The Big Four for Big Labor

Next Friday, March 13, is the funnel deadline requiring all Senate bills to be reported out of Senate committees, and all House bills to be reported out of House committees. Bills that don’t get reported out of committee are effectively killed. However, issues may be resurrected until the last day through amendments of leadership bills. There are four main labor issues CSG is keeping an eye on - a couple of which are already funnel-proof.

Right to Work

House File 555 authorizing the negotiation of “fair share” fees in collective bargaining agreements was introduced on Wednesday by Representative Bruce Hunter (D-Des Moines) and referred to the House Labor Committee. An individually sponsored bill being introduced on such a major issue at this late date may be going nowhere, but if it does, it must be voted out of the committee by next Friday.

Choice of Doctor (a.k.a. Doctor Shopping)

House File 530 states that employers would no longer be able to select proper medical care for employees injured on the job. This bill was also introduced on Wednesday by Representative Hunter and referred to the House Labor Committee. Similarly, it must be voted out of the committee by next Friday to survive in the House.

A similar bill exists in the Senate, Senate File 155, and was voted out of the Senate Labor & Business Relations Committee in mid-February and placed on the Senate Debate Calendar. The bill is very much alive and funnel-proof, and so is the issue regardless of action taken on it in the House.

Prevailing Wage

A motion to Reconsider was filed February 23, after that weekend-long prevailing wage debacle. House File 333 has not shown any signs of life after having been shot down, but could be revived at anytime if a previously "No"-voting Democrat decided to change his or her mind. No such bill has been filed on the Senate side.

Collective Bargaining

Expanded bargaining bills add specific things to the list of what unions can bargain for. Nothing has been filed yet and there is no word of anything coming up. Legislative leaders are going to wait for Governor Culver’s approval before any action is taken regarding a collective bargaining bill.

At this point, the Prevailing Wage and Choice of Doctor bills are funnel-proof. The Right to Work bill must be voted out of committee by next Friday if it is going to become an issue, and a Collective Bargaining bill would need to be both introduced and voted out of committee before the end of the week.

On a lighter note, it was a beautiful day in the State’s Capitol today - sunny and 73 degrees. Who else is ready for spring (and an early end to the session)?