Steve Hershey is a Republican Maryland state senator from District 36 who has held the seat since October 2013 and is seeking re-election in the November 3, 2026 general election.[1][2]With a background in civil engineering and commercial real estate, he served in the House of Delegates from 2011 to 2013 and is listed as the Senate minority leader.[1][3][2]
Stephen Hershey Jr. was born in Washington, D.C., on May 2, 1964, and attended Bowie High School.[3]He earned a B.C.E. in civil engineering from the Catholic University of America in 1987 and an M.B.A. from George Washington University in 2002.[3]Hershey was a vice president at Trammell Crow Company from 1999 to 2003, held vice president roles at Jones Lang LaSalle and its predecessor from 2006 to 2023, and joined TECfusions in 2023.[3]He was a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 2012 and 2016.[3]
Hershey served in the Maryland House of Delegates for District 36 from 2011 to 2013.[1]He assumed office in the state Senate on October 1, 2013.[1]According to the General Assembly website, he serves on the Executive Nominations, Finance and Rules committees.[3]Ballotpedia's 2026 elections page lists him as Senate minority leader.[2]
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 safety168 with · 5 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 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.
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.
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.
What it does: On the version voted Mar 23, 2026: Requires certified recovery residences' standards to bar them from refusing services to a person because they receive medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder, or from r…
Voted yes · most Republicans voted no · Democrats 33–0, Republicans 3–10
Land Use - Permitting - Development Rights (Maryland Housing Certainty Act)
What it does: On the version voted Mar 25, 2026: Requires housing development applications to be judged only under laws in effect when a complete application is submitted, and gives approved projects vested development rights for 5…
Voted yes · most Republicans voted no · Democrats 31–0, Republicans 4–7
Land Use - Permitting - Development Rights (Maryland Housing Certainty Act)
What it does: On the version voted Mar 25, 2026: Requires housing development applications to be judged only under laws in effect when a complete application is submitted, and gives approved projects vested development rights for 5…
Voted yes · most Republicans voted no · Democrats 32–0, Republicans 3–10
Environment - Water Resources and Wetlands - Enforcement
What it does: Authorizes the Department of the Environment to impose administrative penalties of up to $5,000 per violation ($100,000 total) for violations of water appropriation and dam safety laws, and extends its corrective-orde…
Voted yes · most Republicans voted no · Democrats 29–0, Republicans 3–10
Department of Budget and Management - Expedited Hiring Program (FEDERAL Jobs Act of 2025)
What it does: Creates a temporary program in the Department of Budget and Management to speed hiring of people who left federal jobs after January 15, 2025, into vacant state skilled and professional positions, aiming to finish rec…
Voted yes · most Republicans voted no · Democrats 29–0, Republicans 6–7
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.
