00                            SENATE BILL NO. 44                                                                          
01 "An Act relating to the religious exemptions in the Public Employment Relations Act                                     
02 and the Alaska Railroad Corporation Act."                                                                               
03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                                
04    * Section 1. AS 23.40.225 is amended to read:                                                                      
05            Sec. 23.40.225. Exemption based on religious convictions. Notwithstanding                                  
06       the provisions of AS 23.40.220, a collective bargaining settlement reached, or                                    
07       agreement entered into, under AS 23.40.210 that incorporates union security                                       
08       provisions, including [BUT NOT LIMITED TO] a union shop or agency shop                                            
09       provision or agreement, shall safeguard the rights of nonassociation of employees                                 
10       having bona fide religious convictions based on tenets or teachings of a church or                                
11       religious body of which an employee is a member. Upon submission of proper proof                                  
12       of religious conviction to the labor relations agency, the agency shall declare the                               
13       employee exempt from becoming a member of a labor organization or employee                                        
14       association. The employee shall pay an amount of money equivalent to regular union                                

01       or association dues, initiation fees, and assessments to the union or association.                                
02       Nonpayment of this money subjects the employee to the same penalty as if it were                                  
03       nonpayment of dues. The receiving union or association shall contribute an equivalent                             
04       amount of money to a charity of the employee's [ITS] choice not affiliated with a                             
05       religious, labor, or employee organization. The union or association shall submit proof                           
06       of contribution to the labor relations agency.                                                                    
07    * Sec. 2. AS 42.40.880 is amended to read:                                                                         
08            Sec. 42.40.880. Exemption. Notwithstanding the provisions of AS 42.40.870,                                 
09       a collective bargaining settlement reached, or agreement entered into, under                                      
10       AS 42.40.860 that incorporates union security provisions, including a union shop or                               
11       agency shop provision or agreement, shall safeguard the rights of nonassociation of                               
12       employees having bona fide religious convictions based on tenets or teachings of a                                
13       church or religious body of which an employee is a member. Upon submission of                                     
14       proper proof of religious conviction to the railroad labor relations agency, the agency                           
15       shall declare the employee exempt from becoming a member of an organization. The                                  
16       employee shall pay an amount of money equivalent to regular organization dues,                                    
17       initiation fees, and assessments to the organization. Nonpayment of this money                                    
18       subjects the employee to the same penalty as if it were nonpayment of dues. The                                   
19       receiving organization shall contribute an equivalent amount of money to a charity of                             
20       the employee's [ITS] choice not affiliated with a religious, labor, or employee                               
21       organization. The organization shall submit to the railroad labor relations agency proof                          
22       of contribution.