Jack Bailey is a Republican Maryland state senator from District 29 who has represented Calvert and St. Mary's counties since January 2019 and is seeking re-election in the November 3, 2026 general election.[1][2][3]A former Maryland Natural Resources Police officer, he serves on the Budget and Taxation Committee.[2]
Jack Bailey was born in Elkton, Maryland, on August 27, 1965, and graduated from St. Mary's Ryken High School in 1983.[2]He earned a B.S. in management from Johns Hopkins University in 2013 and an M.S. in management from the university in 2014.[2]Bailey served as a Maryland Natural Resources Police officer from 1991 to 2004 and later held positions including executive assistant to the superintendent and sergeant supervising the Covert Operations Unit, ending in 2017.[2]Since 2017 he has been an instructor and coach with the International Conservation Chiefs Academy.[2]
Bailey assumed office in the Maryland State Senate on January 9, 2019, succeeding Stephen Waugh, and he advanced from the Republican primary on June 23, 2026.[1]
Their recorded votes on bills that divided the chamber (unanimous votes left out), grouped by topic. A bill can sit under more than one topic. "With" and "against" compare each vote with how most Republicans voted. How topics are assigned
›Rights & public safety170 with · 3 against174 votes
On the version voted Apr 13, 2026: Bars local jails, with exceptions, from certain cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, requires state prisons to notify federal authorities within 48 hours before releasing people with immigration detainers, and limits police sharing of information with immigration authorities without a court order.
Apr 10, 2026 · Failed 18–24 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
On the version voted Apr 10, 2026: Lets people, or the Attorney General, sue armed officers with federal arrest powers who, acting under color of law, violate rights under the U.S. Constitution or federal law, seeking damages and court orders within five years; excludes state and local officers on federal task forces.
Mar 19, 2026 · Failed 15–25 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
On the version voted Mar 28, 2026: Broadens the definition of nonprofit housing corporation (501(c)(3), primarily affordable housing) for State and local tax and special assessment exemptions and extends them to subsidiaries. Excludes Baltimore City property and projects that received local government funding before July 1, 2026.
On the version voted Mar 30, 2026: Adjusts state finances for the fiscal 2027 budget by cutting or delaying mandated spending, shifting some teacher pension costs to counties, limiting certain federal depreciation tax breaks, and moving money among state funds, among other changes.
Mar 17, 2026 · Failed 20–24 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
On the version voted Apr 3, 2025: Creates a state farm program recognizing farmers who adopt conservation practices, with at least $900,000 a year through 2030, and changes laws on healthy soils, fish sales, water quality monitoring, fishery plans, aquaculture leases, watershed restoration, water quality trading and stream restoration.
Requires health occupations licensees and certificate holders to attest to completing implicit bias and structural racism training at first renewal after April 1, 2026. A state competency program approves the training programs.
Allows the Opioid Restitution Fund to pay operating and personnel costs of the Attorney General's Opioids Enforcement Unit for investigations and enforcement tied to opioid judgments and settlements, through June 2029. Requires an annual report on the unit's investigations and lawsuits.
Mar 17, 2025 · Passed 29–13 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Creates a state program of grants for organizations providing abortion care to people without sufficient resources, funded by moving excess money from insurers' segregated abortion-coverage accounts, with $2 million allocated by October 1, 2025.
Mar 17, 2025 · Passed 29–15 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
On the version voted Mar 28, 2026: Broadens the definition of nonprofit housing corporation (501(c)(3), primarily affordable housing) for State and local tax and special assessment exemptions and extends them to subsidiaries. Excludes Baltimore City property and projects that received local government funding before July 1, 2026.
On the version voted Mar 13, 2025: Allows fair housing testers working for government or qualifying nonprofit civil rights programs to record conversations they take part in to gather evidence of housing discrimination, and limits use of those recordings to enforcing fair housing laws.
Mar 12, 2025 · Failed 19–26 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Requires the state housing department to study condominium buildings over 40 years old, including owners' ages and incomes and reserve fund shortfalls, and report to the General Assembly by December 1, 2026.
Apr 13, 2026 · Failed 15–28 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
On the version voted Apr 7, 2025: Reduces state funding for the Coordinated Community Supports Partnership Fund and the per-pupil foundation amount for school aid, delays required teacher collaborative time, creates teacher development and recruitment grant programs, changes community school rules and otherwise revises the Blueprint for Maryland's Future.
On the version voted Apr 1, 2025: Revises the Blueprint for Maryland's Future school funding plan: lowers the per-pupil foundation amount and community supports funding, delays required teacher collaborative time, creates teacher recruitment and development grants, joins an interstate teacher mobility compact, and changes community school rules.
Mar 31, 2025 · Failed 14–30 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Reduces from three years to two the number of years an undocumented student or their parent or guardian must have filed Maryland income tax returns to qualify for in-state tuition rates at public colleges under the Dream Act.
Apr 13, 2026 · Failed 15–31 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Requires electric vehicle charging stations to post a local contact, sell electricity by the kilowatt-hour, and charge customers only for energy delivered, while allowing separate itemized service fees.
On the version voted Mar 17, 2025: Creates the Maryland Connectivity Coalition to improve wildlife habitat connectivity and reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions. Requires local governments to consider wildlife movement in comprehensive plans, with planning, natural resources and highway agencies supplying information.
Apr 2, 2025 · Passed 34–13 · against most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Requires the Maryland Transit Administration to offer free Purple Line rides for the first month to residents within a quarter mile of the line, and free promotional help to nearby small businesses beginning October 1, 2025.
