Get all your news in one place.

100’s of premium titles.
One app.

Start reading

Get all your news in one place.

100’s of premium titles. One news app.

Start reading

Ballotpedia

Politics

Janie Valentine

Union Station: Four states advance bills prohibiting public-sector union dues deductions

Union Station (Organization) Andy Beshear D LEA Indiana United States

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is bs-rp6MLFjqO8mt4iGn-WA5JPVpi4m3V7LkIeycnbynJzxZaPxnJMGE23ln-3ELE3MFJn9_8jLEEarmzbZ-oUdUje7-pFxZ0w57_zk1BdYxZ2GP_n_bDHxN8H1J_7qorQMjoA1IQ1MNK8UZhGA

In today’s Union Station:

A look at bills advanced in four states to prohibit public-sector employers from deducting union dues from employee wages,
A U.S. district judge strikes two Indiana laws affecting teachers union members, and
Three public-sector union cases we’re watching at the Supreme Court.

And as always, a rundown of every action taken since last month’s edition on public-sector union bills across the U.S.

Four states advance bills prohibiting union dues deductions

Four states have recently advanced Republican-sponsored bills prohibiting union dues deductions for certain public-sector employees. Here’s what those bills say and where they stand:

Arkansas

Arkansas lawmakers delivered Senate Bill 473 to Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R) on April 7 after the House passed the bill on April 6.

SB 473 states: “A school district board of directors or representatives of a school district board of directors shall not deduct dues, fees, or contributions from the pay of a teacher or classified employee on behalf of any professional or labor organization or political fund.”

Republicans have had trifecta control of Arkansas government since 2015.

Florida Since we looked at Florida House Bill 1445 and Senate Bill 256 last month, the Senate passed a committee substitute for SB 256, allowing for a waiver of certain aspects of the bill for mass transit employee unions, on March 29. In the House, a committee substitute for HB 1445 with the same allowance for mass transit employee unions was added to the Second Reading Calendar on April 13.

The bills both state that, with certain exceptions for unions representing law enforcement officers, correctional officers, correctional probation officers, and firefighters, “an employee organization that has been certified as a bargaining agent may not have its dues and uniform assessments deducted and collected by the employer from the salaries of those employees in the unit. A public employee may pay dues and uniform assessments directly to the employee organization that has been certified as the bargaining agent.”

Republicans have had trifecta control in Florida since 2011.

KentuckyAfter Gov. Andy Beshear (D) vetoed Senate Bill 7 on March 27, the legislature voted to override the veto on March 29.

SB 7 states: “A public employer shall not deduct from the wages, earnings, or compensation of any public employee for … [a]ny dues, fees, assessments, or other charges to be held for, transferred to, or paid over to a labor organization[.]”

In his veto message, Beshear wrote, “Senate Bill 7 is special legislation targeting public employees in violation of Section 59 of the Kentucky Constitution. … Senate Bill 7 is an attack on unions and teachers associations that support and protect hard working Kentucky families. … Senate Bill 7 also has First Amendment implications, stifling public employees’ freedom of speech.”

Kentucky has had divided government since 2019, with a Democratic governor and Republican-controlled House and Senate.

TennesseeThe Tennessee Senate passed Senate Bill 281 on March 30. The House received the bill from the Senate on April 3.

SB 281 states, “Notwithstanding chapter 5, part 6 of this title, [a local education agency (LEA)] shall not deduct dues from the wages of the LEA’s employees for a professional employees’ organization, including, but not limited to, a professional employees’ organization that is affiliated with a labor organization exempt under 26 U.S.C. § 501(c)(5). This section does not prohibit an employee of an LEA from personally and voluntarily remitting dues to a professional employees’ organization.”

Republicans have had trifecta control of Tennessee government since 2011.

Additional contextSimilar bills introduced this year in Oklahoma and Oregon have not advanced. In 2022, Florida Republicans introduced a set bills similar to the ones being considered in 2023, one of which passed the House and one that did not advance out of committee in the Senate.

In 2021, West Virginia passed a law prohibiting public-sector employers from deducting union dues from the paychecks of state, county, and certain municipal employees. After a group of unions filed a lawsuit, a state circuit judge temporarily blocked the law from going into effect. The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals overturned the judge’s ruling.

Bills introduced in 2021 in Indiana, Montana, and New Jersey did not make it out of their respective originating chambers.

U.S. district judge strikes two Indiana laws affecting teachers union members

On March 30, Senior U.S. District Judge Sarah Evans Barker struck down two Indiana laws passed in 2021 and 2022 that allowed teachers to resign from their union at any time and required annual authorization of union dues deductions. For more on the background of this case, see earlier editions of Union Station here and here.

Barker wrote:

Here, SEA 251 and SEA 297 single out a specific group—union-supporting teachers—to subject to additional procedural requirements in order to take advantage of payroll deductions for union dues, but for no other state employees seeking wage assignments. … [T]he State in singling out one specific group whose identity and viewpoints are sufficiently intertwined to be synonymous, and to require that group and only that group to jump through additional hoops and move through complex bureaucratic ‘mother may I’-type steps in order to access the payroll dues deduction process for union dues seems to have done so based on this group’s specific purposes and views. Accordingly, we hold that SEA 251 and SEA 297 do, indeed, discriminate on the basis of viewpoint. … Given the serious underinclusivity of SEA 251 and SEA 297, the State has failed to show that the challenged statutes are narrowly tailored to further its interest either in furthering educational goals to benefit students in our public schools or in complying with Janus, including ensuring ‘individuals are aware of their rights before they opt-in to union membership and execute a wage assignment.’ … Accordingly, we hold that the challenged statutes cannot withstand constitutional scrutiny.”

Barker, a nominee of President Ronald Reagan (R), joined the court in 1984 and has served on senior status since 2014.

As of April 13, no appeal had been filed. The case name and number are Anderson Federation of Teachers et al. v. Rokita et al. (No. 1:21-cv-01767).

