(Flickr Photo by Holley St. Germain)
The Kansas Senate has passed a bill barring public employee unions from deducting money from their members’ paychecks for political purposes. Currently, union members can have voluntary contributions automatically deducted from their paychecks to be used for political advocacy. Some supporters of the bill say it prevents union members’ dues from going to candidates or causes they don’t support, and it takes government out of the business of processing the contributions. Greg Smith is a Republican from Overland Park. He says union members could still set up automatic payments through their bank for political purposes.
But critics of the bill say union members already have to voluntarily join the union and agree to the deductions. Some opponents say the proposal is aimed at politically weakening unions and union members. Senator Anthony Hensley is a Democrat from Topeka.
The version that passed the Senate was amended to eliminate concerns that it infringed on some free speech rights. The Kansas House will now consider the bill, which is slightly different from one that chamber already passed.