LRB-4020/2
JTK:jlg&kaf:hmh
1997 - 1998 LEGISLATURE
November 24, 1997 - Introduced by Representatives Owens, Walker, Ainsworth,
Brandemuehl, Duff, Goetsch, Hahn, Jensen, Ladwig, F. Lasee, Nass, Otte

and Seratti, cosponsored by Senators Farrow, Darling and Roessler.
Referred to Committee on Elections and Constitutional Law.
AB624,1,2 1An Act to create 11.385 and 11.386 of the statutes; relating to: limitations upon
2the use of moneys derived from employment for political purposes.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill prohibits any employer or labor organization from increasing the
salary of an officer or employe, or giving an emolument to an officer or employe or
other person with the intention that the increase in salary or emolument, or a part
of it, be used to make a political contribution or disbursement (expenditure). The bill
also prohibits an employer or labor organization from discriminating against an
officer or employe with respect to any term or condition of employment for the failure
to make a political contribution, the failure to support or oppose a candidate,
proposition, political party or committee or the support or opposition to a candidate,
proposition, political party or committee. The bill further prohibits any employer or
other person who is responsible for the disbursement of moneys in payment of wages
or salaries from withholding any portion of an employe's wages or salary for the
purpose of making a contribution or for use as a contribution to a political committee,
except upon written request of the employe whose payment is withheld, terminable
no later than 12 months after the date of the request. The bill requires any person
who undertakes such withholding to maintain records of the withholding which
must be open to public inspection for at least 3 years from the date that a withholding
occurs. In addition, the bill prohibits any labor organization from using moneys
obtained from any individual who is not a member of the organization for the purpose
of making a political contribution or disbursement, unless expressly authorized by
the individual.
Currently, there are no such prohibitions or requirements, except that no
person may cause any person to make a political contribution by means of the denial
or threat of denial of any employment, position, work, promotion, compensation or
benefit or by means of discharge or other disciplinary action or the threat of such
action. Under decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court, labor organizations that receive

payments of moneys from individuals they represent who have not authorized those
payments may not use those moneys for purposes unrelated to collective bargaining.
See Communications Workers of America v. Beck, et al., 108 S. Ct. 2641 (1988).
Violations of the prohibitions or requirements created by the bill are punishable
by a forfeiture (civil penalty) of not more than $500 for each offense. Intentional
violations constitute a misdemeanor and are punishable by a fine of not more than
$1,000 or imprisonment for not more than 6 months, or both, for each offense.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
AB624, s. 1 1Section 1. 11.385 of the statutes is created to read:
AB624,2,4 211.385 Use of moneys derived from employment for political purposes.
3(1) In this section, "employer" includes the state and every local governmental unit,
4as defined in s. 16.97 (7).
AB624,2,8 5(2) No employer or labor organization may increase the salary of an officer or
6employe, or give an emolument to an officer, employe or other person, with the
7intention that the increase in salary, or the emolument, or a part of it, be used to make
8a contribution or disbursement.
AB624,2,13 9(3) No employer or labor organization may discriminate against an officer or
10employe with respect to any term or condition of employment for the failure to make
11a contribution, the failure to support or oppose a candidate, proposition, political
12party or committee, or the support or opposition to a candidate, proposition, political
13party or committee.
AB624,3,3 14(4) No employer or other person who is responsible for the disbursement of
15moneys in payment of wages or salaries may withhold any portion of an employe's
16wages or salary for the purpose of making a contribution to a committee or for use
17as a contribution to a committee except upon the written request of the employe. Any
18such request shall be made on a form prescribed by the board informing the employe

1of the prohibition under sub. (3). The request is valid for 12 months from the date
2it is made by the employe unless an earlier termination is provided or authorized
3under the agreement.
AB624,3,10 4(5) Each person who withholds moneys under sub. (4) shall maintain open for
5public inspection for a period of no less than 3 years from the date that a withholding
6occurs, during normal business hours, documents and books of accounts which shall
7include a copy of each employe's request for withholding, the amounts and dates on
8which moneys are withheld under the request, and the amounts and dates on which
9moneys are transferred to any committee by the person. Each such person shall
10deliver or transmit copies of such information to the board upon its request.
AB624, s. 2 11Section 2. 11.386 of the statutes is created to read:
AB624,3,13 1211.386 Use of deductions for payments to labor organizations. (1) In
13this section:
AB624,3,1414 (a) "All-union agreement" has the meaning given under s. 111.02 (1).
AB624,3,1615 (b) "Fair-share agreement" has the meaning given under s. 111.70 (1) (f) or
16111.81 (9).
AB624,3,20 17(2) No labor organization may use moneys derived from an all-union or
18fair-share agreement that are paid by an individual who is not a member of the
19organization for the purpose of making a contribution or disbursement, unless
20affirmatively authorized by the individual.
AB624, s. 3 21Section 3. Effective dates. This act takes effect on the day after publication,
22except as follows:
AB624,3,2423 (1) The treatment of section 11.386 of the statutes takes effect on the first day
24of the 2nd month beginning after publication.
AB624,3,2525 (End)
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