Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Minnesota House Bill HF1236 Compare Versions

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11 1.1 A bill for an act​
22 1.2 relating to public employment; removing authority for exclusive representatives​
33 1.3 to charge fair share fees; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 179A.04,​
44 1.4 subdivisions 1, 3; 179A.051; 179A.102, subdivision 6; 179A.60, subdivision 7;​
55 1.5 256B.0711, subdivision 4; 402A.40, subdivision 6; repealing Minnesota Statutes​
66 1.6 2024, sections 179A.03, subdivision 9; 179A.06, subdivision 3.​
77 1.7BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:​
88 1.8 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 179A.04, subdivision 1, is amended to read:​
99 1.9 Subdivision 1.Petitions.The commissioner shall accept and investigate all petitions​
1010 1.10for:​
1111 1.11 (1) certification or decertification as the exclusive representative of an appropriate unit;​
1212 1.12 (2) mediation services;​
1313 1.13 (3) any election or other voting procedures provided for in sections 179A.01 to 179A.25;​
1414 1.14and​
1515 1.15 (4) certification to arbitration; and.​
1616 1.16 (5) fair share fee challenges, upon the receipt of a filing fee. The commissioner shall​
1717 1.17hear and decide all issues in a fair share fee challenge.​
1818 1.18 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 179A.04, subdivision 3, is amended to read:​
1919 1.19 Subd. 3.Other duties.(a) The commissioner shall:​
2020 1​Sec. 2.​
2121 REVISOR VH/DG 25-01846​02/04/25 ​
2222 State of Minnesota​
2323 This Document can be made available​
2424 in alternative formats upon request​
2525 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES​
2626 H. F. No. 1236​
2727 NINETY-FOURTH SESSION​
2828 Authored by Quam​02/20/2025​
2929 The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy​ 2.1 (1) provide mediation services as requested by the parties until the parties reach​
3030 2.2agreement, and may continue to assist parties after they have submitted their final positions​
3131 2.3for interest arbitration;​
3232 2.4 (2) issue notices, subpoenas, and orders required by law to carry out duties under sections​
3333 2.5179A.01 to 179A.25;​
3434 2.6 (3) assist the parties in formulating petitions, notices, and other papers required to be​
3535 2.7filed with the commissioner or the board;​
3636 2.8 (4) conduct elections;​
3737 2.9 (5) certify the final results of any election or other voting procedure conducted under​
3838 2.10sections 179A.01 to 179A.25;​
3939 2.11 (6) adopt rules relating to the administration of this chapter and the conduct of hearings​
4040 2.12and elections;​
4141 2.13 (7) receive, catalogue, file, and make available to the public all decisions of arbitrators​
4242 2.14and panels authorized by sections 179A.01 to 179A.25, all grievance arbitration decisions​
4343 2.15to the extent the decision is public under section 13.43, subdivision 2, paragraph (b), and​
4444 2.16the commissioner's orders and decisions;​
4545 2.17 (8) adopt, subject to chapter 14, a grievance procedure that fulfills the purposes of section​
4646 2.18179A.20, subdivision 4, that is available to any employee in a unit not covered by a​
4747 2.19contractual grievance procedure;​
4848 2.20 (9) maintain a schedule of state employee classifications or positions assigned to each​
4949 2.21unit established in section 179A.10, subdivision 2;​
5050 2.22 (10) collect fees established by rule for empanelment of persons on the labor arbitrator​
5151 2.23roster maintained by the commissioner or in conjunction with fair share fee challenges.​
5252 2.24Arbitrator application fees will be $100 per year for initial applications and renewals effective​
5353 2.25July 1, 2007;​
5454 2.26 (11) provide technical support and assistance to voluntary joint labor-management​
5555 2.27committees established for the purpose of improving relationships between exclusive​
5656 2.28representatives and employers, at the discretion of the commissioner;​
5757 2.29 (12) provide to the parties a list of arbitrators as required by section 179A.16, subdivision​
5858 2.304;​
5959 2.31 (13) maintain a list of up to 60 arbitrators for referral to employers and exclusive​
6060 2.32representatives for the resolution of grievance or interest disputes. Each person on the list​
6161 2​Sec. 2.​
6262 REVISOR VH/DG 25-01846​02/04/25 ​ 3.1must be knowledgeable about collective bargaining and labor relations in the public sector,​
6363 3.2well versed in state and federal labor law, and experienced in and knowledgeable about​
6464 3.3labor arbitration. To the extent practicable, the commissioner shall appoint members to the​
6565 3.4list so that the list is gender and racially diverse; and​
