,,ii  #aaeth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #caea  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,june #bg1     
#bjah ,ms4 ,hirono 7for herself1 ,mr4   
,schumer1 ,mrs4 ,murray1 ,mr4 ,durbin1  
,mrs4 ,gillibrand1 ,ms4 ,warren1 ,mr4   
,reed1 ,ms4 ,klobuchar1 ,mr4 ,peters1   
,ms4 ,baldwin1 ,mr4 ,whitehouse1 ,mr4   
,blumenthal1 ,mr4 ,merkley1 ,mr4 ,van   
,hollen1 ,mrs4 ,feinstein1 ,mr4         
,sanders1 ,mr4 ,brown1 ,mr4 ,markey1    
,ms4 ,smith1 ,mr4 ,schatz1 ,mr4         
,menendez1 ,ms4 ,stabenow1 ,mr4 ,booker1
 ,mr4 ,wyden1 ,ms4 ,harris1 ,mr4        
,carper1 ,mr4 ,casey1 ,mr4 ,coons1 ,mr4 
,cardin1 ,ms4 ,cortez ,masto1 ,ms4      
,cantwell1 ,ms4 ,hassan1 and ,mrs4      
,shaheen7 introduced the following bill2
 which was read twice and referred to   
the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1  
,labor1 and ,pensions  ,a ,,bill  ,to   
secure the rights of public employees to
 organize1 act concertedly1 and bargain 
collectively1 which safeguard the public
 interest and promote the free and      

unobstructed flow of commerce1 and for  
other purposes4  #a4 ,short title  ,this
 ,act may be cited as the ,public       
,service ,freedom to ,negotiate ,act of 
#bjah4  #b4 ,findings2 purpose  7a7     
,findings ,congress makes the following 
findings3 7#a7 ,the denial by some      
public employers of the right of public 
employees to organize and the refusal by
 some public employers to accept the    
procedure of collective bargaining lead 
to strikes and other forms of strife or 
unrest4 ,such actions have the intent or
 the necessary effect of burdening or   
obstructing commerce by--  7,a7         
impairing the efficiency1 safety1 or    
operation of the instrumentalities of   
commerce1 which depend on stable        
government services and public          
infrastructure2  7,b7 materially        
affecting1 restraining1 or controlling  
the flow of goods into the channels of  
commerce1 or the prices of such goods in
 commerce2 or  7,c7 causing diminution  
of employment and wages in such volume  

so as to substantially impair or disrupt
 the market for goods flowing from or   
into the channels of commerce4  7#b7    
,the inequality of bargaining power     
between public employees1 who do not    
possess full freedom of association or  
actual liberty of contract1 and public  
employers substantially burdens and     
affects the flow of commerce1 and tends 
to aggravate recurrent business         
depressions1 by depressing wage rates   
and the purchasing power of wage earners
 and by negatively affecting the        
stabilization of competitive wage rates 
and decent working conditions4  7#c7    
,experience in public employment        
indicates that the statutory protection 
of the rights of public employees to    
organize1 act concertedly1 and bargain  
collectively safeguards the public      
interest and promotes the free and      
unobstructed flow of commerce among the 
,states by removing certain recognized  
sources of strife and unrest4 ,such     
protection facilitates and encourages   

the amicable settlement of disputes     
between public employees and their      
public employers involving wages1 hours1
 and other terms and conditions of      
employment4  7#d7 ,to be most effective 
and stable1 labor-management            
relationships in the public sector must 
be based on trust1 mutual respect1 open 
communication1 bilateral consensual     
problem solving1 and shared             
accountability4 ,in many public         
agencies1 it is the union that provides 
the institutional stability as elected  
leaders and appointees come and go4     
7#e7 ,state and local public employees  
play an essential role in the efforts of
 the ,united ,states to detect1 prevent1
 and respond to terrorist attacks1 and  
to respond to natural disasters1        
hazardous materials1 and other mass     
casualty incidents4 ,state and local    
public employees1 as first responders1  
are a component of our ,nation's        
,national ,incident ,management ,system1
 developed by the ,department of        

