LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Gov. Pete Ricketts has approved new whistleblower protections for nurses in Nebraska.

The governor signed a bill Wednesday that would ban retaliation against nurses who file complaints with the state. It also would guarantee confidentiality for nurses even if their allegations later become a public record.

The issue surfaced last year after two Nebraska nurses complained that the Department of Health and Human Services disclosed their names to supervisors after they had lodged complaints alleging unethical behavior.

The bill by Sen. Brett Lindstrom of Omaha was backed by the Nebraska Nurses Association and the Nebraska Medical Association.