The STUDENT Act (Stopping Teachers Unions from Damaging Education Needs Today Act) is a bill that would impose strict new requirements on the National Education Association (NEA), the nation's largest teachers union. The bill argues that the NEA has strayed from its original mission of promoting education and has instead become a political organization.

The bill would make it much harder for the NEA to collect membership dues from public employees. Teachers would have to explicitly opt-in to membership and dues payments, and dues could no longer be automatically deducted from paychecks—employees would have to authorize payment through other means. The NEA would also have to process cancellation requests quickly if members want to leave.

The legislation would also impose several operational restrictions on the NEA. Most significantly, it would ban the organization from engaging in any political activities or attempting to influence legislation. The bill would also prohibit the NEA from promoting what it calls "critical race theory" concepts, antisemitic beliefs, or requiring members to adopt certain ideological positions. Additionally, the bill would ban the NEA from calling strikes or work stoppages affecting government employees. The NEA would be required to submit annual reports to Congress and would lose its property tax exemption in Washington, D.C. The bill also allows the U.S. Attorney General to take legal action if the NEA violates these requirements.

STUDENT Act

Lummis, Cynthia M.

Stopping Teachers Unions from Damaging Education Needs Today Act or the STUDENT ActThis bill revises the federal charter for the National Education Association.The bill specifies that&nbsp;the corporation and its state and local affiliates may only accept payment of membership dues or fees from a state or local government employee if the employee (1) has been notified of the employee's right under the First Amendment to refrain from membership and payment of associated dues or fees, (2) has clearly and affirmatively consented to membership and payment of associated dues or fees, and (3) has authorized the transmittal of membership dues or fees without the use of payroll deduction.Further, the corporation and its state or local affiliates must process and honor cancellation requests for membership or payment of dues as soon as practicable following receipt of the request.The bill also outlines requirements for the corporation, such as&nbsp;<ul><li>prohibiting the corporation or its directors or officers from contributing to, supporting, or participating in political activities;</li><li>requiring each officer of the corporation to be a U.S. citizen;&nbsp;</li><li>requiring the corporation to submit annual reports to Congress;</li><li>prohibiting the corporation and its affiliates from requiring staff, officers, affiliates, or members to affirm, adopt, or adhere to certain principles related to race or sex; and</li><li>prohibiting the corporation and its affiliates from calling or participating in a strike, work stoppage, or slowdown affecting a state or local government.</li></ul>The bill repeals the corporation's exemption from District of Columbia property taxes.