,homeland ,security to coordinate       
response to and recovery from terrorism1
 major natural disasters1 and other     
major emergencies4 ,effective and stable
 public employer-employee relationships 
are essential in meeting these needs and
 are1 therefore1 in both the ,national  
interest as well as in furtherance of   
the ,united ,states obligation to       
safeguard the country under section #d  
of article ,,iv of the ,constitution of 
the ,united ,states4  7#f7 ,teachers and
 other education professionals          
7including paraprofessionals1           
custodians1 administrative staff1       
cafeteria workers1 specialized          
instructional support personnel1 and    
others7 work to provide quality         
education to every student4 ,students   
deserve the opportunity to reach their  
full potential in a well-resourced      
public school4  7#g7 ,conflict between  
public employers and public employees   
has implications for the security of    
public employees and the public and     

affects interstate and intrastate       
commerce4 ,ineffective and unstable     
labor-management relations can          
detrimentally impact the upgrading of   
public services of local communities1   
the health and well-being of public     
employees1 and the morale within public 
agencies4 ,additionally1 these factors  
have significant commercial             
repercussions4 ,moreover1 providing     
minimal standards for collective        
bargaining rights in the public sector  
can prevent industrial strife between   
labor and management that interferes    
with the normal flow of commerce4 ,it is
 settled law that ,congress has         
authority under the ,commerce ,clause of
 section #h of article ,i of the        
,constitution of the ,united ,states to 
safeguard protections for employees of  
,state and local governments4  7#h7     
,many ,states and localities already    
have laws that provide public employees 
with collective bargaining rights       
comparable to or greater than the rights

 and responsibilities set forth in this 
,act1 and such ,state and local laws    
should be respected4  7#i7 ,while the   
,national ,labor ,relations ,act 7#bi   
,u4,s4,c4 #aea et seq47 protects the    
rights of private-sector employees to   
form or join unions1 act concertedly for
 the purpose of collective bargaining or
 other mutual aid or protection1 and    
bargain collectively with their         
employers1 no ,federal law protects     
these fundamental labor rights for      
employees of the ,states1 including     
territories and possessions of the      
,united ,states1 and the political      
subdivisions thereof4 ,the ,federal     
,government needs to encourage          
conciliation1 mediation1 and dispute    
resolution to aid and encourage public  
employers and the representatives of    
their public employees to reach and     
maintain agreements concerning rates of 
pay1 hours1 and working conditions1 and 
to make all reasonable efforts through  
negotiations to settle their differences

 by mutual agreement reached through    
collective bargaining or by such methods
 as may be provided for in any          
applicable agreement for the settlement 
of disputes4  7b7 ,purpose ,it is the   
purpose of this ,act to-- 7#a7 secure   
the rights of public employees to form  
or join unions1 act concertedly for the 
purpose of collective bargaining or     
other mutual aid or protection1 and     
bargain collectively with their         
employers2 and  7#b7 reaffirm the policy
 of the ,united ,states to encourage the
 practice and procedure of collective   
bargaining1 which safeguards the public 
interest and promotes the free and      
unobstructed flow of commerce4  #c4     
,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7        
,authority ,the term ,authority means   
the ,federal ,labor ,relations          
,authority4  7#b7 ,collective bargaining
 ,the term collective bargaining1 with  
respect to public employees and public  
employers1 means the performance of the 
mutual obligation of the representative 

of a public employer and the exclusive  
representative of public employees in an
 appropriate unit of the employer to    
meet at reasonable times and to consult 
and bargain in a good-faith effort to   
reach agreement with respect to wages1  
hours1 and other terms and conditions of
 employment affecting such employees and
 to execute1 if requested by either     
party1 a written document incorporating 
any collective bargaining agreement     
reached1 but the obligation referred to 
in this paragraph does not compel either
 party to agree to a proposal or to make
 a concession4  7#c7 ,confidential      
employee  7,a7 ,in general ,except as   
provided in subparagraph 7,b71 the term 
confidential employee means a public    
employee who acts in a confidential     
capacity with respect to an individual  
who formulates or effectuates management
 policies in the field of               
labor-management relations4  7,b7 ,state
 law ,if the term confidential employee1
 or a substantially equivalent term1 has

