinformation, including a deepfake, has been or is being communicated, disseminated, or distributed; requiring the Administrator to publicly communicate correct…
Became lawApproved by the Governor – Chapter 444 · 2026-05-12
Criminal Law – Identity Fraud – Artificial Intelligence and Deepfake Representations
Prohibiting a person from utilizing certain personal identifying information or engaging in certain conduct in order to cause physical injury, serious emotional distress, or economic damages; prohibiting a person from using certain artificial intelligence or certain deepfake representations for certain purposes; providing penalties of 5…
Became lawApproved by the Governor – Chapter 445 · 2026-05-12
State Finance – Delinquent Federal Funds (Federal Obligations Enforcement Act)
In plain English Allows Maryland to collect delinquent federal funds owed to the state and place liens on federal property under certain conditions.
Official synopsis: Reserving jurisdiction with respect to certain federal land in the State under certain conditions; authorizing the Central Collection Unit of the Department of Budget and Management to collect a certain amount of delinquent federal funds; authorizing the Central Collection Unit, under a certain circumstance, to…
Became lawApproved by the Governor – Chapter 248 · 2026-04-28
On-Farm Organics Diversion and Recycling Grant Program – Established
In plain English Creates a grant program starting July 1, 2028, to fund on-farm organics recycling, compost use, food waste prevention, and food rescue efforts.
Official synopsis: Establishing, beginning July 1, 2028, the On-Farm Organics Diversion and Recycling Grant Program in the Department of Agriculture to award grants to eligible entities to develop and implement on-farm organics recycling, compost use, wasted food prevention, and food rescue; requiring the Governor to include in…
Became lawApproved by the Governor – Chapter 249 · 2026-04-28
Cybersecurity – Standards and Compliance – Alterations
Requiring each local school system to designate a local point of contact for certain communications, to comply with, and certify compliance with, the State minimum cybersecurity standards, and to conduct a cybersecurity maturity assessment every 2 years; requiring the Office of Security Management within the…
Became lawApproved by the Governor – Chapter 35 · 2026-04-14
Economic Development – Rural Readiness Program and Rural Maryland Capacity Building Fund – Establishment
Establishing the Rural Readiness Program administered by the Rural Maryland Council to provide assistance to rural communities to enhance their capacity for economic development; requiring priority to be given when making certain grants to entities that have completed the Rural Readiness Program; and establishing the…
Passed one chamberFavorable Adopted Second Reading Passed · 2026-04-08
Public Utilities – Large Load Customers – Registration and Demand Response Program
Requiring a certain large load customer to register with the Public Service Commission before interconnecting with the electric system; establishing the requirements for the registration of a large load customer; requiring that a certain data center be eligible for and considered a "qualified data center"…
Not out of committeeHearing 3/12 at 1:00 p.m. · 2026-03-06
Large Load Customers – Electric System Interconnection and Demand Response Program
Exempting certain large load customers from requirements to obtain a certificate of public convenience and necessity; requiring the Public Service Commission to establish a certain process for large load customers to interconnect to the electric system; establishing requirements for a large load customer to interconnect…
Not out of committeeHearing 3/05 at 1:00 p.m. · 2026-02-24
Electric Companies – Cost Containment Plans – Requirement (Securing Affordable, Valuable Investments in Next Generation Grid Solutions (SAVINGS) Act)
Requiring electric companies to submit to the Public Service Commission cost containment plans for electric distribution and transmission system planning on or before January 1, 2027, and every 3 years thereafter; requiring the plans to combine to reduce peak electric system loads in a certain…
Not out of committeeHearing 3/05 at 1:00 p.m. · 2026-02-23
County Boards of Education – Therapy Dogs – Policy for Handling and Use in Schools
Requiring a county board of education to allow, subject to certain requirements and policies, the use of therapy dogs in public schools in the county.
Not out of committeeHearing 2/27 at 1:00 p.m. · 2026-02-19
Maryland Department of Health – Medicaid Management Information System – Mainframe System Replacement
Requiring the Maryland Department of Health to replace the State Medicaid Management Information System mainframe with a modular system.
Not out of committeeFirst Reading Senate Rules · 2026-02-13
Income Tax – Angel Investor Tax Credit for Investments in Emergent Technology
Allowing a credit against the State income tax for 25% of an investment made in qualified Maryland companies up $1,000,000; providing that investments in companies engaging in certain emergent technology may qualify for the tax credit subject to certain requirements; providing that a qualified investor…
Not out of committeeHearing 3/04 at 1:00 p.m. · 2026-02-13
“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).
Primary Office
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