1 | 1 | | II |
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2 | 2 | | 119THCONGRESS |
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3 | 3 | | 1 |
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4 | 4 | | STSESSION S. 636 |
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5 | 5 | | To provide collective bargaining rights for public safety officers employed |
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6 | 6 | | by States or their political subdivisions, and for other purposes. |
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7 | 7 | | IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES |
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8 | 8 | | FEBRUARY19, 2025 |
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9 | 9 | | Mr. H |
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10 | 10 | | ICKENLOOPER(for himself and Ms. HASSAN) introduced the following |
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11 | 11 | | bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Edu- |
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12 | 12 | | cation, Labor, and Pensions |
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13 | 13 | | A BILL |
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14 | 14 | | To provide collective bargaining rights for public safety offi- |
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15 | 15 | | cers employed by States or their political subdivisions, |
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16 | 16 | | and for other purposes. |
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17 | 17 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-1 |
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18 | 18 | | tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 |
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19 | 19 | | SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 |
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20 | 20 | | This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Public Safety Em-4 |
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21 | 21 | | ployer-Employee Cooperation Act’’. 5 |
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22 | 22 | | SEC. 2. PURPOSE AND POLICY. 6 |
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23 | 23 | | Congress declares that the following is the policy of 7 |
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24 | 24 | | the United States: 8 |
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27 | 27 | | •S 636 IS |
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28 | 28 | | (1) Labor-management relationships and part-1 |
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29 | 29 | | nerships are based on trust, mutual respect, open 2 |
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30 | 30 | | communication, bilateral consensual problem solving, 3 |
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31 | 31 | | and shared accountability. Labor-management co-4 |
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32 | 32 | | operation fully uses the strengths of both parties to 5 |
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33 | 33 | | best serve the interests of the public: operating as a 6 |
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34 | 34 | | team to carry out the public safety mission in a 7 |
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35 | 35 | | quality work environment. In many public safety 8 |
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36 | 36 | | agencies, it is the labor organization that provides 9 |
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37 | 37 | | the institutional stability as elected leaders and ap-10 |
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38 | 38 | | pointees come and go. 11 |
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39 | 39 | | (2) State and local public safety officers play an 12 |
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40 | 40 | | essential role in the efforts of the United States to 13 |
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41 | 41 | | detect, prevent, and respond to terrorist attacks and 14 |
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42 | 42 | | to respond to natural disasters, hazardous materials, 15 |
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43 | 43 | | and other mass casualty incidents. State and local 16 |
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44 | 44 | | public safety officers, as first responders, are a com-17 |
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45 | 45 | | ponent of the National Incident Management Sys-18 |
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46 | 46 | | tem, developed by the Department of Homeland Se-19 |
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47 | 47 | | curity to coordinate response to and recovery from 20 |
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48 | 48 | | terrorism, major natural disasters, and other major 21 |
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49 | 49 | | emergencies. Public safety employer-employee co-22 |
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50 | 50 | | operation is essential in meeting these needs and is, 23 |
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51 | 51 | | therefore, in the national interest. 24 |
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54 | 54 | | •S 636 IS |
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55 | 55 | | (3) The Federal Government needs to encour-1 |
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56 | 56 | | age conciliation, mediation, and arbitration to aid 2 |
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57 | 57 | | and encourage public safety employers and the rep-3 |
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58 | 58 | | resentatives of their employees to reach and main-4 |
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59 | 59 | | tain agreements concerning rates of pay, hours, and 5 |
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60 | 60 | | working conditions and to make all reasonable ef-6 |
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61 | 61 | | forts through negotiations to settle their differences 7 |
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62 | 62 | | by mutual agreement reached through collective bar-8 |
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63 | 63 | | gaining or by such methods as may be provided for 9 |
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64 | 64 | | in any applicable agreement for the settlement of 10 |
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65 | 65 | | disputes. 11 |
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66 | 66 | | (4) The absence of adequate cooperation be-12 |
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67 | 67 | | tween public safety employers and employees has im-13 |
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68 | 68 | | plications for the security of employees and can af-14 |
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69 | 69 | | fect interstate and intrastate commerce. The lack of 15 |
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70 | 70 | | such labor-management cooperation can detrimen-16 |
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71 | 71 | | tally impact the upgrading of law enforcement, fire, 17 |
