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HB 735 · 2025 · House · Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services Committee

Union recertification vote rules

AI-generated

relative to elections in collective bargaining.

Changes public employee collective bargaining voting procedures, requiring recertification votes when never-voted members become a bargaining unit majority, mandating all members be allowed to vote, and requiring vote documentation be reported to the labor department.AI-generated

Status

Killed in the House — Inexpedient to Legislate · March 6, 2025
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✕House
  3. Senate
  4. Governor
  5. Law

Analysis

This bill provides for changes to public employee bargaining unit voting.

From the bill's official ANALYSIS section.

In the bill's words

Quoted verbatim from the bill as introduced.

“Certification as exclusive representative shall remain valid but shall be recertified by a vote of a majority of the bargaining unit when the members within the unit that have never voted on the issue of collective representation become the majority of members, until the employee organization is dissolved, voluntarily surrenders certification, loses a valid election or is decertified by a vote of the majority of the bargaining unit. The commissioner of the department of labor shall provide notice to each bargaining unit when the members in the unit that have never voted on the issue of certification of collective representation have become the majority of members.”
RSA 273-A:10, VI(a)

The trigger: once most of a bargaining unit has never voted on the union, a recertification vote is required.AI-generated

“Any challenge to a certified exclusive bargaining representative, whether in a decertification election or a challenge by another labor organization, shall result in decertification or change in bargaining representation if decertification or the challenging organization is approved by a majority vote of members of the bargaining unit voting.”
RSA 273-A:10, VI(c)

A challenge succeeds on a majority of those voting — a lower bar than a majority of the whole unit.AI-generated

“If a majority of bargaining unit members votes to decertify the unit, a new bargaining unit may be established by a majority vote of the members of the decertified unit within 12 months of the date of decertification.”
RSA 273-A:10, VI(e)

Decertification is not permanent: a new unit can be formed within a year.AI-generated

“Documentation of the votes taken pursuant to this paragraph shall be provided to the commissioner of the department of labor within 30 days of the vote.”
RSA 273-A:10, VI(f)

The paperwork that would have made the new votes auditable by the labor department.AI-generated

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Rep. Michael GrangerRPrime
  • Rep. Erica LayonRChair· Executive Departments and Administration
  • Rep. Jason OsborneRMajority Leader
  • Rep. Mike DragoRMajority Whip

Also: Rep. Melissa LitchfieldR, Rep. Donald McFarlaneR

Public testimony

609 signed in online · 105 wrote testimony

2% support98% oppose0% neutral

AgainstBill is intended to weaken or 'bust' public-sector unions

AI-generatedLeading arguments, summarized by the testimony tool.

Read the arguments

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“I strongly oppose this bill! It is wrong for working people and only serves to bust unions!”
— Joe Endicott, Boxofordopposes
“This is a time waster bill designed to weaken/distract our teaching professionals.”
— Janine Anctil, Litchfieldopposes
“This bill is a waste of time for both legislators and union members.…”
— Susan Correia, Merrimackopposes

Verbatim excerpts of submitted testimony, quoted from the testimony tool.

Read the testimony · as of Aug 12, 2026

Votes

yeanay
Starting text: Bill as introduced
  • Feb 18, 2025HouseCommittee report· consent calendar: Inexpedient to Legislate20–0
    Overall
    100% yea
  • Mar 6, 2025HouseVoice voteInexpedient to Legislateadopted

Hearings and debates

  • Jan 28, 2025Public hearingHouse Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services5:50:38–6:06:3615m 58slocated in the stream transcriptPublic Hearing
  • Feb 4, 2025Public hearingHouse Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services41:03–42:231m 20slocated in the stream transcript==RECESSED== Executive Session
  • Feb 11, 2025Public hearingHouse Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative ServicesWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full stream==CONTINUED== Executive Session
  • Feb 18, 2025Public hearingHouse Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services4:28:55–4:31:092m 14slocated in the stream transcriptCommittee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate; Executive Session
  • Mar 6, 2025Floor debateHouse floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamInexpedient to Legislate — adopted, voice vote

Timestamps locate where this bill is taken up in the chamber's YouTube stream.

Legislative history

  1. Jan 9, 2025HouseIntroduced (in recess of) 01/09/2025 and referred to Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services HJ 3 P. 25
  2. Jan 28, 2025HousePublic Hearing: 01/28/2025 03:30 pm LOB 307
  3. Feb 4, 2025House==RECESSED== Executive Session: 02/04/2025 10:00 am LOB 210-211
  4. Feb 11, 2025House==CONTINUED== Executive Session: 02/11/2025 10:00 am LOB 307
  5. Feb 18, 2025HouseExecutive Session: 02/18/2025 01:00 pm LOB 307
  6. Feb 18, 2025HouseCommittee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate 02/18/2025 (Vote 20-0; CC) HC 14 P. 11
  7. Mar 6, 2025HouseInexpedient to Legislate: MA VV 03/06/2025 HJ 7 P. 17

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Documents (PDF)

Bill text & amendments link direct to gc.nh.gov; committee reports stream from the state record.