I 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6238 
To secure the rights of public employees to organize, act concertedly, and 
bargain collectively, which safeguard the public interest and promote 
the free and unobstructed flow of commerce, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 27, 2018 
Mr. CARTWRIGHT (for himself, Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas, Mr. PALLONE, 
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Ms. NORTON, Ms. BONAMICI, 
Mr. RUSH, Mr. DEFAZIO, Ms. KAPTUR, Mr. BEYER, Mr. COHEN, Mr. 
SCHRADER, Ms. WILSON of Florida, Mr. ESPAILLAT, Mr. POCAN, Mr. 
CONNOLLY, and Mr. TAKANO) introduced the following bill; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce 
A BILL 
To secure the rights of public employees to organize, act 
concertedly, and bargain collectively, which safeguard the 
public interest and promote the free and unobstructed 
flow of commerce, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Public Service Free-
dom to Negotiate Act of 2018’’. 
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SEC. 2. FINDINGS; PURPOSE. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following find-
ings: 
(1) 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 unrest. Such actions have the intent or 
the necessary effect of burdening or obstructing 
commerce by— 
(A) impairing the efficiency, safety, or op-
eration of the instrumentalities of commerce, 
which depend on stable government services and 
public infrastructure; 
(B) materially affecting, restraining, or 
controlling the flow of goods into the channels 
of commerce, or the prices of such materials or 
goods in commerce; or 
(C) causing diminution of employment and 
wages in such volume so as to substantially im-
pair or disrupt the market for goods flowing 
from or into the channels of commerce. 
(2) The inequality of bargaining power between 
public employees, who do not possess full freedom of 
association or actual liberty of contract, and public 
employers substantially burdens and affects the flow 
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of commerce, and tends to aggravate recurrent busi-
ness depressions, by depressing wage rates and the 
purchasing power of wage earners and by negatively 
affecting the stabilization of competitive wage rates 
and decent working conditions. 
(3) Experience in public employment indicates 
that the statutory protection of the rights of public 
employees to organize, act concertedly, and bargain 
collectively safeguards the public interest and pro-
motes the free and unobstructed flow of commerce 
among the States by removing certain recognized 
sources of strife and unrest. Such protection facili-
tates and encourages the amicable settlement of dis-
putes between public employees and their public em-
ployers involving terms and conditions of employ-
ment and other matters of mutual concern. 
(4) To be most effective and stable, labor-man-
agement relationships in the public sector must be 
based on trust, mutual respect, open communication, 
bilateral consensual problem solving, and shared ac-
countability. In many public agencies, it is the union 
that provides the institutional stability as elected 
leaders and appointees come and go. 
(5) State and local public employees play an es-
sential role in the efforts of the United States to de-
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tect, prevent, and respond to terrorist attacks, and 
to respond to natural disasters, hazardous materials, 
and other mass casualty incidents. State and local 
public employees, as first responders, are a compo-
nent of our Nation’s National Incident Management 
System, developed by the Department of Homeland 
Security to coordinate response to and recovery from 
terrorism, major natural disasters, and other major 
emergencies. Effective and stable public employer- 
employee relationships are essential in meeting these 
needs and are, therefore, in both the National inter-
est as well as in furtherance of the United States ob-
ligation to safeguard the country under article IV, 
section 4 of the Constitution of the United States. 
(6) Teachers and other education professionals 
(including paraprofessionals, custodians, administra-
tive staff, cafeteria workers, specialized instructional 
support personnel, and others) work to provide qual-
ity education to every student. Students deserve the 
opportunity to reach their full potential in a well- 
resourced public school. 
(7) Conflict between public employers and pub-
lic employees has implications for the security of 
public employees and the public and affects inter-
state and intrastate commerce. Ineffective and un-
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stable labor-management relations can detrimentally 
impact the upgrading of public services of local com-
munities, the health and well-being of public employ-
ees, and the morale within public agencies. Addition-
ally, these factors have significant commercial reper-
cussions. Moreover, providing minimal standards for 
collective bargaining rights in the public sector can 
prevent industrial strife between labor and manage-
ment that interferes with the normal flow of com-
merce. It is settled law that Congress has authority 
under the Commerce Clause of the United States 
Constitution to safeguard protections for employees 
of State and local governments. 
