Assemblywomen Melissa Melendez introduced a new bill AB 403 last year, advocating for better protection for legislative staffers and lobbyists who report illegal activities in workspace, especially sexual harassment. The bill has failed for four years consecutively due to delay by the Appropriations Committee with unknown reason. This time, Meledez is coming back with full support – 13 California Senators co-authored the bill with her, with over 140 open letters showing support.
Although legislative staffers are already under protection by the California Whistleblower Protection Act (CWPA), passing this bill will add extra penalty who retaliates whistleblowers – they may be fined up to ten thousand dollars with a maximum of one-year imprisonment. …show more content…
And no one should be threatened to voice out the truth. Reporters should not even feel scared when they are doing the right thing. Therefore, we need laws to protect them.
We’ve seen too many astonishing news of sexual harassment among public figures, in Government, in Hollywood, nearly every corner of our state. We have laws against sexual harassment in some of those fields, but it’s time for us to regulate it in state Capitol.
State legislators who has been advocating for equal rights, equal treatment for employers and minorities, should also practice such equality in their own workplace. As said by Meledez, “I see no reason why this law hasn’t been made to the floor”. It’s been four years of delay and failure, it’s time for us to gather our voices and advocate for passing the bill.
Last year October, news of movie mogul Harvey Weistein being accused of sexually harassing over ten women has been a strike in the nationwide media. It has triggered an online rally of women who has been sexually harassed to share their stories and stand out for fellow victims. Out of a sudden, this rally has become huge and explosive, which makes it impossible to be ignore. In fact, every one of us should not ignore it. It is a massive
Although legislative staffers are already under protection by the California Whistleblower Protection Act (CWPA), passing this bill will add extra penalty who retaliates whistleblowers – they may be fined up to ten thousand dollars with a maximum of one-year imprisonment. …show more content…
And no one should be threatened to voice out the truth. Reporters should not even feel scared when they are doing the right thing. Therefore, we need laws to protect them.
We’ve seen too many astonishing news of sexual harassment among public figures, in Government, in Hollywood, nearly every corner of our state. We have laws against sexual harassment in some of those fields, but it’s time for us to regulate it in state Capitol.
State legislators who has been advocating for equal rights, equal treatment for employers and minorities, should also practice such equality in their own workplace. As said by Meledez, “I see no reason why this law hasn’t been made to the floor”. It’s been four years of delay and failure, it’s time for us to gather our voices and advocate for passing the bill.
Last year October, news of movie mogul Harvey Weistein being accused of sexually harassing over ten women has been a strike in the nationwide media. It has triggered an online rally of women who has been sexually harassed to share their stories and stand out for fellow victims. Out of a sudden, this rally has become huge and explosive, which makes it impossible to be ignore. In fact, every one of us should not ignore it. It is a massive