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72 | 72 | | and emergency medical services of local commu-18 |
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73 | 73 | | nities, the health and well-being of public safety offi-19 |
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74 | 74 | | cers, and the morale of law enforcement, fire, and 20 |
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75 | 75 | | emergency medical service departments. Addition-21 |
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76 | 76 | | ally, these factors could have significant commercial 22 |
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77 | 77 | | repercussions. Moreover, providing minimal stand-23 |
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78 | 78 | | ards for collective bargaining negotiations in the 24 |
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79 | 79 | | public safety sector can prevent industrial strife be-25 |
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82 | 82 | | •S 636 IS |
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83 | 83 | | tween labor and management that interferes with 1 |
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84 | 84 | | the normal flow of commerce. 2 |
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85 | 85 | | (5) Many States and localities already provide 3 |
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86 | 86 | | public safety officers with collective bargaining 4 |
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87 | 87 | | rights comparable to or greater than the rights and 5 |
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88 | 88 | | responsibilities set forth in this Act, and such State 6 |
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89 | 89 | | and local laws should be respected. 7 |
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90 | 90 | | SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 8 |
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91 | 91 | | In this Act: 9 |
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92 | 92 | | (1) A |
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93 | 93 | | UTHORITY.—The term ‘‘Authority’’ means 10 |
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94 | 94 | | the Federal Labor Relations Authority. 11 |
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95 | 95 | | (2) C |
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96 | 96 | | ONFIDENTIAL EMPLOYEE .—The term 12 |
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97 | 97 | | ‘‘confidential employee’’, with respect to the applica-13 |
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98 | 98 | | tion of this Act in a State— 14 |
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99 | 99 | | (A) has the meaning given such term (or 15 |
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100 | 100 | | a substantially equivalent term) under any ap-16 |
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101 | 101 | | plicable State law of such State on the date of 17 |
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102 | 102 | | enactment of this Act; or 18 |
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103 | 103 | | (B) if no such applicable State law is in ef-19 |
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104 | 104 | | fect in such State, means an individual, em-20 |
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105 | 105 | | ployed by a public safety employer, who— 21 |
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106 | 106 | | (i) is designated as confidential; and 22 |
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107 | 107 | | (ii) is an individual who routinely as-23 |
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108 | 108 | | sists, in a confidential capacity, any super-24 |
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109 | 109 | | visory employee or management employee. 25 |
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112 | 112 | | •S 636 IS |
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113 | 113 | | (3) EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES EM -1 |
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114 | 114 | | PLOYEE.—The term ‘‘emergency medical services 2 |
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115 | 115 | | employee’’ means an individual who provides out-of- 3 |
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116 | 116 | | hospital emergency medical care, including an emer-4 |
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117 | 117 | | gency medical technician, paramedic, or first re-5 |
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118 | 118 | | sponder. 6 |
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119 | 119 | | (4) E |
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120 | 120 | | MPLOY.—The term ‘‘employ’’ has the 7 |
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121 | 121 | | meaning given the term in section 3 of the Fair 8 |
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122 | 122 | | Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 203). 9 |
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123 | 123 | | (5) F |
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124 | 124 | | IREFIGHTER.—The term ‘‘firefighter’’ has 10 |
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125 | 125 | | the meaning given the term ‘‘employee in fire protec-11 |
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126 | 126 | | tion activities’’ in section 3 of the Fair Labor Stand-12 |
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127 | 127 | | ards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 203). 13 |
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128 | 128 | | (6) L |
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129 | 129 | | ABOR ORGANIZATION .—The term ‘‘labor 14 |
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130 | 130 | | organization’’ means an organization of any kind, in 15 |
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131 | 131 | | which public safety officers participate and which ex-16 |
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132 | 132 | | ists for the purpose, in whole or in part, of dealing 17 |
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133 | 133 | | with a public safety employer concerning grievances, 18 |
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134 | 134 | | conditions of employment, and related matters. 19 |
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135 | 135 | | (7) L |
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136 | 136 | | AW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER .—The term 20 |
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137 | 137 | | ‘‘law enforcement officer’’ has the meaning given 21 |
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138 | 138 | | such term in section 1204 of the Omnibus Crime 22 |
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139 | 139 | | Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 23 |
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140 | 140 | | 10284). 24 |
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143 | 143 | | •S 636 IS |
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144 | 144 | | (8) MANAGEMENT EMPLOYEE .—The term 1 |