(8) 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 Act, and 
such State and local laws should be respected. 
(9) While the National Labor Relations Act (29 
U.S.C. 151 et seq.) protects the rights of private- 
sector employees to form or join unions, act 
concertedly for the purpose of collective bargaining 
or other mutual aid or protection, and bargain col-
lectively with their employers, no Federal law pro-
tects these fundamental labor rights for employees 
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of the States, including territories and possessions of 
the United States, and the political subdivisions 
thereof. The Federal Government needs to encour-
age conciliation, mediation, and dispute resolution to 
aid and encourage public employers and the rep-
resentatives of their public employees to reach and 
maintain agreements concerning rates of pay, hours, 
and working conditions, and to make all reasonable 
efforts through negotiations to settle their dif-
ferences by mutual agreement reached through col-
lective bargaining or by such methods as may be 
provided for in any applicable agreement for the set-
tlement of disputes. 
(b) PURPOSE.—It is the purpose of this Act to— 
(1) secure the rights of public employees to 
form or join unions, act concertedly for the purpose 
of collective bargaining or other mutual aid or pro-
tection, and bargain collectively with their employ-
ers; and 
(2) reaffirm the policy of the United States to 
encourage the practice and procedure of collective 
bargaining, which safeguards the public interest and 
promotes the free and unobstructed flow of com-
merce. 
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SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) AUTHORITY.—The term ‘‘Authority’’ means 
the Federal Labor Relations Authority. 
(2) COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.—The term ‘‘col-
lective bargaining’’, with respect to public employees 
and public employers, 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 re-
spect to wages, hours, and other terms and condi-
tions of employment affecting such employees and to 
execute, if requested by either party, a written docu-
ment incorporating any collective bargaining agree-
ment reached, but the obligation referred to in this 
paragraph does not compel either party to agree to 
a proposal or to make a concession. 
(3) CONFIDENTIAL EMPLOYEE.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in 
subparagraph (B), the term ‘‘confidential em-
ployee’’ means a public employee who acts in a 
confidential capacity with respect to an indi-
vidual who formulates or effectuates manage-
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ment policies in the field of labor-management 
relations. 
(B) STATE LAW.—If the term ‘‘confiden-
tial employee’’, or a substantially equivalent 
term, has a substantially equivalent meaning 
under applicable State law to the meaning 
under subparagraph (A) on the date of the en-
actment of this Act, such term, or substantially 
equivalent term, and meaning under such appli-
cable State law shall apply with respect to the 
term ‘‘confidential employee’’ under this Act for 
public employees and public employers in such 
State. 
(4) EMERGENCY
SERVICES
EMPLOYEE.—The 
term ‘‘emergency services employee’’ means— 
(A) a public employee providing out-of-hos-
pital emergency medical care, including an 
emergency medical technician, paramedic, or 
first responder; or 
(B) a public employee providing other serv-
ices in response to emergencies that have the 
potential to cause death or serious bodily in-
jury, including an employee in fire protection 
activities (as defined in section 3 of the Fair 
Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 203)). 
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(5) EMPLOY.—The term ‘‘employ’’ includes to 
suffer or permit to work. 
(6) LABOR ORGANIZATION.—The term ‘‘labor 
organization’’, with respect to public employers and 
public employees, means any organization of any 
kind in which public employees participate and 
which exists for the purpose, in whole or in part, of 
dealing with public employers concerning grievances, 
labor disputes, wages, rates of pay, hours of employ-
ment, or conditions of work. 
(7) LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER.—The term 
‘‘law enforcement officer’’ has the meaning given 
such term in section 1204 of the Omnibus Crime 
Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 
10284). 
