S.B. 7
128th General Assembly
(As Introduced)
Sens. Wagoner, Gibbs
BILL SUMMARY
· Requires the Auditor of State to establish a fraud-reporting system for residents and public employees to anonymously report fraud and misuse of public funds by public offices.
· Extends the whistle-blower protections against retaliatory firing or other disciplinary action to state employees who file a complaint with the Auditor of State's fraud-reporting system.
CONTENT AND OPERATION
A public office must provide information about the fraud-reporting system and the means of reporting fraud to each new employee at the time of employment. Each new employee must confirm receipt of the information within 30 days after beginning employment. The Auditor of State is required to provide a model form on the Auditor of State's web site to be printed and used by new public employees to sign and verify their receipt of this information. The Auditor of State must confirm, when conducting an audit of a public office, that the new employees have been provided the required information.
Additionally, on the effective date of the bill, each public office must make all of its employees aware of the fraud-reporting system. (R.C. 117.103.)
The bill extends the current whistle-blower protections applicable to state employees to those state employees who file a complaint with the Auditor of State's fraud-reporting system. (R.C. 124.341.) Under this provision, if a classified or unclassified state employee becomes aware in the course of employment of a violation of state or federal statutes, rules, or regulations or of the misuse of public resources, and reports it to a supervisor, appointing authority, or the office of internal auditing, and under the bill to the Auditor of State's fraud-reporting system, the employee is protected against specified retaliatory or disciplinary actions by an officer or other employee. If disciplinary or retaliatory action is taken against an employee making a report or filing a complaint, the employee is afforded an opportunity to file an appeal with the State Personnel Board of Review.
HISTORY
ACTION |
DATE |
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Introduced |
02-10-09 |
S0007-I-128.docx/jc