General Assembly Committee Bill No. 5445 January Session, 2017 LCO No. 4618 *_____HB05445LAB___031317____* Referred to Committee on LABOR AND PUBLIC EMPLOYEES Introduced by: (LAB) General Assembly Committee Bill No. 5445 January Session, 2017 LCO No. 4618 *_____HB05445LAB___031317____* Referred to Committee on LABOR AND PUBLIC EMPLOYEES Introduced by: (LAB) AN ACT CONCERNING MUNICIPAL BUDGET RESERVE BALANCES. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened: Section 1. Subdivision (9) of subsection (d) of section 7-473c of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2017): (9) In arriving at a decision, the arbitration panel shall give priority to the public interest and the financial capability of the municipal employer, including consideration of other demands on the financial capability of the municipal employer. There shall be an irrebuttable presumption that a budget reserve of fifteen per cent or less is not available for payment of the cost of any item subject to arbitration under this chapter. The panel shall further consider the following factors in light of such financial capability: (A) The negotiations between the parties prior to arbitration; (B) the interests and welfare of the employee group; (C) changes in the cost of living; (D) the existing conditions of employment of the employee group and those of similar groups; and (E) the wages, salaries, fringe benefits, and other conditions of employment prevailing in the labor market, including developments in private sector wages and benefits. This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections: Section 1 October 1, 2017 7-473c(d)(9) This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections: Section 1 October 1, 2017 7-473c(d)(9) LAB Joint Favorable LAB Joint Favorable