(8) MANAGEMENT EMPLOYEE.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in 
subparagraph (B), the term ‘‘management em-
ployee’’ means an individual employed by a pub-
lic employer in a position the duties and respon-
sibilities of which require or authorize the indi-
vidual to formulate, determine, or influence the 
policies of the employer. 
(B) STATE LAW.—If the term ‘‘manage-
ment employee’’, or a substantially equivalent 
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term, has a substantially equivalent meaning 
under applicable State law to the meaning 
under subparagraph (A) on the date of the en-
actment of this Act, such term, or substantially 
equivalent term, and meaning under such appli-
cable State law shall apply with respect to the 
term ‘‘management employee’’ under this Act 
for public employees and public employers in 
such State. 
(9) PERSON.—The term ‘‘person’’ means an in-
dividual or a labor organization. 
(10) PUBLIC
EMPLOYEE.—The term ‘‘public 
employee’’— 
(A) means a person, employed by a public 
employer, who in any workweek is engaged in 
commerce or in the production of goods for 
commerce, or is employed in an enterprise en-
gaged in commerce or in the production of 
goods for commerce (as the terms ‘‘commerce’’, 
‘‘goods’’, and ‘‘enterprise engaged in commerce 
or in the production of goods for commerce’’ 
are defined in section 3 of the Fair Labor 
Standards Act of 1938); 
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(B) includes an individual who is tempo-
rarily transferred to a supervisory or manage-
ment position; and 
(C) does not include a permanent super-
visory employee, permanent management em-
ployee, or permanent confidential employee, or 
an elected official. 
(11) PUBLIC
EMPLOYER.—The term ‘‘em-
ployer’’ means any of the following that employs 
public employees: 
(A) A State or the political subdivision of 
a State, including a territory or political sub-
division of a territory. 
(B) Any authority, agency, school district, 
board or other entity controlled and operated by 
an entity described in subparagraph (A). 
(12) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means each of 
the several States of the United States, the District 
of Columbia, and any territory or possession of the 
United States. 
(13) SUBSTANTIALLY
PROVIDES.—The term 
‘‘substantially provide’’ or ‘‘substantially provides’’, 
with respect to the rights and responsibilities de-
scribed in section 4(b), means providing rights and 
responsibilities that are comparable to or greater 
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than each of the rights and responsibilities described 
in such section. 
(14) SUPERVISORY EMPLOYEE.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in 
subparagraph (B), the term ‘‘supervisory em-
ployee’’ means an individual, employed by a 
public employer, who— 
(i) has the authority in the interest of 
the employer, if the exercise of the author-
ity is not merely routine or clerical in na-
ture but requires the consistent exercise of 
independent judgment, to— 
(I) hire, promote, reward, trans-
fer, furlough, lay off, recall, suspend, 
discipline, or remove public employees; 
(II) adjust the grievances of pub-
lic employees; or 
(III) effectively recommend any 
action described in subclause (I) or 
(II); and 
(ii) devotes a majority of time at work 
to exercising the authority under clause (i). 
(B) STATE LAW.—If the term ‘‘supervisory 
employee’’, or a substantially equivalent term, 
has a substantially equivalent meaning under 
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applicable State law to the meaning under sub-
paragraph (A) on the date of the enactment of 
this Act, such term, or substantially equivalent 
term, and meaning under such applicable State 
law shall apply with respect to the term ‘‘super-
visory employee’’ under this Act for public em-
ployees and public employers in such State. 
SEC. 4. DETERMINATION OF RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBIL-
ITIES. 
(a) DETERMINATION.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Author-
ity shall make a determination as to whether a State 
substantially provides for the rights and responsibil-
ities described in subsection (b). 
(2) CONSIDERATION
OF
ADDITIONAL
OPIN-
IONS.—In making the determination described in 
paragraph (1), the Authority shall consider the opin-
ions of affected public employees, labor organiza-
tions, and public employers. 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 orga-
nization substantially provides for the rights and re-
sponsibilities described in subsection (b), the Author-
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ity shall give such agreement weight to the max-
imum extent practicable in making the Authority’s 
determination described in paragraph (1). 
