Katie Fry Hester is the Democratic state senator for Maryland District 9, in office since January 2019, and is seeking re-election in the November 3, 2026 general election against Republican Ben Hightower. A nonprofit executive, she lives in Ellicott City.[1][2]
Hester earned a degree in agricultural and biological engineering from Cornell University, and her career experience includes working as Americas director with The Partnering Initiative.[1]
She succeeded Gail Bates in the Senate in January 2019.[1]In the 2025-2026 term she is Senate chair of the Fair Practices and State Personnel Oversight Committee and serves on the Education, Health & Environmental Affairs Committee.[1]She advanced from the June 23, 2026 Democratic primary unopposed.[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 Democrats voted. How topics are assigned
›Jobs & cost of living150 with · 9 against159 votes
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 · against most DemocratsOfficial record ↗
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 · against most DemocratsOfficial 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.
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.
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.
Requires local planning commissions to notify the Maryland Department of Planning when they begin their required 10-year review of a local comprehensive plan, and requires the department to send guidance on state laws and best practices within 60 days.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 31 of 439 party-divided votes on file.
Most often on: Rights & public safety (17), Jobs & cost of living (9), Housing & rent (3)
Correctional Services and Public Safety - Immigration Enforcement - Prohibitions (Community Trust Act)
What it does: 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 releasin…
Voted yes · most Democrats voted no · Democrats 4–26, Republicans 12–0
Correctional Services and Public Safety - Immigration Enforcement - Prohibitions (Community Trust Act)
Amends the bill to add people arrested for a crime involving a minor victim, or for abuse, to the "covered individuals" who are exempt from some of its limits on jail cooperation with federal immigration authorities. (AI-written)
What it does: 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 releasin…
Voted yes · most Democrats voted no · Democrats 5–24, Republicans 13–0
Correctional Services and Public Safety - Immigration Enforcement - Prohibitions (Community Trust Act)
What it does: 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 releasin…
Voted yes · most Democrats voted no · Democrats 4–25, Republicans 13–0
Correctional Services and Public Safety - Immigration Enforcement - Prohibitions (Community Trust Act)
What it does: 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 releasin…
Voted yes · most Democrats voted no · Democrats 5–24, Republicans 13–0
Correctional Services and Public Safety - Immigration Enforcement - Prohibitions (Community Trust Act)
What it does: 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 releasin…
Voted yes · most Democrats voted no · Democrats 4–25, Republicans 13–0
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
Not votingNO VOTE
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
Not votingNO VOTE
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
Not votingNO VOTE
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
Not votingNO VOTE
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
Not votingNO VOTE
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.