Supreme Court updates

The following three Supreme Court appeals we’re tracking are scheduled to be considered in the justices’ conference on April 21:

O’Callaghan v. Drake

Petitioners’ question presented: “Whether a union can trap a government worker into paying dues for longer than a year under Janus v. AFSCME[.]”
Respondent Teamsters Local 2010’s restatement of question presented: “Whether public employees who voluntarily joined a union, signed written agreements to pay membership dues via payroll deduction for a set time period, and received membership rights and benefits in return, suffered a violation of their First Amendment rights when their employer made the deductions that they affirmatively and unambiguously had authorized.”

Savas v. California Statewide Law Enforcement Association

Petitioners’ questions presented: (1) “Does it violate the First Amendment for a state and union to compel objecting employees to remain union members and to subsidize the union and its speech?” (2) “To constitutionally compel objecting employees to remain union members and to subsidize the union and its speech, do states and unions need clear and compelling evidence the objecting employees waived their First Amendment rights?”
Respondent California State Law Enforcement Association’s restatement of questions presented: (1) “Whether full union members may unilaterally rescind their voluntary contracts for deduction of their union dues?” (2) “Whether a private union engages in ‘state action’ for purposes of 42 U.S.C. § 1983 where full union members entered into a contract with the union and consented to have the state perform a ministerial function of deducting union dues in exchange for full membership benefits?”

Kurk v. Los Rios Classified Employees Association

Petitioner’s question presented: “Does the First Amendment protect a public employee’s right to resign union membership at will?”
Respondent Los Rios Classified Employees Association’s restatement of question presented: “Whether the First Amendment allows a union member to breach her membership obligations and resign from her union at any time.”

What we’re reading

The big picture

Number of relevant bills by state

We are currently tracking 203 pieces of legislation dealing with public-sector employee union policy. On the map below, a darker shade of green indicates a greater number of relevant bills. Click here for a complete list of all the bills we’re tracking.

Number of relevant bills by current legislative status

Number of relevant bills by partisan status of sponsor(s)

Recent legislative actions

Below is a complete list of relevant legislative actions taken since our last issue.

