Whistleblower protection.

Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory authority over public utilities. The California Constitution authorizes the commission to establish rules for all public utilities, subject to control by the Legislature. This bill would require the commission, at a specified rulemaking proceeding, to establish a comprehensive whistleblower protection program to protect public utility employees, former employees, and 3rd-party contractors and subcontractors from retaliation for bringing information to the commission or other public entities, as specified, regarding, but not limited to, safety issues. Under existing law, a violation of any order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission is a crime. Because the bill would require the commission to adopt rules for the protection of whistleblowers and a violation of these rules would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program by creating a new crime. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.