HB 263 — An Act amending the act of July 23, 1970 (P.L.563, No.195), known as the Public Employe Relations Act, in definitions, further providing for the definition of "maintenance of membership"; in employee rights, further providing for lawful activities and providing for rights and privileges and for civil actions; and, in scope of bargaining, further providing for proper subjects of bargaining.

PRINTER'S NO.    208

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 263
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY GLEIM, BARGER, ZIMMERMAN, HAMM AND LEADBETER,
        JANUARY 22, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON LABOR AND INDUSTRY, JANUARY 22, 2025


                                    AN ACT
 1   Amending the act of July 23, 1970 (P.L.563, No.195), entitled
 2      "An act establishing rights in public employes to organize
 3      and bargain collectively through selected representatives;
 4      defining public employes to include employes of nonprofit
 5      organizations and institutions; providing compulsory
 6      mediation and fact-finding, for collective bargaining
 7      impasses; providing arbitration for certain public employes
 8      for collective bargaining impasses; defining the scope of
 9      collective bargaining; establishing unfair employe and
10      employer practices; prohibiting strikes for certain public
11      employes; permitting strikes under limited conditions;
12      providing penalties for violations; and establishing
13      procedures for implementation," in definitions, further
14      providing for the definition of "maintenance of membership";
15      in employee rights, further providing for lawful activities
16      and providing for rights and privileges and for civil
17      actions; and, in scope of bargaining, further providing for
18      proper subjects of bargaining.
19      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
20   hereby enacts as follows:
21      Section 1.    Sections 301(18) and 401 of the act of July 23,
22   1970 (P.L.563, No.195), known as the Public Employe Relations
23   Act, are amended to read:
24      Section 301.    As used in this act:
25      * * *
26      [(18)   "Maintenance of membership" means that all employes
 1   who have joined an employe organization or who join the employe
 2   organization in the future must remain members for the duration
 3   of a collective bargaining agreement so providing with the
 4   proviso that any such employe or employes may resign from such
 5   employe organization during a period of fifteen days prior to
 6   the expiration of any such agreement.]
 7      * * *
 8      Section 401.   It shall be lawful for public employes to
 9   organize, form, join or assist in employe organizations or to
10   engage in lawful concerted activities for the purpose of
11   collective bargaining or other mutual aid and protection or to
12   bargain collectively through representatives of their own free
13   choice and such employes shall also have the right to refrain
14   from any or all such activities[, except as may be required
15   pursuant to a maintenance of membership provision in a
16   collective bargaining agreement].
17      Section 2.   The act is amended by adding sections to read:
18      Section 402.   (Reserved).
19      Section 402.1.   The following apply regarding rights and
20   privileges:
21      (1)   Public employes shall have equal rights and privileges,
22   without regard to membership in an employe organization, to
23   attend all meetings at which collective bargaining agreements
24   governing their employment will be submitted for ratification
25   and to participate in the deliberations and voting upon the
26   ratification on equal terms with members of the employe
27   organization.
28      (2)   An employe organization may not limit or condition the
29   right of a public employe to:
30      (i)   speak and express views, arguments or opinions regarding

20250HB0263PN0208                    - 2 -
 1   the employe organization or business properly before the employe
 2   organization;
 3      (ii)    associate or disassociate from membership with the
 4   employe organization at any time; or
 5      (iii)    cease payment of dues upon resignation of union
 6   membership.
 7      (3)    Each member of an employe organization shall have the
 8   right to transparency and uniformity regarding membership dues,
 9   initiation fees and assessments charged by the employe
10   organization.
11      (4)    On an annual basis, an employe organization shall
12   provide to the members of the employe organization a full
13   accounting of the activities of the employe organization and the
14   amount of dues, initiation fees and assessments charged to each
15   member.
16      (5)    Each public employe of an employe organization is
17   entitled to receive a copy of the membership card, form,
18   agreement, contract or other document governing the public
19   employe's membership with the employe organization, upon the
20   execution of the document.
21      (6)    With respect to the documents referenced in clause (5),
22   the secretary or corresponding principal officer of an employe
23   organization shall:
24      (i)    Maintain copies of the documents at the principal office
25   of the employe organization.
26      (ii)    Upon the request of a public employe whose rights are
27   affected by the agreement or contract, provide the documents to
28   the public employe immediately and in electronic form.
29      Section 403.    (Reserved).
30      Section 403.1.     A person whose rights secured by section

20250HB0263PN0208                     - 3 -
 1   402.1 have been infringed by a violation of section 402.1 of
 2   this article may bring a civil action in a court of competent
 3   jurisdiction for appropriate relief and shall be entitled to
 4   reasonable costs and attorney fees if the person prevails in the
 5   civil action.
 6      Section 3.   Section 705 of the act is amended to read:
 7      Section 705.   Membership dues deductions [and maintenance of
 8   membership] are proper subjects of bargaining [with the proviso
 9   that as to the latter, the payment of dues and assessments while
10   members, may be the only requisite employment condition].
11      Section 4.   The amendment or addition of sections 301(18),
12   401, 402.1, 403.1 and 705 of the act shall apply to collective
13   bargaining agreements and contracts entered into or extended or
14   modified on or after the effective date of this section.
15      Section 5.   This act shall take effect in 60 days.




20250HB0263PN0208                  - 4 -