Alaska HB46: This bill would require the Department of Health to bargain with childcare provider unions.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- House Health & Social Services Committee hearing March 21.
Arkansas SB473: This bill would prohibit school districts from deducting union dues or fees from teachers’ or classified employees’ pay.
- Republican sponsorship.
- Filed, read first time, rules suspended, read second time, referred to Senate Education Committee March 23. Senate Education Committee hearings March 27, March 29. Committee recommends “do pass” March 29. Read third time and passed March 30. Read first and second times in the House and referred to House Education Committee March 30. House Education Committee hearing April 4, committee recommends passage. House read third time, failed to pass April 5. Motion to reconsider passed April 6, read third time and passed. Returned to Senate. Delivered to governor April 7.
Arkansas SB577: This bill would require union membership application forms and withholding request forms to include the following statement: “Both the laws of the State of Arkansas and the First Amendment to the United States Constitution protect public employees from being required to join or financially support a labor organization as a condition of employment. Public employees have the right to join and pay dues to a labor organization or to refrain from joining and paying dues to a labor organization. No public employee may be discriminated against in any manner for joining or financially supporting a labor organization or for refusing to join or financially support a labor organization.”
- Republican sponsorship.
- Filed, read first time, rules suspended, read second time, referred to Senate Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee 4/4/2023
California AB504: This bill would stipulate that it is not a cause for adverse action for state or local public employees to refuse to enter the site of a labor dispute, refuse to perform work for an employer involved in a labor dispute, or refuse to cross a picket line.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Referred to Assembly Public Employment and Retirement Committee and Assembly Judiciary Committee March 9. Committee chair recommends to amend and re-refer. Read second time and amended March 13. Re-referred to Assembly Public Employment and Retirement Committee March 14. Committee chair recommends to amend and re-refer. Read second time and amended March 30. Assembly Public Employment and Retirement Committee hearing April 12. Committee recommends passage. Referred to Assembly Judiciary Committee April 12.
California AB1484: This bill would require temporary public employees hired to perform similar work to that of permanent public employees to be included in the same bargaining unit as permanent employees, upon the union’s request.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Referred to Assembly Public Employment and Retirement Committee March 9. Committee chair recommends to amend and re-refer. Read second time and amended March 28. Re-referred to Assembly Public Employment And Retirement Commitee March 29. Hearing April 12. Assembly Public Employment and Retirement Committee recommends passage. Referred to Assembly Appropriations Committee April 12.
California AB1672: This bill, called the “In-Home Supportive Services Employer-Employee Relations Act,” would stipulate that the state is the employer of record for individual in-home supportive services providers for collective bargaining purposes. The bill would stipulate procedures for collective bargaining.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Assembly Public Employment and Retirement Committee hearing April 12. Committee recommends passage. Referred to Assembly Appropriations Committee April 12.
California SB334: This bill would authorize the Public Employment Relations Board to include the effect of net-zero carbon emissions initiatives on public employees when conducting studies of employer-employee relations.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Senate Labor, Public Employment, and Retirement Committee hearing April 12.
California SB716: This bill, which would enact the Excluded Employee Arbitration Act, would allow a union representing certain excluded employees to request binding arbitration in certain circumstances.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Senate Labor, Public Employment, and Retirement Committee hearing April 12. Senate Judiciary Committee hearing April 18.
Colorado SB111: This bill would give certain public employees the right to express views about union representation and workplace issues, engage in “protected, concerted activity for the purpose of mutual aid or protection,” participate in the political process while not at work, and join or not join a union. It would prohibit public employers from retaliating against employees for engaging in such activities. It would stipulate that the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment is responsible for enforcement.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Senate Appropriations Committee hearing April 11; committee referred amended bill to Senate Committee of the Whole.
Connecticut HB06720: This bill would amend the definition of managerial employee in a chapter about state employee collective bargaining.
- Committee-introduced bill.
- Reported out of Legislative Commissioners’ Office March 16, tabled for House calendar.
Connecticut HB06884: This bill would stipulate that any collective bargaining agreement between a board of education and an exclusive representative must “establish a minimum salary for teachers that is at least four times the federal poverty level for one person as of July 1, 2023.”
- Committee-introduced bill.
- Joint Education Committee public hearing March 15. Referred to House and Senate Appropriations Committees March 27.
Connecticut SB01199: This bill would provide that anyone holding an adjunct professor permit from the State Board of Education shall be a member of the exclusive bargaining unit for certified employees, unless the employer and bargaining unit agree otherwise.
- Committee-introduced bill.
- Joint Education Committee public hearing March 15. Joint Education Committee recommends substitute March 24. Filed with Legislative Commissioners’ Office March 27, reported out March 28. Referred to House and Senate Appropriations Committees March 29.
Delaware SB45: This bill would make exceptions to a law disqualifying individuals from unemployment benefits for two weeks if their unemployment was the result of a labor dispute work stoppage, including if the labor dispute was “caused by the failure or refusal of the employer to comply with an agreement or contract between the employer and the individual, including a collective bargaining agreement with a union representing the individual[.]”
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Senate Labor Committee hearing March 29. Reported favorably out of Labor Committee March 29.
Delaware SB72: This bill would allow union members to claim a tax credit for the annual cost of union membership, up to $500.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Introduced, referred to Senate Labor Committee March 29.
Florida H1445 and Florida S0256: These bills would require public employees who want to be union members to sign a membership authorization form including language specified in the bill. The bills would require unions to allow members to revoke membership at any time. The bills would prohibit public employers from collecting union dues from employees’ pay. The bills would amend registration and renewal requirements for certified bargaining agents. Unions representing law enforcement officers, correctional officers, correctional probation officers, and firefighters are excepted from the provisions of the bills. Committee substitutes would allow for a waiver of certain aspects of the bill for mass transit employee unions.
- Republican sponsorship.
- H1445: Constitutional Rights, Rule of Law & Government Operations Subcommittee hearing March 16. Reported out of subcommittee. To House State Affairs Committee March 16. House State Affairs Committee hearing April 11. House State Affairs Committee reported favorably with committee substitute April 11. Laid on table, committee substitute filed, first reading of committee substitute April 12. Added to Second Reading Calendar April 13.
- S0256: Senate Governmental Oversight and Accountability Committee substitute read first time March 14. Senate Fiscal Policy Committee hearing March 16, second committee substitute recommended. Placed on second reading calendar March 17. Placed on special order calendar on March 20 for March 23. Second committee substitute read first time March 21. Five floor amendments filed March 22. Read second time March 23, one amendment adopted. Read third time March 29, one amendment adopted. Committee substitute passed as amended March 29. In House March 31.
Hawaii HB334: This bill would remove state and county employer contributions to the state’s health benefits trust fund from the scope of public-sector collective bargaining negotiations.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Referred to Senate Labor and Technology Committee, Senate Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs Committee, and Senate Ways and Means Committee March 9.
