Kan. Bill to Block Union-Mandated Paycheck Deductions for PACs

Kansas Senate lawmakers took up a bill Tuesday to block mandated union contributions to labor political action committees.

The measure, which passed the state House, doesn’t ban union contribution to PACs, but it would require donors to write a check versus having automatic deductions taken from paychecks, the Topeka Capital-Journal reported Wednesday.

State Sen. Susan Wagle, a Wichita Republican and chairwoman of the Senate Commerce Committee, steered the measure through committee Tuesday. The Senate committee amended the bill based on the suggestion of the Kansas Chamber to allow private unions to deduct contributions from paychecks for political advocacy.

Eric Carter, an attorney representing the chamber, said the bill was designed to "avoid the perception of government favoritism or entanglement in partisan politics."

"Simply put," Carter said, "the government should not be involved in supporting any organization's political activities regardless of their merit."