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House approves bill to expand teacher-organization access after heated debate
Summary
The House passed Third Substitute Senate Bill 56 on Feb. 23, 2007, expanding equal access for education employee organizations to districts' communication channels while including intent language that preserves school districts' collective-bargaining authority; the measure passed 39–31.
The Utah House on Feb. 23 approved Third Substitute Senate Bill 56, a measure described by supporters as expanding ‘‘equal access’’ for employee associations to communicate with public-school employees, and by opponents as a move with potential implications for the dominant statewide teachers’ association.
Representative Newbold, the bill’s sponsor, said the legislation ‘‘is not a collective bargaining bill’’ but rather ‘‘about choice and access’’ and that it simply gives multiple employee organizations the opportunity to reach teachers through routine school communications. Newbold asked that an explanatory intent statement be spread on the House Journal clarifying that the bill does not prevent districts from designating a collective-bargaining agent under existing law.
The bill replaces prior deadlines and some organizing requirements: sponsors noted the Oct. 15 deadline to organize a student group was removed and that certain administrative requirements were simplified. Representative Wyatt, who supported concurrence on the conference report earlier in the day, described the package as ‘‘a good compromise’’ that eases organizing rules.
Opponents warned the measure could be used to denigrate the predominant teachers’ association. Representative Moss urged caution, saying many teachers who were not association members nonetheless obtained representation and support from the largest association in past grievance cases. Representative Wimmer, a backer, said the predominant association ‘‘encouraging all of their members to call everybody they know’’ after a large education appropriation had underscored tensions between the association and members of the legislature.
Lawmakers debated a motion to amend and a division vote on a deletion motion earlier in the process; after full debate, the Third Substitute passed the House on a roll-call vote, 39 yes and 31 no. Representative Newbold also successfully moved language to be spread on the House Journal stating the legislature’s intent that the bill not prevent districts from establishing collective-bargaining policies (citing existing statutory sections identified in debate).
The measure will be returned to the Senate for further consideration. The House record shows the passage and the Journal intent language as part of the legislative record.