(3) LIMITED CRITERIA.—In making the deter-
mination described in paragraph (1), the Authority 
shall be limited to the application of the criteria de-
scribed in subsection (b) and shall not require any 
additional criteria. 
(4) SUBSEQUENT DETERMINATIONS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—A determination made 
pursuant to paragraph (1) shall remain in ef-
fect unless and until the Authority issues a sub-
sequent determination, in accordance with the 
procedures set forth in subparagraph (B). 
(B) PROCEDURES FOR SUBSEQUENT DE-
TERMINATIONS.—Upon establishing that a ma-
terial change in State law or its interpretation 
has occurred, a public employee, public em-
ployer, or a labor organization may submit a 
written request for a subsequent determination. 
If satisfied that a material change in State law 
or its interpretation has occurred, the Authority 
shall issue a subsequent determination not later 
than 30 days after receipt of such request. 
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(5) JUDICIAL REVIEW.—Any person or public 
employer aggrieved by a determination of the Au-
thority under this section may, during the 60-day 
period beginning on the date on which the deter-
mination was made, 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 
Circuit, for judicial review. In any judicial review of 
a determination made by the Authority described in 
paragraph (1), the procedures contained in sub-
sections (c) and (d) of section 7123 of title 5, 
United States Code, shall be followed. 
(b) RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES.—The rights and 
responsibilities described in this section are each of the 
following: 
(1) Granting public employees the right to self- 
organization, to form, join, or assist a labor organi-
zation, to bargain collectively through representa-
tives of their own choosing, and to engage in other 
concerted activities for the purpose of collective bar-
gaining or other mutual aid or protection. 
(2) Requiring public employers to— 
(A) recognize the labor organization of its 
public employees (freely chosen in an election 
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by a majority of such employees voting in the 
appropriate unit), without requiring an election 
to recertify a labor organization that is already 
recognized as the representative of such employ-
ees unless not less than 30 percent of such em-
ployees in the appropriate unit freely sign a pe-
tition to decertify such labor organization; 
(B) collectively bargain with such recog-
nized labor organization; and 
(C) commit any agreements with such rec-
ognized labor organization to writing in a con-
tract or memorandum of understanding. 
(3) Making available an interest impasse resolu-
tion mechanism, such as fact-finding, mediation, ar-
bitration, or comparable procedures and providing 
for the payroll deduction of labor organization fees 
to any duly-selected representative of public employ-
ees pursuant to the terms of an authorization exe-
cuted by such public employees. 
(4) Requiring enforcement of all rights, respon-
sibilities, and protections provided by State law and 
enumerated in this section, and of any written con-
tract or memorandum of understanding between a 
labor organization and a public employer, through— 
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(A) a State administrative agency, if the 
State so chooses; 
(B) at the election of an aggrieved party, 
the State courts; or 
(C) in the case of an alleged violation, mis-
interpretation, or misapplication of the contract 
or memorandum of understanding, a grievance 
resolution procedure negotiated in such contract 
or memorandum. 
(c) COMPLIANCE WITH REQUIREMENTS.—If the Au-
thority determines, acting pursuant to its authority under 
subsection (a), that a State substantially provides for the 
rights and responsibilities described in subsection (b), then 
subsection (d) shall not apply. 
(d) FAILURE TO MEET REQUIREMENTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—If the Authority determines, 
acting pursuant to its authority under subsection 
(a), that a State does not substantially provide for 
the rights and responsibilities described in sub-
section (b), then such State shall be subject to the 
regulations and procedures described in section 5 be-
ginning on the later of— 
(A) the date that is 2 years after the date 
of enactment of this Act; 
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(B) 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 enact-
ment of this Act; or 
(C) in the case of a State receiving a sub-
sequent determination under subsection (a)(4), 
the date that is the last day of the first regular 
session of the legislature of the State that be-
gins after the date the Authority made the de-
termination. 
