02/07/2008 09:00 AM Senate STATE AFFAIRS

         SB  77-USING UNION DUES FOR POLITICAL PURPOSES                                                                       
                                                                                                                              
10:06:48 AM                                                                                                                   
CHAIR MCGUIRE announced the consideration of SB 77.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR BUNDE said  SB 77 is a simple bill  that provides freedom                                                               
and opportunity. It  forbids the unauthorized use  of agency fees                                                               
for  political  purposes. It  is  not  a  small  issue; it  is  a                                                               
freedom-of-choice issue. In the last  ten years, unions in Alaska                                                               
have contributed  over $4 million  to political  campaigns, which                                                               
they have  the right to do.  He described what an  agency fee is:                                                               
When he worked at the university,  there was a union that charged                                                               
an agency fee of $400 or $500 per  year, and if he wanted to be a                                                               
member of  the union,  the dues  were an  additional $10,  so the                                                               
vast bulk of money was the  agency fee. Currently, if a member of                                                               
a union is  unhappy with the political activities  of that union,                                                               
there is  a laborious process to  get back the agency  portion of                                                               
their fee. This bill allows a union member to opt in or opt out.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
10:09:42 AM                                                                                                                   
SENATOR BUNDE  said such things  slip by in people's  busy lives,                                                               
so it would  be fairer to give people a  more conscious choice by                                                               
requiring them to  opt in, rather than having them  opt out after                                                               
the  fact. We  should not  attempt to  limit political  speech of                                                               
unions,  but the  bill provides  more  choice for  those who  pay                                                               
agency fees to be part of a political activity.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
10:10:55 AM                                                                                                                   
SENATOR STEVENS  said he agrees  with Senator Bunde. He  has seen                                                               
his agency  fees used in  opposition to  him. The unions  tend to                                                               
support leftwing  candidates, so  a conservative  person probably                                                               
doesn't  think  it is  right  to  use  money for  a  left-leaning                                                               
candidate. It makes sense for people to opt in or out.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  BUNDE  moved  SB  77   from  committee  with  individual                                                               
recommendations  and  attached  fiscal note(s).  There  being  no                                                               
objection, the motion carried.