(a) An employee organization is entitled to membership dues deduction, on presentation by the employee organization of: (1) dues deduction authorization cards;(2) electronic membership application; or(3) other method by which an employee has manifested assent for membership dues deduction.(b)(1) A public employer shall commence making dues deductions as soon as practicable, but not later than 30 days after receiving the proof presented under subsection (a) of this section.(2) A public employer shall transmit membership dues to the employee organization within 30 days after the deductions are made.(3) A public employer shall accept an authorization to deduct from the salary of a public employee an amount for the payment of dues in any format authorized under § 21-106 of the Commercial Law Article.(c) This section may not be construed to require an employee to become a member of an employee organization.(d)(1) The right of an employee organization to membership dues deduction shall remain in full force and effect until:(i) an employee revokes membership in accordance with a collective bargaining agreement or the membership application;(ii) the employee cancels membership dues deduction under § 2-403 of the State Personnel and Pensions Article; or(iii) subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, the employee is no longer employed by the public employer.(2) If within a period of 1 year, the employee is employed by the same public employer in a position represented by the same exclusive representative, the right to membership dues deduction shall be automatically reinstated.(e) If the employee who has consented to dues deduction is either removed from a public employer's payroll or otherwise placed on an involuntary or voluntary leave of absence, whether paid or unpaid, the public employee's membership dues deduction authorization shall:(1) remain effective; and(2) be continued on the public employee's return to the payroll or restoration to active employment from a leave of absence.(f) If an authorization for a public employer to make membership dues deduction was in effect on June 30, 2023:(1) the right of the employee organization to membership dues deduction shall continue unless the right is terminated under subsection (d) of this section; and(2) the employee organization may not be required to present new authorization under subsection (a) of this section.Added by 2023 Md. Laws, Ch. 114, Sec. 4, eff. 7/1/2023.