SB 319 Michigan Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Labor: collective bargaining; minimum staffing levels within a bargaining unit; make a mandatory subject of bargaining for certain public employees. Amends secs. 11 & 15 of 1947 PA 336 (MCL 423.211 & 423.215).

SB 319 amends Michigan's public employee collective bargaining law to require that minimum staffing levels within a bargaining unit become a mandatory topic for negotiation between public employers and employee representatives. This applies specifically to public employees covered under 1969 PA 312 (which includes most state and local government workers like teachers, nurses, and first responders), making staffing levels a required subject of bargaining alongside wages and hours. The bill includes a limited exception: if a public employer faces reduced state funding or property tax revenue, it may choose whether to negotiate staffing levels, but must otherwise include them in bargaining. The change directly affects public sector workplaces where employee bargaining units exist, ensuring staffing levels cannot be unilaterally set by employers without negotiation.
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
May 2025
Committee Review
Jun 2025
Senate Passage
Jun 2025
House Passage
Governor
Introduced May 21, 2025 Last action Jun 26, 2025
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What changed between versions

Senate Introduced Bill As Passed by the Senate · 6 edits · Jun 26, 2025
MODERATE
This bill updates the Michigan Public Employment Relations Act to clarify rules on collective bargaining, particularly regarding staffing levels and school-specific issues. It adds new restrictions on what public school employers must bargain over, such as insurance policyholders and school calendar dates, while explicitly allowing them to decide on volunteer use and pilot programs. The bill also strengthens the authority of emergency managers to reject or modify union contracts in financially distressed municipalities.
Scope change
The bill expands the scope of prohibited bargaining subjects specifically for public school employers and clarifies the application of staffing level rules for different employee groups.
REQUIREMENT

Added a new subsection (10) to Section 15 that mirrors language from Section 11, clarifying that public employers are not required to bargain over minimum staffing levels if they face specific reductions in state funding or property tax revenue.

Added new prohibited bargaining subjects for public schools, including who holds the insurance policy, the start date of the school year, and the composition of school improvement committees.

Added new permitted decisions for public schools, allowing employers to decide on using volunteers, running experimental programs, and implementing educational technology without bargaining.

Added a new requirement that all collective bargaining agreements entered into on or after March 28, 2013, must include a provision allowing an emergency manager to reject or terminate the agreement.

Added a prohibition against bargaining over the method of selecting retirant members on pension boards for large municipalities (population 500,000+), declaring such contract provisions void.

ENFORCEMENT

Added new subsections (5) through (8) to Section 15, reinforcing the power of emergency managers to reject, modify, or terminate collective bargaining agreements in units under financial emergency management.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
11
Key actions
3
Committee
5
Jun 26, 2025
Committee
referred to Committee on Government Operations
lower
Jun 26, 2025
Introduced
received on 06/26/2025
lower
Jun 26, 2025
Upper · Passed
PASSED ROLL CALL # 189 YEAS 19 NAYS 18 EXCUSED 0 NOT VOTING 0
upper
Jun 25, 2025
Upper · Passed
REPORTED BY COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE FAVORABLY WITHOUT AMENDMENT(S)
upper
Jun 18, 2025
Committee
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
upper
Jun 18, 2025
Upper · Passed
REPORTED FAVORABLY WITHOUT AMENDMENT 6/17/2025
upper
May 21, 2025
Committee
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON LABOR
upper
May 21, 2025
Introduced
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR VERONICA KLINEFELT
upper
1 primary · 9 co-sponsors

Sponsors