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Committee reviews AB596, a new bill seeking hundreds of millions to implement bargaining agreements for multiple state unions
Summary
AB 596 would appropriate general‑fund dollars to implement recently negotiated collective bargaining agreements for multiple state employee units, adding to earlier pay actions; the bill was presented as a policy and fiscal hearing and two bargaining units remain outstanding.
The Committee on Ways and Means received a policy and fiscal presentation on Assembly Bill 596, a newly introduced bill that would appropriate general‑fund money to implement a series of collective bargaining agreements reached between the State and multiple employee unions.
What the bill proposes: The governor’s finance office told the committee the bill contains specific appropriations to implement negotiated terms across several bargaining units, including AFSCME Local 4041 (multiple units), Nevada Police Union units, MPOA, FOP and other public‑safety and employment units. Provisions across the contracts include 3% salary increases each year of the upcoming biennium for many units, retention incentives, annual leave cash‑outs up to 40 hours, tool/uniform allowances, education and certification pay, personal leave days, pooled union leave hours, and certain line‑of‑duty benefits.
Fiscal details presented in committee: Fiscal staff itemized per‑unit appropriations during the hearing. The bill as presented lists individual general‑fund amounts for multiple units (examples from the committee presentation): $90,209,716 for several AFSCME units; $57,464,302 for an additional AFSCME unit; $25,125,646 for a Nevada Police Union unit; $130,891,224 for an FOP‑related package; and a number of smaller appropriations and allowances. Committee staff summed the itemized figures presented in the hearing record at roughly $313.2 million in direct appropriations for the contract terms shown; two bargaining units (FOP N and POA) remained outstanding and were set for BOE consideration on May 29.
Timing and context: Committee members noted these agreements were negotiated under the statutory timeline that begins bargaining in the fall and that some arbitrations concluded shortly before the hearing. The presenter said the general‑fund amounts in AB596 are additional to the statewide pay actions already included in the governor’s pay bill; they are not duplicative. Members and agency staff discussed the timing mismatch in prior years when contract settlements were not yet finalized when the governor’s recommended budget was drafted; the chair referenced a separate measure (AB 356) that moves negotiation dates to better align bargaining with the governor’s budget in future cycles.
Stakeholder testimony: AFSCME and other union representatives testified in support of funding the negotiated contracts. Representatives of the professional firefighters, AFSCME, Nevada State Education Association and the Nevada State AFL‑CIO urged the committee to fund the agreements to honor the bargained terms for state employees. No organized opposition testimony appeared in this hearing record.
Outcome: AB596 was presented in a formal policy and fiscal hearing; committee members asked for clarifications on outstanding units and asked administration staff to provide final dollar figures once arbitration results were complete. The hearing concluded without a committee vote recorded in the transcript; sponsors and fiscal offices were asked to provide any updated numbers and outstanding arbitration figures to the committee.