Hawaii HB1205: This bill would stipulate that public employee unions are not required to provide grievance representation to members of the bargaining unit who do not pay dues, dues equivalents, or reasonable costs of representation.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Senate Labor and Technology Committee public hearing March 13, committee recommended the bill be passed, unamended. Senate Labor and Technology Committee report adopted, second reading passed, referred to Senate Judiciary Committee March 22. Senate Judiciary Committee public decision making March 31. Committee recommends the bill be passed with amendments. Reported from Senate Judiciary Committee on April 6 with recommendation to pass as amended on third reading. Third reading passed April 11. Returned to House in amended form.
Illinois HB0297: This bill would stipulate that either party to a collective bargaining agreement for educational employees prohibited from striking may submit disputes for arbitration. The bill would establish mandatory interest arbitration proceedings.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Second reading in House March 16. Floor amendment filed March 21. Amendment referred to House Labor and Commerce Committee. Committee hearing March 22. Committee recommends amendment be adopted. Amendment adopted, second reading March 22. Third reading passed March 23. First reading in Senate March 23. Referred to Senate Assignments Committee March 23.
Illinois HB1083: This bill would stipulate that any collective bargaining provision limiting a public employer’s ability to investigate employee conduct is unenforceable.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Re-referred to House Rules Committee March 10.
Illinois HB1089: This bill would prohibit collective bargaining agreements between public employers and police unions from allowing unconstitutional police conduct. A collective bargaining agreement allowing unconstitutional police conduct would be void.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Re-referred to House Rules Committee March 10.
Illinois HB1120: This bill would require certified charter school contract renewals to include a union neutrality clause stating that the school agrees to be “neutral regarding the unionization of any of its employees …,” to provide “labor organization access at reasonable times…,” and to recognize unions “through a majority card check verified by a neutral third-party arbitrator[.]”
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Second reading, short debate March 16. Third reading, short debate, passed March 23. First reading, referred to Senate Assignments Committee March 23. Referred to Senate Labor Committee April 12.
Illinois HB2489: This bill would amend the definitions of “managerial employee,” “supervisor,” and “unit” in the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act. The bill would stipulate that public employers may bargain with managerial employee bargaining units. It would provide that the Illinois Labor Relations Board should use job functions instead of job titles in unit descriptions.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Re-referred to House Rules Committee March 10.
Illinois HB3058: This bill would stipulate that, for the purpose of dispute resolution, “units of security employees of a public employer” includes units of county correctional or detention officers, probation officers, and public safety telecommunicators.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Re-referred to House Rules Committee March 10.
Illinois HB3114: This bill would amend the definition of police units “supervisors” in the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- House floor amendment filed and referred to House Rules Committee March 16. Rules Committee referred amendment to House Labor & Commerce Committee March 20. Hearing March 22, committee recommends House floor amendment be adopted. Held on calendar order of second reading March 22. Re-referred to House Rules Committee March 27.
Illinois HB3313: This bill would stipulate that the Illinois Labor Relations Board must determine whether an employer violating the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act by refusing to bargain collectively in good faith with an exclusive representative “undermined or significantly impacted the collective bargaining process.” If so, the board must include the option of interest arbitration in its order. The bill would also stipulate that the board may order make-whole relief.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Second reading, short debate March 21. Placed on third reading calendar. Re-referred to House Rules Committee March 27.
Illinois SB0292: This bill would require any charter school receiving state funding to enter into a labor peace agreement with a charter school employee union seeking such an agreement within 60 days of receiving notification of the union’s intention. The agreement would be required to prohibit the union from engaging in work stoppages, and it would be required to prohibit the charter school and union from harassing or coercing employees with regard to protected activities. The charter school would be required to allow union representatives to meet privately with employees.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- March 24 established as committee deadline on March 10. March 31 established as committee deadline on March 23. Re-referred to Senate Assignments Committee March 31.
Illinois SB2371: This bill would amend the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act to state that certain assistant state’s attorneys, assistant public defenders, assistant appellate defenders, assistant appellate prosecutors, and Cook County Public Guardian attorneys are not managerial employees for collective bargaining purposes.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Second reading March 23. Third reading passed March 30. Arrived in House March 31. First reading, referred to House Rules Committee April 11.
Illinois SB2410: This bill would amend the definitions of “managerial employee,” “supervisor,” and “unit” in the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act. The bill would stipulate that public employers may bargain with managerial employee bargaining units. It would provide that the Illinois Labor Relations Board should use job functions instead of job titles in unit descriptions.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Re-referred to Senate Assignments Committee March 10.
Illinois SB2430: This bill would stipulate that the Illinois Labor Relations Board must determine whether an employer violating the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act by refusing to bargain collectively in good faith with an exclusive representative “undermined or significantly impacted the collective bargaining process.” If so, the board must include the option of interest arbitration in its order. The bill would also stipulate that the board may order monetary make-whole relief including consequential damages and front pay.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- March 24 established as committee deadline on March 10. March 31 established as committee deadline on March 23. Re-referred to Senate Assignments Committee March 31.
Kentucky HB364: This bill would prohibit a state public retirement employer from deducting union dues or fees, or funds for union political activities, from a state public retirement employee’s pay. The bill would require state public employers to notify employees of their right not to join a union. It would prohibit state public employers from collecting public employee financial information and providing it to unions.
- Republican sponsorship.
- Referred to House Appropriations and Revenue Committee March 16.
Kentucky SB7: This bill would prohibit public employers from deducting union dues or fees, or funds for union political activities, from public employees’ pay without written authorization. The bill would prohibit public employers from assisting a union in collecting funds or employee financial information.
- Republican sponsorship.
- Referred to House Committee on Committees March 9 First reading March 13. Referred to House Economic Development & Workforce Investment Committee March 13. House Economic Development & Workforce Investment Committee and Senate Families And Children Committee hearings March 14. Reported favorably, second reading, referred to House Rules Committee with committee substitute March 14. Floor amendments filed to committee substitute and bill March 14. Third reading, floor amendment defeated, passed with committee substitute March 15. Senate concurred in House committee substitute, passed March 16. Delivered to governor March 16. Vetoed March 27. Veto overridden March 29.
Maine LD1095: This bill would make an exception to the time limit for school administrative units and employee bargaining agents to meet for collective bargaining negotiations requested by the other party for “circumstances relating to wages, hours, working conditions or contract grievance arbitration.”
