Sec. 174.153.  REQUEST FOR ARBITRATION;  AGREEMENT TO ARBITRATE.  (a)  Except as provided by Section 174.1535, a public employer or an association that is a bargaining agent may request the appointment of an arbitration board if:
(1)  the parties:
(A)  reach an impasse in collective bargaining; or
(B)  are unable to settle after the appropriate lawmaking body fails to approve a contract reached through collective bargaining;
(2)  the parties made every reasonable effort, including mediation, to settle the dispute through good-faith collective bargaining; and
(3)  the public employer or association gives written notice to the other party, specifying the issue in dispute.
(b)  A request for arbitration must be made not later than the fifth day after:
(1)  the date an impasse was reached under Section 174.152;  or
(2)  the expiration of an extension period under Section 174.152.
(c)  An election by both parties to arbitrate must:
(1)  be made not later than the fifth day after the date arbitration is requested;  and
(2)  be a written agreement to arbitrate.
(d)  A party may not request arbitration more than once in a fiscal year.
Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 269, Sec. 4, eff. Sept. 1, 1993.
Amended by: 
Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 342 (S.B. 736), Sec. 1, eff. June 2, 2023.