Concerning public employee collective bargaining processes.

 S-1777.1

SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5503

State of Washington

69th Legislature

2025 Regular Session

By Senate Labor & Commerce (originally sponsored by Senators Valdez, Alvarado, Bateman, Conway, Hasegawa, Nobles, and Saldaña)

READ FIRST TIME 02/21/25.

AN ACT Relating to public employee collective bargaining processes; amending RCW 41.56.050 ; adding new sections to chapter 41.58 RCW; and adding a new section to chapter 49.36 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 41.58 RCW to read as follows:

(1) For any new organizing petition to form a new bargaining unit of currently unrepresented workers or to add unrepresented workers to an existing bargaining unit, regardless of whether the election is by mail ballot or cross-check, the public employment relations commission must require employers and employee organizations to submit an offer of proof on challenged employees, either concurrent with the employer's submission of a list of employees or at a date determined by the commission after a showing of interest.