Whistleblower protection: county patients' rights advocates.

Existing law prohibits an employer, as defined, or any person acting on behalf of the employer, as defined, from, among other things, preventing an employee from, or retaliating against an employee for, providing information to, or testifying before, any public body conducting an investigation, hearing, or inquiry, if the employee has reasonable cause to believe that the information discloses a violation of a law, regardless of whether disclosing the information is part of the employee's job duties. A violation of these provisions is a crime. This bill would extend the protections afforded to employees under these provisions to county patients' rights advocates appointed or under contract to provide services relating to mental health advocacy. The bill would provide that prohibitions against retaliation by an employer apply to the state or local contracting agency under these provisions. Because this bill would create a new crime, it would impose a state-mandated local program. 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.