Whistleblower protections for public employees modifications

SF 475 amends Minnesota Statutes section 181.932 to expand whistleblower protections for public employees by adding three new categories of protected disclosures. It now prohibits retaliation for employees reporting scientific or technical studies (in good faith) to government bodies, classified state employees reporting information about state services (including financing) to legislators or the legislative auditor, and employees reporting gross mismanagement or waste of public funds to entities like the legislative auditor, legislators, or constitutional officers. The law already protected employees reporting violations of law, participation in investigations, refusal of unlawful orders, and health care quality issues, and this bill extends those protections to the new categories. The bill directly affects public employees in state and local government who disclose concerns about illegal activities, safety risks, or misuse of public resources without fear of retaliation.