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145 | 145 | | ‘‘management employee’’, with respect to the appli-2 |
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146 | 146 | | cation of this Act in a State— 3 |
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147 | 147 | | (A) has the meaning given such term (or 4 |
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148 | 148 | | a substantially equivalent term) under any ap-5 |
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149 | 149 | | plicable State law of such State on the date of 6 |
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150 | 150 | | enactment of this Act; or 7 |
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151 | 151 | | (B) if no such applicable State law is in ef-8 |
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152 | 152 | | fect in such State, means an individual em-9 |
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153 | 153 | | ployed by a public safety employer in a position 10 |
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154 | 154 | | that requires or authorizes the individual to for-11 |
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155 | 155 | | mulate, determine, or influence the policies of 12 |
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156 | 156 | | the public safety employer. 13 |
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157 | 157 | | (9) P |
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158 | 158 | | ERSON.—The term ‘‘person’’ means an in-14 |
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159 | 159 | | dividual or a labor organization. 15 |
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160 | 160 | | (10) P |
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161 | 161 | | UBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYER .— 16 |
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162 | 162 | | (A) I |
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163 | 163 | | N GENERAL.—The term ‘‘public safe-17 |
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164 | 164 | | ty employer’’ means any State, or political sub-18 |
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165 | 165 | | division of a State, that employs a public safety 19 |
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166 | 166 | | officer. 20 |
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167 | 167 | | (B) A |
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168 | 168 | | PPLICABILITY.—For purposes of this 21 |
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169 | 169 | | Act, a public safety employer shall be consid-22 |
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170 | 170 | | ered to be engaged in commerce or in an indus-23 |
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171 | 171 | | try or activity affecting commerce. 24 |
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174 | 174 | | •S 636 IS |
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175 | 175 | | (11) PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICER .—The term 1 |
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176 | 176 | | ‘‘public safety officer’’— 2 |
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177 | 177 | | (A) means an individual employed by a 3 |
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178 | 178 | | public safety employer who is a law enforcement 4 |
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179 | 179 | | officer, a firefighter, or an emergency medical 5 |
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180 | 180 | | services employee; 6 |
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181 | 181 | | (B) includes an individual who is tempo-7 |
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182 | 182 | | rarily transferred to a supervisory or manage-8 |
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183 | 183 | | ment position; and 9 |
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184 | 184 | | (C) except as provided in subparagraph 10 |
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185 | 185 | | (B), does not include— 11 |
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186 | 186 | | (i) a supervisory employee; 12 |
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187 | 187 | | (ii) a management employee; or 13 |
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188 | 188 | | (iii) a confidential employee. 14 |
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189 | 189 | | (12) S |
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190 | 190 | | TATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means each of 15 |
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191 | 191 | | the several States of the United States, the District 16 |
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192 | 192 | | of Columbia, and any territory or possession of the 17 |
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193 | 193 | | United States. 18 |
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194 | 194 | | (13) S |
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195 | 195 | | UBSTANTIALLY PROVIDES .—The term 19 |
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196 | 196 | | ‘‘substantially provides’’, when used with respect to 20 |
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197 | 197 | | the rights and responsibilities described in section 21 |
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198 | 198 | | 4(b), means providing rights and responsibilities 22 |
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199 | 199 | | that are comparable to or greater than each right 23 |
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200 | 200 | | and responsibility described in such section. 24 |
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203 | 203 | | •S 636 IS |
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204 | 204 | | (14) SUPERVISORY EMPLOYEE .—The term ‘‘su-1 |
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205 | 205 | | pervisory employee’’, with respect to the application 2 |
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206 | 206 | | of this Act in a State— 3 |
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207 | 207 | | (A) has the meaning given such term (or 4 |
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208 | 208 | | a substantially equivalent term) under any ap-5 |
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209 | 209 | | plicable State law of such State on the date of 6 |
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210 | 210 | | enactment of this Act; or 7 |
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211 | 211 | | (B) if no such applicable State law is in ef-8 |
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212 | 212 | | fect in such State, an individual, employed by 9 |
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213 | 213 | | a public safety employer, who— 10 |
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214 | 214 | | (i) has the authority in the interest of 11 |
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215 | 215 | | the public safety employer, if the exercise 12 |
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216 | 216 | | of such authority is not merely routine or 13 |