6666 3.5 (14) upon request of the board, provide administrative support and other assistance to​
6767 3.6the board, including assistance in development and adoption of board rules.​
6868 3.7 (b) From the names provided by representative organizations, the commissioner shall​
6969 3.8maintain a list of arbitrators to conduct teacher discharge or termination hearings according​
7070 3.9to section 122A.40 or 122A.41. The persons on the list must meet at least one of the following​
7171 3.10requirements:​
7272 3.11 (1) be a former or retired judge;​
7373 3.12 (2) be a qualified arbitrator on the list maintained by the bureau;​
7474 3.13 (3) be a present, former, or retired administrative law judge; or​
7575 3.14 (4) be a neutral individual who is learned in the law and admitted to practice in Minnesota,​
7676 3.15who is qualified by experience to conduct these hearings, and who is without bias to either​
7777 3.16party.​
7878 3.17Each year, education Minnesota shall provide a list of up to 14 names and the Minnesota​
7979 3.18School Boards Association a list of up to 14 names of persons to be on the list. The​
8080 3.19commissioner may adopt rules about maintaining and updating the list.​
8181 3.20 Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 179A.051, is amended to read:​
8282 3.21 179A.051 APPEALS OF COMMISSIONER'S DECISIONS.​
8383 3.22 (a) Decisions of the commissioner relating to supervisory, confidential, essential, and​
8484 3.23professional employees, or appropriateness of a unit, or fair share fee challenges may be​
8585 3.24reviewed on certiorari by the court of appeals. A petition for a writ of certiorari must be​
8686 3.25filed and served on the other party or parties and the commissioner within 30 days from the​
8787 3.26date of the mailing of the commissioner's decision. The petition must be served on the other​
8888 3.27party or parties at the party's or parties' last known address.​
8989 3.28 (b) Decisions of the commissioner relating to unfair labor practices under section​
9090 3.29179A.12, subdivision 11, may be appealed to the board if the appeal is filed with the board​
9191 3.30and served on all other parties no later than 30 days after service of the commissioner's​
9292 3.31decision.​
9393 3​Sec. 3.​
9494 REVISOR VH/DG 25-01846​02/04/25 ​ 4.1 Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 179A.102, subdivision 6, is amended to read:​
9595 4.2 Subd. 6.Contract and representation responsibilities.(a) Notwithstanding the​
9696 4.3provisions of section 179A.101, the exclusive representatives of units of court employees​
9797 4.4certified prior to the effective date of the judicial district coming under section 480.181,​
9898 4.5subdivision 1, paragraph (b), remain responsible for administration of their contracts and​
9999 4.6for other contractual duties and have the right to dues and fair share fee deduction and other​
100100 4.7contractual privileges and rights until a contract is agreed upon with the state court​
101101 4.8administrator for a new unit established under section 179A.101. Exclusive representatives​
102102 4.9of court employees certified after the effective date of Laws 1999, chapter 216, article 7,​
103103 4.10section 10, in the judicial district are immediately upon certification responsible for​
104104 4.11bargaining on behalf of employees within the unit. They are also responsible for administering​
105105 4.12grievances arising under previous contracts covering employees included within the unit​
106106 4.13which remain unresolved upon agreement with the state court administrator on a contract​
107107 4.14for a new unit established under section 179A.101. Where the employer does not object,​
108108 4.15these responsibilities may be varied by agreement between the outgoing and incoming​
109109 4.16exclusive representatives. All other rights and duties of representation begin on July 1 of​
110110 4.17the year in which the state assumes the funding of court administration in the judicial district,​
111111 4.18except that exclusive representatives certified after the effective date of Laws 1999, chapter​
112112 4.19216, article 7, section 10, shall immediately, upon certification, have the right to all employer​
113113 4.20information and all forms of access to employees within the bargaining unit which would​
114114 4.21be permitted to the current contract holder, including the rights in section 179A.07,​
115115 4.22subdivision 6. This section does not affect an existing collective bargaining contract.​
116116 4.23Incoming exclusive representatives of court employees from judicial districts that come​
117117 4.24under section 480.181, subdivision 1, paragraph (b), are immediately, upon certification,​
118118 4.25responsible for bargaining on behalf of all previously unrepresented employees assigned to​
