Sponsor
Joe Wilson
Representative · R-SC
The bill clarifies coverage in §504 and sets a short, defined effective date, but the unspecified inserted text risks narrowing who can serve in unions and expanding criminal exposure for union officials while giving only a limited time to adapt.
Unions and labor regulators will have clearer statutory language in 29 U.S.C. §504, reducing ambiguity about who is covered and helping with more consistent enforcement and interpretation.
Unions, union officials, and state governments get a defined 30-day effective date after enactment, giving a short, predictable window to begin adjusting policies and practices to the change.
Union officials and other union actors could face broader criminal liability (statutory penalties up to $10,000 and up to five years imprisonment) if the inserted language expands the scope of willful violations, increasing legal and personal risk.
Union members and potential leaders could be barred from serving in union leadership if the new inserted text narrows or changes eligibility criteria, restricting rights and representation within labor organizations.
The 30-day implementation window may be insufficient for unions and state governments to fully evaluate legal exposure and implement compliance changes if the inserted language is substantive, raising the risk of inadvertent noncompliance and economic/legal costs.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Representative · R-SC
Amends 29 U.S.C. §504(a) by inserting additional text and fixing punctuation, altering who may be disqualified from union office; changes take effect in 30 days.
Amends federal law that bars certain people from serving in positions of authority in labor organizations by inserting additional text into 29 U.S.C. §504(a), fixing punctuation to clarify an existing phrase, and making those changes effective 30 days after enactment. The existing statute already lists categorical disqualifications (for example, certain felony convictions and former membership in the Communist Party) and provides criminal penalties for willful violations; the bill adds an unspecified insertion whose substantive effect cannot be evaluated from the provided text.
Official title: To amend the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 to provide that individuals who have been convicted of sex offenses against minors may not serve in certain positions.
Introduced May 12, 2026 by Joe Wilson · Last progress May 12, 2026