It shall be unlawful for any person authorized to invoke disciplinary action against any employee of a community college district either in his or her individual capacity or as a member of any board, to invoke or attempt to invoke disciplinary action against any such employee or to discriminate against such employee in the terms, conditions, and privileges of employment solely because of the employee’s appearance before the governing board of a district, the county board of education, legislative committees, or any other duly constituted governmental board, commission or council, whether such appearance was undertaken voluntarily or otherwise.

Violation of the provisions of this section shall be a misdemeanor.