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217 | 217 | | clerical in nature but requires the con-14 |
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218 | 218 | | sistent exercise of independent judgment, 15 |
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219 | 219 | | to— 16 |
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220 | 220 | | (I) hire, direct, assign, promote, 17 |
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221 | 221 | | reward, transfer, furlough, lay off, re-18 |
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222 | 222 | | call, suspend, discipline, or remove 19 |
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223 | 223 | | public safety officers; 20 |
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224 | 224 | | (II) adjust the grievances of pub-21 |
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225 | 225 | | lic safety officers; or 22 |
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226 | 226 | | (III) effectively recommend any 23 |
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227 | 227 | | action described in subclause (I) or 24 |
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228 | 228 | | (II); and 25 |
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232 | 232 | | (ii) devotes a majority of time at work 1 |
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233 | 233 | | to exercising such authority. 2 |
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234 | 234 | | (15) U |
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235 | 235 | | NFAIR LABOR PRACTICE .—The term 3 |
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236 | 236 | | ‘‘unfair labor practice’’ means a practice described 4 |
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237 | 237 | | in section 7116 of title 5, United States Code, ex-5 |
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238 | 238 | | cept that, in applying such section— 6 |
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239 | 239 | | (A) ‘‘public safety officer’’ shall be sub-7 |
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240 | 240 | | stituted for ‘‘employee’’; 8 |
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241 | 241 | | (B) ‘‘public safety employer’’ shall be sub-9 |
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242 | 242 | | stituted for ‘‘agency’’; and 10 |
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243 | 243 | | (C) ‘‘this Act’’ shall be substituted for 11 |
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244 | 244 | | ‘‘this chapter’’. 12 |
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245 | 245 | | SEC. 4. DETERMINATION OF RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBIL-13 |
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246 | 246 | | ITIES. 14 |
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247 | 247 | | (a) D |
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248 | 248 | | ETERMINATION.— 15 |
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249 | 249 | | (1) I |
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250 | 250 | | N GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 16 |
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251 | 251 | | after the date of enactment of this Act (except as 17 |
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252 | 252 | | provided in paragraph (4)(B)), the Authority shall 18 |
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253 | 253 | | make a determination for each State as to whether 19 |
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254 | 254 | | a State substantially provides for each of the rights 20 |
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255 | 255 | | and responsibilities described in subsection (b). 21 |
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256 | 256 | | (2) C |
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257 | 257 | | ONSIDERATION OF ADDITIONAL OPIN -22 |
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258 | 258 | | IONS.—In making the determination described in 23 |
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259 | 259 | | paragraph (1), the Authority shall consider the opin-24 |
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260 | 260 | | ions of affected public safety employers and labor or-25 |
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263 | 263 | | •S 636 IS |
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264 | 264 | | ganizations. In the case where the Authority is noti-1 |
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265 | 265 | | fied by an affected public safety employer and labor 2 |
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266 | 266 | | organization that both parties agree that the law ap-3 |
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267 | 267 | | plicable to such public safety employer and labor or-4 |
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268 | 268 | | ganization substantially provides for the rights and 5 |
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269 | 269 | | responsibilities described in subsection (b), the Au-6 |
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270 | 270 | | thority shall give such agreement weight to the max-7 |
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271 | 271 | | imum extent practicable in making the Authority’s 8 |
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272 | 272 | | determination under paragraph (1). 9 |
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273 | 273 | | (3) L |
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274 | 274 | | IMITED CRITERIA.—In making the deter-10 |
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275 | 275 | | mination described in paragraph (1), the Authority 11 |
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276 | 276 | | shall be limited to the application of the criteria de-12 |
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277 | 277 | | scribed in subsection (b). 13 |
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278 | 278 | | (4) S |
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279 | 279 | | UBSEQUENT DETERMINATIONS .— 14 |
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280 | 280 | | (A) I |
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281 | 281 | | N GENERAL.—A determination made 15 |
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282 | 282 | | pursuant to paragraph (1) shall remain in ef-16 |
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283 | 283 | | fect unless and until the Authority issues a sub-17 |
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284 | 284 | | sequent determination, in accordance with the 18 |
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285 | 285 | | procedures set forth in subparagraph (B). 19 |
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286 | 286 | | (B) P |
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287 | 287 | | ROCEDURES FOR SUBSEQUENT DE -20 |
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288 | 288 | | TERMINATIONS.—A public safety employer or a 21 |
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289 | 289 | | labor organization may submit to the Authority 22 |
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290 | 290 | | a written request for a subsequent determina-23 |