 a substantially equivalent meaning     
under applicable ,state law to the      
meaning under subparagraph 7,a7 on the  
date of the enactment of this ,act1 such
 term1 or substantially equivalent term1
 and meaning under such applicable      
,state law shall apply with respect to  
the term confidential employee under    
this ,act for public employees and      
public employers in such ,state4  7#d7  
,emergency services employee ,the term  
emergency services employee means-- 7,a7
 a public employee providing            
out-of-hospital emergency medical care1 
including an emergency medical          
technician1 paramedic1 or first         
responder2 or  7,b7 a public employee   
providing other services in response to 
emergencies that have the potential to  
cause death or serious bodily injury1   
including an employee in fire protection
 activities 7as defined in section #c of
 the ,fair ,labor ,standards ,act of    
#aich 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #bjc774  7#e7      
,employ ,the term employ includes to    

suffer or permit to work4  7#f7 ,labor  
organization ,the term labor            
organization1 with respect to public    
employers and public employees1 means   
any organization of any kind in which   
public employees participate and which  
exists for the purpose1 in whole or in  
part1 of dealing with public employers  
concerning grievances1 labor disputes1  
wages1 rates of pay1 hours of           
employment1 or conditions of work4  7#g7
 ,law enforcement officer ,the term law 
enforcement officer has the meaning     
given such term in section #abjd of the 
,omnibus ,crime ,control and ,safe      
,streets ,act of #aifh 7#cd ,u4,s4,c4   
#ajbhd74  7#h7 ,management employee     
7,a7 ,in general ,except as provided in 
subparagraph 7,b71 the term management  
employee means an individual employed by
 a public employer in a position the    
duties and responsibilities of which    
require or authorize the individual to  
formulate1 determine1 or influence the  
policies of the employer4  7,b7 ,state  

law ,if the term management employee1 or
 a substantially equivalent term1 has a 
substantially equivalent meaning under  
applicable ,state law to the meaning    
under subparagraph 7,a7 on the date of  
the enactment of this ,act1 such term1  
or substantially equivalent term1 and   
meaning under such applicable ,state law
 shall apply with respect to the term   
management employee under this ,act for 
public employees and public employers in
 such ,state4  7#i7 ,person ,the term   
person means an individual or a labor   
organization4  7#aj7 ,public employee   
,the term public employee--  7,a7 means 
an individual1 employed by a public     
employer1 who in any workweek is engaged
 in commerce or in the production of    
goods for commerce1 or is employed in an
 enterprise engaged in commerce or in   
the production of goods for commerce 7as
 the terms commerce1 goods1 and         
enterprise engaged in commerce or in the
 production of goods for commerce are   
defined in section #c of the ,fair      

,labor ,standards ,act of #aich72  7,b7 
includes an individual who is           
temporarily transferred to a supervisory
 or management position2 and  7,c7 does 
not include a permanent supervisory     
employee1 permanent management employee1
 or permanent confidential employee1 or 
an elected official4  7#aa7 ,public     
employer ,the term employer means any of
 the following that employs public      
employees3 7,a7 ,a ,state or the        
political subdivision of a ,state1      
including a territory or political      
subdivision of a territory4  7,b7 ,any  
authority1 agency1 school district1     
board or other entity controlled and    
operated by an entity described in      
subparagraph 7,a74  7#ab7 ,state ,the   
term ,state means each of the several   
,states of the ,united ,states1 the     
,district of ,columbia1 and any         
territory or possession of the ,united  
,states4  7#ac7 ,substantially provides 
,the term substantially provide or      
substantially provides1 with respect to 