119119 4.26their units. All other rights and duties of exclusive representatives begin on July 1 of the​
120120 4.27year in which the state assumes the funding of court administration in the judicial district.​
121121 4.28 (b) Nothing in Laws 2001, First Special Session chapter 5, or Laws 1999, chapter 216,​
122122 4.29article 7, sections 3 to 15, prevents an exclusive representative certified after the effective​
123123 4.30dates of those provisions from assessing fair share or dues deductions immediately upon​
124124 4.31certification for employees in a unit established under section 179A.101 if the employees​
125125 4.32were unrepresented for collective bargaining purposes before that certification.​
126126 4​Sec. 4.​
127127 REVISOR VH/DG 25-01846​02/04/25 ​ 5.1 Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 179A.60, subdivision 7, is amended to read:​
128128 5.2 Subd. 7.Contract negotiations and administration.The exclusive representative of​
129129 5.3employees of a new joint powers entity shall upon certification be responsible to negotiate​
130130 5.4a new collective bargaining agreement, file grievances, and otherwise administer the prior​
131131 5.5collective bargaining agreement until a new collective bargaining agreement is agreed to,​
132132 5.6and to receive dues or fair-share fees.​
133133 5.7 Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 256B.0711, subdivision 4, is amended to read:​
134134 5.8 Subd. 4.Duties of the commissioner of human services.(a) The commissioner shall​
135135 5.9afford to all participants within a covered program the option of employing an individual​
136136 5.10provider to provide direct support services.​
137137 5.11 (b) The commissioner shall ensure that all employment of individual providers is in​
138138 5.12conformity with this section and section 179A.54, including by modifying program operations​
139139 5.13as necessary to ensure proper classification of individual providers, to require that all relevant​
140140 5.14vendors within covered programs assist and cooperate as needed, including providers of​
141141 5.15fiscal support, fiscal intermediary, financial management, or similar services to provide​
142142 5.16support to participants and participants' representatives with regard to employing individual​
143143 5.17providers, and to otherwise fulfill the requirements of this section, including the provisions​
144144 5.18of paragraph (f).​
145145 5.19 (c) The commissioner shall:​
146146 5.20 (1) establish for all individual providers compensation rates, payment terms and practices,​
147147 5.21and any benefit terms, provided that these rates and terms may permit individual provider​
148148 5.22variations based on traditional and relevant factors otherwise permitted by law;​
149149 5.23 (2) provide for required orientation programs within three months of hire for individual​
150150 5.24providers newly hired on or after January 1, 2015, regarding their employment within the​
151151 5.25covered programs through which they provide services;​
152152 5.26 (3) have the authority to provide for relevant training and educational opportunities for​
153153 5.27individual providers, as well as for participants and participants' representatives who receive​
154154 5.28services from individual providers, including opportunities for individual providers to obtain​
155155 5.29certification documenting additional training and experience in areas of specialization;​
156156 5.30 (4) have the authority to provide for the maintenance of a public registry of individuals​
157157 5.31who have consented to be included to:​
158158 5​Sec. 6.​
159159 REVISOR VH/DG 25-01846​02/04/25 ​ 6.1 (i) provide routine, emergency, and respite referrals of qualified individual providers​
160160 6.2who have consented to be included in the registry to participants and participants'​
161161 6.3representatives;​
162162 6.4 (ii) enable participants and participants' representatives to gain improved access to, and​
163163 6.5choice among, prospective individual providers, including by having access to information​
164164 6.6about individual providers' training, educational background, work experience, and​
165165 6.7availability for hire; and​
166166 6.8 (iii) provide for appropriate employment opportunities for individual providers and a​
167167 6.9means by which they may more easily remain available to provide services to participants​
168168 6.10within covered programs; and​
169169 6.11 (5) establish other appropriate terms and conditions of employment governing the​
170170 6.12workforce of individual providers.​
171171 6.13 (d) The commissioner's authority over terms and conditions of individual providers'​
172172 6.14employment, including compensation, payment, and benefit terms, employment opportunities​
173173 6.15within covered programs, individual provider orientation, training, and education​
174174 6.16opportunities, and the operation of public registries shall be subject to the state's obligations​
175175 6.17to meet and negotiate under chapter 179A, as modified and made applicable to individual​
176176 6.18providers under section 179A.54, and to agreements with any exclusive representative of​
177177 6.19individual providers, as authorized by chapter 179A, as modified and made applicable to​
178178 6.20individual providers under section 179A.54. Except to the extent otherwise provided by​
179179 6.21law, the commissioner shall not undertake activities in paragraph (c), clauses (3) and (4),​
180180 6.22prior to July 1, 2015, unless included in a negotiated agreement and an appropriation has​
181181 6.23been provided by the legislature to the commissioner.​
182182 6.24 (e) The commissioner shall cooperate in the implementation of section 179A.54 with​
183183 6.25the commissioner of management and budget in the same manner as would be required of​
184184 6.26an appointing authority under section 179A.22 with respect to any negotiations between​
185185 6.27the executive branch of the state and the exclusive representative of individual providers,​
186186 6.28as authorized under sections 179A.22 and 179A.54. Any entity providing relevant services​
187187 6.29within covered programs, including providers of fiscal support, fiscal intermediary, financial​
188188 6.30management, or similar services to provide support to participants and participants'​
189189 6.31representatives with regard to employing individual providers shall assist and cooperate​
190190 6.32with the commissioner of human services in the operations of this section, including with​
191191 6.33respect to the commissioner's obligations under paragraphs (b) and (f).​
192192 6​Sec. 6.​
193193 REVISOR VH/DG 25-01846​02/04/25 ​ 7.1 (f) The commissioner shall, no later than September 1, 2013, and then monthly thereafter,​
194194 7.2compile and maintain a list of the names and addresses of all individual providers who have​
195195 7.3been paid for providing direct support services to participants within the previous six months.​
196196 7.4The list shall not include the name of any participant, or indicate that an individual provider​
197197 7.5is a relative of a participant or has the same address as a participant. The commissioner shall​
198198 7.6share the lists with others as needed for the state to meet its obligations under chapter 179A​
199199 7.7as modified and made applicable to individual providers under section 179A.54, and to​
200200 7.8facilitate the representational processes under section 179A.54, subdivisions 9 and 10. In​
201201 7.9order to effectuate this section and section 179A.54, questions of employee organization​
202202 7.10access to other relevant data on individual providers relating to their employment or​
203203 7.11prospective employment within covered programs shall be governed by chapter 179A and​
204204 7.12section 13.43, and shall be treated the same as labor organization access to personnel data​
205205 7.13under section 13.43, subdivision 6. This shall not include access to private data on participants​
206206 7.14or participants' representatives. Nothing in this section or section 179A.54 shall alter the​
207207 7.15access rights of other private parties to data on individual providers.​
208208 7.16 (g) The commissioner shall immediately commence all necessary steps to ensure that​
209209 7.17services offered under all covered programs are offered in conformity with this section, to​
210210 7.18gather all information that may be needed for promptly compiling lists required under this​
211211 7.19section, including information from current vendors within covered programs, and to​
212212 7.20complete any required modifications to currently operating covered programs by September​
213213 7.211, 2013.​
214214 7.22 (h) Beginning January 1, 2014, the commissioner of human services shall specifically​
215215 7.23require that any fiscal support, fiscal intermediary, financial management, or similar entities​
216216 7.24providing payroll assistance services with respect to individual providers shall make all​
217217 7.25needed deductions on behalf of the state of dues check off amounts or fair-share fees for​
218218 7.26the exclusive representative, as provided in section 179A.06, subdivisions 3 and subdivision​
219219 7.276. All contracts with entities for the provision of payroll-related services shall include this​
220220 7.28requirement.​
221221 7.29 Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 402A.40, subdivision 6, is amended to read:​
222222 7.30 Subd. 6.Contract and representation responsibilities.(a) The exclusive representatives​
