Democrats in the Iowa Senate have approved a bill that deals with a wide range state personnel management issues like the so-called “do not hire” list as well as confidential settlements with laid off state workers. Senator Janet Petersen, a Democrat from Des Moines, says the bill’s a response to “shocking” revelations about “hush money” payments to laid-off employees and flaws in the so-called “black list.”

Senate Republican Leader Bill Dix says the bill is flawed because it fails to call for disclosing the reasons state workers are fired.

The bill does put Republican Governor Terry Branstad’s executive order in state law, to prohibit any future confidential settlements with state workers. A bill that cleared the Iowa House earlier did the same thing, but the Senate bill also includes protections for whistleblowers and a new appeals process and required notification for workers existing state government who are put on the “do not hire” list.