Committee advances bill to expand annual opt‑out notice for teachers’ union dues; unions and public‑sector groups oppose

The House Labor and Industrial Relations Committee on April 24 voted 8–4 to report House Bill 293 favorably with amendments. The measure, sponsored by Representative Millerine, would change how authorization and annual reauthorization of payroll deductions for labor organization dues and fees are handled for teachers and other school employees.

Sponsor Millerine said the bill’s central purpose was to give teachers a clearer, more frequent opportunity to opt out of union deductions; she said the intent is not to eliminate unions but to ensure employees can decline dues deductions without being “held captive” by a narrow window. Representative Glorioso and others urged practical approaches, such as including an opt‑out form with pay stubs or more frequent notices, to reduce administrative burdens on educators and school systems.

The measure drew lengthy testimony from labor leaders and dozens of educators and public‑sector unions. Tia Mills, president of the Louisiana Association of Educators, said only six local school districts in the state currently have collective bargaining agreements and that her membership had not asked for the change; she opposed the bill. Quintel Slaughter of AFSCME and Peter Robbins Brown of the AFL‑CIO said the legislation would impose an unfunded administrative mandate on local governments and could create retroactive legal exposure by deeming prior authorizations invalid. Representatives of local unions — including the Louisiana Federation of Teachers and Caddo and St. Tammany locals — testified they already provide straightforward opt‑out procedures and that annual reauthorization would create unnecessary work for already thinly staffed payroll and HR offices.

Supporters included representatives of business groups who had signed support cards; several business trade groups and employers indicated support in committee records. Representative Echols successfully offered a package of amendments that committee members adopted; the amendments included technical and title clarifications and a provision (amendment set 16‑29) intended to shift administrative costs for annual reauthorization to labor organizations. That package passed on a 6–5 procedural tally and was incorporated into the reported bill.

Opponents argued the bill went beyond simply clarifying opt‑out rights, pointed to legal and fiscal risks and warned it could jeopardize federal grant or contract requirements for some public employers. Supporters said the amendment package struck a reasonable balance by requiring notice while protecting employees’ choice.

Committee action: Vice Chair Horton moved to report HB 293 as amended; Representative Phelps objected and a roll call produced the 8–4 result recorded in the committee minutes. The bill, as amended, will go to the House floor. Lawmakers and stakeholders requested follow‑up conversations to clarify practical implementation — for example whether the notice could be delivered with pay stubs and how to avoid unintended retroactive effects on contracts and collective bargaining.