Substitute House Bill No. 5056 with File No. 400 is designed to promote the sharing of municipal services by removing legal barriers that currently prevent or limit such cooperation. The bill repeals any conflicting provisions in municipal charters, special acts, or home rule ordinances, thereby allowing municipalities to enter into agreements with other municipalities or regional councils of governments for shared services. It introduces the concept of coalition bargaining units, which can be formed by existing collective bargaining units to negotiate regional public services, such as education and emergency services. Municipalities and boards of education are required to negotiate with these units upon request, and collective bargaining units can seek clarification or modification to represent employees involved in shared services.

The bill also grants regional councils of governments the authority to make appointments for municipal functions that are part of a shared services agreement, covering a range of administrative and regulatory activities. The Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management is tasked with implementing regulations for these provisions. The bill is set to take effect on July 1, 2024, and includes insertions specifically mentioning the bill's identification and effective date, with no deletions noted. The fiscal impact statement indicates no state impact, but the extent of municipal impact will depend on the utilization of shared service agreements. The bill also lists various municipal officials and local agencies that could be affected by these shared services, but without the full text, a detailed summary of the proposed changes cannot be provided. The Planning and Development Committee has voted in favor of the bill with a Joint Favorable Substitute.

Statutes affected:
Governor's Bill: 7-468