223223 7.31of units of employees certified prior to the creation of the service delivery authority remain​
224224 7.32responsible for administration of their contracts and for other contractual duties and have​
225225 7.33the right to dues and fair share fee deduction and other contractual privileges and rights​
226226 7.34until a contract is agreed upon with the service delivery authority. Exclusive representatives​
227227 7​Sec. 7.​
228228 REVISOR VH/DG 25-01846​02/04/25 ​ 8.1of service delivery authority employees certified after the creation of the service delivery​
229229 8.2authority are immediately upon certification responsible for bargaining on behalf of​
230230 8.3employees within the unit. They are also responsible for administering grievances arising​
231231 8.4under previous contracts covering employees included within the unit that remain unresolved​
232232 8.5upon agreement with the service delivery authority on a contract. Where the employer does​
233233 8.6not object, these responsibilities may be varied by agreement between the outgoing and​
234234 8.7incoming exclusive representatives. All other rights and duties of representation begin upon​
235235 8.8the creation of a service delivery authority, except that exclusive representatives certified​
236236 8.9upon or after the creation of the service delivery authority shall immediately, upon​
237237 8.10certification, have the right to all employer information and all forms of access to employees​
238238 8.11within the bargaining unit which would be permitted to the current contract holder, including​
239239 8.12the rights in section 179A.07, subdivision 6. This section does not affect an existing collective​
240240 8.13bargaining contract. Incoming exclusive representatives are immediately, upon certification,​
241241 8.14responsible for bargaining on behalf of all previously unrepresented employees assigned to​
242242 8.15their units.​
243243 8.16 (b) Nothing in this section prevents an exclusive representative certified after the effective​
244244 8.17dates of these provisions from assessing fair share or dues deductions immediately upon​
245245 8.18certification if the employees were unrepresented for collective bargaining purposes before​
246246 8.19that certification.​
247247 8.20 Sec. 8. REPEALER.​
248248 8.21 Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 179A.03, subdivision 9; and 179A.06, subdivision 3,​
249249 8.22are repealed.​
250250 8.23 Sec. 9. EFFECTIVE DATE.​
251251 8.24 This act is effective the day following final enactment.​
252252 8​Sec. 9.​
253253 REVISOR VH/DG 25-01846​02/04/25 ​ 179A.03 DEFINITIONS.​
254254 Subd. 9.Fair share fee challenge."Fair share fee challenge" means any proceeding or action​
255255 instituted by a public employee, a group of public employees, or any other person, to determine​
256256 their rights and obligations with respect to the circumstances or the amount of a fair share fee.​
257257 179A.06 EMPLOYEE RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS.​
258258 Subd. 3.Fair share fee.(a) An exclusive representative may require employees who are not​
259259 members of the exclusive representative to contribute a fair share fee for services rendered by the​
260260 exclusive representative. The fair share fee must be equal to the regular membership dues of the​
261261 exclusive representative, less the cost of benefits financed through the dues and available only to​
262262 members of the exclusive representative. In no event may the fair share fee exceed 85 percent of​
263263 the regular membership dues. The exclusive representative shall provide advance written notice of​
264264 the amount of the fair share fee to the employer and to unit employees who will be assessed the​
265265 fee. The employer shall provide the exclusive representative with a list of all unit employees.​
266266 (b) A challenge by an employee or by a person aggrieved by the fee must be filed in writing​
267267 with the commissioner, the public employer, and the exclusive representative within 30 days after​
268268 receipt of the written notice. All challenges must specify those portions of the fee challenged and​
269269 the reasons for the challenge. The burden of proof relating to the amount of the fair share fee is on​
270270 the exclusive representative. The commissioner shall hear and decide all issues in these challenges.​
271271 (c) The employer shall deduct the fee from the earnings of the employee and transmit the fee​
272272 to the exclusive representative 30 days after the written notice was provided. If a challenge is filed,​
273273 the deductions for a fair share fee must be held in escrow by the employer pending a decision by​
274274 the commissioner.​
275275 1R​
276276 APPENDIX​
277277 Repealed Minnesota Statutes: 25-01846​