School Collective Bargaining Agreement Sunshine Act Exposed

The School Collective Bargaining Agreement Sunshine Act was adopted by ALEC's Education Task Force at the States and Nation Policy Summit in December, 2007.

CMD's Bill Summary

This model legislation requires school district boards of education to provide copies of all collective bargaining agreements entered into by such boards to the state board of education and to the largest public library in the school district. These are public documents, which can be accessed. This appears to address a problem which may not really exist while providing fodder for attacks on teachers unions.

ALEC Bill Text

Summary:

For the purpose of transparency, this legislation requires school district boards of education to provide copies of all collective bargaining agreements entered into by such boards to the state board of education and to the largest public library in the school district. Each school board is required to post copies of all current collective bargaining agreements on its website, if the district has a website. Available for public inspection, the state board of education shall create a repository for all current collective bargaining agreements and post all current collective bargaining agreements on the state department of education’s website. Also available for public inspection, the library board of trustees shall create a repository for all current collective bargaining agreements at the library.

Concerning Public Disclosure of School District Collective Bargaining Agreements

Section 1

A) (Title) School Collective Bargaining Agreement Sunshine Act

B) (Definitions) “Collective Bargaining Agreement” means a master agreement, and any amendments, addendums, memorandums, or any other documents modifying the master agreement.

C) (Additional duties of school district board of education) Each board of education shall cause within thirty days following the effective date of this section a true and correct copy of each collective bargaining agreement entered into by the board of education and in effect as of said date and all subsequent collective bargaining agreements entered into by the board of education, within ten working days following the date of ratification of each agreement, to be:

1) Posted on the website of the school district, if the school district maintains a website;

2) Filed with the state board of education;

3) Made available for public inspection during regular business hours in a convenient and identified location at the main administrative office of the school district;

4) Filed with the board of trustees of the largest public library located within the school district.

Section 2 (Additional duties of the state board of education)

A) The state board of education shall:

1) Receive the true and correct copies of all school district collective bargaining agreements submitted pursuant to the “School Collective Bargaining Agreement Sunshine Act” and shall:

a. Create a repository for all of said current collective bargaining agreements that is available to the public for inspection during regular business hours in a convenient and identified location; and

b. Post copies of all said current collective bargaining agreements on the department of education’s website. The posting may be done through a link to an individual school district’s website.

Section 3 (Additional duties of library board of trustees)

A) The board of trustees shall:

1) Receive the true and correct copies of all school district collective bargaining agreements submitted pursuant to the “School Collective Bargaining Agreement Sunshine Act” and create a repository for all of said current collective bargaining agreements at the library that is available to the public for inspection during regular business hours in a convenient and identified location.

Section 4 (Effective date)

Notes: Sections 1), 2), and 3) can be placed within the section of law applicable to the duties of the stated board.

Adopted December, 2007 States and Nations Policy Summit