MACo Associate Director Andrea Mansfield and Harford County Director of Personnel Scott Gibson offered opposing testimony to SB 1123. Currently to enact binding arbitration, a local jurisdiction may make the case to the General Assembly or secure passage of a charter amendment.  SB 1123 would authorize local jurisdictions to enact binding arbitration through a local law.

Introduced in response to a recent Court of Special Appeals decision, this legislation has effects that are both broad and retroactive.  During his testimony, the bill’s sponsor, Senator Brian Frosh, indicated that the bill was overly broad and probably should be narrowed in scope.  The proponents, the Maryland Fraternal Order of Police, stated their intent was to only protect binding arbitration in those jurisdictions where it has been approved by local law and agreed to draft amendments to this effect.