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Joint Labor and Housing Committee hearing April 4; committee votes “ought to pass as amended.”
Maine LD1588: This bill would require public employers to provide personal contact information for all public employees to the union representing the bargaining unit within 30 days of a request from the union, in addition to an existing requirement for public employers to provide unions with contact information for new employees.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Referred to Joint Labor and Housing Committee April 11. Committee hearing April 20.
Maine LD1636: This bill would state that employees, including public employees, have the right to “refrain from paying any dues, fees, assessments or other similar charges, however denominated, of any kind or amount to a labor organization or to a 3rd party or charity in lieu of payment to a labor organization.” The bill would establish penalties and enforcement.
- Republican sponsorship.
- Referred to Joint Labor and Housing Committee April 12.
Maryland HB116: This bill would extend collective bargaining rights to certain employees of the Trustees of the Walters Art Gallery.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- House Appropriations Committee reported favorably March 14, second reading passed. Third reading passed March 15. Referred to Senate Finance Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee March 16. Withdrawn by sponsor April 7.
Maryland SB284: This bill would extend collective bargaining rights to certain employees of the Trustees of the Walters Art Gallery.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Withdrawn by sponsor April 7.
Maryland HB490: This bill would require the Maryland Department of Health to disclose certain information about residential service agency employees providing home health care to a union upon request.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Withdrawn by sponsor March 17.
Maryland SB494: This bill would require the Secretary of Budget and Management to assign or reassign certain Department of Education employees to appropriate bargaining units.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Second reading passed March 10, third reading passed March 14. Referred to House Appropriations Committee March 16. House Appropriations Committee hearing March 29.
Maryland HB637 and Maryland SB428: These bills would allow sworn deputy sheriffs and correctional deputies at the rank of sergeant and below to bargain collectively with their employers. The bills would not authorize such employees to strike.
- Sponsored by Washington County Delegation (HB637) and Washington County Senators (SB428).
- HB637: House Appropriations Committee reported favorably March 17. Favorable report adopted, second reading passed March 17. Third reading passed March 20. Referred to Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee March 20. Favorable report by Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee adopted, second reading passed April 5. Third reading passed April 7. Returned to House April 10.
- SB428: Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee reported favorably March 15. Second reading passed March 15. Third reading passed March 17. Referred to House Appropriations Committee March 20. House Appropriations Committee hearings March 29, March 30. House Appropriations Committee reported favorably March 30. Favorable report adopted, second reading passed March 30. Third reading passed April 4, returned to Senate.
Maryland HB764: This bill would allow either party to the collective bargaining agreement for Montgomery County Housing Opportunities Commission employees to request the appointment of a mediator-arbitrator. The bill would establish procedures for mediation-arbitration.
- Sponsored by Montgomery County Delegation.
- House Appropriations Committee reported favorably with amendments March 18, second reading passed with amendments. Third reading passed March 20. Referred to Senate Finance Committee March 20. Senate Finance Committee hearing March 30. Favorable report by Senate Finance Committee April 3. Favorable report adopted, second reading passed April 3. Third reading passed April 5. Returned to House April 5. Governor approved April 11.
Maryland HB797: This bill would allow either party to the collective bargaining agreement for Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission employees to request the appointment of a mediator-arbitrator. The bill would establish procedures for mediation-arbitration.
- Sponsored by Montgomery County Delegation and Prince George’s County Delegation.
- House Appropriations Committee reported favorably with amendments April 3. Favorable report adopted, second reading passed with amendments April 3. Third reading passed April 4. Referred to Senate Rules Committee April 4. Rereferred to Senate Finance Committee April 7. Senate Finance Committee hearing April 10, favorable report. Second and third readings passed April 10, returned to House.
Maryland HB984 and Maryland SB367: These bills would consolidate and amend public employee collective bargaining laws. They would stipulate rights and duties of employers, employees, and unions. The bills would establish the Public Employee Relations Board and repeal other existing boards. The bills would stipulate that public school employers, employees, and unions are subject to Title 21 of the State Government Article.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- HB984: House Appropriations Committee reported favorably with amendments March 27. Second reading passed with amendments March 27. Third reading passed March 28. Referred to Senate Rules Committee March 29. Referred to Senate Finance Committee April 5. Reassigned to Senate Finance Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee April 6. Senate Finance Committee reported favorably with amendments April 7. Second reading passed with amendments April 7. Third reading passed April 10. House concurs in Senate amendments, House third reading passed April 10.
- SB367: Senate Finance Committee reported favorably with amendments April 7. Second reading passed with amendments April 7. Third reading passed April 10. Referred to House Rules and Executive Nominations Committee, re-referred to House Appropriations Committee April 10.
Maryland SB610: This bill would stipulate that a collective bargaining agreement covering teachers in a virtual school may include specific provisions accounting for the conditions and requirements of a virtual school.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Passed second reading with amendments in the Senate March 16. Passed third reading March 17. Referred to House Ways and Means Committee March 21. Committee hearing March 29. Committee reported favorably with amendments, second reading passed with amendments April 7. Floor amendments rejected, third reading passed April 10. Motion to limit debate adopted, Senate concurred in House amendments, third reading passed April 10.
Maryland SB645: This bill would change the permitted subjects of collective bargaining for full-time law enforcement and court security officers to salary, wages, hours, and other employment matters managed by the sheriff or city.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee favorable report March 17, passed second reading. Passed third reading March 20. Referred to House Environment and Transportation Committee March 20.
Michigan HB4004 and Michigan SB0005: These bills would repeal a section of law prohibiting public employees from being required to join or financially support a union. The bills stipulates that a public employer may “[make] an agreement with an exclusive bargaining representative … to require as a condition of employment that all other employees in the bargaining unit pay to the exclusive bargaining representative a service fee equivalent to the amount of dues uniformly required of members of the exclusive bargaining representative.”
- Democratic sponsorship.
- HB4004: Senate Labor Committee hearing March 14, reported favorably without amendment. Reported by committee of the whole favorably without amendment March 14. Passed roll call March 14. Returned from Senate to House without amendment March 15, ordered enrolled. Senate requested return March 21, enrollment vacated. Vote reconsidered, Senate amendment adopted, passed March 21. Returned from Senate to House with amendment. House concurred in Senate amendment, bill ordered enrolled March 21. Presented to the governor March 23. Governor signed March 24.
- SB0005: Senate Labor Committee hearing March 14.
Michigan HB4233: This bill would allow public school employers to collect union dues from employees’ wages.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Introduced, read first time, referred to House Labor Committee March 9.
Michigan HB4235: This bill would create a tax credit for qualified union dues.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Introduced, read first time, referred to House Tax Policy Committee March 9.
Michigan HB4236: This bill would prohibit public employers from discriminating against employees because they do not attend certain meetings, including meetings regarding the “formation or administration of a labor organization.”
