House General and Housing committee approves draft changes to S.125 on union decertification threshold

Members of the Vermont House General and Housing Committee voted to approve draft 2.1 of S.125, a Senate-originated bill that raises the employee showing-of-interest threshold to decertify a union in multiple state labor relations acts and removes several items moved to other bills.

The measure, identified at the meeting as draft 2.1 of S.125, was discussed May 7 in a committee meeting in Montpelier. Sophie Sadatny of the Office of Legislative Counsel walked the committee through the changes, and Representative Emily moved to approve the draft; the motion was seconded and carried on a roll call vote.

The bill amendment retains the State Employees Labor Relations Act’s existing showing-of-interest provision but adds a 50% plus 1 threshold in additional labor relations statutes where the provision had been omitted. Sadatny summarized the change in committee: “this just makes clear that… the showing is not less than 50% plus 1.” The amendment also removes four workers’ compensation provisions (moved into S.117), deletes the certified-payroll requirement for state construction projects, and preserves language allowing judiciary supervisors to organize and collectively bargain.

Committee members asked procedural and substantive questions during the discussion. After debate, Representative Emily made the motion to approve draft 2.1 of S.125 and the committee proceeded to a roll call. Recorded votes in the committee included: Representative Bartley (Yes); Representative Burrows (Yes); Representative Charlton (Yes); Representative Dodge (Yes); Representative Dalton (Yes); Representative Howard (Yes); Representative Krasnow (Yes); Representative Parsons (No); Representative Peso (Yes); Representative Mahali (Yes). Representative Lebron was recorded as absent. The chair stated the bill would go on the notice calendar and, if reported out tonight as expected, would be on notice the following day and then committed to Appropriations.

The committee also discussed who would serve as the reporter when S.125 goes to the floor; members volunteered or were assigned that role during the meeting. The committee chair instructed staff to add the reporter’s name to the paperwork that accompanies the bill to the calendar.

Next steps: The committee’s approval sends draft 2.1 forward to the notice calendar and toward a floor vote. If the House concurs in any Senate amendment when that occurs, the bill would then be transmitted to the governor pending any further legislative action.

Ending: The committee’s vote was procedural approval to report the bill to the calendar; the bill’s final content could still change if either chamber amends it before passage.