‘Whistle Blower’ Bill Clears Assembly, Goes to Deukmejian

A measure expanding protections to government workers who expose wrongdoing, corruption, waste or ineptitude was sent to Gov. George Deukmejian on Tuesday after a 58-0 Assembly vote.

The bill by Assemblyman Larry Stirling (R-San Diego) calls for one-year jail sentences and fines of as much as $10,000 for state and local officials who retaliate against so-called “whistle blowers.”

“We must make it easier for the little guy who risks everything and tells the truth,” said Stirling, who introduced the measure to counter what he said were reprisals by San Diego County officials against staff members who exposed mismanagement and negligence at the county-owned Hillcrest mental hospital.

County officials have denied that they initiated reprisals against a psychiatrist and other staffers who complained to the state Board of Medical Quality Assurance and to Stirling after a series of patient deaths in 1985.

Although angered by Stirling’s accusations, one hospital administrator predicted in January that Stirling’s bill would win easy legislative approval because a crusade to protect government whistle blowers was “like motherhood and apple pie.”

The measure passed both houses of the Legislature and four committees without a single vote against it.