Bars private passenger auto insurers from requiring vehicle-monitoring programs or using their data to cancel, not renew or refuse to underwrite, requires disclosure and a data-correction process, and directs regulations limiting data collected by July 1, 2027. Applies from January 1, 2027.
Reduces how often the Attorney General must report on recovering damages from the Port of Baltimore closure and Key Bridge collapse, from monthly to every six months.
Voted against most of their party on 18 of 461 party-divided votes on file.
Most often on: Climate & energy (10), Jobs & cost of living (4), Health & care (3)
Cannabis - Advertising - Alterations
What it does: Changes cannabis advertising rules: allows dispensaries more exterior signage, changes how audience age is determined, requires regulations accepting event organizers' attestations on audience composition, and lowers…
Voted yes · most Republicans voted no · Democrats 33–0, Republicans 5–8
Hunting - Lead and Lead-Based Ammunition - Phase-Out
What it does: On the version voted Mar 23, 2026: Requires the Department of Natural Resources to mandate nonlead ammunition for hunting all game by July 1, 2030, except where nonlead ammunition is not commercially available for a s…
Voted yes · most Republicans voted no · Democrats 30–0, Republicans 2–10
Montgomery County - Community Choice Aggregation Pilot Program - Alterations MC 17-26
What it does: Changes Montgomery County's community choice aggregation pilot: the start date becomes the earlier of notice to the Public Service Commission or April 1, 2026. It extends the pilot from seven to nine years and moves r…
Voted yes · most Republicans voted no · Democrats 24–0, Republicans 1–8
Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Critical Area Protection Program - Variances - Alterations
What it does: On the version voted Mar 18, 2026: Changes Critical Area variance standards, including a rebuttable presumption that an existing accessory structure shows reasonable and significant use when a new one is requested, an…
Voted yes · most Republicans voted no · Democrats 29–0, Republicans 4–8
Substantive votes concern legislation or nominations; procedural votes concern how the chamber considers them. A Yes vote applies to the motion shown, which may not be final passage.
HB 2100 · MD SENATE
Election Districts - General Assembly and Representatives in Congress
NoVOTED
Motion: Third Reading (HB) Calendar No.73 · Bill is on Third Reading for Final Passage.
On the version voted Aug 3, 2026: Proposes a constitutional amendment for the November 2026 ballot stating that the Maryland Constitution sets no criteria for congressional district lines, that its districting standards apply only to legislative districts, and that lawmakers may give the state Supreme Court original review of congressional maps.
On the version voted Aug 3, 2026: Proposes a constitutional amendment for the November 2026 ballot stating that the Maryland Constitution sets no criteria for congressional district lines, that its districting standards apply only to legislative districts, and that lawmakers may give the state Supreme Court original review of congressional maps.
On the version voted Aug 3, 2026: Proposes a constitutional amendment for the November 2026 ballot stating that the Maryland Constitution sets no criteria for congressional district lines, that its districting standards apply only to legislative districts, and that lawmakers may give the state Supreme Court original review of congressional maps.
On the version voted Aug 3, 2026: Proposes a constitutional amendment for the November 2026 ballot stating that the Maryland Constitution sets no criteria for congressional district lines, that its districting standards apply only to legislative districts, and that lawmakers may give the state Supreme Court original review of congressional maps.
On the version voted Aug 3, 2026: Proposes a constitutional amendment for the November 2026 ballot stating that the Maryland Constitution sets no criteria for congressional district lines, that its districting standards apply only to legislative districts, and that lawmakers may give the state Supreme Court original review of congressional maps.
On the version voted Aug 3, 2026: Proposes a constitutional amendment for the November 2026 ballot stating that the Maryland Constitution sets no criteria for congressional district lines, that its districting standards apply only to legislative districts, and that lawmakers may give the state Supreme Court original review of congressional maps.
Election Districts - General Assembly and Representatives in Congress
YesVOTED
Motion: Third Reading (HB) Calendar No.73 · Floor Amendment West /943226/1
On the version voted Aug 3, 2026: Proposes a constitutional amendment for the November 2026 ballot stating that the Maryland Constitution sets no criteria for congressional district lines, that its districting standards apply only to legislative districts, and that lawmakers may give the state Supreme Court original review of congressional maps.
Election Districts - General Assembly and Representatives in Congress
NoVOTED
Motion: Third Reading (HB) Calendar No.73 · (Const) · Suspended Rule 24 to allow two readings of a bill in the same day
On the version voted Aug 3, 2026: Proposes a constitutional amendment for the November 2026 ballot stating that the Maryland Constitution sets no criteria for congressional district lines, that its districting standards apply only to legislative districts, and that lawmakers may give the state Supreme Court original review of congressional maps.
Arbitration Reform for State Employees Act of 2026 - Withdraw and Repeal of Duplicate Proposed Constitutional Amendment
NoVOTED
Motion: Third Reading (HB) Calendar No.72 · (Emerg) · Suspended Rule 24 to allow two readings of a bill in the same day
Repeals a duplicate proposed constitutional amendment on collective bargaining for State employees, so only one copy appears on the November 2026 ballot. An identical amendment in another act stays on the ballot. Takes effect immediately as an emergency.
Election Districts - General Assembly and Representatives in Congress
NoVOTED
Motion: Education, Energy, and the Environment Report No. 54 · (Const) · Motion to limit debate
On the version voted Aug 3, 2026: Proposes a constitutional amendment for the November 2026 ballot stating that the Maryland Constitution sets no criteria for congressional district lines, that its districting standards apply only to legislative districts, and that lawmakers may give the state Supreme Court original review of congressional maps.