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Freedom Foundation opposes bill criminalizing false impersonation of union representatives; unions support civil remedy
Summary
SB 3055 would bar false impersonation of union representatives and create civil remedies. Union witnesses supported it; the Freedom Foundation called the bill vague and said it targets their outreach, comparing it to controversial Oregon legislation now in litigation.
The committee heard competing testimony on SB 3055, which would prohibit falsely impersonating an employee organization representative and establish a private cause of action and civil remedies.
Union witnesses, including representatives of public-employee unions, testified in support of the measure. They said the bill addresses deceptive tactics that undermine collective representation.
Ben Straka of the Freedom Foundation said the bill is a "cookie-cutter" of recent legislation in other states and warned it is drafted so broadly that it could chill protected political speech. Straka said the Oregon law that inspired similar legislation is the subject of a federal lawsuit and argued SB 3055 would give unions a weapon to sue political opponents while not giving affected workers the right to sue. "The bill rattles off a list of terms, fraud, misrepresentation, deceit, et cetera, without defining any of them," he said, urging rejection.
The committee adopted the measure as drafted and recorded reservations for at least two members; the committee report will document the concerns raised by opponents and the reservations recorded at final action.
