The House sponsor of what supporters call “paycheck protection” and opponents call “paycheck deception” wants to file that bill again in 2016.
Representative Holly Rehder (photo courtesy; Tim Bommel, Missouri House Communications)
A “right-to-work” bill was vetoed this year by Governor Nixon and supporters fell 13 votes short of overturning that veto in the state House. Some Republicans are now debating whether it should be brought back up in 2016 – an election year in which many legislators are running for reelection or seeking another office.
Another bill opposed by unions and their supporters is one backers call, “paycheck protection.” It would require annual permission from public employees before union dues could be collected from their paychecks.
The law does not allow public employee unions to automatically deduct fees that support political activity from paychecks. Unions and their supporters say that is enough and that the legislation would create an unnecessary burden.
Representative Holly Rehder (R-Sikeston) says in spite of the debate around whether “right-to-work” should be brought up in 2016, she wants to introduce her paycheck bill again, and wants to see “right-to-work” debated as well. She says the state’s labor laws need to be reformed.
“You have eight percent of the workforce making the call for the 92-percent,” Rehder argues. “Other states have proven that each session they bring up ‘right-to-work’ … they garner a little bit more support every year.”
“I do think that we do need to bring these reforms back up even if they’re not going to pass,” said Rehder.
Rehder acknowledges the final decision won’t be hers.
“I am planning to re-file paycheck, but I am going to have a nice conversation with [House Speaker Todd Richardson] first,” said Rehder.
Paycheck bills didn’t get much attention in the 2015 session. In 2013 a bill was sent to Governor Nixon and vetoed.
The Senate Republican Caucus is meeting in St. Louis and one of the issues that is sure to be brought up is whether it wants “right-to-work” this year.