the rights and responsibilities         
described in section #d7;b71 means      
providing rights and responsibilities   
that are comparable to or greater than  
each of the rights and responsibilities 
described in such section4  7#ad7       
,supervisory employee  7,a7 ,in general 
,except as provided in subparagraph     
7,b71 the term supervisory employee     
means an individual1 employed by a      
public employer1 who-- 7i7 has the      
authority in the interest of the        
employer1 if the exercise of the        
authority is not merely routine or      
clerical in nature but requires the     
consistent exercise of independent      
judgment1 to--  7,i7 hire1 promote1     
reward1 transfer1 furlough1 lay off1    
recall1 suspend1 discipline1 or remove  
public employees2  7,,ii7 adjust the    
grievances of public employees2 or      
7,,iii7 effectively recommend any action
 described in subclause 7,i7 or 7,,ii72 
and  7ii7 devotes a majority of time at 
work to exercising the authority under  

clause 7i74  7,b7 ,state law ,if the    
term supervisory employee1 or a         
substantially equivalent term1 has a    
substantially equivalent meaning under  
applicable ,state law to the meaning    
under subparagraph 7,a7 on the date of  
the enactment of this ,act1 such term1  
or substantially equivalent term1 and   
meaning under such applicable ,state law
 shall apply with respect to the term   
supervisory employee under this ,act for
 public employees and public employers  
in such ,state4  #d4 ,determination of  
rights and responsibilities  7a7        
,determination  7#a7 ,in general ,not   
later than #ahj days after the date of  
enactment of this ,act1 the ,authority  
shall make a determination as to whether
 a ,state substantially provides for the
 rights and responsibilities described  
in subsection 7b74  7#b7 ,consideration 
of additional opinions ,in making the   
determination described in paragraph    
7#a71 the ,authority shall consider the 
opinions of affected public employees1  

labor organizations1 and public         
employers4 ,in the case where the       
,authority is notified by an affected   
public employer and labor organization  
that both parties agree that the law    
applicable to such employer and labor   
organization substantially provides for 
the rights and responsibilities         
described in subsection 7b71 the        
,authority shall give such agreement    
weight to the maximum extent practicable
 in making the ,authority's             
determination described in paragraph    
7#a74  7#c7 ,limited criteria ,in making
 the determination described in         
paragraph 7#a71 the ,authority shall be 
limited to the application of the       
criteria described in subsection 7b7 and
 shall not use any additional criteria4 
7#d7 ,subsequent determinations  7,a7   
,in general ,a determination made       
pursuant to paragraph 7#a7 shall remain 
in effect unless and until the          
,authority issues a subsequent          
determination1 in accordance with the   

procedures set forth in subparagraph    
7,b74  7,b7 ,procedures for subsequent  
determinations ,upon establishing that a
 material change in ,state law or its   
interpretation has occurred1 a public   
employee1 public employer1 or a labor   
organization may submit a written       
request for a subsequent determination4 
,if satisfied that a material change in 
,state law or its interpretation has    
occurred1 the ,authority shall issue a  
subsequent determination not later than 
#cj days after receipt of such request4 
7#e7 ,judicial review ,any person or    
public employer aggrieved by a          
determination of the ,authority under   
this section may1 during the #fj-;day   
period beginning on the date on which   
the determination was made1 petition any
 ,united ,states ,court of ,appeals in  
the circuit in which the person or      
public employer resides or transacts    
business or in the ,court of ,appeals   
for the ,district of ,columbia ,circuit1
 for judicial review4 ,in any judicial  

review of a determination made by the   
,authority described in paragraph 7#a71 
the procedures contained in subsections 
7c7 and 7d7 of section #gabc of title   
#e1 ,united ,states ,code1 shall be     
followed4  7b7 ,rights and              
responsibilities ,the rights and        
responsibilities described in this      
subsection are each of the following3   
7#a7 ,granting public employees the     
right to self-organization1 to form1    
join1 or assist a labor organization1 to
 bargain collectively through           
representatives of their own choosing1  
and to engage in other concerted        
activities for the purpose of collective
 bargaining or other mutual aid or      
protection4  7#b7 ,requiring public     
employers to-- 7,a7 recognize the labor 
organization of its public employees    
7freely chosen in an election by a      
majority of such employees voting in the
 appropriate unit71 without requiring an
 election to recertify a labor          
organization that is already recognized 

as the representative of such employees 
unless not less than #cj percent of such
 employees in the appropriate unit      
freely sign a petition to decertify such
 labor organization2  7,b7 collectively 
bargain with such recognized labor      
organization2 and  7,c7 commit any      
agreements with such recognized labor   
organization to writing in a contract or
 memorandum of understanding4  7#c7     
,making available an interest impasse   
resolution mechanism1 such as           
fact-finding1 mediation1 arbitration1 or
 comparable procedures and providing for
 the payroll deduction of labor         
organization fees to any duly-selected  
representative of public employees      
pursuant to the terms of an             
authorization executed by such public   
employees4  7#d7 ,requiring enforcement 
of all rights1 responsibilities1 and    
protections provided by ,state law and  
enumerated in this section1 and of any  
written contract or memorandum of       
understanding between a labor           

organization and a public employer1     
through--  7,a7 a ,state administrative 
agency1 if the ,state so chooses2  7,b7 
at the election of an aggrieved party1  
the ,state courts2 or  7,c7 in the case 
of an alleged violation1                
misinterpretation1 or misapplication of 
the contract or memorandum of           
understanding1 a grievance resolution   
procedure negotiated in such contract or
 memorandum4  7c7 ,compliance with      
requirements ,if the ,authority         
determines1 acting pursuant to its      
authority under subsection 7a71 that a  
,state substantially provides for the   
rights and responsibilities described in
 subsection 7b71 then subsection 7d7    
shall not apply4  7d7 ,failure ,to meet 
requirements  7#a7 ,in general ,if the  
,authority determines1 acting pursuant  
to its authority under subsection 7a71  
that a ,state does not substantially    
provide for the rights and              
responsibilities described in subsection
 7b71 then such ,state shall be subject 

to the regulations and procedures       
described in section #e beginning on the
 later of--  7,a7 the date that is #b   
years after the date of enactment of    
this ,act2  7,b7 the date that is the   
last day of the first regular session of
 the legislature of the ,state that     
begins after the date of the enactment  
of this ,act2 or  7,c7 in the case of a 
,state receiving a subsequent           
determination under subsection 7a77#d71 
the date that is the last day of the    
first regular session of the legislature
 of the ,state that begins after the    
date the ,authority made the            
determination4  7#b7 ,partial failure   
,if the ,authority makes a determination
 that a ,state does not substantially   
provide for the rights and              
responsibilities described in subsection
 7b7 solely because the ,state law      
substantially provides for such rights  
and responsibilities for certain        
categories of public employees but not  
others1 the ,authority shall identify-- 

7,a7 those categories of public         
employees that shall be subject to the  
regulations and procedures described in 
section #e1 pursuant to section         
#h7;b77#c71 beginning on the applicable 
date under paragraph 7#a72 and  7,b7    
those categories of public employees    
that shall not be subject to the        
regulations and procedures described in 
section #e4  #e4 ,minimum standards     
administered by the ,federal ,labor     
,relations ,authority  7a7 ,in general  
,not later than #a year after the date  
of enactment of this ,act1 the          
,authority shall issue regulations in   
accordance with the rights and          
responsibilities described in section   
#d7;b7 establishing collective          
bargaining procedures for public        
employers1 labor organizations1 and     
public employees in ,states which the   
,authority has determined1 acting       
pursuant to section #d7;a71 do not      
substantially provide for such rights   
and responsibilities4  7b7 ,role of the 

