Committee advances amended binding‑arbitration bill for state employees, excludes higher education

Committee staff gave an extensive walk‑through of Senate Bill 28, which would create a binding‑arbitration process for applicable state employee bargaining units and require written arbitration awards to include statements of multiyear fiscal impact to the general fund.

The bill’s reprint and amendments clarify that the General Assembly retains authority over law and the final budget. Staff highlighted a higher‑education exclusion in the amendments and noted the bill’s constitutional component would appear on the statewide ballot if enacted. "This provision here that's being added...is just specifying what the governor has to include in the governor's budget submission to the general assembly," the presenter said while walking members through the reprint.

Members debated scope. One member asked why the university system was excluded; another representing the University of Maryland, College Park urged inclusion of higher education in the future, saying higher‑ed employees deserve parity with other state employees. A colleague said, "If we're gonna do it for one, we should do it for all," but the committee ultimately approved the amendment removing universities from arbitration and moved the measure forward to Finance (secondary) for further consideration.

Other amendments clarified that fringe benefits do not include pension benefits and added requirements that arbitration awards address multiyear fiscal impacts (a DBM request). Staff also flagged that some statutory language is contingent on ratification of the constitutional amendment. The committee recorded the amendment vote and then approved the bill as amended; the amendments were described as preserving the General Assembly’s authority over law and final budget decisions.

The measure raises constitutional and fiscal questions that members and staff said will be subject to further review as the bill proceeds to subsequent committees and, if necessary, to the ballot for voter approval.