Appropriations Committee advances House Bill 211 to give collective bargaining rights to graduate assistants

The Appropriations Committee voted to advance House Bill 211, as amended, which would provide collective bargaining rights to graduate assistants.

The bill’s sponsor, Delegate Foley, described the measure as “the bill to provide collective bargaining rights to graduate assistants.” Two amendments were adopted before the committee voted: Amendment 1 was described as technical; Amendment 2 removes postdoctoral associates from a separate unit and folds them back into the definition of graduate assistants, creating a single bargaining unit rather than two.

After the amendments were adopted, a committee member moved to advance the bill as amended and a second was recorded. The committee conducted a roll-call vote. Recorded votes in favor included Vice Chair Chang, Delegate Smith, Delegate Lewis, Delegate Shetty, Delegate Solomon, Delegate Ivy, Delegate Jones, Delegate McCaskill, Delegate Ralph, Delegate Spiegel, Delegate Bridal, Delegate Chandler, Delegate Ace of Arrow, Delegate Harris, and Delegate Forbes. Recorded no votes included Delegate Grace, Delegate McComis, Delegate Bee Champ, Delegate Stanko, Delegate Maginoni, Delegate Warlick, and Delegate Hynbog. Delegate Metz was noted as absent. The motion carried and the committee advanced the bill.

Votes at a glance

- House Bill 10 — Withdrawn by sponsor; committee treated as unfavorable/failed. (Withdrawn by department/sponsor; no further action recorded.) - House Bill 175 — Withdrawn by the department; committee treated as unfavorable/failed. (Withdrawn; no further action recorded.) - House Bill 211 — Moved as amended and advanced by roll-call vote. Amendments: #1 technical; #2 removes postdoctoral associates from a separate unit and adds them into the definition of graduate assistants to create one bargaining unit.

The chair closed the short session and adjourned the committee.