Public school employment.

(1) Under existing law, public school employees have the right to form, join, and participate in activities of employee organizations of their own choosing for the purpose of representation on all matters of employer-employee relations. Existing law defines the term "public school employer" or "employer" for the purposes of negotiations on collective bargaining agreements covering public school employees, as the governing board of a school district, a school district, a county board of education, a county superintendent of schools, or certain charter schools. Existing law also authorizes public agencies to agree to join together as joint powers agencies for specified purposes. This bill would expand the definition of "public school employer" or "employer" to include specified auxiliary organizations established by the California Community Colleges, and joint powers agencies created as an entity separate from the parties to the joint powers agreement with separate employees that meet certain additional criteria. By requiring community college auxiliary organizations and joint powers agencies to engage in collective bargaining with their separate employees, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) Existing law defines the term "exclusive representative" as the employee organization recognized or certified as the exclusive negotiating representative of certificated or classified employees in an appropriate unit of a public school employer. This bill would change the definition of "exclusive representative" to the employee organization recognized or certified as the exclusive negotiating representative of all public school employees, as defined. To the extent that this would increase the duties on school districts or community college districts with respect to collective bargaining, it would impose a state-mandated local program. (3) This bill would make various technical, nonsubstantive changes. (4) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions.