article: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``PAC Limitation Act of 1999''. TITLE I--REFORMING CAMPAIGN FINANCE LAWS SEC. 101. BAN ON POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE CONTRIBUTIONS TO CANDIDATES IN ELECTIONS FOR FEDERAL OFFICE. Title III of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 431 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new section: ``ban on contributions to candidates by political action committees ``Sec. 323. (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, no political action committee may make any contribution to any candidate or any authorized committee of the candidate with respect to any election for Federal office. ``(b) Political Action Committee Defined.--In this section, the term `political action committee' means any political committee which is not-- ``(1) an authorized committee of a candidate; or ``(2) a national, State, local, or district committee of a political party, including any subordinate committee thereof.''. SEC. 102. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ELECTION LIMITATION ON CONTRIBUTIONS FROM SOURCES OUTSIDE THE DISTRICT. Section 315 of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 441a) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: ``(i) A candidate for the office of Representative in, or Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, the Congress may not, with respect to a reporting period for an election, accept contributions from all sources outside the congressional district involved totaling in excess of the total of contributions accepted from individual residents of the congressional district involved.''. SEC. 103. LIMITATION ON ACCEPTANCE OF SOFT MONEY BY NATIONAL AND CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES OF POLITICAL PARTIES. Title III of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 431 et seq.), as amended by section 101, is amended by adding at the end the following new section: ``limitation on acceptance of soft money by national and congressional committees of political parties ``Sec. 324. A national committee of a political party and the congressional campaign committees of a political party may not, in any calendar year, accept more than $25,000 from any single person in contributions or transfers that are not otherwise subject to the limitations, prohibitions, and reporting requirements of this Act.''. SEC. 104. REPORTS ON FEDERAL POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENTS CARRIED BY RADIO STATIONS, TELEVISION STATIONS, AND CABLE SYSTEMS. Title III of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 431 et seq.), as amended by sections 101 and 103, is further amended by adding at the end the following new section: ``reports on federal political advertisements carried by radio stations, television stations, and cable systems ``Sec. 325. At such times and in such manner as the Commission shall prescribe by regulation, each operator of a radio broadcasting station, television broadcasting station, or cable system shall report to the Commission the identity of each advertiser, the cost, the duration, and other appropriate information with respect to each Federal political advertisement carried by the station or system, including any advertisement advocating the passage or defeat of Federal legislation, any advertisement advocating the election or defeat of a candidate for Federal office, and any advertisement characterizing the positions taken by such a candidate.''. SEC. 105. EFFECTIVE DATE. The amendments made by this title shall take effect on January 1, 2000. TITLE II--WORKER PAYCHECK FAIRNESS SEC. 201. FINDINGS. The Congress finds the following: (1) Workers who pay dues or fees to a labor organization may not, as a matter of law, be required to pay to that organization any dues or fees supporting activities that are not necessary to performing the duties of the exclusive representative of the employees in dealing with the employer on labor-management issues. (2) Many labor organizations use portions of the dues or fees they collect from the workers they represent for activities that are not necessary to performing the duties of the exclusive representative of the employees in dealing with the employer on labor-management issues. These dues may be used to support political, social, or charitable causes or many other noncollective bargaining activities. Unfortunately, many workers who pay such dues or fees have insufficient information both about their rights regarding the payment of dues or fees to a labor organization and about how labor organizations spend employee dues or fees. (3) It is a fundamental tenet of this Nation that all men and women have a right to make individual and informed choices about the political, social, or charitable causes they support, and the law should protect that right to the greatest extent possible. SEC. 202. PURPOSE. The purpose of this title is to ensure that all workers have sufficient information about their rights regarding the payment of dues or fees to labor organizations and the uses of employee dues and fees by labor organizations and that the right of all workers to make individual and informed choices about the political, social, or charitable causes they support is protected to the greatest extent possible. SEC. 203. WRITTEN CONSENT. (a) In General.-- (1) Authorization.--A labor organization accepting payment of any dues or fees from an employee as a condition of employment pursuant to an agreement authorized by Federal law must secure from each employee prior, voluntary, written authorization for any portion of such dues or fees which will be used for activities not necessary to performing the duties of the exclusive representative of the employees in dealing with the employer on labor-management issues. (2) Requirements.