NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

1967 SESSION

 

 

CHAPTER 821

SENATE BILL 254

 

 

AN ACT TO AMEND THE STATE PERSONNEL ACT TO ADD A CLEAR STATEMENT OF THE INDIVIDUAL RIGHT OF THE EMPLOYEE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE POLITICAL LIFE OF OUR STATE ON HIS OWN TIME, WHILE PROHIBITING ANY IMPROPER USE OF THE TIME OR INFLUENCE OF ANY EMPLOYEE OR OFFICIAL TO PERSUADE OR COERCE POLITICAL SUPPORT OR ACTION.

 

The General Assembly of North Carolina do enact:

 

Section 1.  Chapter 126 of the General Statutes of North Carolina is hereby amended by adding a new Article 5 to read as follows:

"Article 5.

"Political Activity of Employees.

"§ 126-13.  Appropriate Political Activity of State Employes Defined. As an individual, each State employee retains all the rights and obligations of citizenship provided in the Constitution and laws of the State of North Carolina and the Constitution and laws of the United States of America; however, no State employee subject to the Personnel Act or temporary State employee shall: "(1) take any active part in managing a campaign, or campaign for political office or otherwise engage in political activity while on duty or within any period of time during which he is expected to perform services for which he receives compensation from the State; "(2) otherwise use the authority of his position, or utilize State funds, supplies or vehicles to secure support for or oppose any candidate, party, or issue in a partisan election involving candidates for office or party nominations, or affect the results thereof.

"§ 126-14.  No State employee or official shall use any promise of personal preferential treatment or threat of loss to encourage or coerce any State employee subject to the Personnel Act or temporary State employees to support or contribute to any political issue, candidate, or party.

"§ 126-15.  Failure to comply with this Article is grounds for disciplinary action which, in case of deliberate or repeated violation, may include dismissal or removal from office."

Sec. 2.  All laws and clauses of laws in conflict with this Act are hereby repealed.

Sec. 3.  This Act shall become effective July 1, 1967.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 20th day of June, 1967.