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Introduced, read first time, referred to House Labor Committee March 9.
Michigan SB0185: This bill would amend the definition of public employee in 1947 PA 336 to remove a possible exception for public school administrators and an exception for graduate student research assistants.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Introduced, referred to Senate Labor Committee March 15. Senate Labor Committee hearing April 13.
Minnesota SF83: This bill would allow employees of legislative entities to organize and choose exclusive representatives to bargain over terms and conditions of employment.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Senate State and Local Government and Veterans Committee hearing March 17.
Minnesota SF680: This bill would add certain requirements for teacher preparation time that must be included in collective bargaining agreements, such as requiring one or two uninterrupted blocks of preparation time, with additional time for certain teachers.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Senate Education Policy Committee hearing March 15.
Minnesota HF1600: This bill would require the commissioner of management and budget to consider only compensation data from the most recent salary and benefits survey when negotiating compensation as part of a collective bargaining agreement with law enforcement officers. The bill notes, “It is the legislature’s intent that the information in this study be used to compare salaries between the identified police departments and the State Patrol and to make appropriate increases to patrol trooper salaries.”
- Bipartisan sponsorship.
- House State and Local Government Finance and Policy Committee recommends to adopt and re-refer to House Transportation Finance and Policy Committee March 9. House Transportation Finance and Policy Committee hearing March 14. House Transportation Finance and Policy Committee recommends the bill be re-referred to the House Public Safety Finance and Policy Committee March 15. House Public Safety Finance and Policy Committee hearing March 17. Committee recommended to adopt and re-refer to House Ways and Means Committee March 22.
Minnesota SF1633: This bill would stipulate that public employers and unions are not liable for requiring agency fees from public employees. The bill would require public employers to provide exclusive representatives with certain contact information within 10 days of hiring a new employee, as well as a document containing certain contact information for all employees in the bargaining unit every 120 days. The bill would also require public employers to allow exclusive representatives access to employees, including on employer premises.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Withdrawn from Senate Education Finance Committee and re-referred to Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee March 20. Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee hearing March 20, laid on the table.
Minnesota HF1691 and Minnesota SF1632: These bills would stipulate that public employers and unions are not liable for requiring agency fees from public employees. The bills would require public employers to provide exclusive representatives with certain contact information within 10 days of hiring a new employee, as well as a document containing certain contact information for all employees in the bargaining unit every 120 days. The bills would also require public employers to allow exclusive representatives access to employees, including on employer premises.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- HF1691: House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee recommends to adopt as amended and re-refer to House State and Local Government Finance and Policy Committee March 15.
- SF1632:Senate State and Local Government and Veterans Committee hearings March 17, March 24. Committee recommends to pass as amended and re-refer to Senate Finance Committee March 27.
Minnesota HF1826 and Minnesota SF1424: These bills would remove a requirement for legislative approval of state employee collective bargaining agreements.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- HF1826: House State and Local Government Finance and Policy Committee hearing March 23. Committee recommends to adopt as amended, second reading March 30.
- SF1424: Senate State and Local Government and Veterans Committee hearings March 17, 21, 23. Committee recommends to pass as amended, second reading March 27.
Minnesota SF1426: This omnibus appropriations bill would include a one-time appropriation of $500,000 for the establishment and administration of legislative employee collective bargaining.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Senate State and Local Government and Veterans Committee hearings March 17, 21, 31, and April 3. Committee recommends to pass as amended and refer to Senate Finance Committee April 11.
Montana HB216: This bill would state that public employees may not be required to join or financially support a union as a condition of employment. It would allow public employees to cancel their union membership and cease financial support at any time. It would prohibit public employers from withdrawing union dues from employees’ pay without informing employees annually that union membership and financial support are voluntary and without receiving annual affirmative written consent for dues deductions.
- Republican sponsorship.
- Missed deadline for general bill transmittal March 10.
Montana HB448: This bill would stipulate that public employees have the right not to join or assist a union. It would provide that public employees may revoke dues authorizations at any time with 30 days’ notice to the public employer. It would require public employers to notify employees who submit a dues authorization form of their right to revoke the authorization. The bill would require employers to display a notice titled “Employee freedom of choice” and provide the notice to employees upon the beginning and end of employment.
- Republican sponsorship.
- Missed deadline for general bill transmittal March 11.
Montana HB698: This bill would require certain “proof of interest” documentation in order for a petition to the Montana Board of Personnel Appeals to raise a question concerning representation. The bill would stipulate that a union may only be certified as an exclusive representative for public employees if it receives the majority of votes in a secret ballot election. The bill would provide that public employees may petition the Montana Board of Personnel Appeals to decertify an exclusive representative or choose a different union as the exclusive representative any time after the 12-month period following a valid election.
- Republican sponsorship.
- Missed deadline for general bill transmittal March 11.
Montana SB343: This bill would prohibit public employers from providing compensation or paid leave to public employees for time the employee spends on union activities. The bill would also prohibit public employers from reimbursing expenses a public employee incurs while engaged in union activities.
- Republican sponsorship.
- Missed deadline for general bill transmittal March 13.
Nevada AB172: This bill would require every local government employer to provide recognized unions with certain contact information for all employees in the bargaining unit twice a year.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Assembly Government Affairs Committee hearing March 29. Committee recommends to amend and pass as amended April 11.
Nevada AB211: This bill would authorize supplemental bargaining between local government employers and an exclusive representative for law enforcement dispatchers to negotiate for dispatchers to participate in the Police and Firefighters’ Retirement Fund, under certain circumstances. It would also authorize the same between the State of Nevada Executive Department and an exclusive representative for law enforcement dispatchers.
- Republican sponsorship.
- Notice of eligibility for exemption March 10.
Nevada AB224: This bill would authorize collective bargaining between State of Nevada Executive Department employers employing 400 or more professional employees and certain professional employees. The bill would provide for the designation of exclusive representatives and establish collective bargaining procedures.
- Bipartisan sponsorship.
- Notice of eligibility for exemption March 14. Assembly Government Affairs Committee hearings March 21, March 29, April 5.
Nevada AB377: This bill would deem bailiffs and deputy marshals to be public employees for collective bargaining purposes. The bill would stipulate that the scope of mandatory bargaining is limited to subjects within the control of the county and not within the control of the judiciary.
- Committee-introduced bill.
- Read first time, referred to Assembly Government Affairs Committee March 22. Assembly Government Affairs Committee hearing April 5.
Nevada SB251: This bill would include “policies for the transfer and reassignment” of school district employees who are not teachers as mandatory subjects of collective bargaining.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Read first time, referred to Senate Education Committee March 13. Senate Education Committee hearings March 29, April 12. Committee recommends passage.
