The bill broadens the protections of the state whistleblower protection law by specifying that no appointing authority or supervisor may take disciplinary action against a state employee for disclosing information that is not subject to public inspection under the Colorado Open Records Act, or that is confidential under any other provision of law, to any of the following state entities that are designated as whistleblower review agencies: • The office of legislative legal services; • The state attorney general; or • The commission on judicial discipline. The bill requires whistleblower review agencies to: • Confer with each other within 30 days of receiving information and agree on whether information disclosed to a whistleblower review agency is confidential under law and, if so, to maintain the confidentiality of information if required by law; • Release information to members of the general assembly and to the public if information is determined to be releasable; • Maintain records of information disclosed to whistleblower review agencies and the decisions of the whistleblower review agencies with respect to the information; and • Designate a person or persons as a point of contact for whistleblower review agency activities and publicize the information. Within 60 days after receiving any information, a whistleblower review agency may confer with and transfer the information to the entity having jurisdiction or authority to investigate any allegation of unlawful behavior.

Year

2016

Current status

  • Governor Signed (06/10/2016)

Sponsors

P. Lee / K. Lambert

Bill number

SB16-056

Position

Oppose