Brief Description: Authorizing payroll deductions for retiree organization dues.

Sponsors: Senators Fairley, Roach, Benton, Kohl-Welles, Murray, Swecker, Kline, Keiser, Schoesler, Fraser, Jacobsen and Rockefeller.

Senate Committee on Government Operations & Elections
House Committee on State Government & Tribal Affairs

Background: State employees may have regular payments deducted from their paychecks for certain purposes. These include deductions for parking fees, banks and credit union payments, membership dues to professional organizations, and contributions to the Washington State Combined Fund Drive.

Labor and employee organization dues and contributions may be deducted under some circumstances. First, the payroll deduction must not be provided for under a collective bargaining agreement. Second, payroll deductions to that organization must have been requested by either 25 people in one agency, or at least 100 people in several agencies. Deductions for employee benefit programs are also permitted to labor and employee organizations with 500 or more members in state government.

Summary: Payroll deductions are permitted for retiree organization dues under the same circumstances as deductions to labor and employee organizations.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate      47   0
House      97   0

Effective:   July 22, 2007