Committee takes first look at proposal to let assistant attorneys general unionize; witnesses flag administrative and funding complexities

The Senate Committee on Government Operations held a first look at S.145 on April 22, a bill that would explicitly include assistant attorneys general under the State Employee Labor Relations Act and thereby permit them to organize and collectively bargain.

Sophie Sedatny of the Office of Legislative Council told the committee the constitutional amendment proposal on the ballot (referred to in the hearing as Proposal 3) would broadly grant public employees the right to organize, but that S.145 addresses statutory mechanics: which labor-relations statute would apply, how bargaining units are determined, and what procedural rules would govern elections and bargaining. Sedatny said the proposed constitutional change “would arguably give assistant attorney generals the right” to organize, but statutory follow-up would be needed to…