SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - The Latest on a California bill extending whistleblower protections to Capitol staff (all times local):
6:15 p.m.
California Gov. Jerry Brown has signed a bill granting whistleblower protections to legislative staffers who report sexual misconduct or other misbehavior.
Brown signed AB403 hours after it passed the Assembly unanimously on Monday. It takes effect immediately.
The legislation passed the Senate last week ended four years of stonewalling it.
Legislative employees applauded the passage. Some, dressed in black, gathered outside the Capitol and blew plastic whistles at a celebratory rally.
Legislative aides say the whistleblower protections are badly needed to ensure they don’t face retaliation if they report misconduct. The Legislature last week released documents showing substantiated misconduct complaints against four current and two former lawmakers. None were punished.
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3 p.m.
California legislative employees are applauding the passage of a bill granting them whistleblower protections if they report sexual misconduct or other misbehavior.
The Assembly passed the bill Monday, sending it to Gov. Jerry Brown. It will take effect immediately if he signs it. The Senate passed the bill Thursday after four years of stonewalling it.
Legislative staff members, many wearing black, plan to gather outside the Capitol for a rally celebrating the bill’s passage.
It comes just days after the Legislature released documents outlining sexual misconduct complaints against lawmakers and staffers since 2006. Critics of the Legislature say the document dump was inadequate because some complaints weren’t investigated and some people don’t report bad behavior for fear of retaliation. Staff members hope new whistleblower protections will change that.
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