Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Campaign Finance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
House debates Voluntary Contributions Act changes, rejects amendment to shift deduction costs
Summary
Lawmakers extensively debated HB159, which would bar public employers from using payroll to collect political contributions and require segregated political funds for labor organizations; an amendment to require contributors to pay payroll-deduction costs failed 30–41. The House spread intent language and moved the bill forward for a floor vote.
Representative Bennion, sponsor of House Bill 159, told colleagues the bill seeks to “get government out of the role of collecting any special interest money” and to create a level playing field for private organizations. The measure would prohibit public employers from using public resources and payroll systems to collect political contributions for any organization and allow labor organizations to establish separately funded political accounts.
The debate stretched through the morning and into the afternoon. Opponents argued the bill would restrict public-employee political organizing and likely generate litigation; one member warned the state has already spent “over $400,000 defending it,” and that new language could spur further suits. Supporters said the proposal simply ends government’s role as a collector and that modern electronic transfers make any administrative burden minimal.
Several floor amendments were debated. Representative Daniels proposed a 10-day notice-and-cure provision for Attorney General enforcement to reduce unnecessary litigation. Representative Lippback and others sought to preserve broader definitions of labor organizations and to avoid restricting unions’ right to advocate on ballot measures. The most contested amendment—adding language that would require recipients to pay the cost of payroll deductions—failed on a roll-call of 30 yes and 41 no.
After debate, Bennion moved that the House spread an extensive statement of legislative intent on the pages of the House Journal clarifying that the amendments are prospective, severable, and intended to protect members of labor organizations while removing government as a collection agent. That intent language was ordered printed in the journal.
The floor vote on the final form of HB159 was opened later in the day; the transcript ends after the roll-call was put before the body and before a final roll-call tally appears in the provided record.
