                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

RETALIATORY ACTIONS AGAINST PERSONS PROVIDING TESTIMONY BEFORE A COMMITTEE OR
SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY (§ 2.2-2832)

A. No officer or employee of a state agency shall use his public position to
retaliate or threaten to retaliate against a person providing testimony before a
committee or subcommittee of the General Assembly.

B. To be covered by the provisions of this section, a person who provides
testimony before a committee or subcommittee of the General Assembly shall do so
in good faith and upon a reasonable belief that the information is accurate.
Testimony that is reckless or that the person knew or should have known was
false, confidential, malicious, or otherwise prohibited by law or policy shall
not be deemed good faith testimony.

C. Any person who believes that he is the subject of retaliatory action by an
officer or employee of a state agency on account of testimony that he provided
before a committee or subcommittee of the General Assembly may file a complaint
with the Office of the State Inspector General.

D. Intentional violation of subsection A by an officer or employee of a state
agency shall constitute malfeasance in office and shall subject the officer or
employee responsible to suspension or removal from office, as may be provided by
law in other cases of malfeasance.

HISTORY: 2016, c. 628.