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291 | 291 | | tion with respect to whether a material change 24 |
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295 | 295 | | of State law (or an interpretation of such law) 1 |
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296 | 296 | | has occurred. 2 |
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297 | 297 | | (C) I |
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298 | 298 | | SSUANCE OF SUBSEQUENT DETER -3 |
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299 | 299 | | MINATION.—If satisfied that a material change 4 |
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300 | 300 | | in State law or its interpretation has occurred, 5 |
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301 | 301 | | the Authority shall issue a subsequent deter-6 |
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302 | 302 | | mination under paragraph (1) not later than 30 7 |
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303 | 303 | | days after receipt of such request. 8 |
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304 | 304 | | (5) E |
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305 | 305 | | XCEPTION.—The Authority shall not make 9 |
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306 | 306 | | a determination under paragraph (1) that the laws 10 |
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307 | 307 | | of a State do not substantially provide for each of 11 |
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308 | 308 | | the rights and responsibilities described in sub-12 |
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309 | 309 | | section (b) on the basis that relevant State laws— 13 |
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310 | 310 | | (A) permit an employee to appear on the 14 |
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311 | 311 | | employee’s own behalf with respect to the em-15 |
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312 | 312 | | ployee’s employment relations with the public 16 |
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313 | 313 | | safety employer involved; 17 |
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314 | 314 | | (B) do not apply to a political subdivision 18 |
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315 | 315 | | of the State if such political subdivision— 19 |
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316 | 316 | | (i) has a population of fewer than 20 |
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317 | 317 | | 5,000 individuals; or 21 |
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318 | 318 | | (ii) employs fewer than 25 full-time 22 |
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319 | 319 | | employees (excluding any individual elected 23 |
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320 | 320 | | by popular vote or appointed to serve on a 24 |
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321 | 321 | | board or commission); or 25 |
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325 | 325 | | (C) do not require bargaining with respect 1 |
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326 | 326 | | to pension, retirement, or health benefits. 2 |
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327 | 327 | | (6) J |
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328 | 328 | | UDICIAL REVIEW.—Any person or public 3 |
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329 | 329 | | safety employer aggrieved by a determination of the 4 |
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330 | 330 | | Authority under paragraph (1) may, during the 60- 5 |
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331 | 331 | | day period beginning on the date on which the deter-6 |
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332 | 332 | | mination was made, petition any United States 7 |
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333 | 333 | | Court of Appeals in the circuit in which the person 8 |
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334 | 334 | | or public safety employer resides or transacts busi-9 |
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335 | 335 | | ness or in the Court of Appeals for the District of 10 |
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336 | 336 | | Columbia Circuit, for judicial review. 11 |
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337 | 337 | | (b) R |
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338 | 338 | | IGHTS ANDRESPONSIBILITIES.—The rights and 12 |
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339 | 339 | | responsibilities described under this subsection are the fol-13 |
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340 | 340 | | lowing: 14 |
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341 | 341 | | (1) A right of public safety officers to form and 15 |
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342 | 342 | | join a labor organization— 16 |
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343 | 343 | | (A) which may exclude any management 17 |
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344 | 344 | | employee, supervisory employee, or confidential 18 |
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345 | 345 | | employee, and 19 |
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346 | 346 | | (B) that is, or seeks to be, recognized as 20 |
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347 | 347 | | the exclusive bargaining representative of such 21 |
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348 | 348 | | public safety officers. 22 |
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349 | 349 | | (2) A requirement that any public safety em-23 |
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350 | 350 | | ployer— 24 |
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354 | 354 | | (A) recognize the labor organization of its 1 |
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355 | 355 | | public safety officers (freely chosen by a major-2 |
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356 | 356 | | ity of the public safety officers); 3 |
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357 | 357 | | (B) agree to bargain with such labor orga-4 |
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358 | 358 | | nization; and 5 |
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359 | 359 | | (C) commit any agreements with such 6 |
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360 | 360 | | labor organization to writing in a contract or 7 |
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361 | 361 | | memorandum of understanding. 8 |
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362 | 362 | | (3) A right of public safety officers to bargain 9 |
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363 | 363 | | with respect to hours, wages, and terms and condi-10 |
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364 | 364 | | tions of employment. 11 |
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365 | 365 | | (4) A right to binding interest arbitration as a 12 |
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366 | 366 | | mechanism to resolve an impasse in collective bar-13 |
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367 | 367 | | gaining negotiations. 14 |
