Bill introduced to require public preview of collective bargaining agreements

CARSON CITY — A bill that would require local governments to provide the public an advance look at the details of a proposed collective bargaining agreement before it is voted on by the governing body was introduced in the Senate Monday.

Senate Bill 158 would require details of proposed agreements be made public at least 10 days before a vote.

SB 158 is the first of what is expected to be several bills sought by Republican lawmakers to make changes to the state’s collective bargaining process. Gov. Brian Sandoval in his State of the State address called for reforms to the process.

The bill was introduced by the Senate Government Affairs Committee. A hearing date has not yet been set.

The bill would require a local government to post proposed agreements and any exhibits or other attachments to an agreement on its website. If the proposed agreement is a modification of a previous agreement, the local government would have to show the language being added or deleted.

At a hearing to consider any such agreement, the chief executive officer of the local government entity would be required to report on the fiscal impacts of the agreement.

Four other bills dealing with the issue have been requested by Republican lawmakers.

Assemblyman Randy Kirner, R-Reno, has requested one of the most comprehensive measures of the session on the issue. It would clarify the rules that exclude supervisors from collective bargaining, prohibit using government funds to pay employees engaged in union activities, require employees to seek union deductions before they would be collected by a government entity, and make agreements retroactive to the date of the expiration of the previous contract. It would also require a final contract offer to be made public.

None of the other four bills have yet been introduced.