GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2007

S                                                                                                                                                     3

SENATE BILL 1271

State & Local Government Committee Substitute Adopted 5/9/07
Third Edition Engrossed 5/10/07

 

 

 

Short Title:     Firefighter/EMS Payroll Deductions.

(Public)

Sponsors:

 

Referred to:

 

March 26, 2007

 

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT to provide payroll deductions for certain employee associations.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  Part 4 of Article 5 of Chapter 153A of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:

"§ 153A‑92.1.  Payroll deduction for payments to employee associations allowed.

(a)       Definitions. – The following definitions apply in this section:

(1)       Emergency medical services personnel. – An individual who provides out-of-hospital emergency medical care, including an emergency medical technician, paramedic, or first responder.

(2)       Employee. – A firefighter or the emergency medical services personnel employed by the employer.

(3)       Employer or public safety employer. – Any county or political subdivision of the State that employs public safety officers.

(4)       Employer or law enforcement employer. – Any county or political subdivision of the State that employs sworn law enforcement officers.

(5)       Firefighter. – An individual employed by a fire department who does any of the following:

a.         Primarily performs work directly related to the control and extinguishment of fires.

b.         Is responsible for the maintenance and use of firefighting apparatus and equipment, for fire prevention and investigation, or for communications and dispatch.

c.         Provides emergency medical care.

(6)       Law enforcement officer. – An individual employed by a law enforcement employer who has the power of arrest and the power to enforce the criminal laws of the State.

(b)       Certain Deductions Authorized. – A public safety employer shall make a payroll deduction upon the request of the employee for the membership dues of any firefighter and emergency medical services personnel organization that represents a majority of eligible employees in the employer's department. A law enforcement employer shall make a payroll deduction upon the request of a law enforcement officer for a law enforcement organization or association that has at least 2,000 members statewide. The authorization for the deduction shall be provided in writing and shall remain in effect until revoked.  A written authorization for the deduction is required each time there is an increase in the amount of the membership dues deduction."

SECTION 2.  Part 4 of Article 7 of Chapter 160A of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:

"§ 160A‑162.1.  Payroll deduction for payments to employee associations allowed.

(a)       Definitions. – The following definitions apply in this section:

(1)       Emergency medical services personnel. – An individual who provides out-of-hospital emergency medical care, including an emergency medical technician, paramedic, or first responder.

(2)       Employee. – A firefighter or the emergency medical services personnel employed by the employer.

(3)       Employer or public safety employer. – Any municipality or political subdivision of the State that employs public safety officers.

(4)       Employer or law enforcement employer. – Any municipality or political subdivision of the State that employs sworn law enforcement officers.

(5)       Firefighter. – An individual employed by a fire department who does any of the following:

a.         Primarily performs work directly related to the control and extinguishment of fires.

b.         Is responsible for the maintenance and use of firefighting apparatus and equipment, for fire prevention and investigation, or for communications and dispatch.

c.         Provides emergency medical care.

(6)       Law enforcement officer. – An individual employed by a law enforcement employer who has the power of arrest and the power to enforce the criminal laws of the State.

(b)       Certain Deductions Authorized. – A public safety employer shall make a payroll deduction upon the request of the employee for the membership dues of any firefighter and emergency medical services personnel organization that represents a majority of eligible employees in the employer's department. A law enforcement employer shall make a payroll deduction upon the request of a law enforcement officer for a law enforcement organization or association that has at least 2,000 members statewide. The authorization for the deduction shall be provided in writing and shall remain in effect until revoked.  A written authorization for the deduction is required each time there is an increase in the amount of the membership dues deduction."

SECTION 3. This act is effective when it becomes law.