,federal ,labor ,relations ,authority   
,the ,authority1 to the extent provided 
in this ,act and in accordance with     
regulations prescribed by the           
,authority1 shall--  7#a7 protect the   
right of public employees to form1 join1
 or assist any labor organization1 or to
 refrain from any such activity1 freely 
and without fear of penalty or reprisal1
 protect the right of public employees  
to bargain collectively through         
representatives of their own choosing1  
and protect the right of public         
employees to engage in other concerted  
activities for the purpose of collective
 bargaining or other mutual aid or      
protection2  7#b7 supervise or conduct  
elections to determine whether a labor  
organization has been selected as an    
exclusive representative by a majority  
of the public employees voting in such  
election in an appropriate unit1 and    
provide for the payroll deduction of    
labor organization fees to any such     
duly-elected exclusive representative   

pursuant to the terms of an             
authorization executed by a public      
employee2  7#c7 determine the           
appropriateness of units for labor      
organization representation2  7#d7      
require public employers to--  7,a7     
recognize the labor organization of its 
public employees 7freely chosen by a    
majority of such employees voting in the
 appropriate unit7 as the exclusive     
representative of such employees2  7,b7 
bargain in good faith with such labor   
organization concerning public          
employees' wages1 hours1 and other terms
 and conditions of employment1 which    
shall include a procedure for the       
settlement of grievances culminating in 
binding arbitration in any agreement and
 a procedure for resolving any impasses 
in collective bargaining2 and  7,c7     
commit any agreements to writing in a   
contract or memorandum of understanding2
  7#e7 prohibit practices which         
interfere with1 coerce1 or intimidate   
public employees in the exercise of     

rights guaranteed in paragraph 7#a7 or  
regulations issued thereunder2  7#f7    
conduct hearings and resolve complaints 
concerning violations of any regulation 
or order issued by the ,authority       
pursuant to this ,act2  7#g7 resolve    
exceptions to the awards of arbitrators2
 and  7#h7 take such other actions as   
are necessary and appropriate to        
effectively administer this ,act1       
including issuing subpoenas requiring   
the attendance and testimony of         
witnesses and the production of         
documentary or other evidence from any  
place in the ,united ,states1           
administering oaths1 taking or ordering 
the taking of depositions1 ordering     
responses to written interrogatories1   
and receiving and examining witnesses4  
7c7 ,enforcement ,the ,authority may    
issue an order directing compliance by  
any person or public employer found to  
be in violation of this section1 and may
 petition any ,united ,states ,court of 
,appeals with jurisdiction over the     

parties1 or the ,united ,states ,court  
of ,appeals for the ,district of        
,columbia ,circuit1 to enforce any such 
final orders issued pursuant to this    
section or pursuant to regulations      
issued under this section1 and for      
appropriate temporary relief or a       
restraining order4 ,any petition under  
this section shall be conducted in      
accordance with subsections 7c7 and 7d7 
of section #gabc of title #e1 ,united   
,states ,code4  #f4 ,lockouts and       
employee strikes prohibited when        
emergency or public safety services     
imperiled  7a7 ,in general ,subject to  
subsection 7b71 any employer1 emergency 
services employee1 or law enforcement   
officer to which section #e applies may 
not engage in a lockout1 strike1 or any 
other organized job action of which a   
reasonably probable result is a         
measurable disruption of the delivery of
 emergency or public safety services4   
,no labor organization may cause or     
attempt to cause a violation of this    

subsection4  7b7 ,no preemption ,nothing
 in this section shall be construed to  
preempt any law of any ,state or        
political subdivision of any ,state with
 respect to strikes by emergency        
services employees or law enforcement   
officers4  #g4 ,existing collective     
bargaining units and agreements ,the    
enactment of this ,act shall not        
invalidate any certification1           
recognition1 result of an election1     
collective bargaining agreement1 or     
memorandum of understanding that--  7#a7
 has been issued1 approved1 or ratified 
by any public employee relations board  
or commission1 or by any ,state or      
political subdivision or an agent or    
management official of such ,state or   
political subdivision2 and  7#b7 is in  
effect on the day before the date of    
enactment of this ,act4  #h4            
,exceptions2 rules of construction  7a7 
,in general ,section #d7;d71 and the    
regulations and procedures under section
 #e1 shall not apply-- 7#a7 solely      

