HB 206 provides "whistle blower" protection to county employees who report fraud, waste or abuse to a supervisor or government agency.  Counties may not retaliate by taking or threatening to take adverse employment action such as discharge, suspension, demotion, negative performance evaluations or refusal to promote because an employee has reported violation of or noncompliance with a law or because an employee has reported fraud, waste or abuse to either a supervisor or to the county.  Similarly, the county may not create a hostile work environment for such an employee by allowing a continuous pattern and practice of negative or unprofessional behavior directed toward an employee who has reported violation of or noncompliance with a law or who has reported fraud, waste or abuse to either a supervisor or to the county.

For two years after an employee makes a complaint, if any adverse action or threats of adverse action are taken by the county or the employee's supervisor, it will be presumed that such action was done in retaliation for the complaint.  

An employee who knowingly and intentionally makes a false or misleading report of a an illegal action, fraud, waste or abuse may be found guilty of  a fine between $1,000 and $10,000 and/or imprisonment up to 1 year.