Whistle-Blower Protections to be Enhanced

This week, the West Virginia House of Delegates passed my HB 2497 (Whistle-Blower Law Enhancements) by an unanimous vote of 99 (with one delegate, Kayla Kessinger,  being absent and unable to vote).
 Although HB 2497 is titled under "Whistle-Blower Law", I prefer to describe it as the "State Employees Bill of Rights and Responsibilities".
 Under the current law, a whistle-blower is a state civil service employee who makes "a good faith effort" to blow the whistle on "wrongdoing or waste" in our West Virginia state government.
 HB 2497 extends and strengthens this current law by prohibiting state government from denying whistle-blowers promotions or other increase in compensation that they otherwise would have received.
 HB 2497 also allows whistle-blowers. who are retaliated against, to use the West Virginia Public Employees Grievance Procedure, and provides that nothing shall disparage, impair, or limit any other right or legal action of the employee.
 HB 2497 further allows state employees to be members of employee organizations or to refrain to be members of employee organizations.
 Finally, except when on duty or acting in an official capacity and except where otherwise prohibited by state or federal law, no civil service employee may be prohibited from engaging in political activity or be denied the right to refrain from engaging in political activity.
 Whistle-blowers typically are under a lot of pressure and even retaliation for standing up and speaking out about government wrongdoing and waste.
 HB 2497, if enacted into law, will strengthen and protect our courageous government whistle-blowers.
 HB 2497 now is pending consideration and passage by the West Virginia State Senate.
 For more about my views on good governance, visit www.facebook.com/LarryDKump and also www.LarryKump.us.
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 May God bless you all real good!