SF 3387

as introduced - 90th Legislature (2017 - 2018) Posted on 03/16/2018 08:25am

A bill for an act
relating to public employment; prohibiting exclusive representatives from requiring
political contributions; prohibiting the state from facilitating payroll deductions
for political purposes; amending Minnesota Statutes 2016, sections 16A.133;
179A.06, subdivisions 3, 6; 181.06, by adding a subdivision; 181.063; proposing
coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 179A.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 16A.133, is amended to read:

16A.133 CREDIT UNION, PARKING, OTHER DEDUCTIONS.

Subdivision 1.

Payroll direct deposit and deductions.

An agency head in the executive,
judicial, and legislative branch shall, upon written request signed by an employee, directly
deposit all or part of an employee's pay to those credit unions or financial institutions, as
defined in section 47.015, designated by the employee.

An agency head must, upon written request of an employee, deduct from the pay of the
employee a requested amount to be paid to the Minnesota Benefit Association, or to any
organizations contemplated by section 179A.06, of which the employee is a member. new text begin Any
such deductions must comply with section 181.06, subdivision 3, as applicable.
new text end

Subd. 2.

Parking, and the like.

With the written consent of an employee, an agency
head shall deduct from the employee's pay the amount needed to pay for services or facilities
supplied under law to the employee by the state. Food and housing, garage and parking
facilities, and other facilities and services may be paid for in this way. new text begin Any such deductions
must comply with section 181.06, subdivision 3, as applicable.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 179A.06, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3.

Fair share fee.

new text begin (a) new text end An exclusive representative may require employees who
are not members of the exclusive representative to contribute a fair share fee for services
rendered by the exclusive representative. The fair share fee must be equal to the regular
membership dues of the exclusive representative, less the cost of benefits financed through
the dues and available only to members of the exclusive representative. In no event may
the fair share fee exceed 85 percent of the regular membership dues. The exclusive
representative shall provide advance written notice of the amount of the fair share fee to
the employer and to unit employees who will be assessed the fee. The employer shall provide
the exclusive representative with a list of all unit employees.

A challenge by an employee or by a person aggrieved by the fee must be filed in writing
with the commissioner, the public employer, and the exclusive representative within 30
days after receipt of the written notice. All challenges must specify those portions of the
fee challenged and the reasons for the challenge. The burden of proof relating to the amount
of the fair share fee is on the exclusive representative. The commissioner shall hear and
decide all issues in these challenges.

The employer shall deduct the fee from the earnings of the employee and transmit the
fee to the exclusive representative 30 days after the written notice was provided. If a challenge
is filed, the deductions for a fair share fee must be held in escrow by the employer pending
a decision by the commissioner.

new text begin (b) Any public employer deduction of union dues or fair share fees from public employee
wages must comply with the requirements of section 181.06, subdivision 3.
new text end

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 179A.06, subdivision 6, is amended to read:

Subd. 6.

Dues checkoff.

Public employees have the right to request and be allowed dues
checkoff for the exclusive representative. In the absence of an exclusive representative,
public employees have the right to request and be allowed dues checkoff for the organization
of their choice. new text begin Employers must comply with the requirements of section 181.06, subdivision
3, in association with any such requests.
new text end

Sec. 4.

new text begin [179A.065] VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS.
new text end

new text begin (a) This section applies to any exclusive representative governed by this chapter.
new text end

new text begin (b) An exclusive representative may not require a contribution to a candidate, principal
campaign committee, political party, political committee, political fund, or political action
committee as a condition of membership or participation in the exclusive representative.
new text end

new text begin (c) An exclusive representative wishing to make expenditures for political purposes
must make the expenditures only from a separate political fund that is apart from any fund
or account containing money received by an exclusive representative as dues. The exclusive
representative must ensure that each contribution to the political fund is made voluntarily
and specifically to that fund. An exclusive representative may not transfer money paid as
dues to its political fund. For purposes of this section, "political purposes" means an act
done with the intent or in a way to influence or tend to influence, directly or indirectly, any
person to refrain from voting or to vote for or against any ballot question, or for or against
any candidate for public office at any caucus, political convention, primary, or election.
new text end

Sec. 5.

Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 181.06, is amended by adding a subdivision to
read:

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Certain payroll deductions; public employees. new text end

new text begin (a) For the purposes of this
subdivision, "public employee" has the meaning given in section 179A.03, subdivision 14.
new text end

new text begin (b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, payroll deductions or assignments of wages
to pay the portion of public employee union dues or fair share fees used for political purposes
under section 179A.065 must conform to the requirements of this subdivision.
new text end

new text begin (c) An employer must not deduct or allow the deduction of the portion of union dues or
fair share fees used for political purposes under section 179A.065 from the wages of any
public employee.
new text end

Sec. 6.

Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 181.063, is amended to read:

181.063 ASSIGNMENT OF WAGES, PUBLIC EMPLOYEES.

new text begin (a) new text end Any officer or employee of a county, town, city, school district, or the state, or any
department thereof, has the same right to sell, assign, or transfer salary or wages as any
officer of or person employed by any corporation, firm, or person.

new text begin (b) Any public employer deduction of fair share fees or union dues from public employee
wages must comply with the requirements of section 181.06, subdivision 3.
new text end