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368 | 368 | | (5) A right to enforcement of all rights, respon-15 |
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369 | 369 | | sibilities, and protections enumerated in this sub-16 |
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370 | 370 | | section, and of any written contract or memorandum 17 |
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371 | 371 | | of understanding between a labor organization and 18 |
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372 | 372 | | a public safety employer, through— 19 |
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373 | 373 | | (A) a State administrative agency, if the 20 |
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374 | 374 | | State so chooses; or 21 |
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375 | 375 | | (B) any court of competent jurisdiction. 22 |
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376 | 376 | | (c) C |
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377 | 377 | | OMPLIANCEWITHREQUIREMENTS.—If the Au-23 |
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378 | 378 | | thority determines under subsection (a)(1) that a State 24 |
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379 | 379 | | substantially provides each of the rights and responsibil-25 |
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382 | 382 | | •S 636 IS |
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383 | 383 | | ities described in subsection (b), then subsection (d) shall 1 |
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384 | 384 | | not apply and this Act shall not preempt the laws of such 2 |
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385 | 385 | | State. 3 |
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386 | 386 | | (d) F |
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387 | 387 | | AILURETOMEETREQUIREMENTS.— 4 |
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388 | 388 | | (1) I |
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389 | 389 | | N GENERAL.—If the Authority determines 5 |
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390 | 390 | | under subsection (a)(1) that a State does not sub-6 |
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391 | 391 | | stantially provide for the rights and responsibilities 7 |
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392 | 392 | | described in subsection (b), then such State shall be 8 |
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393 | 393 | | subject to the regulations and procedures described 9 |
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394 | 394 | | in section 5 beginning on the later of— 10 |
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395 | 395 | | (A) the date that is 2 years after the date 11 |
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396 | 396 | | of enactment of this Act; 12 |
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397 | 397 | | (B) the date that is the last day of the 13 |
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398 | 398 | | first regular session of the legislature of the 14 |
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399 | 399 | | State that begins after the date the Authority 15 |
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400 | 400 | | makes a determination under subsection (a)(1); 16 |
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401 | 401 | | or 17 |
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402 | 402 | | (C) in the case of a State receiving a sub-18 |
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403 | 403 | | sequent determination under subsection (a)(4), 19 |
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404 | 404 | | the date that is the last day of the first regular 20 |
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405 | 405 | | session of the legislature of the State that be-21 |
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406 | 406 | | gins after the date the Authority made the de-22 |
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407 | 407 | | termination. 23 |
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408 | 408 | | (2) P |
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409 | 409 | | ARTIAL FAILURE.—If the Authority deter-24 |
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410 | 410 | | mines under subsection (a)(1) that a State does not 25 |
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413 | 413 | | •S 636 IS |
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414 | 414 | | substantially provide for the rights and responsibil-1 |
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415 | 415 | | ities described in subsection (b) because the State 2 |
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416 | 416 | | law substantially provides for such rights and re-3 |
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417 | 417 | | sponsibilities for certain categories of public safety 4 |
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418 | 418 | | officers covered by this Act but not others, the Au-5 |
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419 | 419 | | thority shall identify those categories of public safety 6 |
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420 | 420 | | officers that shall be subject to the regulations and 7 |
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421 | 421 | | procedures described in section 5, pursuant to sec-8 |
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422 | 422 | | tion 8(b)(3) and beginning on the appropriate date 9 |
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423 | 423 | | described in paragraph (1), and those categories of 10 |
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424 | 424 | | public safety officers that shall remain solely subject 11 |
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425 | 425 | | to State law with respect to the rights and respon-12 |
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426 | 426 | | sibilities described in subsection (b). 13 |
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427 | 427 | | SEC. 5. ROLE OF FEDERAL LABOR RELATIONS AUTHORITY. 14 |
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428 | 428 | | (a) I |
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429 | 429 | | NGENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the 15 |
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430 | 430 | | date of enactment of this Act, the Authority shall issue 16 |
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431 | 431 | | regulations, in accordance with the rights and responsibil-17 |
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432 | 432 | | ities described in section 4(b), establishing collective bar-18 |
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433 | 433 | | gaining procedures for public safety employers and public 19 |
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434 | 434 | | safety officers that substantially provide for the minimum 20 |
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435 | 435 | | standards described in section 4(b) for States described 21 |
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436 | 436 | | in section 4(d). 22 |
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437 | 437 | | (b) R |
