Key Democrats in the Iowa Senate are pressing forward with a bill that would forbid confidential settlements with laid off state workers, putting Republican Governor Terry Branstad’s recent executive order in state law. But the bill also seeks to expand protections for whistleblowers in state government. Bert Dalmer of the state ombudsman’s office works on whistleblower cases.

Dalmer estimates about 10 percent of the state workforce can appeal for his agency’s help if they’ve blown the whistle on some problem and someone retaliates, plus there are other hurdles.

Under current state law, a protected whistleblower must notify a “public official” and the Iowa Supreme Court ruled that means the head of a state agency, a legislator, the governor or someone in law enforcement.

Late Tuesday afternoon a three-member senate subcommittee reviewed a rough draft of a bill that included new whistleblower protections. The legislation will be considered again today by the Senate Oversight Committee.