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. – Any county officer or employee paid by the county. 
(3)	Employer. – Any county or political subdivision of the State.
(4)	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.
(5)	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. – The following deductions from an employee's compensation are authorized:
(1)	An employer of emergency medical services personnel or firefighters 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. 
(2)	An employer of law enforcement officers 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. 
(3)	An employer shall make a payroll deduction upon the request of the employee for the membership dues of an employee organization or association that has at least 2,000 members statewide, at least 500 of whom are law enforcement officers.
(c)	Procedure for Deduction. – The authorization for the deduction shall be provided in a signed writing and shall remain in effect until revoked."
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. – Any municipal officer or employee paid by the municipality.
(3)	Employer. – Any municipality or political subdivision of the State.
(4)	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.
(5)	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. – The following deductions from an employee's compensation are authorized:
(1)	An employer of emergency medical services personnel or firefighters 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. 
(2)	An employer of law enforcement officers 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. 
(3)	An employer shall make a payroll deduction upon the request of the employee for the membership dues of an employee organization or association that has at least 2,000 members statewide, at least 500 of whom are law enforcement officers.
(c)	Procedure for Deduction. – The authorization for the deduction shall be provided in a signed writing and shall remain in effect until revoked."
SECTION 3.  This act is effective when it becomes law.