S. 2549 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the Senate, Jul 30, 2025
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryGuarantees paid time off to vote
This bill requires employers to give workers at least two consecutive hours of paid time off on federal election day if they request it. That time can be used to vote, drop off a mail-in ballot, or handle other voting-related tasks. The employer gets to pick which two-hour window works for them, as long as it's when polls are open and doesn't include lunch or regular breaks.
How it affects you
If you're an employee, you'd have the right to request two hours of paid leave to vote without losing any benefits or facing retaliation from your employer. Employers would need to follow these rules or face penalties for violating them.
Read the official summary (Introduced in Senate, Jul 30, 2025)
Time Off to Vote Act
This bill requires an employer, upon the request of an employee, to provide the employee with a minimum of two consecutive hours of paid leave while polls or sites that facilitate voting-related activity are open on the day of a federal election. This allotted time may be used to vote, return a mail-in ballot, or perform other voting-related activities.
The employer may determine the two-hour period, excluding any lunch break or other break.
Taking such leave shall not result in the employee losing accrued employment benefits.
The bill makes it unlawful for an employer to interfere with the right to take such leave or for an employer to discriminate against an employee for taking such leave. Further, the bill makes it unlawful for any employer to retaliate against an employee for (1) opposing any practice made unlawful by this bill; (2) filing a charge, or instituting or causing to be instituted any proceeding, under or related to this bill; or (3) testifying or preparing to testify in an inquiry or proceeding relating to such leave.
The bill specifies penalties for employers who violate these provisions.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionS. 2549
A BILL
Time Off to Vote Act
Sponsor: Sen. Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) · Introduced Jul 30, 2025 · Government Operations and Politics · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Jul 30, 2025: “Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.”