--Such written authorization shall clearly state that an employee may not be required to provide such authorization and that if such authorization is provided, the employee agrees to allow any dues or fees paid to the labor organization to be used for activities which are not necessary to performing the duties of exclusive representation and which may be political, social, or charitable in nature. (b) Revocation.--An authorization described in subsection (a) shall remain in effect until revoked. Such revocation shall be effective upon 30 days written notice. (c) Civil Action by Employees.-- (1) Liability.--Any labor organization which violates this section or section 206 shall be liable to the affected employee-- (A) for damages equal to-- (i) the amount of the dues or fees accepted in violation of this section; (ii) the interest on the amount described in clause (i) calculated at the prevailing rate; and (iii) an additional amount as liquidated damages equal to the sum of the amount described in clause (i) and the interest described in clause (ii); and (B) for such equitable relief as may be appropriate. (2) Right of action.--An action to recover the damages or equitable relief prescribed in paragraph (1) may be maintained against any labor organization in any Federal or State court of competent jurisdiction by any one or more employees for and in behalf of-- (A) the employees; or (B) the employees and other employees similarly situated. (3) Fees and costs.--The court in such action shall, in addition to any judgment awarded to the plaintiff, allow a reasonable attorney's fee, reasonable expert witness fees, and other costs of the action to be paid by the defendant. (4) Limitation.--An action may be brought under this subsection not later than 2 years after the date the employee knew or should have known that dues or fees were accepted or spent by a labor organization in violation of this title, except that such period shall be extended to 3 years in the case of a willful violation. SEC. 204. NOTICE. An employer whose employees are represented by a collective bargaining representative shall be required to post a notice, of such size and in such form as the Department of Labor shall prescribe, in conspicuous places in and about its plants and offices, including all places where notices to employees are customarily posted, informing employees that any labor organization accepting payment of any dues or fees from an employee as a condition of employment pursuant to an agreement authorized by Federal law must secure from each employee prior, written authorization if any portion of such dues or fees will be used for activities not necessary to performing the duties of the exclusive representative of the employees in dealing with the employer on labor-management issues. SEC. 205. DISCLOSURE TO WORKERS. (a) Expenses Reporting.--Section 201(b) of the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 is amended by adding at the end the following new sentence: ``Every labor organization shall be required to attribute and report expenses in such detail as necessary to allow members to determine whether such expenses were necessary to performing the duties of the exclusive representative of the employees in dealing with the employer on labor-management issues.'' (b) Disclosure.--Section 201(c) of the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 is amended-- (1) by inserting ``and employees required to pay any dues or fees to such organization'' after ``members''; and (2) by inserting ``or employee required to pay any dues or fees to such organization'' after ``member'' each place it appears. (c) Written Requests.--Section 205(b) of the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 is amended by adding at the end the following new sentence: ``Upon written request, the Secretary shall make available complete copies of any report or other document filed pursuant to section 201.''. SEC. 206. RETALIATION AND COERCION PROHIBITED. It shall be unlawful for any labor organization to coerce, intimidate, threaten, interfere with, or retaliate against any employee in the exercise of, or on account of having exercised, any right granted or protected by this title. SEC. 207. REGULATIONS. The Secretary of Labor shall prescribe such regulations as are necessary to carry out section 204 not later than 60 days after the enactment of this title and shall prescribe such regulations as are necessary to carry out the amendments made by section 205 not later than 120 days after the enactment of this title. SEC. 208. EFFECTIVE DATE AND APPLICATION. This title shall be effective immediately upon enactment, except that sections 203 and 204 pertaining to worker consent and notice shall take effect 90 days after enactment and section 205 pertaining to disclosure shall take effect 150 days after enactment.
summary: Title II: Worker Paycheck Fairness - Outlines worker rights with regard to the payment of dues or fees to labor organizations, requiring the following: (1) prior, voluntary written authorization for any portion of such dues or fees used for activities not necessary to performing the duties of the employee's exclusive representative in dealing with the employer on labor management issues; and (2) posting of notices to that effect by an employer with employees represented by a collective bargaining representative. Provides for civil actions by employees against labor organizations for violations involving written consent and for retaliation and coercion with regard to any employee who exercises any such right under this title. Amends the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 to do the following: (1) require certain expense reporting by labor organizations to allow members to determine the necessity of such expenses in the performance of the duties of the employee's exclusive representative in dealing with the employer on labor-management issues; and (2) require the Secretary of Labor to make available complete copies of reports by labor organizations, including annual financial reports or other related documents upon written request.