A constitutional challenge of the state’s collective bargaining law for firefighters and police, brought by the city of Houston, was heard by the Texas Supreme Court on Tuesday.

The case of City of Houston v. Houston Professional Fire Fighters’ Association, Local 341 came before the high court this week because the justices agreed to consider two questions:

  • Do certain sections of Chapter 174 of the Fire and Police Employee Relations Act violate the separation of powers by delegating a legislative function to the judiciary and failing to prescribe sufficient standards to guide the discretion conferred?
  • Did the Fourteenth Court of Appeals err in affirming a trial court’s denial of the city’s plea to jurisdiction in determining a chapter of the state law does not require good faith collective bargaining with respect to prevailing compensation and other conditions of employment in the private sector?