The bills selected for the Progressive Maryland Education Fund (PMEF) legislative scorecard are the most important economic, political empowerment, and civil rights bills affecting working families that General Assembly lawmakers considered during the annual session. Find background and other details for any bill by entering its number at http://mlis.state.md.us/#bill
Scorecard Methodology
A 100 is the best possible score a lawmaker can receive on the scorecard; a 0 (zero) is the worst possible score. Due to its importance, SB 116 Marriage Equality is doubled-weighted (other bills are single-weighted).
A plus (+) indicates a progressive position on the bill while a negative (–) indicates a special-interest position on the bill. A plus (+) is worth full credit on that bill while a negative (–) is worth zero points on that bill. Abstentions (A, unexcused non-votes) that hurt PM's position are scored a negative or "0" (same as –), but those that help are scored full credit (same as a +).
Not having to vote on a bill because it did not come up for a vote in the committee or on the floor ordinarily (scored "N/A") does not factor into a lawmaker's score. Neither do Excused absences (E) and Recusals (R). If excused absences and/or recusals account for more than half of a lawmaker's votes, that lawmaker is scored N/A for the session.
Points earned on all the bills together account for 80% of a lawmaker's total score and the Leadership Score (described below) accounts for 20%. For more information about bills, visit the General Assembly website: http://mlis.state.md.us.
Leadership Score
This category scores a lawmaker on the bulk of the General Assembly's work that happens behind the scenes and is crucial to the legislative process: whether a lawmaker works with or against progressive advocates to advance working-family legislation, sponsors or cosponsors a bill, lobbies colleagues or speaks
publicly for or against a bill, committee work, and so on. The Leadership Score accounts for 20% of a lawmaker’s total score, with 0 (zero) the lowest possible Leadership Score and 20 the highest possible Leadership Score. (Read the detailed description).
Descriptions of Scored Legislation
- SB 116 - Civil Marriage Protection Act (Marriage Equality) Would legalize same sex marriage in the State and give same sex couples equal protection under the law. Bill repeals any language in the law that prohibits same sex marriages and allows individual religious bodies to determine whether or not they will perform same sex marriages. http://mlis.state.md.us/2011rs/votes/senate/0213.htm
- HB 852/SB634 The Marcellus Shale Safe Drilling Act of 2011 (Fracking) Establishes an Advisory Commission to review best practices and make recommendations on conditions that should be included in permits for hydraulic fracturing ("fracking") in the Marcellus Shale, and on appropriate changes, if any, to state law and regulations governing hydraulic fracturing in the Marcellus Shale. Bill would require the Commission's report on findings, conclusions, and recommendations to be published on or before August 1, 2013; etc. HB852 http://mlis.state.md.us/2011rs/votes/house/0413.htm
- HB632/SB473 Earned Income Credit Information Act (EITC) Require the Comptroller to publish the maximum income eligibility for the State earned income tax credit on or before January 1 of each calendar year and mail to all employers in the State a notice of the new guidelines. Bill also requires an employer to notify employees who may be eligible for the State earned income tax credit. HB632 http://mlis.state.md.us/2011rs/votes/house/1218.htm SB473 http://mlis.state.md.us/2011rs/votes/senate/1165.htm
- HB470/SB167 Maryland DREAM Act Bill allows children of undocumented immigrants, who have attended and graduated from Maryland public schools and who qualify for acceptance, to attend Maryland public colleges at in-state tuition rates upon meeting several conditions. SB167 http://mlis.state.md.us/2011rs/votes/senate/1203.htm
SB 167 House http://mlis.state.md.us/2011rs/votes/house/1192.htm
- HB 712/SB104 Judith P. Hoyer Early Child Care and Education Enhancement Program - Annual Report Requiring the State Department of Education to issue an annual report by November 1 that includes a description of the Judith P. Hoyer Grant-funded Programs, ENROLLMENT AND PERFORMANCE, and SCHOOL READINESS DATA BY PROGRAM AND BY JURISDICTION. HB 712 http://mlis.state.md.us/2011rs/votes/house/1122.htm
SB 104 http://mlis.state.md.us/2011rs/votes/senate/0999.htm
- HB171/SB181 Collective Bargaining for Independent Home Care workers
Establishing collective bargaining rights for independent home care providers and classifies workers as one bargaining unit. Also requires nonmembers to make a specified payment for representation by bargaining agent.
HB 171 http://mlis.state.md.us/2011rs/votes/house/1018.htm
HB 171 Senate http://mlis.state.md.us/2011rs/votes/senate/0963.htm
- HB87/SB132 Job Applicant Fairness Act Prohibiting employers from using an applicant's or employee's credit report or credit history in determining whether to deny employment to the applicant, discharge the employee, or determine compensation or the terms, conditions, or privileges of employment. HB87 http://mlis.state.md.us/2011rs/votes/house/0586.htm
HB87 Senate http://mlis.state.md.us/2011rs/votes/senate/0886.htm
- SB994 Alcohol Tax Increased the rate of the sales tax on alcoholic beverage to 9% and creates a lock box account for the increased revenue that must be used to reduce the waiting list for the Developmental Disabilities Administration services. SB994 http://mlis.state.md.us/2011rs/votes/senate/1218.htm
SB994 House http://mlis.state.md.us/2011rs/votes/house/1178.htm .
- HB1130/SB551 Retaliation for wage complaints Prohibiting an employer from retaliating against an employee who makes a complaint, brings an action, or testifies in an action under the Maryland Wage and Hour Law; specifying that the adverse action prohibited includes discharge, demotion, threat of discharge or demotion, and other specified retaliatory actions.. HB1130 http://mlis.state.md.us/2011rs/votes/house/0915.htm
HB1130 Senate http://mlis.state.md.us/2011rs/votes/senate/1246.htm
Find background and other details for any bill by entering its number at http://mlis.state.md.us/#bill.
About the Progressive Maryland Education Fund
The Progressive Maryland Education Fund (PMEF) is a non-partisan 501(C)3 non-profit organization that, among other projects, monitors and reports on public policy issues of concern to working families and how lawmakers vote on these issues. |
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