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S636119th CongressWALLET

Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act

Sponsored By: Senator Hickenlooper, John W. [D-CO]

Introduced

Summary

A federal baseline for collective bargaining rights for public safety officers would set minimum national standards for union representation and negotiation when state laws fall short. The bill emphasizes labor‑management cooperation to support emergency response and public safety missions while preserving stronger state or local protections where they already exist.

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  • Public safety officers gain an explicit right to form and join labor organizations, bargain over wages, hours, and working conditions, seek binding interest arbitration for impasses, and enforce agreements through a state agency or court of competent jurisdiction.
  • States and local governments that already "substantially provide" these rights remain under state law. States that do not meet the baseline would enter a transitional federal regulatory regime after up to two years, with the Federal Labor Relations Authority identifying which officer categories are covered.
  • The Federal Labor Relations Authority would run unit elections, resolve bargaining disputes and unfair‑labor‑practice claims, and enforce orders. The bill also bars strikes, lockouts, sickouts, and slowdowns that disrupt emergency services.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Collective bargaining rights for public safety

If enacted, public safety officers could form or join a labor organization and choose a majority union as their exclusive representative. Employers would have to recognize that union and bargain in good faith over hours, wages, and other terms of employment. The bill would allow binding interest arbitration to resolve impasses, and written agreements would be enforceable. Officers could seek enforcement in a State agency if the State permits, or in a court with proper jurisdiction.

State review for officer bargaining rights

If enacted, the Federal Labor Relations Authority would decide within 180 days whether each State already gives public safety officers the listed bargaining rights. The Authority must use the bill's criteria and consider employers' and unions' views. It could not find noncompliance just because an employee may represent themself, a subdivision is very small, or a State does not require pension or health bargaining. Parties can ask for a new decision after a material change; the Authority must issue that follow-up within 30 days if satisfied. If a State fails the test, federal rules would start on the later of two years after enactment or the end of the State's next regular legislative session.

Who is covered as public safety officer

If enacted, the bill would define public safety officers to include law enforcement officers, firefighters, and emergency medical services employees. It would include individuals temporarily transferred into supervisory or management roles. Except for those temporary transfers, supervisors, managers, and confidential employees would be excluded unless State law says otherwise. If a State has a controlling definition on the date of enactment, that State definition would apply; federal fallback rules would apply only if no State law exists.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Hickenlooper, John W. [D-CO]

CO • D

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Hassan, Margaret Wood [D-NH]

    NH • D

    Sponsored 2/19/2025

  • Sen. Slotkin, Elissa [D-MI]

    MI • D

    Sponsored 5/12/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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