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438 | 438 | | OLE OF THEFEDERALLABORRELATIONSAU-23 |
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439 | 439 | | THORITY.—In carrying out subsection (a), the Authority 24 |
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440 | 440 | | shall— 25 |
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443 | 443 | | •S 636 IS |
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444 | 444 | | (1) determine the appropriateness of units for 1 |
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445 | 445 | | labor organization representation; 2 |
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446 | 446 | | (2) supervise or conduct elections to determine 3 |
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447 | 447 | | whether a labor organization has been chosen as an 4 |
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448 | 448 | | exclusive representative by a voting majority of the 5 |
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449 | 449 | | public safety officers in an appropriate unit; 6 |
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450 | 450 | | (3) resolve issues relating to the duty to bar-7 |
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451 | 451 | | gain in good faith; 8 |
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452 | 452 | | (4) conduct hearings and resolve complaints of 9 |
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453 | 453 | | unfair labor practices; 10 |
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454 | 454 | | (5) resolve exceptions to the awards of arbitra-11 |
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455 | 455 | | tors; 12 |
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456 | 456 | | (6) protect the right of each employee to form, 13 |
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457 | 457 | | join, or assist any labor organization or to refrain 14 |
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458 | 458 | | from any such activity, freely and without fear of 15 |
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459 | 459 | | penalty or reprisal, and protect each employee in the 16 |
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460 | 460 | | exercise of such right; and 17 |
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461 | 461 | | (7) take such other actions as are necessary 18 |
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462 | 462 | | and appropriate to effectively administer this Act, 19 |
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463 | 463 | | including issuing subpoenas requiring the attendance 20 |
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464 | 464 | | and testimony of witnesses and the production of 21 |
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465 | 465 | | documentary or other evidence from any place in the 22 |
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466 | 466 | | United States, and administering oaths, taking or 23 |
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467 | 467 | | ordering the taking of depositions, ordering re-24 |
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470 | 470 | | •S 636 IS |
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471 | 471 | | sponses to written interrogatories, and receiving and 1 |
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472 | 472 | | examining witnesses. 2 |
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473 | 473 | | (c) E |
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474 | 474 | | NFORCEMENT.— 3 |
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475 | 475 | | (1) A |
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476 | 476 | | UTHORITY TO PETITION COURT .—The Au-4 |
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477 | 477 | | thority may petition any United States Court of Ap-5 |
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478 | 478 | | peals with jurisdiction over the parties, or the 6 |
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479 | 479 | | United States Court of Appeals for the District of 7 |
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480 | 480 | | Columbia Circuit, to enforce any final orders under 8 |
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481 | 481 | | this section, and for appropriate temporary relief or 9 |
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482 | 482 | | a restraining order. 10 |
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483 | 483 | | (2) P |
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484 | 484 | | RIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION .—Unless the 11 |
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485 | 485 | | Authority has filed a petition for enforcement as 12 |
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486 | 486 | | provided in paragraph (1) and except as provided in 13 |
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487 | 487 | | section 8(b)(4) with respect to States, any party 14 |
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488 | 488 | | may file suit in any appropriate district court of the 15 |
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489 | 489 | | United States to enforce compliance with the regula-16 |
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490 | 490 | | tions issued by the Authority pursuant to this sec-17 |
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491 | 491 | | tion, or to enforce compliance with any order issued 18 |
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492 | 492 | | by the Authority pursuant to this section. 19 |
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493 | 493 | | SEC. 6. STRIKES AND LOCKOUTS PROHIBITED. 20 |
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494 | 494 | | (a) I |
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495 | 495 | | NGENERAL.—Subject to subsection (b), a public 21 |
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496 | 496 | | safety employer, public safety officer, or labor organization 22 |
---|
497 | 497 | | may not engage in a lockout, sickout, work slowdown, 23 |
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498 | 498 | | strike, or any other organized job action that will measur-24 |
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499 | 499 | | ably disrupt the delivery of emergency services and is de-25 |
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502 | 502 | | •S 636 IS |
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503 | 503 | | signed to compel a public safety employer, public safety 1 |
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504 | 504 | | officer, or labor organization to agree to the terms of a 2 |
---|
505 | 505 | | proposed contract. 3 |
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506 | 506 | | (b) N |
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507 | 507 | | OPREEMPTION.—Nothing in this section shall 4 |
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508 | 508 | | be construed to preempt any law of any State or political 5 |
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509 | 509 | | subdivision of any State with respect to strikes by public 6 |
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510 | 510 | | safety officers. 7 |
