TALLAHASSEE, FL — The Florida Legislature approved new restrictions for public employee unions, sending them to the governor's desk Wednesday.
Senate Bill 1296 changes how public sector unions are certified, recertified and regulated through the state's Public Employees' Relations Commission. It would also require employee organizations to remove members and stop collecting dues when employees leave or withdraw from a union.
Union members from across Florida gathered earlier this month to advocate against the bill. Among them were representatives from the Leon Classroom Teachers Association, including Carol Hurst, a third-grade teacher at DeSoto Trail Elementary.
"It can help keep us safe in the workplace and provide good working conditions," Hurst said. "And I need somebody to advocate for the salaries. That's not something that I've been trained to do."
Supporters of the bill, including State Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka, the sponsor of the House companion bill, say the legislation is about holding unions accountable and ensuring greater state oversight.
"I don't know if it's good public policy to tell hundreds of employees they are being represented by one union if only a handful of them want the union," Persons-Mulicka said.
Earlier this month, Scott Mazur, the president of the Leon Classroom Teachers Association, said the bill invalidates the association's previous successes, including salary gains, benefits, and support for ESE students.
The Florida Education Association has said the state's focus on unions is misguided, arguing lawmakers should focus on education shortages and allocating more money for teachers.
They responded to the passage Wednesday saying in part, "By passing SB 1296, lawmakers have sent a clear message to Florida workers: They will make it harder for you to support yourself and your family. As Floridians continue to struggle with paying their bills and skyrocketing expenses like rent, childcare, groceries, and more, thousands of workers called, emailed, and came to Tallahassee to ask lawmakers to help us, not hurt us."
Florida Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas argues the changes will make sure teachers unions expedite salary increases for educators.
Thanks to the leadership of @jenna_persons and @JonMartinEsq, Florida has passed Senate Bill 1296!
— Anastasios Kamoutsas (@StasiKamoutsas) March 11, 2026
This bill ensures school unions actually represent their members and will expedite salary increases to teachers.
I look forward to @GovRonDesantis signing this critical bill. pic.twitter.com/b9x0Fhcr3V
The commissioner has criticized the Leon County School Board multiple times for not implementing teacher raises on time due to negotiations with the LCTA.
Kamoutsas has also been critical of unions, saying last summer, "“Delaying these salary increases until the spring does no good for our single parent educators during the holiday season...I will not tolerate union delay tactics."
LCS board member Laurie Cox has blamed negotiation delays on the LCTA multiple times as well, saying in a Senate committee meeting earlier this month, ""For most of my career, I saw where the teacher union the group that was charged with helping our teachers became a roadblock."
One LCTA member responded to those comments Tuesday saying, "So when Laurie Cox proudly supports Senate Bill 1296, she is proudly supporting the potential silencing of the educators of Leon County," the association member said.
Cox later clarified saying her support for the bill is aimed at holding union organizations accountable, not teachers.
"In no way am I not supporting our teachers and that was never the intent. I mean, like I said, it was really kind of heartbreaking to hear some of their comments," Cox said.
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