§ 126-13. Appropriate political activity of State employees defined.

Article5.

Political Activity ofEmployees.

§ 126‑13.  Appropriatepolitical activity of State employees defined.

(a)        As an individual,each State employee retains all the rights and obligations of citizenshipprovided in the Constitution and laws of the State of North Carolina and theConstitution and laws of the United States of America; however, no Stateemployee subject to the Personnel Act or temporary State employee shall:

(1)        Take any active partin managing a campaign, or campaign for political office or otherwise engage inpolitical activity while on duty or within any period of time during which heis expected to perform services for which he receives compensation from theState;

(2)        Otherwise use theauthority of his position, or utilize State funds, supplies or vehicles tosecure support for or oppose any candidate, party, or issue in an electioninvolving candidates for office or party nominations, or affect the resultsthereof.

(b)        No head of anyState department, agency, or institution or other State employee exercisingsupervisory authority shall make, issue, or enforce any rule or policy theeffect of which is to interfere with the right of any State employee as anindividual to engage in political activity while not on duty or at times duringwhich he is not performing services for which he receives compensation from theState.  A State employee who is or may be expected to perform his duties on atwenty‑four hour per day basis shall not be prevented from engaging inpolitical activity except during regularly scheduled working hours or at othertimes when he is actually performing the duties of his office.  The willfulviolation of this subdivision shall be a Class 1 misdemeanor. (1967,c. 821, s. 1; 1985, c. 469, s. 1, c. 617, s. 5; 1993, c. 539, s. 930; 1994, Ex.Sess., c. 24, s. 14(c).)