Brief(1)
S.B. 288 would create the Voluntary Political Contributions Act of 1999. The bill prohibits all state and local government employers in Kansas from deducting any portion of an employee's salary for contributions to political committees except upon written consent from the employees. The bill requires the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission to prescribe the employee consent form that would contain language informing employees that they may choose not to make a request for salary deduction or that they may opt not to return the form to the employer. Renewal of the form would be required every 12 months.
Background
Senator Kerr, prime sponsor of the bill, testified in support of S.B. 288. A representative of the Kansas National Education Association testified in opposition to the bill. The Kansas AFL-CIO submitted written testimony in opposition to the bill. The Senate Committee on Elections and Local Government amended the bill by making a technical change.
The Division of the Budget fiscal note indicates no fiscal impact.
The Senate Committee of the Whole made a technical amendment to the bill.
1. *Supplemental notes are prepared by the Legislative Research Department and do not express legislative intent. The supplemental note and fiscal note for this bill may be accessed on the Internet at http://www.ink.org/public/legislative/bill_search.html.