House Bill 1217 proposes significant amendments to Florida's statutes concerning public employee collective bargaining, focusing on definitions, certification processes, and the authority of the Public Employees Relations Commission (PERC). The bill introduces new definitions, such as "employee organization activities," and clarifies terms like "good faith bargaining." It streamlines the certification, recertification, and decertification processes for employee organizations by removing previous requirements for majority status and appropriateness criteria, instead mandating that organizations provide proof of interest from at least 30% of public employees in the bargaining unit when filing for certification. Additionally, it establishes that certification elections must be determined by a majority vote, with provisions for runoff elections if necessary.

Moreover, the bill imposes new restrictions on both employee organizations and public employers regarding solicitation and access to resources. It prohibits employee organizations from paying fines or penalties for individuals and ensures public employers cannot deny access to their resources if they allow access to other organizations. The bill also allows public employees to engage in representational activities during duty status without losing pay, provided certain reporting conditions are met. Other revisions include clarifying membership dues deductions, sharing retiree information with bargaining agents, and specifying that strikes by school district employees do not qualify as emergencies. 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