Nevada SB264: This bill would add “civilians who provide support services to a law enforcement agency” to a list of local government employees who may be a member of a union only if union membership is limited to law enforcement officers.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Read first time, referred to Senate Government Affairs Committee March 13. Committee hearings March 20, April 7.
New Hampshire HB134: This bill would establish the Legislature as a public employer and establish collective bargaining procedures for nonpartisan legislative employees.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- House Legislative Administration Committee reports “inexpedient to legislate” March 13. House adopts “inexpedient to legislate” motion by voice vote March 16.
New Hampshire HB150: This bill would decrease the number of employees required to certify a public employee collective bargaining unit from 10 to five.
- Bipartisan sponsorship.
- House Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services Committee reports without recommendation March 13. House adopts “ought to pass” motion March 23. Introduced in Senate March 23, referred to Senate Commerce Committee March 24. Senate Commerce Committee hearing April 11.
New Hampshire HB241: This bill would define a reasonable opportunity for school district employees to meet with the school district for collective bargaining negotiations as being before 9:00 a.m. or after 6:00 p.m. on scheduled work days.
- Bipartisan sponsorship.
- House adopts “inexpedient to legislate” motion by voice vote March 16.
New Hampshire SB193: This bill stipulates that negotiating in good faith requires parties to meet for bargaining within 10 days of receiving a written request, unless mutually agreed otherwise.
- Bipartisan sponsorship.
- Senate adopts “ought to pass” motion by voice vote March 16. Introduced in House, referred to House Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services Committee March 21. Public hearing April 13.
New York A05495: This bill would include subsidiaries of the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority in a requirement for unresolvable disputes between certain public employers and public employee unions to be referred to a public arbitration panel.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Referred to Assembly Governmental Employees Committee March 13.
New York A05878, New York A06031, and New York S05785: These bills would require the metropolitan transportation authority and its employees to “exert every reasonable effort to make and maintain agreements concerning salaries, wages, hours and other terms and conditions of employment, and to settle all disputes[.]” The bills would stipulate processes for dispute resolution and provide that employees of the metropolitan transportation authority who engage in work stoppages due to unresolved disputes are not considered to be engaged in an unlawful strike.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- A05878: Referred to Assembly Governmental Employees Committee March 23. Enacting clause stricken March 24.
- A06031: Referred to Assembly Governmental Employees Committee March 30.
- S05785: Referred to Senate Civil Service and Pensions Committee March 16.
North Carolina H504 and North Carolina S543: These bills would repeal provisions prohibiting employees from being required to join or financially support a union as a condition of employment. The bills state, “[It is] declared to be the public policy of North Carolina that the rights of labor organizations and associations to enter into labor agreements shall not be denied or abridged.”
- Democratic sponsorship.
- H504: Filed March 28. Passed first reading, referred to House Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House Committee March 29.
- S543: Filed April 4. Passed first reading, referred to Senate Rules and Operations of the Senate Committee April 5.
North Carolina H541: This bill would repeal the state’s prohibition of public employee collective bargaining.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Filed March 30. Passed first reading, referred to House Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House Committee on April 3.
North Carolina S587: This bill would repeal an article prohibiting public employee collective bargaining and public employee strikes. It would also repeal provisions prohibiting employees from being required to join or financially support a union as a condition of employment.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Filed April 4. Passed first reading, referred to Senate Rules and Operations of the Senate Committee April 5.
Ohio HB151 and Ohio SB83: These bills would amend a list of public employees who are not allowed to strike to include all employees of public higher education institutions.
- Republican sponsorship.
- HB151: Introduced April 6.
- SB83: Introduced March 14. Referred to Senate Workforce and Higher Education Committee March 21. Hearings March 22, March 29, April 19.
Oklahoma HB2026: This bill would require the Office of Management and Enterprise Services to provide a state employee union with a monthly report of employees who have opted-in to union membership.
- Republican sponsorship.
- Third reading, measure passed March 22. Sent to Senate, first reading March 23. Second reading referred to Senate General Government Committee March 30. Senate General Government Committee reported “do pass” April 6.
Oklahoma SB99: This bill would require that school district employee union dues payroll deductions must be reauthorized annually using a form from the secretary of education. The bill would prohibit debt to a union from accruing after an employee has requested to terminate dues deductions.
- Republican sponsorship.
- Senate passed March 13. Engrossed to House, first reading March 14. Second reading referred to House Common Education Committee March 29.
Oregon HB2573: This bill would require the Employment Relations Board to develop procedures for the electronic preparation of authorizations designating bargaining representatives and for the electronic signing of those authorizations.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- House Business and Labor Committee work session March 13. Committee recommends “do pass with amendments” March 15. Second reading March 16. Third reading, passed March 21. First reading, referred to Senate president’s desk March 21. Referred to Senate Labor and Business Committee March 24. Senate Labor and Business Committee public hearing April 4. Possible work session on April 13 canceled.
Oregon HB2703: This bill would remove language limiting the inclusion of class size and caseload limits as mandatory subjects of collective bargaining to schools qualifying for Title 1 assistance.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- House Education Committee work session March 20.
Oregon HB2864: This bill would allow unions to charge “reasonable fees and costs for representation that are unrelated to the negotiation of a collective bargaining agreement” to non-union Department of Corrections employees, Oregon Corrections Enterprises employees, and parole or probation officers supervising adult offenders.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- House Business and Labor Committee recommends “do pass” March 9. Second reading March 13. Third reading March 14, passed. First reading, referred to Senate president’s desk March 15. Referred to Senate Labor and Business Committee March 20. Public hearing April 4. Public hearing and work session April 6. Committee recommends “do pass.” Second reading April 12.
Oregon SB845: This bill would require a panel of three arbitrators to adjudicate public employment disputes, with the public employer and exclusive representative each selecting one arbitrator, and the third arbitrator being selected jointly. The bill would stipulate that the panel should consider employee working conditions, as defined in the bill, when determining their findings and opinions.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Senate Labor and Business Committee public hearing and work session March 23. Public hearing and work session March 28.
Oregon SB1067: This bill would stipulate that “standards, requirements or procedures relating to body-worn cameras” are excluded from the definition of “employment relations” for the purpose of law enforcement collective bargaining. The bill would prohibit unions from negotiating over such matters.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Senate Labor and Business Committee public hearing and work session March 28. Reported without recommendation April 4, referred to Senate Rules Committee.
Pennsylvania HB357: This bill would prohibit public employers from deducting money from employee wages to be allocated by a union for political contributions. The bill would prohibit collective bargaining agreements from containing provisions authorizing or requiring deductions for political contributions. The bill would not apply to public employees who are not allowed to strike.
- Republican sponsorship.
- Referred to House Labor and Industry Committee March 14.