(2) PARTIAL FAILURE.—If the Authority makes 
a determination that a State does not substantially 
provide for the rights and responsibilities described 
in subsection (b) solely because the State law sub-
stantially provides for such rights and responsibil-
ities for certain categories of public employees but 
not others, the Authority shall identify— 
(A) those categories of public employees 
that shall be subject to the regulations and pro-
cedures described in section 5, pursuant to sec-
tion 8(b)(3), beginning on the applicable date 
under paragraph (1); and 
(B) those categories of public employees 
that shall not be subject to the regulations and 
procedures described in section 5. 
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SEC. 5. MINIMUM STANDARDS ADMINISTERED BY THE FED-
ERAL LABOR RELATIONS AUTHORITY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Authority shall issue 
regulations in accordance with the rights and responsibil-
ities described in section 4(b) establishing collective bar-
gaining procedures for public employers, labor organiza-
tions, and public employees in States which the Authority 
has determined, acting pursuant to section 4(a), do not 
substantially provide for such rights and responsibilities. 
(b) ROLE OF THE FEDERAL LABOR RELATIONS AU-
THORITY.—The Authority, to the extent provided in this 
Act and in accordance with regulations prescribed by the 
Authority, shall— 
(1) protect the right of public employees to 
form, join, or assist any labor organization, or to re-
frain from any such activity, freely and without fear 
of penalty or reprisal, protect the right of public em-
ployees to bargain collectively through representa-
tives of their own choosing, and protect the right of 
public employees to engage in other concerted activi-
ties for the purpose of collective bargaining or other 
mutual aid or protection; 
(2) supervise or conduct elections to determine 
whether a labor organization has been selected as an 
exclusive representative by a majority of the public 
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employees voting in such election in an appropriate 
unit, and provide for the payroll deduction of labor 
organization fees to any such duly-elected exclusive 
representative pursuant to the terms of an author-
ization executed by a public employee; 
(3) determine the appropriateness of units for 
labor organization representation; 
(4) require public employers to— 
(A) recognize the labor organization of its 
public employees (freely chosen by a majority of 
such employees voting in the appropriate unit) 
as the exclusive representative of such employ-
ees; 
(B) bargain in good faith with such labor 
organization concerning public employees’ terms 
and conditions of employment, which shall in-
clude a procedure for the settlement of griev-
ances culminating in binding arbitration in any 
agreement and a procedure for resolving any 
impasses in collective bargaining; and 
(C) commit any agreements to writing in a 
contract or memorandum of understanding; 
(5) prohibit practices which interfere with, co-
erce, or intimidate public employees in the exercise 
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of rights guaranteed in paragraph (1) or regulations 
issued thereunder; 
(6) conduct hearings and resolve complaints 
concerning violations of any regulation or order 
issued by the Authority pursuant to this Act; 
(7) resolve exceptions to the awards of arbitra-
tors; and 
(8) take such other actions as are necessary 
and appropriate to effectively administer this Act, 
including issuing subpoenas requiring the attendance 
and testimony of witnesses and the production of 
documentary or other evidence from any place in the 
United States, administering oaths, taking or order-
ing the taking of depositions, ordering responses to 
written interrogatories, and receiving and examining 
witnesses. 
(c) ENFORCEMENT.—The Authority may issue an 
order directing compliance by any person or public em-
ployer found to be in violation of this section, and may 
petition any United States Court of Appeals with jurisdic-
tion over the parties, or the United States Court of Ap-
peals for the District of Columbia Circuit, to enforce any 
such final orders issued pursuant to this section or pursu-
ant to regulations issued under this section, and for appro-
priate temporary relief or a restraining order. Any petition 
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under this section shall be conducted in accordance with 
subsections (c) and (d) of section 7123 of title 5, United 
States Code. 
