LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Michigan Republicans say it’s time to stop punishing people for telling the truth about government screw-ups.
House Oversight Chair Jay DeBoyer (R-Clay Township) and Rep. Jason Woolford (R-Howell) rolled out a plan on Tuesday, August 19 to beef up protections for whistleblowers who risk their jobs by reporting corruption, waste, or lawbreaking in state government.
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“Our role on the House Oversight Committee is to hold government accountable to the people and investigate potential instances where public dollars are being misused or there has been a violation of the public’s trust,” DeBoyer said in a press release. He added, “I can tell you, our committee – and Oversight panels before us – have had numerous people who work for state departments say that they’d love to come and talk about what’s happening and what’s gone wrong, but they can’t do so on the record out of fear for their job or even their well-being.”
Plugging the loopholes.
Current state law protects whistleblowers in some circumstances – but critics say it’s riddled with loopholes. The new plan aims to expand coverage to include employees who:
- Report violations of law
- Participate in investigations
- Testify in legal proceedings
- Communicate concerns directly to legislators
The bill also expands the Whistleblowers’ Protection Act by allowing courts to order an employee’s reinstatement, award up to triple the amount of back pay, restore full fringe benefits and seniority rights, grant damages, or impose any combination of these remedies.
Rep. Woolford framed the proposal as common sense: “With this bill, we’re sending a resounding message that we will protect whistleblowers that expose waste, fraud and abuse. My duty as an elected official and a member of the House Oversight Committee is to hold our state government accountable and ensure every tax dollar is spent wisely, ethically, and transparently.”
A rare moment of agreement?
Transparency usually polls well but whether this package survives Lansing’s partisan crossfire remains to be seen. Expanding protections could mean more headaches for agencies – and for the Whitmer administration, which has already faced heat over how state departments handle internal complaints.
Why it matters.
The plan arrives after state employees raised alarms that the existing Whistleblowers’ Protection Act doesn’t do enough to prevent retaliation. After high-profile blunders in state government ranging from the unemployment fraud scandal to botched grant programs, lawmakers are now responding to public frustration by casting themselves as champions of transparency in an effort to help move the legislation forward.
