Chapter 9.5. Political Activities Of Public Employees of California Government Code >> Division 4. >> Title 1. >> Chapter 9.5.

The Legislature finds that political activities of public employees are of significant statewide concern. The provisions of this chapter shall supersede all provisions on this subject in the general law of this state or any city, county, or city and county charter except as provided in Section 3207.

This chapter applies to all officers and employees of a state or local agency.
  (a) "Local agency" means a county, city, city and county, political subdivision, district other than a school district, or municipal corporation. Officers and employees of a given local agency include officers and employees of any other local agency whose principal duties consist of providing services to the given local agency.
  (b) "State agency" means every state office, department, division, bureau, board, commission, superior court, court of appeal, the Supreme Court, the California State University, the University of California, and the Legislature.

Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, or as necessary to meet requirements of federal law as it pertains to a particular employee or employees, no restriction shall be placed on the political activities of any officer or employee of a state or local agency.

No one who holds, or who is seeking election or appointment to, any office or employment in a state or local agency shall, directly or indirectly, use, promise, threaten or attempt to use, any office, authority, or influence, whether then possessed or merely anticipated, to confer upon or secure for any individual person, or to aid or obstruct any individual person in securing, or to prevent any individual person from securing, any position, nomination, confirmation, promotion, or change in compensation or position, within the state or local agency, upon consideration or condition that the vote or political influence or action of such person or another shall be given or used in behalf of, or withheld from, any candidate, officer, or party, or upon any other corrupt condition or consideration. This prohibition shall apply to urging or discouraging the individual employee's action.

(a) An officer or employee of a local agency shall not, directly or indirectly, solicit a political contribution from an officer or employee of that agency, or from a person on an employment list of that agency, with knowledge that the person from whom the contribution is solicited is an officer or employee of that agency.
  (b) A candidate for elective office of a local agency shall not, directly or indirectly, solicit a political contribution from an officer or employee of that agency, or from a person on an employment list of that agency, with knowledge that the person from whom the contribution is solicited is an officer or employee of that agency.
  (c) This section shall not prohibit an officer or employee of a local agency, or a candidate for elective office in a local agency, from requesting political contributions from officers or employees of that agency if the solicitation is part of a solicitation made to a significant segment of the public which may include officers or employees of that local agency.
  (d) Violation of this section is punishable as a misdemeanor. The district attorney shall have all authority to prosecute under this section.
  (e) For purposes of this section, the term "contribution" shall have the same meaning as defined in Section 82015.

No one who holds, or who is seeking election or appointment to, any office shall, directly or indirectly, offer or arrange for any increase in compensation or salary for an employee of a state or local agency in exchange for, or a promise of, a contribution or loan to any committee controlled directly or indirectly by the person who holds, or who is seeking election or appointment to, an office. A violation of this section is punishable by imprisonment in a county jail for a period not exceeding one year, a fine not exceeding five thousand dollars ($5,000), or by both that imprisonment and fine.

No officer or employee of a local agency shall participate in political activities of any kind while in uniform.

Any city, county, or city and county charter or, in the absence of a charter provision, the governing body of any local agency and any agency not subject to Section 19251 by establishing rules and regulations, may prohibit or otherwise restrict the following:
  (a) Officers and employees engaging in political activity during working hours.
  (b) Political activities on the premises of the local agency.

Except as provided in Section 19990, the limitations set forth in this chapter shall be the only restrictions on the political activities of state employees.

Nothing in this chapter prevents an officer or employee of a state or local agency from soliciting or receiving political funds or contributions to promote the passage or defeat of a ballot measure which would affect the rate of pay, hours of work, retirement, civil service, or other working conditions of officers or employees of such state or local agency, except that a state or local agency may prohibit or limit such activities by its employees during their working hours and may prohibit or limit entry into governmental offices for such purposes during working hours.