Local public employee organizations: notice requirements.

Ortega’s measure would mandate a 45-day written notice to recognized employee organizations before local public agencies issue requests for proposals, requests for quotes, or renew or extend contracts for services that fall within the scope of work of the represented classifications, with the notice detailing the contract’s anticipated duration, scope of work, anticipated cost, the draft solicitation or typical solicitation content, and the reason the contract is deemed necessary.

Exceptions and clarifications accompany the new requirement: emergencies or exigent circumstances permit shorter notice “as practicable,” and certain contracts are exempt, notably construction-related work subject to specified labor code provisions and services related to public works or infrastructure projects subject to uniform codes or standards. The measure preserves existing bargaining rights and MOUs, and it does not override other notice or meet-and-confer requirements already in law. It also states there is no state reimbursement for the local costs created by the mandate, though agencies may pursue remedies under existing law.

The proposal sits within the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act framework by expanding procurement-related notice obligations to better inform unions about upcoming work that affects their members, while leaving intact the broader structure of labor relations enforcement, including the role of the Public Employment Relations Board and the existing complaint and settlement processes. Enforceability would follow the current channels for compliance with local employment and bargaining laws, and implementation would require agencies to integrate the 45-day timeline into procurement planning, including coordination with labor organizations and assembly of the required notice content.