Kentucky Bill Allows Public Employee Unions to Deny Representation Services to Nonmembers

Original title: AN ACT relating to associations and individual representation rights.

Last action · April 15, 2026: recommitted to Appropriations & Revenue (H)Sponsors: Jason Nemes and 26 others

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Law

Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.

Public stanceCommunity reactions are separate from the official record and reporting.

What This Bill Proposed

Official description

AN ACT relating to associations and individual representation rights.

Why it matters

Changes the legal rights and out-of-pocket costs for non-dues-paying public employees who face workplace grievances or disciplinary proceedings, while altering the service obligations of certified labor organizations.

Who It Would Have Affected

Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

public employee labor organizations

Directly affected

nonmember public employees

Key Facts

Labor organizations representing public employees must continue to negotiate collective bargaining agreements and enforce them without discrimination on behalf of all bargaining unit employees.
Unions are not required to provide individualized grievance, disciplinary, investigatory, or arbitration advocacy services to non-dues-paying members.
Nonmember employees in proceedings outside collective bargaining agreements may represent themselves, use legal counsel, or choose a representative subject to employer procedures.
In proceedings involving collective bargaining agreements, unions may choose whether to represent nonmembers and may charge a reasonable fee up to the actual cost of services.

Show all 7 facts

If a union declines to represent a nonmember in a contract proceeding, the employee may represent themselves or use counsel or another representative.
Unions and nonmember employees may enter into written agreements for individualized representation services.
The Act applies to collective bargaining agreements entered into or renewed on or after the effective date of the Act.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a public employee union still have to negotiate contracts for non-members?

Yes, certified bargaining representatives must still negotiate collective bargaining agreements and handle the administration and enforcement of agreements for all employees in the bargaining unit without discrimination.

Can a union charge a non-member for representing them in a grievance?

Yes, if the labor organization elects to provide representation in a proceeding involving the interpretation or enforcement of a collective bargaining agreement, it may charge a reasonable fee not to exceed the actual cost of the services provided.

What options does a non-member have if the union declines to represent them?

The nonmember employee may represent himself or herself or be represented by counsel or a representative of the employee's choosing, subject to reasonable employer procedures.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Follow the record

Votes, people, money & the original source

Where This Stands

This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · in House committee.

Procedural history

5 actions

Apr 15, 2026HouseCommittee
recommitted to Appropriations & Revenue (H)
Mar 17, 2026HouseFloor
reported favorably, 2nd reading, to Rules with Committee Substitute (1)
Mar 13, 2026HouseCommittee
taken from Local Government (H) 1st reading returned to Local Government (H)
Mar 4, 2026HouseCommittee
to Local Government (H)
Feb 25, 2026HouseIntroduced
introduced in House to Committee on Committees (H)

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →