The Michigan House of Representatives has failed to adopt a resolution for a constitutional amendment that would provide whistleblower protections to state employees.
The measure would change the state constitution to prevent any department or agency from disciplining an employee for communicating with a member of the legislature.
Republican state Representative Steven Johnson chairs the House Oversight committee. He says people have come to him with information.
“But they’re afraid that if they go public, they’ll lose their job, they’ll be demoted, they’ll lose their job in some form or manner. And so, there is a culture of being afraid to speak out.”
The resolution failed to reach a two-thirds majority needed for it to go before voters.
House Democratic Leadership expressed concerns the amendment would negatively impact collective bargaining for civil servants.
