Sec. 1. 26 MRSA §§636 and 637 are enacted to read:

§636.__Deduction from wages for use as contribution or expenditure

1.__Prohibited deductions.__An employer or other person responsible for the disbursement of funds in payment of wages may not deduct any funds from an employee's wages that the employer or other person knows or has reason to know will be used in whole or in part as a contribution or expenditure, as defined in Title 21-A, section 1012, unless the employee has requested the deduction in writing on the form described in subsection 2 within the previous 12 months.

2.__Authorization form.__The request for deduction required in subsection 1 must be made on an authorization form prescribed by the Commissioner of Labor.__At a minimum, the form must contain the name of the employee, the name of the employer, the total annual amount that may be withheld for a contribution or expenditure and the employee's signature.__The form's title must read, in at least 24-point bold type, "Request for Political Payroll Deductions."__The form must also state in at least 14- point bold type the following words immediately above the signature line:

Signing this form authorizes your employer to make a deduction from your paycheck that is intended to be used as a political contribution or expenditure.__You are not obligated to authorize this deduction.__Your signature below is completely voluntary and can not in any way affect your employment.

3.__Recordkeeping. The employer shall maintain records including a copy of each employee's request, the amounts and dates funds were actually withheld, the amounts and dates funds were transferred to an entity for use as a contribution or expenditure and the entity to which the funds were transferred.

4. Waiver prohibited.__The requirements of this section may not be waived by an employee and waiver of these requirements may not be made a condition of employment or continued employment.

§637.__Use of union dues for contributions or expenditures

1.__Prohibited uses.__A labor organization may not use any portion of dues or fees paid to it by members of the labor organization or by other individuals to make contributions or expenditures, as defined in Title 21-A, section 1012, unless the use is authorized by the member or other individual by written