Let's Hold Maryland Legislature Accountable -- Report Card Style

In Maryland, our state legislators spend 90 days each year in-session, debating and voting on bills that affect every resident of the state. But few of us actually know how our representatives vote - especially on key issues that affect our health, our environment and our climate.

Food & Water Watch has made this easier for Maryland residents and all those interested in where state legislators stand regarding initiatives on renewable energy, water infrastructure, and factory farms.

Our report card is based on several pieces of recent legislation, including:

• The successful campaign to ban fracking statewide;
• The effort to monitor the dangerous air quality around factory farms; and
• A bill to address statewide water shutoffs.

Letter grades awarded to each legislator were determined by their votes on these and other issues. During the session, legislators were informed of the issues Food & Water Watch were tracking and where we stood on them. They earned “credit” for voting in line with our positions, and “extra credit” (notated by a “+”) for sponsoring bills we deemed to be priorities.

For the 2017 session, letter grades were awarded as follows:

• 6/6 – A
• 5/6 – B
• 4/6 – C
• 3/6 – D
• 1/6 or 2/6 – F

We seek to help Marylanders understand where their legislators stand on making the state, cleaner, healthier and more just. We will continue to provide this resource in years to come.