RALEIGH, (SGRToday.com) - Questions about whether a key teachers group qualifies to have membership dues deducted automatically from state employee paychecks is coming to a head. State controller Linda Combs has notified the North Carolina Association of Educators that it must supply its membership total by Feb. 1.

To qualify for what's called "dues checkoff" privileges, the teachers group must have at least 40,000 members. A recent state audit revealed the group refused to supply its membership total.

The NCAE is not the only group being told to turn over its membership total. The Associated Press reports that Combs made the same request of a police union.