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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2015 - 2016
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | October 14, 2016 04:13 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Donna Bullock |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Co-Sponsorship: Whistleblower protection for those reporting the dissemination of insensitive emails on publicly-owned computers |
| In the very near future, I will be introducing legislation that extends whistleblower protection to public employees who report that another employee has sent or forwarded racially insensitive or sexist emails communications. The scope of this bill is limited to electronic correspondences sent using computers, email addresses and other technology owned, controlled or provided by a public body. As many of you are aware, an investigation led by our former Attorney General uncovered thousands of pornographic and insensitive emails shared among state employees, prosecutors, and judges, including two former Pennsylvania Supreme Court justices. Many of these emails disparaged certain groups based on race, gender and sexual orientation, and were shared using publicly-owned computers and email addresses. Sharing racially insensitive, pornographic, or sexist electronic correspondences using publicly-owned technology is not only a waste of tax payer funded resources, it directly contravenes the principles of fairness and impartiality, both of which are required and expected to be exercised by our public employees/officials. Therefore, we as policymakers should be doing all that we can to empower the recipients of these kinds of appalling communications to come forward and report these kinds of occurrences without any fear of retaliation from either their co-workers or employer. I ask that you please join me in co-sponsoring this very important piece of legislation. Should you have any questions or concerns regarding this legislation, please contact my office at (717) 787-3480. |