(a) No head of any State department, agency, or institution or other State employee exercising supervisory authority shall discharge, threaten, or otherwise discriminate against a State employee regarding the State employee's compensation, terms, conditions, location, or privileges of employment because the State employee, or a person acting on behalf of the employee, reports or is about to report, verbally or in writing, any activity described in G.S. 126-84, unless the State employee knows or has reason to believe that the report is inaccurate.
(a1) No State employee shall retaliate against another State employee because the employee, or a person acting on behalf of the employee, reports or is about to report, verbally or in writing, any activity described in G.S. 126-84.
(b) No head of any State department, agency, or institution or other State employee exercising supervisory authority shall discharge, threaten, or otherwise discriminate against a State employee regarding the employee's compensation, terms, conditions, location, or privileges of employment because the State employee has refused to carry out a directive that in fact constitutes a violation of State or federal law, rule, or regulation or poses a substantial and specific danger to the public health and safety.
(b1) No State employee shall retaliate against another State employee because the employee has refused to carry out a directive that may constitute a violation of State or federal law, rule, or regulation or poses a substantial and specific danger to the public health and safety.
(c) The protections of this Article include State employees who report any activity described in G.S. 126-84 to the State Auditor as authorized by G.S. 147-64.6B, to the Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations as authorized by G.S. 120-75.1, or to a legislative committee as required by G.S. 120-19.