because a ,state law permits a public   
employee to appear on the employee's own
 behalf with respect to the employee's  
employment relations with the public    
employer involved2  7#b7 solely because 
a ,state law excludes from its coverage 
public employees of a ,state militia or 
national guard2  7#c7 to a political    
subdivision of a ,state if-- 7,a7 such  
political subdivision has a population  
of fewer than #e1jjj people or employs  
fewer than #be public employees2 and    
7,b7 the ,state in which such political 
subdivision is located notifies the     
,authority of the ,state's request that 
such political subdivision be exempt    
from such sections2 or  7#d7 solely     
because the laws or ordinances of a     
,state or political subdivision of a    
,state permit or require a public       
employer to recognize a labor           
organization on the basis of signed     
authorizations executed by public       
employees designating the labor         
organization as their representative4   

7b7 ,compliance  7#a7 ,actions of       
,states ,nothing in this ,act or the    
regulations promulgated under this ,act 
shall be construed to require a ,state  
to rescind1 or preempt1 the laws or     
ordinances of any political subdivision 
of the ,state1 if such laws or          
ordinances provide rights and           
responsibilities for public employees   
that are comparable to or greater than  
the rights and responsibilities         
described in section #d7;b74  7#b7      
,actions of the ,district of ,columbia  
,nothing in this ,act or the regulations
 promulgated under this ,act shall be   
construed-- 7,a7 to require the         
,district of ,columbia to rescind--  7i7
 section #eja of the ,district of       
,columbia ,government ,comprehensive    
,merit ,personnel ,act 7#a-fje4ja1      
,d4,c4 ,official ,code71 establishing   
the ,public ,employee ,relations ,board 
of the ,district of ,columbia2 or  7ii7 
section #ejb of such ,act 7#a-fje4jb1   
,d4,c4 ,official ,code71 establishing   

the power of the ,board2  7,b7 to       
preempt the laws described in           
subparagraph 7,a72 or  7,c7 to limit or 
alter the powers of the government of   
the ,district of ,columbia pursuant to  
the ,district of ,columbia ,home ,rule  
,act 7,public ,law #ic-aih2 #a-bja4ja et
 seq41 ,d4,c4 ,official ,code74  7#c7   
,actions of the authority ,nothing in   
this ,act or the regulations promulgated
 under this ,act shall be construed to  
preempt-- 7,a7 the laws or ordinances of
 any ,state or political subdivision of 
a ,state1 if such laws or ordinances    
provide collective bargaining rights for
 public employees that are comparable to
 or greater than the rights enumerated  
in section #d7;b72  7,b7 the laws or    
ordinances of any ,state or political   
subdivision of a ,state that            
substantially provide for the rights and
 responsibilities described in section  
#d7;b7 with respect to certain          
categories of public employees solely   
because such rights and responsibilities

 have not been extended to other        
categories of public employees covered  
by this ,act2  7,c7 the laws or         
ordinances of any ,state or political   
subdivision of a ,state that            
substantially provide for the rights and
 responsibilities described in section  
#d7;b71 solely because such laws or     
ordinances provide that a contract or   
memorandum of understanding between a   
public employer and a labor organization
 must be presented to a legislative body
 as part of the process for approving   
such contract or memorandum of          
understanding2 or  7,d7 the laws or     
ordinances of any ,state or political   
subdivision of a ,state that permit or  
require a public employer to recognize a
 labor organization on the basis of     
signed authorizations executed by public
 employees designating the labor        
organization as their representative4   
7#d7 ,limited enforcement power ,in the 
case of a law described in section      
#d7;d77#b71 the ,authority shall only   

exercise the powers provided in section 
#e with respect to those categories of  
public employees for whom the ,state    
does not substantially provide the      
rights and responsibilities described in
 section #d7;b74  #i4 ,authorization of 
appropriations ,there are authorized to 
be appropriated such sums as may be     
necessary to carry out the provisions of
 this ,act4