Sponsor Statement for HB 225

HB 225, "Approval of Public Employee Agreements", would add new language to the section of the law (AS 23.40.215) that addresses the monetary terms of a collective bargaining agreement. This new language states that once the legislature agrees to the terms of a collective bargaining agreement by funding the first year of a multi-year contract, they approve all the terms in the contract, pending yearly legislative appropriation. Once the legislature enters into a contract, negotiated in good faith, I believe it is the fair and right thing to honor the negotiated contract for its entirety. The time for the legislature to disagree with the terms of a negotiated multi-year contract would be before ever appropriating funds during the first year of such a contract.

HB 225 does not change the statutory requirement giving the legislature the authority to approve the appropriating of funds for state employee contracts each year. Appropriation would still be on a FY by FY basis, but employees of the state would sense a commitment to full funding if the legislature appropriated funding the first year of the contract.

I would appreciate your support in passage of this legislation.