Health facilities: whistleblower protections.

Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation of health facilities, as defined, by the department. Existing law prohibits a health facility from discriminating or retaliating against a patient, employee, member of the medical staff, or any other health care worker of the health facility because that person has presented a grievance, complaint, or report to the facility, as specified, or has initiated, participated, or cooperated in an investigation or administrative proceeding related to the quality of care, services, or conditions at the facility, as specified. Existing law makes a person who willfully violates those provisions guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than $20,000 and makes a violation of those provisions subject to a civil penalty. This bill would increase the maximum fine for a misdemeanor violation of these provisions to $75,000.