House Bill 1217 proposes significant amendments to Florida's statutes concerning public employee collective bargaining. Key changes include the introduction of new definitions such as "employee organization activities" and "good faith bargaining," which clarify the roles and expectations of employee organizations and public employers during negotiations. The bill streamlines the certification, recertification, and decertification processes for employee organizations by removing the previous requirement for majority status and appropriateness criteria. Instead, it mandates that organizations provide proof of interest from at least 30% of public employees in the bargaining unit when filing for certification, and at least 10% for intervention in elections. Additionally, all elections must be determined by a majority vote, and a 12-month waiting period is established for filing petitions after a certification election.

The bill also grants the Public Employees Relations Commission the authority to waive certain prohibitions for employee organizations representing mass transit employees to comply with federal funding requirements. It prohibits public employers from denying access to employee organizations if they allow access to other groups and outlines conditions for public employees to engage in organization activities while on duty, with specific reporting and payment requirements. Furthermore, it requires employee organizations to petition for recertification if less than 60% of unit employees have submitted membership forms and paid dues. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
H 1217 Filed: 447.203, 447.307, 447.308, 447.509, 110.114, 110.205, 112.3187, 121.031, 447.02, 447.305, 1011.60