House Bill No. 523, introduced by Representative Wilder, aims to establish new regulations regarding the election of collective bargaining representatives in Louisiana. The bill enacts R.S. 23:988, which includes definitions for key terms such as "collective bargaining representative," "collective bargaining unit," "labor organization," "public employee," "public employer," and "third-party election facilitator." Starting October 1, 2024, and every fourth year thereafter, collective bargaining representatives will be required to engage a third-party election facilitator to conduct a secret ballot election to certify their representation. The election must be conducted by December 1st, and if more than 50% of employees in the collective bargaining unit vote in favor, the representative may continue to serve.

Additionally, the bill clarifies that it does not grant public employees the right to collective bargaining and exempts law enforcement and firefighter services from its provisions. Amendments made during the legislative process adjusted the timeline for elections and the percentage of votes required for certification, changing the requirement from at least 60% to more than 50%. The bill reflects a significant shift in the process of certifying collective bargaining representatives while ensuring that certain public safety sectors remain unaffected.