Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
*LGL013* 11/20/2024 8:12:53 AM LGL013
State of Arkansas 1
95th General Assembly A Bill 2
Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1024 3
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By: Representative A. Collins 5
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For An Act To Be Entitled 8
AN ACT TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING PUBLIC EMPLOYEES; 9
TO REPEAL THE LAW PROHIBITING COLLECTIVE BARGAINING; 10
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 11
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Subtitle 14
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING PUBLIC 15
EMPLOYEES; AND TO REPEAL THE LAW 16
PROHIBITING COLLECTIVE BARGAINING. 17
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 19
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SECTION 1. Arkansas Code § 11 -4-205 is amended to read as follows: 21
11-4-205. Right of collective bargaining not affected. 22
(a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, nothing 23
Nothing in this subchapter, including the provisions of § 11 -4-218(b), shall 24
be deemed to interfere with, impede, or in any way diminish the right of 25
employers and employees to bargain collectively through representatives of 26
their own choosing in order to establish wages or other conditions of work. 27
(b) Collective bargaining by public employees is prohibited under § 28
21-1-801 et seq. 29
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SECTION 2. Arkansas Code Title 21, Chapter 1, Subchapter 8, is 31
repealed. 32
Subchapter 8 - Collective Bargaining 33
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21-1-801. Definitions. 35
As used in this subchapter: 36 HB1024
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(1)(A) “Public employee” means a person who performs a full -time 1
or part-time service for wages, salary, or other remuneration for a public 2
employer. 3
(B) “Public employee” includes without limitation a state 4
employee under § 21-1-610. 5
(C) “Public employee” does not include a: 6
(i) Public safety officer, including without 7
limitation a: 8
(a) Law enforcement officer; and 9
(b) Firefighter; and 10
(ii) Public transit system employee whose public 11
employer is a recipient of a federal grant administered by the Federal 12
Transit Administration; 13
(2) “Public employer” means: 14
(A) An agency, department, board, commission, division, 15
office, bureau, council, authority, or other instrumentality of the state, 16
including the offices of the various Arkansas elected constitutional officers 17
and the General Assembly and its agencies, bureaus, and divisions; 18
(B) A state-supported college, university, technical 19
college, community college, or other institution of higher education or a 20
department, division, or agency of a state institution of higher education; 21
(C) The Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals, the 22
Administrative Office of the Courts, the circuit courts, and prosecuting 23
attorneys' offices; and 24
(D) A public school district, school, or an office or 25
department of a public school district in Arkansas; and 26
(3) “Strike” means a refusal to work organized by two (2) or 27
more public employees as a form of protest in an attempt to gain a concession 28
or concessions from a public employer. 29
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21-1-802. Collective bargaining prohibited. 31
(a) A public employer shall not recognize a labor union or other 32
public employee association as a bargaining agent of public employees. 33
(b) A public employer shall not collectively bargain or enter into any 34
collective bargaining contract with a labor union or other public employee 35
association or its agents with respect to any matter relating to public 36 HB1024
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employees, public employees' employment with a public employer, or public 1
employees' tenure with a public employer. 2
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21-1-803. Prohibited activities. 4
(a) A public employee willfully refuses to perform the duties of his 5
or her employment with a public employer when, acting in concert with one (1) 6
or more public employees, he or she: 7
(1) Strikes or walks away from the duties of his or her 8
employment with the public employer; 9
(2) Physically obstructs the activity or operation of the public 10
employer; or 11
(3) Physically impedes the operations of a public employer. 12
(b) A public employee who violates subsection (a) of this section 13
shall be terminated by the public employer. 14
(c) A public employee terminated under subsection (b) of this section 15
is ineligible for employment with a public employer in any position or 16
capacity for twelve (12) months after being terminated for willfully refusing 17
to perform the duties of his or her employment with a public employer. 18
(d) A public employer shall include in the public employer's personnel 19
manual a statement that willfully refusing to perform the duties of his or 20
her employment with a public employer constitutes grounds for dismissal. 21
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21-1-804. Public employee associations. 23
Public employees may form associations for the purpose of promoting the 24
public employees' interests before a public employer. 25
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