By Bob Katzen

The House approved and sent to the Senate legislation that would require employers to give employees sufficient time off, with pay, to vote in state, city and town elections, on Election Day, if the employee does not have sufficient time to vote outside working hours.

Employees would be required to give an employer three days’ notice of his or her intent to take time off to vote on Election Day. The measure also bars employers from requiring an employee to vote by mail or to vote during a designated early voting period prior to Election Day.

The proposal would replace a current law that is narrower, applies only to manufacturing, mechanical or mercantile establishments, only allows the worker to vote during the two hours after the polls open on Election Day and does not require the employers to pay the worker for the time off.

“The legislation that was advanced by the House today will help to guarantee that every Massachusetts voter has time to vote on Election Day, regardless of the constraints of their job, a critical step towards ensuring that every eligible voter has the chance to make their voice heard at the ballot box,” said House Speaker Ron Mariano (D-Quincy).

Authors of the bill and other earlier versions of it did not respond to requests by Beacon Hill Roll Call asking them to comment on this new version of the measure. Legislation. Legislators who did not respond are Sen. Brendan Crighton (D-Lynn) and Reps. John Lawn (D-Watertown) and Aaron Michlewitz (D-Boston).