Senate Bill 484, sponsored by Senator Nancy King, which authorizes county and municipal governments to make direct deposits for employee wages passed the Senate with MACo supported amendments. The original bill only applied to municipal governments and during testimony at the bill hearing, MACo supported the bill and requested county governments be given the same authority.  As amended, the bill provides that counties and municipalities may require the direct deposit of wages as a condition of employment for those employees hired after October 1, 2011, unless the employee does not have a bank account and opts out.  Employees hired prior to October 1, 2011 may elect to receive wages through direct deposit.