Pennsylvania HB834: This bill would prohibit collective bargaining agreements from “[establishing] conditions for when a public employee may join or resign from an employee organization acting as the exclusive representative of a unit.” The bill would also remove maintenance of membership provisions as a permitted subject of collective bargaining.
- Republican sponsorship.
- Referred to House Labor and Industry Committee April 4.
Tennessee SB0281: As amended, this bill would prohibit local education agencies from deducting union dues from employee wages.
- Republican sponsorship.
- Senate Finance, Ways And Means Committee hearing March 21. Committee recommended passage with amendment. Referred to Senate Calendar Committee. Senate adopted amendment, passed as amended March 30. Received from Senate and held on House desk April 3.
Texas SB1436: This bill would stipulate that the requirements it imposes for the investigation of municipal firefighters supersede any collective bargaining or meet and confer provisions in conflict with the requirements.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Read first time, referred to Senate Local Government Committee March 16.
Texas HB2519: This bill would stipulate that a collective bargaining agreement or meet and confer agreement between a public employer and police union must “implement the progressive disciplinary matrix” the bill requires for municipal police officers and “may not conflict with and does not supersede an ordinance, order, statute, or rule concerning the disciplinary actions that may be imposed on a police officer under the progressive disciplinary matrix.”
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Read first time, referred to House Homeland Security & Public Safety Committee March 13.
Texas HB2917: This bill would prohibit a municipality from entering into a collective bargaining agreement or meet and confer agreement with a police union unless community members have been allowed to review and comment on the agreement.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Read first time, referred to House Homeland Security & Public Safety Committee March 14.
Texas HB4681: This bill would require public employers to provide notice to employees before the 30th day of their employment of their right to join a union that is representing employees in that workplace. The bill would require notices to contain links to the union website and to relevant state law.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Filed March 9. Read first time, referred to House State Affairs Committee March 22.
Texas HB5257: This bill would grant collective bargaining rights to teachers and provide that teachers and school districts or open-enrollment charter schools are subject to the same collective bargaining requirements as police and firefighters.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Filed March 10. Read first time, referred to House Public Education Committee March 24.
Texas SB736: This bill would establish mandatory binding interest arbitration for fire departments serving a municipality of at least 1.9 million people.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Senate Local Government Committee public hearing March 20. Reported favorably as substituted March 21. Read second time and passed to engrossment March 27. Read third time, passed March 27. House received from the Senate March 28. Read first time, referred to House Urban Affairs Committee April 10.
Utah HB0243: This bill would stipulate that supervisors, managerial employees, and confidential employees are not included as public transit district employees for the purpose of collective bargaining.
- Republican sponsorship.
- To governor March 13. Governor signed in lieutenant governor’s office for filing March 23.
Vermont H0338: This bill would repeal a law stating that state employees and judiciary employees “may not strike or recognize a picket line of an employee or labor organization while in the performance of [their] official duties.”
- Democratic sponsorship.
- House General and Housing Committee hearing March 31.
Vermont H0454: This bill would establish a statewide bargaining unit for Vermont State Colleges adjunct faculty members, excluding employees of Vermont Technical College.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- House General and Housing Committee hearing March 31.
Vermont S0102: This bill would allow the State Labor Relations Board to certify a union as an exclusive representative for state employees based on a petition that a majority of members of the bargaining unit have signed. It would also allow unions to bring enforcement actions on behalf of the state for violations of the good cause standard for employment termination established by the bill.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Senate Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs Committee hearings March 15, 16, 17. Reported favorably with recommendation of amendment March 21. Second reading, referred to Senate Appropriations Committee March 21. Senate Appropriations Committee hearing March 23. Second reading March 24. Senate Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs Committee reported favorably with recommendation of amendment. Senate Appropriations Committee reported favorably. Second reading (new business) March 28. Senate Appropriations Committee and Senate Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs Committee report favorably with recommendation of amendment. Senate Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs Committee hearings March 29, March 30. Read second time, reported favorably with recommendation of amendment March 30, amendment agreed to. Read third time and passed March 31. Read first time in House, referred to House General and Housing Committee April 5.
Washington HB1122: This bill would grant certain Washington management service members the right to bargain collectively.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Senate Labor & Commerce Committee executive session March 14, majority recommends “do pass.” Referred to Senate Ways & Means Committee March 15. Senate Ways & Means Committee executive session March 28, majority recommends “do pass.” Passed to Senate Rules Committee for second reading March 29. Senate Rules Committee placed on second reading April 7. Rules suspended, placed on third reading April 10. Third reading passed. Speaker of the House signed April 11. Senate president signed April 12.
Washington HB1200: This bill would require public employers to provide exclusive bargaining representatives with information including employee name, date of hire, contact information, and employment and salary information within 21 business days of hiring a new employee in the bargaining unit. Information for every employee in the unit must be sent to the exclusive bargaining representative every 120 business days.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Senate Labor & Commerce Committee public hearings March 16, March 21. Senate Labor & Commerce Committee executive session March 27, committee recommends passage with amendment. Placed on second reading by Senate Rules Committee March 30. Committee amendment adopted, rules suspended, third reading passed April 12.
Washington SB5085: This bill would grant principals and assistant principals the right to bargain for working conditions rather than being limited to bargaining for compensation and hours and days of work.
- Democratic sponsorship.
- Assigned to Senate Rules Committee “X” file March 10.
Wisconsin AB28: This bill would classify county jailers as protective occupation participants. The bill would stipulate that county jailers are general municipal employees unless a county is already treating county jailers as public safety employees when the bill goes into effect. However, if a county “raises a question concerning the appropriateness of including county jailers in a collective bargaining unit that includes public safety employees,” county jailers may not be treated as public safety employees.
- Bipartisan sponsorship.
- Second reading March 14. Third reading, passed March 14. Senate received from Assembly March 15. Referred to Senate Organization Committee March 16. Public hearing requirement waived March 20. Second reading March 22. Third reading, concurred in March 22. Assembly received from Senate March 22. Legislative Reference Bureau correction, report correctly enrolled March 24. Presented to the governor April 3. Approved April 6, published April 7.
Wisconsin SB28: This bill would classify county jailers as protective occupation participants. The bill would stipulate that county jailers are general municipal employees unless a county is already treating county jailers as public safety employees when the bill goes into effect. However, if a county “raises a question concerning the appropriateness of including county jailers in a collective bargaining unit that includes public safety employees,” county jailers may not be treated as public safety employees.
- Bipartisan sponsorship.
- Senate amendment offered March 10. Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee public hearing held March 14. Committee recommends adoption of amendment and passage as amended March 16. Available for scheduling.