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Bill

H 402

An act relating to the Vermont Municipal Labor Relations Act

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Gina Galfetti

The bill updates the Vermont Municipal Labor Relations Act to modernize and clarify rights, procedures, and duties for municipal employers and employee unions in collective bargain

Read first time and referred to the Committee on General and Housing
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Bill Summary · H 402

Overview

House Bill 402 (H.402) from the 2025-2026 session of Vermont proposes changes to the Vermont Municipal Labor Relations Act. The bill has one co-sponsor (Gina Galfetti) and, as of the latest action history, was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on General and Housing on February 27, 2025.

Purpose and intent

  • The primary aim is to modify and update the Vermont Municipal Labor Relations Act to govern labor relations, collective bargaining, and related labor procedures for municipal employees.
  • The bill seeks to clarify rights and responsibilities of both public employers and employee representatives (unions) at the municipal level, and to streamline processes for labor relations within municipalities.

Key provisions and changes (as indicated by the bill’s title and typical municipal labor reform patterns)

Note: The specific text of H.402 is not provided here. Based on standard elements of reform bills tied to municipal labor relations, anticipated areas of focus may include:
- Definitions and scope: Clarifying which municipal entities and employees are covered (e.g., city, town, village corporations, and their employees).
- Certification and representation: Procedures for recognizing employee organizations, and for election or certification processes for bargaining representatives.
- Good-faith bargaining: Requirements for negotiations between municipalities and employee organizations, including timelines and scope of negotiation topics (wages, hours, benefits, working conditions, grievance procedures).
- Impasse resolution: Mechanisms for resolving unresolved bargaining disputes (e.g., mediation, fact-finding, arbitration) and deadlines.
- Unfair labor practices: Prohibitions and remedies for actions by either the municipal employer or the employee organization that interfere with rights to organize or bargain.
- Grievance and contract administration: Procedures for handling disputes under collective bargaining agreements, contract enforcement, and contract duration.
- Public transparency and accountability: Possible reporting or filing requirements with state or local agencies.
- Remedies and enforcement: Sanctions or penalties for violations, including potential reinstatement, back pay, or other remedies.

Because the exact text is not included, readers should refer to the bill’s full language for precise provisions, definitions, and operative dates.

Who would be affected

  • Municipal employers in Vermont (cities, towns, villages, and potentially other municipal entities).
  • Municipal employees who are members of recognized employee organizations or who seek to form/bargain collectively.
  • Public-sector labor relations professionals, such as human resources staff, labor relations specialists, and local government officials.
  • Employee organizations and unions representing municipal workers.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Status: Read first time and referred to the Committee on General and Housing on 2025-02-27.
  • Next steps likely involve committee hearings, potential amendments, and eventual floor votes in the House, followed by Senate consideration if the bill progresses.
  • If enacted, the bill would specify effective dates for any new provisions, which may include phased implementation or immediate effect for certain sections.

Additional notes

  • The bill’s sponsor: Co-sponsor Gina Galfetti.
  • For a complete understanding, readers should review the bill’s full text to identify exact amendments to existing law, specific definitions, operative dates, and any fiscal implications (e.g., anticipated costs to municipalities or savings from negotiated outcomes).

If you’d like, I can pull the bill’s text and provide a line-by-line annotated summary of each section.

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

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