PTSD LEGISLATION

CANCER PRESUMPTION

*HB 0159 by *Casada. (SB 0136 by *Ketron.)
Public Employees - As introduced, prohibits public employees from having a payroll deduction to a political action committee or for dues for membership organizations that use funds for political activities. - Amends TCA Title 3; Title 7 and Title 8.

Fiscal Summary
Not Available

Bill Summary
This bill prohibits any person in the employment of the state, a county, a city, a local school board or any other governmental agency from arranging by payroll deduction or otherwise for any payments to a political action committee or for the person's dues for any membership organization that engages in political activity. This bill specifies that "political activity" is to be construed in its broadest sense and details certain actions that would be considered to be "political activity".

Under this bill, any organization that requests the state, a county, a city, a local school board or any other governmental agency to arrange by payroll deduction or otherwise for the collection of membership dues must certify to the appropriate governmental entity that none of the membership dues will be used for political activity. Thereafter, at the conclusion of each calendar year, each organization that has arranged for the collection of its membership dues must provide the appropriate governmental entity a detailed breakdown of the expenditure of the membership dues collected by the governmental entity. Any organization that fails to provide the required certifications, that reports any expenditures for political activity or that files false information about political activity in any of its reports would be permanently barred from arranging for the collection of its membership dues by any governmental entity. The comptroller would annually review a sample of at least 10 percent of the certifications filed with each governmental entity and report its findings to the appropriate governmental entity.

This bill will take effect on January 1, 2012, and will apply to payroll deductions for the 2012 calendar year.