H.R. 2736: Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act of 2025
Sponsor
Donald Norcross
Democrat · NJ-1
Bill Progress
Latest Action · Apr 8, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
Your union rights shouldn't depend on your state
Why it matters
187 House members are already behind H.R. 2736, which would create a federal floor for public-sector bargaining rights and give states about 2 years before federal rules can step in.
H.R. 2736 would require every state to provide baseline collective bargaining rights for covered public employees. That includes the right to organize, join a union, bargain collectively, and act together on workplace issues.
The Federal Labor Relations Authority would review each state's system and decide whether it is at least as strong as the bill's federal standard. If a state falls short, federal rules could take over after the bill's timeline runs out — generally the later of 2 years after enactment or the end of the state's legislative session.
The bill also sets some ground rules for how unions are recognized and challenged. Public employers would have to recognize unions through either an election or voluntary recognition, and workers seeking to remove a union would need support from at least 30% of the bargaining unit to start that process.
Not everyone is covered. The bill excludes many supervisors, management employees, confidential employees, and elected officials. It also draws a line around emergency and public safety disruptions by barring lockouts, strikes, or job actions that measurably disrupt those services.
H.R. 2736 Bill Summary
What H.R. 2736 actually does.
States must meet a national bargaining floor
States would have to provide rights and procedures that are at least equivalent to the bill's federal minimum for covered public employees.
Federal rules can replace weaker state systems
If a state does not meet the standard, federal rules would apply after the bill's deadline structure — generally the later of 2 years after enactment or the end of the relevant legislative session.
Union recognition gets a clear path
Public employers would have to recognize unions either through an election or through voluntary recognition.
Workers need 30% support to start decertification
A petition to remove a union could not move forward unless at least 30% of employees in the bargaining unit support it.
Some public workers are left out
The bill excludes many supervisory, management, and confidential employees, along with elected officials, from its protections.
Emergency-service disruptions stay off-limits
The bill bars lockouts, strikes, or job actions that cause measurable disruption to emergency or public safety services, including work involving EMTs, paramedics, first responders, and fire protection employees.
Who benefits from H.R. 2736?
Public employees in states with weak bargaining laws
If your state offers limited or no bargaining rights, H.R. 2736 could give you a federal backstop instead of leaving everything to state law.
Teachers, clerks, sanitation workers, and other local government staff
Workers employed by school districts, cities, counties, and other public entities could gain clearer organizing and bargaining protections if their state's rules fall short.
Unions trying to win recognition
The bill requires a route to recognition through either an election or voluntary recognition, which could make organizing less dependent on state-by-state variations.
Workers challenging noncompliance
If enforcement stalls, the bill gives parties a path to court after 180 days from filing a charge with the FLRA.
Who is affected by H.R. 2736?
State and local governments
They may have to rewrite labor laws, procedures, and bargaining systems quickly if the FLRA decides their current rules do not meet the federal minimum.
Supervisors, management, and confidential staff
These employees are generally excluded, so the bill would not extend the same bargaining protections to them.
Emergency medical and fire personnel
They are covered by the bill's limits on job actions that measurably disrupt emergency or public safety services.
Very small local governments
Some small political subdivisions could be excluded if a state chooses that option for jurisdictions with fewer than 5,000 people or fewer than 25 employees.
HR2736 Legislative Journey
House: Committee Action
Apr 8, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
About the Sponsor
Donald Norcross
Democrat, New Jersey's 1st congressional district · 12 years in Congress
Committees: Armed Services, Education and Workforce
View full profile →
Cosponsors (187)
This bill has 187 cosponsors: 181 Democrats, 6 Republicans. Cosponsors represent 37 states: Alabama, Arizona, California, and 34 more.
Brian Fitzpatrick
Republican · PA
Christopher Deluzio
Democrat · PA
Alma Adams
Democrat · NC
Yassamin Ansari
Democrat · AZ
Don Bacon
Republican · NE
Nanette Barragán
Democrat · CA
Donald Beyer
Democrat · VA
Suzanne Bonamici
Democrat · OR
Brendan Boyle
Democrat · PA
Shontel Brown
Democrat · OH
Julia Brownley
Democrat · CA
Nikki Budzinski
Democrat · IL
Cosponsor Coverage Map
Committee Sponsors
Education and Workforce Committee
12 of 36 committee members cosponsored
4 Democrats across this committee haven't cosponsored yet. Mobilize their constituents
H.R. 2736 Quick Facts
- Committee
- Education and Workforce
- Chamber
- House
- Policy
- Labor and Employment
- Introduced
- Apr 8, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
Apr 8, 2025
Official Sources
Official bill page with text, actions, cosponsors, and committee status for the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act of 2025.
Provides official federal context for how union elections and representation processes work, which parallels the bill's recognition framework.
Chapter 71 contains the federal labor-management relations framework that helps contextualize the bill's use of federal labor terminology and FLRA administration.
The bill was referred to this committee, making it the official House committee page to monitor for hearings, markups, or related materials.
H.R. 2736 Common Questions
What does H.R. 2736 do in plain English?
It sets a national minimum for collective bargaining rights for many public employees. If your state's rules are weaker, federal rules could eventually take over.
Who would be covered by H.R. 2736?
Many state and local government employees would be covered. But the bill excludes many supervisors, management employees, confidential employees, and elected officials.
When would federal rules override state law?
If a state falls short, the federal backstop would generally kick in the later of 2 years after enactment or the end of the state's legislative session.
How fast would the federal government judge each state?
The FLRA would have 180 days after enactment to decide whether each state's public-sector bargaining system meets the bill's minimum standard.
How much support would workers need to decertify a union?
At least 30% of the employees in the bargaining unit would need to support a decertification petition to get the process started.
Would H.R. 2736 require public employers to recognize unions?
Yes. The bill says employers must recognize unions through either an election or voluntary recognition.
Can public workers sue if the FLRA does nothing?
Yes. After filing a charge, a party could sue a state administrator in federal court if 180 days pass and the FLRA still has not filed an enforcement order.
Can EMTs or firefighters strike under H.R. 2736?
Not if the action would measurably disrupt emergency or public safety services. The bill specifically bars those kinds of disruptions.
Based on H.R. 2736 bill text
H.R. 2736 Bill Text
“To secure the rights of public employees to organize, act concertedly, and bargain collectively, which safeguard the public interest and promote the free and unobstructed flow of commerce, and for other purposes.”
Source: U.S. Government Publishing Office
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