50-2016.

Violations; penalty; state employee; complaint; effect; witness; agency counsel; powers.

(1) A person who willfully obstructs or hinders the proper exercise of the Public Counsel's functions, or who willfully misleads or attempts to mislead the Public Counsel's inquiries, shall be guilty of a Class II misdemeanor. No employee of the State of Nebraska who files a complaint pursuant to the Office of Public Counsel Act shall be subject to any penalties, sanctions, or restrictions in connection with such employee's employment because of such complaint.

(2) Consistent with the Nebraska Rules of Professional Conduct, counsel for the administrative agency that is the subject of an investigation by the office of Public Counsel shall not represent a witness. A witness may request that agency counsel be present while being questioned, but the administrative agency shall not require a witness to make such a request. If such a request is made, the administrative agency shall inform the witness that agency counsel does not represent the witness.