Local public employees: memoranda of understanding.

Assembly Member Zbur's proposal to modify California's Meyers-Milias-Brown Act would require public agencies to include specific employee protection provisions in their memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with recognized employee organizations starting January 1, 2026. The bill establishes mandatory MOU elements that must be incorporated upon request from employee organizations, including progressive discipline systems, due process protections, and binding arbitration procedures for grievances.

The legislation defines progressive discipline as a written system providing employees notice of expectations and opportunities to improve performance before disciplinary action. Due process requirements would include notification of alleged misconduct, explanation of proposed penalties, and opportunities to respond before discipline is imposed. Employee representatives would receive paid time off to investigate and participate in grievance proceedings without loss of benefits.

For existing MOUs that lack these provisions, public agencies must engage in collective bargaining to add them as addenda when requested by employee organizations. The bill classifies failure to include these elements as a violation of good faith negotiation requirements. While the measure creates new mandates for local agencies, it prohibits state reimbursement of implementation costs, though agencies may pursue other avenues for cost recovery. The Legislature's findings specify that these changes address matters of statewide concern and therefore apply to all California cities, including charter cities.