SB 919 (Salim) / HB 2619 (Helmer) have passed their respective committees and could be heard this week. Both bills are unfunded mandates that infringe on local authority.
ACTION REQUIRED – Contact the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee and the House Labor and Commerce Committee to oppose.
The bills would require the governing body of any county that contracts with a private company to provide transportation services, for the contract to include provisions requiring any employee of the private company be given compensation and benefits that are at a minimum equivalent to the compensation and benefits provided to a public employee.
Furthermore, the bill states that if a county has adopted an ordinance or resolution authorizing collective bargaining by employees of such county, in contracting with a private company for transportation services, the county would require such company to enter and adhere to a collective bargaining agreement.
KEY POINTS
- The bills would mandate collective bargaining within select counties, interfere with the ability for a county to make employment and services delivery decisions, and may have costly unintended consequences.
- The bills include language that could be potentially harmful to counties such as how “transportation services” are constituted. Generally, this means those who operate transit systems but could very likely include mechanics of such systems.
- The bills would almost certainly raise the operating costs of transportation delivery systems at a time when the budgets of these services are very tight as it is.
SB 919 reported from the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee and was re-referred to the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee.
HB 2619 reported from the House Labor and Commerce Subcommittee #2 by a vote of 6-3 and will be heard in the House Labor and Commerce Committee on January 28.
VACo Contact: James Hutzler