HB1148

Ladies for Liberty Oklahoma

No public reasoning provided.

Patriots Awakened

No public reasoning provided.

Save Oklahoma Farms And Ranches

Much needed bill, but can you add something about writing retaliatory legislation against citizen whistleblowers to this? I can personally testify on this happening multiple times in our state. "NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 25001 of Title 74, unless there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: It is the public policy of this state to protect those persons disclosing wrongdoing by state agencies, political subdivisions, public trusts, and those in the private sector who have supervisory or other controls over persons in their workplace who report wrongdoing without fear or threat of retaliation. Such persons reporting wrongdoing shall be known as "whistleblowers". SECTION 2. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 25002 of Title 74, unless there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: A. As used in this section, "retaliation" means any threat or action to terminate, demote, refusal to promote, threaten or intimidate a whistleblower who reports wrongdoing. B. Any public official and/or employee, employer or employee who supervises a whistleblower that engages in an action or activity that violated public policy as defined in Section 1 of this act for reporting wrongdoing shall be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by incarceration for up to one (1) year and a Five Thousand Dollar ($5,000.00) fine, and liable civilly for all economic, emotional and mental anguish directly caused thereby together with punitive damages, and such person shall be prohibited from holding any public office or employment. C. Any whistleblower who successfully prosecutes an action under this act shall be entitled to a reasonable attorney fee together with costs.