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, with the election to be completed by December 1st. If more than 50% of employees in the collective bargaining unit vote in favor of the representative, they may continue to serve.

Additionally, the bill clarifies that it does not grant public employees a right to collective bargaining and explicitly 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 certain public service sectors remain unaffected.