The Florida Police Benevolent Association is appealing an administrative law judge’s decision to uphold the way a state agency is enforcing a new state law that places new restrictions on public-employee unions.

The 30,000-member union filed the notice of appeal on Oct. 12 to challenge the opinion issued by Administrative Law Judge Robert Cohen, who determined that rules proposed by the Florida Public Employees Relations Commission (PERC) were a valid exercise of the commission’s authority.

The legal challenge comes in the wake of PERC issuing rules to implement a new Florida law, Senate Bill 256, which supporters say enables teachers and other public employees to make more informed decisions on whether to join unions. The measure also requires public-employee unions to seek recertification and then win a subsequent election if the number of their dues-paying members drops below 60% of the total number of workers in the bargaining unit.