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SB 1166

Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District: employee relations.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Jesse Arreguín and 1 co-sponsor

Creates a PERB-led, AC Transit specific framework for employee relations, allowing transfers of bargaining units, notice before changes, and court relief for PERB decisions.

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (June 24). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
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Bill Summary · SB 1166

Summary of SB 1166 (Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District: employee relations)

What the bill would do

  • Establish a specialized framework within California Public Utilities Code to govern employee relations for the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit).
  • Grant the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) jurisdiction to enforce certain provisions related to the district’s represented employees, including initial determinations of unfair practices and, if justified, the appropriate remedies.
  • Create a process for exclusive employee representatives to move bargaining units under PERB jurisdiction, while preserving existing impasse and injunctive relief procedures under Government Code Chapter 3.
  • Require the district to provide reasonable written notice to exclusive representatives before changes within the scope of representation, enabling time to negotiate.
  • Allow aggrieved parties in PERB unfair-practice cases to seek extraordinary relief in court and outline enforcement mechanisms beyond PERB decisions.

Key provisions and changes

  • Section 25058 (Public Utilities Code):
    • Primary purpose: improve personnel management and employer-employee relations in AC Transit; protect employees’ rights to join employee organizations and designate an exclusive representative.
    • PERB would have jurisdiction to enforce this chapter and may adopt emergency regulations as needed.
  • Section 25059:
    • Confirms that this chapter does not displace existing impasse resolution and injunctive-relief procedures under Government Code Sections 3610 and following.
    • Allows exclusive representatives to move one or more bargaining units to PERB for unfair-practice charges; the initial determination on such charges would fall under PERB’s exclusive jurisdiction.
    • Sets limits on damages related to unlawful strikes (e.g., no damages for strike-preparation or certain costs).
  • Section 25060:
    • District must give reasonable written notice to the exclusive representative of proposed changes within the scope of representation, to allow time to negotiate.
  • Section 25061:
    • Provides a pathway for petitioning the district court of appeal or superior court for extraordinary relief from PERB final decisions or orders (excluding decisions not to issue a complaint).
    • Details procedures for serving notice, record submission by PERB, and court powers (temporary relief, enforcement, but no review of the merits of the order).
  • Special-statute rationale:
    • The Legislature notes AC Transit’s unique need for a tailored statutory framework to efficiently and cost-effectively adjudicate unfair labor practice complaints.
    • If cost mandates are determined, reimbursement to local agencies would follow state mandate reimbursement rules.

Who is affected

  • Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit): subject to new governance over employee relations in the specified scope.
  • Public Employment Relations Board (PERB): gains jurisdiction over certain AC Transit employee-relations matters, including unfair-practice charges for represented employees, initial determinations, and applicable regulations; may issue emergency regulations for AC Transit.
  • Exclusive representatives (unions) representing AC Transit employees: given authority to move bargaining units to PERB jurisdiction and to negotiate changes with the district before implementation.
  • District employees represented by an exclusive representative: provided enhanced rights to organize, bargain, and seek remedies through PERB.
  • Parties aggrieved by PERB decisions: given a route to seek extraordinary relief in courts.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Involves an optional mechanism for exclusive representation to transfer unit jurisdiction to PERB; the selection for PERB jurisdiction would be irrevocable for the affected unit.
  • District must provide timely written notice before changes within the scope of representation to permit negotiation.
  • Extraordinary relief process: filing window of 30 days from PERB’s final decision/order, with PERB record submission within 10 days of notice; court can grant temporary relief and enforce PERB orders, but cannot review merits.
  • The act is framed as a special statute for AC Transit, with potential state-mandated-local-cost reimbursement if mandated by state law.

Summary assessment

SB 1166 creates a targeted, PERB-centered framework for AC Transit’s employee relations, balancing existing state impasse procedures with a district-specific mechanism for addressing unfair-practice concerns. It emphasizes employee organizing rights, exclusive representation, negotiated changes within the scope of representation, and court-accessible remedies for PERB decisions. The bill would impose new duties on the district and could entail local cost implications reimbursable under state mandate rules.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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