Senate Bill 634 would require school districts to ask employees once a year if they want to continue to have association dues deducted from their paychecks. Author Senator Julie Daniels calls it a First Amendment issue.
Daniels wrote the bill in the wake of the Janus vs. AFSCME court decision. That decision requires employers to fully inform employees of their rights on a regular basis giving them a chance to opt out of paying dues. Evidence of consent by the employee is required.
The Bartlesville Senator is applying that court decision’s logic to teachers and the Oklahoma Education Association (OEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT).
“Included in our First Amendment free speech rights is a right not to be compelled to support speech with which we disagree. Since groups like the OEA, AFT and their national organizations are engaged in a variety of political activities, this reauthorization reminds employees of this aspect of their free speech rights,” said Daniels.
The Senate approved the measure Thursday.
SB 634 is now eligible for consideration in the House.
This is an important step in the right direction, and took a lot of courage.