Appropriations Committee advances Senate bill to give binding arbitration to BWI firefighters

The Appropriations Committee voted to give a favorable recommendation to the Senate version of a bill that would grant binding arbitration rights to firefighters at Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI).

Delegate Solomon, who introduced the Senate measure, told the committee the bill is the Senate version of legislation already passed in another chamber and said it differs from the House version by omitting a proposed constitutional amendment and by not containing language that would bind the governor to create an appropriation. "This is the Senate version of the bill that we passed already that gives binding arbitration to BWI firefighters, the distinction between this bill and the House bill is this bill does not contain, the constitutional amendment and does not contain any language binding the governor in creating an appropriation," Delegate Solomon said.

Committee members then moved the bill for a favorable recommendation and conducted a roll-call vote. The roll call recorded 18 yays and 4 nos; the committee chair announced the bill passed on the favorable recommendation.

Those who voted yes (recorded on the roll call) included Vice Chair Chang; Delegate Smith; Delegate Lewis; Delegate Shetty; Delegate Watson; Delegate Solomon; Delegate Jones; Delegate McCaskill; Delegate Ruff; Delegate Spiegle; Delegate Schindler; Delegate Stoncker; Delegate Wallach; Delegate Heimber; Delegate Metzger; Delegate Edelson; Delegate Harris; and Delegate Forbes. Those recorded as voting no included Delegate Grace; Delegate McComas; Delegate Beecham; and Delegate Mangione.

The sponsor moved the bill; a second was recorded but the transcript did not identify which member seconded the motion. The committee's action was a favorable recommendation; no appropriation was included in the text as presented to the committee.

The committee proceeded to other items after the vote.