---
title: O.C.G.A. § 45-12-214. Knowing failure of cooperation; protection for individuals making disclosures.
collection: code
id: 45-12-214
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 45-12-214 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/45-12-214
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/45-12-214.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/45-12-214/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t45-(v33)-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=c5ce751b_0#page=84
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/code/45-12.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/45-12-213.md
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index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: PUBLIC OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES / GOVERNOR / OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL
---

# O.C.G.A. § 45-12-214. Knowing failure of cooperation; protection for individuals making disclosures.

(a) The knowing failure of any official, officer, or employee to comply with an investigation made pursuant to this article or the knowing provision of false information during an investigation may be cause for discipline, up to and including termination by the agency, so long as such official, officer, or employee is subject to termination or other discipline by such agency.

(b) No agency, officer, or official shall take action against an official, officer, or employee for disclosing or threatening to disclose the existence of any activity constituting waste, fraud, abuse, or corruption to the inspector general, unless the disclosure or threatened disclosure was made with knowledge that the disclosure was false or was made with willful disregard for its truth or falsity.

(c) Any report disclosed by the office pursuant to Code Section 50-18-70, et seq., or otherwise may differ from the complete written report in that the inspector general shall have the discretion to redact or otherwise protect the names of complainants and witnesses, or other facts that, if not redacted, might compromise the identity of a complainant or witness.

## History

Code 1981, § 45-12-214, enacted by Ga. L. 2023, p. 8, § 1/SB 59, effective March 29, 2023.

## Cross References

Complaints or information from public employees as to fraud, waste, and abuse in state programs and operations, § 45-1-4.