Relating to combined charitable campaign programs administered by certain public employers

This bill requires certain public employers that provide payroll deductions from their employees’ wages for payment to a charitable organization to administer a combined charitable campaign program that includes all eligible charitable organizations that wish to participate. The requirements apply to a state officer or employer, a board of directors of a school district, a community college, a county board of supervisors, or a governing body of a city. The combined charitable campaign program must allow equal access to employees of the state officer or other public employer by each eligible charitable organization that desires to participate in the charitable campaign program; such access shall include but is not limited to distributing materials, making presentations, participation in kick-off and other charitable campaign program events, and allowing media coverage of the campaign. The bill provides that a “charitable organization” for purposes of payroll deductions by state officers and employees is defined the same as an “eligible charitable organization” for purposes of payroll deductions by employees of school districts, community colleges, counties, and cities. “Eligible charitable organization” is defined as a not-for-profit federation of health and human services, social welfare, or environmental agencies or associations that meets certain specified conditions.