§ 55. Responsibilities of covered agencies, state officers and employees. 1. Every state officer or employee in a covered agency shall report promptly to the state inspector general any information concerning corruption, fraud, criminal activity, conflicts of interest or abuse by another state officer or employee relating to his or her office or employment, or by a person having business dealings with a covered agency relating to those dealings. The knowing failure of any officer or employee to so report shall be cause for removal from office or employment or other appropriate penalty. Any officer or employee who acts pursuant to this subdivision by reporting to the state inspector general improper governmental action as defined in section seventy-five-b of the civil service law shall not be subject to dismissal, discipline or other adverse personnel action.

2. The head of any covered agency shall advise the governor within ninety days of the issuance of a report by the state inspector general as to the remedial action that the agency has taken in response to any recommendation for such action contained in such report.