The bill proposes amendments to Chapter 28-9.4 of the General Laws, which deals with "Municipal Employees’ Arbitration." It revises the language to affirm the right of municipal employees to negotiate and bargain collectively over a broader range of employment terms, including "wages, rates of pay," and "all other terms and conditions of employment," as opposed to the more limited "salary, working conditions" previously stated. The bill also makes the arbitrators' decisions final and binding, removing the option to reject nonbinding matters from their decisions. Furthermore, it adds a new section that requires arbitrators to consider specific factors when making decisions, such as wage comparisons, employment conditions, the size of the municipality, and the public interest.

Significant deletions from the current law include the removal of language that allowed for the rejection of nonbinding matters in arbitration decisions. The bill also restricts the appeal of arbitrators' decisions solely to instances of fraud or legal violations. Additionally, it introduces a requirement for municipal employers to inform budgetary and appropriating agencies when an arbitration decision involves financial expenditures. The new section, 28-9.4-12.1, provides a detailed list of factors for arbitrators to consider, emphasizing the importance of fair comparisons and the peculiarities of different employment situations. The bill is designed to take effect immediately upon passage, signaling an immediate impact on the arbitration process for municipal employees.