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HB273 • 2025

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 19 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES.

Elections Labor

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Morrison
Last action: 2026-06-04
Official status: Out of Committee 4/14/26
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Delaware Law on Asking About Politics at Work

This bill makes it illegal for employers in Delaware to ask about workers' political views, voting history, or donations, and prohibits punishing them based on these factors, with specific exceptions.

What This Bill Does

Stops employers from asking current employees or job applicants about their political party or voting history.
Prohibits employers from requesting information about money given to candidates for office or political committees.
Makes it illegal to refuse to hire, fire, or treat an employee unfairly because of their political choices, donations, or voting history.
Allows exceptions if a job requires a specific political affiliation as part of the work duties and is in furtherance of a particular political purpose.
Exempts employers from these rules when federal or state laws require them to know about employee contributions.

Who It Names or Affects

Employers in Delaware
Current employees and people applying for jobs

Terms To Know

Bona fide occupational qualification: A specific requirement where a job must be done to further a particular political purpose.
Political committees: Groups that receive contributions from individuals, which employers are prohibited from asking about under this law.

Limits and Unknowns

The official text does not state when the law will officially start.
It only applies in Delaware to Title 19 of the Delaware Code.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HA 1

1 • Morrison

PWB 4/14/26

Plain English: This amendment adds rules that stop employers from asking about or treating workers unfairly based on their paid or unpaid work with political campaigns.

Employers cannot ask employees for information about any paid or volunteer work they do for a political campaign, committee, or party.
It becomes illegal for an employer to discriminate against someone because of their involvement in political campaign activities.

HA 2

2 • Morrison

PWB 6/4/26

Plain English: This amendment adds specific situations where employers can take action against employees for political activities without breaking new anti-discrimination rules.

Employers are allowed to enforce neutral workplace rules if an employee does political activity during work hours, on company property, or using company equipment.
Employers may investigate or discipline workers who break state, local, or administrative laws regarding ethics and conflicts of interest.

The amendment text refers to specific paragraph numbers (u)(1) and (2) that are not included in the provided material.
The exact definition of 'content-neutral employment rule' is not explained in this document.

Bill History

2026-06-04 Delaware General Assembly
Amendment HA 2 to HB 273 - Introduced and Placed With Bill
2026-04-14 Delaware General Assembly
Amendment HA 1 to HB 273 - Introduced and Placed With Bill
2026-04-14 Delaware General Assembly
Reported Out of Committee (Labor) in House with 4 Favorable, 4 On Its Merits
2026-01-20 Delaware General Assembly
Introduced and Assigned to Labor Committee in House

Official Summary Text

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 19 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES.
This Act prohibits employers from asking employees or potential employees about political preferences, including donations the employee makes to candidates for office or political committees. It also prohibits employers from taking any adverse action against an employee based on political affiliation or preference. The prohibition does not apply if a political affiliation or preference is a bona fide occupational qualification of the employment. It also does not apply if employer disclosure of employee contributions is required by federal or state law.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Legislation Document

SPONSOR:

Rep. Morrison & Sen. Cruce

Reps. Osienski, Bolden, Heffernan, Lambert, Neal, Phillips, Burns, Gorman, Kamela Smith, Berry, Snyder-Hall; Sens. Sokola, Walsh, Hansen, Lockman, Hoffner, Sturgeon

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE BILL NO. 273

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 19 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:

Section 1. Amend § 711, Title 19 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 711. Unlawful employment practices; employer practices.

(u) (1) It is an unlawful employment practice for an employer to request information from an employee or potential employee relating to any of the following:

a. The individual’s political party or voting history.

b. Contributions the individual makes to candidates for office.

c. Contributions the individual makes to political committees.

(2) It is an unlawful employment practice to fail or refuse to hire or to discharge any individual or otherwise to discriminate against an individual with respect to compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment because of any of the following:

a. The individual’s political party or voting history.

b. Contributions the individual makes to candidates for office.

c. Contributions the individual makes to political committees.

(3) This subsection does not apply if the individual’s political affiliation or preference is a bona fide occupational qualification for the job. For political affiliation or preference to be a “bona fide occupational qualification” under this subsection, an employer must establish that the employment is in furtherance of a particular political purpose.

(4) This subsection does not apply if the individual’s political contributions must be disclosed to the employer pursuant to a federal or state law that requires employers to disclose political contributions of its employees.

SYNOPSIS

This Act prohibits employers from asking employees or potential employees about political preferences, including donations the employee makes to candidates for office or political committees. It also prohibits employers from taking any adverse action against an employee based on political affiliation or preference. The prohibition does not apply if a political affiliation or preference is a bona fide occupational qualification of the employment. It also does not apply if employer disclosure of employee contributions is required by federal or state law.