AI-generated summary, reviewed by Better Utah staff.

Under Utah's whistleblower protection law, public employees who report wrongdoing are already protected against actions like being fired, demoted, or having their pay cut. This bill expands that protection by adding a new form of illegal retaliation: a government employer filing a complaint against a whistleblowing employee with the board or agency that holds the employee's professional license — for example, a medical board or contractor licensing authority. Licensed public employees who report misconduct gain stronger protection, since employers can no longer threaten or jeopardize their ability to work in their profession as punishment for speaking up.