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511 | 511 | | SEC. 7. EXISTING COLLECTIVE BARGAINING UNITS AND 8 |
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512 | 512 | | AGREEMENTS. 9 |
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513 | 513 | | The enactment of this Act shall not invalidate any 10 |
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514 | 514 | | certification, recognition, result of an election, collective 11 |
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515 | 515 | | bargaining agreement, or memorandum of understanding 12 |
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516 | 516 | | that has been issued, approved, or ratified by any public 13 |
---|
517 | 517 | | employee relations board or commission or by any State 14 |
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518 | 518 | | or political subdivision or its agents and is in effect on 15 |
---|
519 | 519 | | the day before the date of enactment of this Act. 16 |
---|
520 | 520 | | SEC. 8. CONSTRUCTION AND COMPLIANCE. 17 |
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521 | 521 | | (a) C |
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522 | 522 | | ONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this Act shall be 18 |
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523 | 523 | | construed— 19 |
---|
524 | 524 | | (1) to preempt or limit the remedies, rights, 20 |
---|
525 | 525 | | and procedures of any law of any State or political 21 |
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526 | 526 | | subdivision of any State that provides comparable or 22 |
---|
527 | 527 | | greater rights and responsibilities than the rights 23 |
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528 | 528 | | and responsibilities described in section 4(b); or 24 |
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531 | 531 | | •S 636 IS |
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532 | 532 | | (2) to prevent a State from enforcing any law 1 |
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533 | 533 | | that prohibits public safety employers and labor or-2 |
---|
534 | 534 | | ganizations from negotiating provisions in a labor 3 |
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535 | 535 | | agreement that require labor organization member-4 |
---|
536 | 536 | | ship or payment of labor organization fees as a con-5 |
---|
537 | 537 | | dition of employment. 6 |
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538 | 538 | | (b) C |
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539 | 539 | | OMPLIANCE.— 7 |
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540 | 540 | | (1) A |
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541 | 541 | | CTIONS OF STATES.—Nothing in this Act 8 |
---|
542 | 542 | | or the regulations promulgated under this Act shall 9 |
---|
543 | 543 | | be construed to require a State to rescind or pre-10 |
---|
544 | 544 | | empt the laws or ordinances of any of the State’s 11 |
---|
545 | 545 | | political subdivisions if such laws provide rights and 12 |
---|
546 | 546 | | responsibilities for public safety officers that are 13 |
---|
547 | 547 | | comparable to or greater than the rights and respon-14 |
---|
548 | 548 | | sibilities described in section 4(b). 15 |
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549 | 549 | | (2) A |
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550 | 550 | | CTIONS OF THE AUTHORITY .—Nothing in 16 |
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551 | 551 | | this Act or the regulations promulgated under this 17 |
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552 | 552 | | Act shall be construed to preempt— 18 |
---|
553 | 553 | | (A) the laws or ordinances of any State or 19 |
---|
554 | 554 | | political subdivision of a State, if such laws pro-20 |
---|
555 | 555 | | vide collective bargaining rights for public safe-21 |
---|
556 | 556 | | ty officers that are comparable to or greater 22 |
---|
557 | 557 | | than the rights enumerated in section 4(b); 23 |
---|
558 | 558 | | (B) the laws or ordinances of any State or 24 |
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559 | 559 | | political subdivision of a State that provide for 25 |
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562 | 562 | | •S 636 IS |
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563 | 563 | | the rights and responsibilities described in sec-1 |
---|
564 | 564 | | tion 4(b) with respect to certain categories of 2 |
---|
565 | 565 | | public safety officers covered by this Act solely 3 |
---|
566 | 566 | | because such rights and responsibilities have 4 |
---|
567 | 567 | | not been extended to other categories of public 5 |
---|
568 | 568 | | safety officers covered by this Act; or 6 |
---|
569 | 569 | | (C) the laws or ordinances of any State or 7 |
---|
570 | 570 | | political subdivision of a State that provide for 8 |
---|
571 | 571 | | the rights and responsibilities described in sec-9 |
---|
572 | 572 | | tion 4(b), solely because such laws or ordi-10 |
---|
573 | 573 | | nances provide that a contract or memorandum 11 |
---|
574 | 574 | | of understanding between a public safety em-12 |
---|
575 | 575 | | ployer and a labor organization must be pre-13 |
---|
576 | 576 | | sented to a legislative body as part of the proc-14 |
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577 | 577 | | ess for approving such contract or memo-15 |
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578 | 578 | | randum of understanding. 16 |
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579 | 579 | | (3) L |
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580 | 580 | | IMITED ENFORCEMENT POWER .—In the 17 |
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581 | 581 | | case of a law described in paragraph (2)(B), the Au-18 |
---|
582 | 582 | | thority shall only exercise the powers provided in 19 |
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583 | 583 | | section 5 with respect to those categories of public 20 |
---|
584 | 584 | | safety officers who have not been afforded the rights 21 |
---|
585 | 585 | | and responsibilities described in section 4(b). 22 |
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586 | 586 | | (4) E |
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587 | 587 | | XCLUSIVE ENFORCEMENT PROVISION .— 23 |
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588 | 588 | | Notwithstanding any other provision of the Act, and 24 |
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589 | 589 | | in the absence of a waiver of a State’s sovereign im-25 |
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592 | 592 | | •S 636 IS |
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593 | 593 | | munity, the Authority shall have the exclusive power 1 |
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594 | 594 | | to enforce the provisions of this Act with respect to 2 |
---|
595 | 595 | | employees of a State. 3 |
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596 | 596 | | SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 4 |
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597 | 597 | | There are authorized to be appropriated such sums 5 |
---|
598 | 598 | | as may be necessary to carry out this Act. 6 |
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599 | 599 | | Æ |
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