SEC. 6. LOCKOUTS AND EMPLOYEE STRIKES PROHIBITED 
WHEN EMERGENCY OR PUBLIC SAFETY SERV-
ICES IMPERILED. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to subsection (b), any em-
ployer, emergency services employee, or law enforcement 
officer to which section 5 applies may not engage in a lock-
out, strike, or any other organized job action of which a 
reasonably probable result is a measurable disruption of 
the delivery of emergency or public safety services. No 
labor organization may cause or attempt to cause a viola-
tion of this subsection. 
(b) 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 emer-
gency services employees or law enforcement officers. 
SEC. 7. EXISTING COLLECTIVE BARGAINING UNITS AND 
AGREEMENTS. 
The enactment of this Act shall not invalidate any 
certification, recognition, result of an election, collective 
bargaining agreement, or memorandum of understanding 
that— 
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(1) has been issued, approved, or ratified by 
any public employee relations board or commission, 
or by any State or political subdivision or an agent 
or management official of such State or political 
subdivision; and 
(2) is in effect on the day before the date of en-
actment of this Act. 
SEC. 8. EXCEPTIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 4(d), and the regulations 
and procedures under section 5, shall not apply— 
(1) 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 involved; 
(2) solely because a State law excludes from its 
coverage public employees of a State militia or na-
tional guard; or 
(3) to a political subdivision of a State if— 
(A) such political subdivision has a popu-
lation of fewer than 5,000 people or employs 
fewer than 25 public employees; and 
(B) the State in which such political sub-
division is located notifies the Authority of the 
State’s request that such political subdivision be 
exempt from such sections. 
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(b) COMPLIANCE.— 
(1) ACTIONS OF STATES.—Nothing in this Act 
or the regulations promulgated under this Act shall 
be construed to require a State to rescind or pre-
empt the laws or ordinances of any political subdivi-
sion of the State if such laws or ordinances provide 
rights and responsibilities for public employees that 
are comparable to or greater than the rights and re-
sponsibilities described in section 4(b). 
(2) ACTIONS
OF
THE
DISTRICT
OF
COLUM-
BIA.—Nothing in this Act or the regulations promul-
gated under this Act shall be construed— 
(A) to require the District of Columbia to 
rescind— 
(i) section 501 of the District of Co-
lumbia Government Comprehensive Merit 
Personnel Act (1–605.01, D.C. Official 
Code), establishing the Public Employee 
Relations Board of the District of Colum-
bia; or 
(ii) section 502 of such Act (1– 
605.02, D.C. Official Code), establishing 
the power of the Board; 
(B) to preempt the laws described in sub-
paragraph (A); or 
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(C) to limit or alter the powers of the gov-
ernment of the District of Columbia pursuant 
to the District of Columbia Home Rule Act. 
(3) ACTIONS OF THE AUTHORITY.—Nothing in 
this Act or the regulations promulgated under this 
Act shall be construed to preempt— 
(A) the laws or ordinances of any State or 
political subdivision of a State, if such laws or 
ordinances provide collective bargaining rights 
for public employees that are comparable to or 
greater than the rights enumerated in section 
4(b); 
(B) the laws or ordinances of any State or 
political subdivision of a State that substan-
tially provide for the rights and responsibilities 
described in section 4(b) 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 Act; 
(C) the laws or ordinances of any State or 
political subdivision of a State that substan-
tially provide for the rights and responsibilities 
described in section 4(b), solely because such 
laws or ordinances provide that a contract or 
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memorandum of understanding between a pub-
lic employer and a labor organization must be 
presented to a legislative body as part of the 
process for approving such contract or memo-
randum of understanding; or 
(D) 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 authoriza-
tions executed by employees designating the 
labor organization as their representative. 
(4) LIMITED
ENFORCEMENT
POWER.—In the 
case of a law described in subsection (d)(2), the Au-
thority shall only exercise the powers provided in 
section 5 with respect to those categories of public 
employees for whom the State does not substantially 
provide the rights and responsibilities described in 
section 4(b). 
SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums 
as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this 
Act. 
Æ 
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