Sec. 5-266a. Political activities of classified state employees and Judicial Department employees. Candidacy for office. Leave of absence or resignation upon taking elective office.
Sec. 5-266a. Political activities of classified state employees and Judicial Department employees. Candidacy for office. Leave of absence or resignation upon
taking elective office. (a) No person employed in the classified state service or in the
Judicial Department may (1) use his official authority or influence for the purpose of
interfering with or affecting the result of an election or a nomination for office; or (2)
directly or indirectly coerce, attempt to coerce, command or advise a state or local
officer or employee to pay, lend or contribute anything of value to a party, committee,
organization, agency or person for political purposes.
(b) A person employed in said classified service or Judicial Department retains the
right to vote as he chooses and to express his opinions on political subjects and candidates
and shall be free to participate actively in political management and campaigns. Such
activity may include but shall not be limited to, membership and holding of office in a
political party, organization or club, campaigning for a candidate in a partisan election
by making speeches, writing on behalf of the candidate or soliciting votes in support of
or in opposition to a candidate and making contributions of time and money to political
parties, committees or other agencies engaged in political action, except that no such
employee shall engage in such activity while on duty or within any period of time during
which such employee is expected to perform services for which he receives compensation from the state, and no such employee shall utilize state funds, supplies, vehicles,
or facilities to secure support for or oppose any candidate, party, or issue in a political
partisan election. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection, any person employed in the classified state service or in the Judicial Department may be a candidate
for a state or municipal office, in any political partisan election. No person seeking or
holding municipal office or seeking state office in accordance with the provisions of
this subsection shall engage in political activity or in the performance of the duties of
such office while on state duty or within any period of time during which such person
is expected to perform services for which such person receives compensation from the
state. The Citizen's Ethics Advisory Board shall establish by regulation definitions of
conflict of interest which shall preclude persons in the classified state service or in the
Judicial Department from holding elective office.
(c) Any person employed in the classified state service or in the Judicial Department
who leaves such service to accept a full-time elective municipal office shall be granted
a personal leave of absence without pay from his state employment for not more than
two consecutive terms of such office or for a period of four years, whichever is shorter.
Upon reapplication for his original position at the expiration of such term or terms of
office, such person shall be reinstated in his most recent state position or a similar
position with equivalent pay or to a vacancy in any other position such person is qualified
to fill. If no such positions are available, such person's name shall be placed on all
reemployment lists for classes in which he has attained permanent status. Any person
employed in the classified state service or in the Judicial Department who accepts an
elective state office shall resign from such employment upon taking such office. In either
event, such person shall give notice in writing to his appointing authority that he is a
candidate for a state elective office or a full-time elective municipal office within thirty
days after nomination for that office.
(1971, P.A. 103, S. 1; P.A. 75-356, S. 1, 2; P.A. 76-424, S. 3, 4; P.A. 78-271; P.A. 79-275; P.A. 83-36; P.A. 84-532,
S. 1, 3; P.A. 03-278, S. 10; P.A. 05-183, S. 32.)
History: P.A. 75-356 removed prohibition on taking active part in political management or campaigns in Subsec. (a) and
amended Subsec. (b) to clarify permissible and impermissible political activity; P.A. 76-424 removed provision regarding
candidacy in nonpartisan elections from Subsec. (b); P.A. 78-271 removed absolute prohibition on candidacy in partisan
elections, allowing candidacy for municipal elections, setting forth appropriate conduct and providing for regulations
concerning conflict of interest; P.A. 79-275 added Subsec. (c) re leave of absence to serve in municipal office; P.A. 83-36 permitted classified state employees to seek state elective office, provided upon accepting any such office the employee
must resign from his position in the classified state service; P.A. 84-532 included judicial department employees within
the provisions of the section and removed provision that a local charter or ordinance could supersede employees' right to
run for municipal office; P.A. 03-278 made a technical change in Subsec. (a), effective July 9, 2003; P.A. 05-183 amended
Subsec. (b) to replace "State Ethics Commission" with "Citizen's Ethics Advisory Board", effective July 1, 2005.
Cited. 192 C. 399.