BILL NUMBER: AB 289 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 19, 2015
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Melendez
FEBRUARY 11, 2015
An act to add Article 11 (commencing with Section 9149.30) to
Chapter 1.5 of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 2 of the Government
Code, relating to the Legislature.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 289, as amended, Melendez. Legislature: Legislative Employee
Whistleblower Protection Act.
Existing law provides procedures for a person to file a complaint
alleging violations of legislative ethics. Existing law also
authorizes each house of the Legislature to adopt rules for its
proceedings and to select committees necessary for the conduct of its
business.
This bill would prohibit interference with the right of
legislative employees, as defined, to make protected disclosures of
ethics violations and would prohibit retaliation against legislative
employees who have made protected disclosures. This bill would
establish a procedure for legislative employees to report violations
of the bill to the Legislature. The bill would also impose civil and
criminal liability on a person who interferes with a legislative
employee's right to make a protected disclosure or who engages in
retaliatory acts, as specified.
By creating new crimes, the bill would impose a state-mandated
local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local
agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the
state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that
reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this
act for a specified reason.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: yes.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Article 11 (commencing with Section 9149.30) is added
to Chapter 1.5 of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 2 of the Government
Code, to read:
Article 11. Legislative Employee Whistleblower Protection Act
9149.30. This article shall be known and may be cited as the
Legislative Employee Whistleblower Protection Act.
9149.31. The Legislature finds and declares that legislative
employees should be free to report ethical violations without fear of
retribution.
9149.32. For the purposes of this article, the following terms
have the following meanings:
(a) "Legislative employee" means an individual, other than a
Member of either house of the Legislature, who is currently employed
by either house of the Legislature.
(b) "Protected disclosure" means the filing of a complaint
alleging a violation of Article 2 of Chapter 1 of this part
or of any with any of the following:
(1) The Joint Legislative Ethics
Committee pursuant to Section 8944, alleging a violation by a member
of the Legislature.
(2) The Senate Committee on Legislative
Ethics, alleging that a Member, officer, or employee of the Senate
violated any standard of conduct, as defined by the standing
rules of either house of the Legislature. the
Senate.
(3) The Assembly Legislative Ethics Committee, alleging that a
Member of the Assembly violated any standard of conduct, as defined
by the standing rules of the Assembly.
(4) The Assembly Rules Committee, alleging that an employee of the
Assembly violated Article 2 of Chapter 1 of this part.
(5) An ethics ombudsperson designated by either house of the
Legislature to receive information about potential ethical
violations.
(c) "Use of official authority or influence" includes promising to
confer, or conferring, any benefit; effecting, or threatening to
effect, any reprisal; or taking, or directing others to take, or
recommending, processing, or approving, any personnel action,
including , appointment, promotion, transfer,
assignment, performance evaluation, suspension, or other disciplinary
action.
9149.33. (a) A Member of the Legislature or legislative employee
shall not directly or indirectly use or attempt to use that person's
official authority or influence for the purpose of
intimidating, threatening, coercing, commanding, or attempting
to intimidate, threaten, coerce, or command , or
attempt to intimidate, threaten, coerce, or command, a
legislative employee for the purpose of interfering with the right of
the legislative employee to make a protected disclosure.
(b) Except to the extent that a Member of the Legislature is
immune from liability under the doctrine of legislative immunity, a
person who violates this section is subject to a fine not to exceed
ten thousand dollars ($10,000) and imprisonment in a county jail for
a period not to exceed one year.
(c) In addition to all other penalties provided by law, except to
the extent that a Member of the Legislature is immune from liability
under the doctrine of legislative immunity, a person who violates
this section shall be is liable in a
civil action for damages brought by a legislative employee.
(d) Nothing in this This
section shall not be construed to authorize an individual
to disclose information otherwise prohibited by or under law.
(e) This section is not intended to prevent a supervisor, manager,
or other officer of the Legislature from taking, directing others to
take, recommending, or approving any personnel action or from taking
or failing to take a personnel action with respect to any
legislative employee if the supervisor, manager, or other officer
reasonably believes any action or inaction is justified on the basis
of evidence separate and apart from the fact that
the person has made a protected disclosure.
9149.34. A legislative employee may file a written complaint with
either his or her supervisor or manager, or
with any other officer designated by the house of the
Legislature pursuant to its rules by which he
or she is employed, alleging actual or attempted acts of
reprisal, retaliation, threats, coercion, or similar improper acts
prohibited by Section 9149.33 for having made a protected
disclosure . The complaint, together with a sworn statement
under penalty of perjury that the contents of the complaint are true,
or are believed by the affiant to be true, shall be filed within one
year of the most recent improper act complained about.
9149.35. Except to the extent that a Member of the Legislature is
immune from liability under the doctrine of legislative immunity, a
person who intentionally engages in acts of reprisal, retaliation,
threats, coercion, or similar acts against a legislative employee for
having made a protected disclosure is subject to a fine not to
exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000) and imprisonment in a county
jail for a period not to exceed one year.
9149.36. (a) In addition to all other penalties provided by law,
except to the extent that a Member of the Legislature is immune from
liability under the doctrine of legislative immunity, a person who
intentionally engages in acts of reprisal, retaliation, threats,
coercion, or similar acts against a legislative employee for having
made a protected disclosure shall be is
liable in a civil action for damages brought by a legislative
employee.
(b) (1) In any civil action, once it has been demonstrated by a
preponderance of the evidence that an activity protected by this
article was a contributing factor in the alleged retaliation against
a legislative employee, the burden of proof shall be
is on the offending party to demonstrate by
clear and convincing evidence that the alleged action would have
occurred for legitimate, independent reasons even if the legislative
employee had not made a protected disclosure.
(2) Punitive damages may be awarded by the court if the acts of
the offending party are proven to be malicious. If liability is
established, the injured party shall is
also be entitled to reasonable attorney's fees as
provided by law.
(c) A legislative employee is not required to file a complaint
pursuant to Section 9149.34 before bringing an action for civil
damages.
(d) This section is not intended to prevent a supervisor, manager,
or other officer of the Legislature from taking, directing others to
take, recommending, or approving any personnel action or from taking
or failing to take a personnel action with respect to any
legislative employee if the supervisor, manager, or other officer
reasonably believes any action or inaction is justified on the basis
of evidence separate and apart from the fact that the person has made
a protected disclosure.
(e) For purposes of this section, "legislative employee"
shall include includes a former employee of the
Legislature.
9149.37. This article does not diminish the rights, privileges,
or remedies of a legislative employee under any other federal or
state law.
SEC. 2. No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to
Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because
the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school
district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or
infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty
for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the
Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the
meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California
Constitution.