§ 15.2-1512.2. Political activities of employees of localities, firefighters,emergency medical technicians and law-enforcement officers and certain otherofficers and employees.
A. For the purposes of this section:
"Emergency medical technician" means any person who is employed within thefire department or public safety department of a locality whose primaryresponsibility is the provision of emergency medical care to the sick orinjured, using either basic or advanced techniques. Emergency medicaltechnicians may also provide fire protection services and assist in theenforcement of the fire prevention code.
"Firefighter" means any person who is employed within the fire departmentor public safety department of a locality whose primary responsibility is theprevention or extinguishment of fires, the protection of life and property,or the enforcement of local or state fire prevention codes or laws pertainingto the prevention or control of fires.
"Law-enforcement officer" means any person who is employed within thepolice department, bureau or force of any locality, including the sheriff'sdepartment of any city or county, and who is authorized by law to makearrests.
"Locality" means counties, cities, towns, authorities or special districts.
"Political campaign" means activities engaged in for the purpose ofpromoting a political issue, for influencing the outcome of an election forlocal or state office, or for influencing the outcome of a referendum orspecial election.
"Political candidate" means any person who has made known his or herintention to seek, or campaign for, local or state office in a general,primary or special election.
"Political party" means any party, organization or group having as itspurpose the promotion of political candidates or political campaigns.
B. Notwithstanding any contrary provision of law, general or special, nolocality shall prohibit an employee of the locality, including firefighters,emergency medical technicians or law-enforcement officers within itsemployment, or deputies, appointees and employees of local constitutionalofficers as defined in § 15.2-1600, from participating in politicalactivities while these employees are off duty, out of uniform and not on thepremises of their employment with the locality.
C. For purposes of this section, the term "political activities" includes,but is not limited to: voting; registering to vote; soliciting votes orendorsements on behalf of a political candidate or political campaign;expressing opinions, privately or publicly, on political subjects andcandidates; displaying a political picture, sign, sticker, badge or button;participating in the activities of, or contributing financially to, apolitical party, candidate or campaign or an organization that supports apolitical candidate or campaign; attending or participating in a politicalconvention, caucus, rally, or other political gathering; initiating,circulating or signing a political petition; engaging in fund-raisingactivities for any political party, candidate or campaign; acting as arecorder, watcher, challenger or similar officer at the polls on behalf of apolitical party, candidate or campaign; or becoming a political candidate.
D. Employees of a locality, including firefighters, emergency medicaltechnicians, law-enforcement officers, and other employees specified insubsection B are prohibited from using their official authority to coerce orattempt to coerce a subordinate employee to pay, lend or contribute anythingof value to a political party, candidate or campaign, or to discriminateagainst any employee or applicant for employment because of that person'spolitical affiliations or political activities, except as such affiliation oractivity may be established by law as disqualification for employment.
E. Employees of a locality, including firefighters, emergency medicaltechnicians, law-enforcement officers, and other employees specified insubsection B are prohibited from discriminating in the provision of publicservices, including but not limited to fire fighting, emergency medical, orlaw-enforcement services, or responding to requests for such services, on thebasis of the political affiliations or political activities of the person ororganization for which such services are provided or requested.
F. Employees of a locality, including firefighters, emergency medicaltechnicians, law-enforcement officers, and other employees specified insubsection B are prohibited from suggesting or implying that a locality hasofficially endorsed a political party, candidate or campaign.
§ 15.2-1512.2. Political activities of employees of localities, firefighters,emergency medical technicians and law-enforcement officers and certain otherofficers and employees.
A. For the purposes of this section:
"Emergency medical technician" means any person who is employed within thefire department or public safety department of a locality whose primaryresponsibility is the provision of emergency medical care to the sick orinjured, using either basic or advanced techniques. Emergency medicaltechnicians may also provide fire protection services and assist in theenforcement of the fire prevention code.
"Firefighter" means any person who is employed within the fire departmentor public safety department of a locality whose primary responsibility is theprevention or extinguishment of fires, the protection of life and property,or the enforcement of local or state fire prevention codes or laws pertainingto the prevention or control of fires.
"Law-enforcement officer" means any person who is employed within thepolice department, bureau or force of any locality, including the sheriff'sdepartment of any city or county, and who is authorized by law to makearrests.
"Locality" means counties, cities, towns, authorities or special districts.
"Political campaign" means activities engaged in for the purpose ofpromoting a political issue, for influencing the outcome of an election forlocal or state office, or for influencing the outcome of a referendum orspecial election.
"Political candidate" means any person who has made known his or herintention to seek, or campaign for, local or state office in a general,primary or special election.
"Political party" means any party, organization or group having as itspurpose the promotion of political candidates or political campaigns.
B. Notwithstanding any contrary provision of law, general or special, nolocality shall prohibit an employee of the locality, including firefighters,emergency medical technicians or law-enforcement officers within itsemployment, or deputies, appointees and employees of local constitutionalofficers as defined in § 15.2-1600, from participating in politicalactivities while these employees are off duty, out of uniform and not on thepremises of their employment with the locality.
C. For purposes of this section, the term "political activities" includes,but is not limited to: voting; registering to vote; soliciting votes orendorsements on behalf of a political candidate or political campaign;expressing opinions, privately or publicly, on political subjects andcandidates; displaying a political picture, sign, sticker, badge or button;participating in the activities of, or contributing financially to, apolitical party, candidate or campaign or an organization that supports apolitical candidate or campaign; attending or participating in a politicalconvention, caucus, rally, or other political gathering; initiating,circulating or signing a political petition; engaging in fund-raisingactivities for any political party, candidate or campaign; acting as arecorder, watcher, challenger or similar officer at the polls on behalf of apolitical party, candidate or campaign; or becoming a political candidate.
D. Employees of a locality, including firefighters, emergency medicaltechnicians, law-enforcement officers, and other employees specified insubsection B are prohibited from using their official authority to coerce orattempt to coerce a subordinate employee to pay, lend or contribute anythingof value to a political party, candidate or campaign, or to discriminateagainst any employee or applicant for employment because of that person'spolitical affiliations or political activities, except as such affiliation oractivity may be established by law as disqualification for employment.
E. Employees of a locality, including firefighters, emergency medicaltechnicians, law-enforcement officers, and other employees specified insubsection B are prohibited from discriminating in the provision of publicservices, including but not limited to fire fighting, emergency medical, orlaw-enforcement services, or responding to requests for such services, on thebasis of the political affiliations or political activities of the person ororganization for which such services are provided or requested.
F. Employees of a locality, including firefighters, emergency medicaltechnicians, law-enforcement officers, and other employees specified insubsection B are prohibited from suggesting or implying that a locality hasofficially endorsed a political party, candidate or campaign.
§ 15.2-1512.2. Political activities of employees of localities, firefighters,emergency medical technicians and law-enforcement officers and certain otherofficers and employees.
A. For the purposes of this section:
"Emergency medical technician" means any person who is employed within thefire department or public safety department of a locality whose primaryresponsibility is the provision of emergency medical care to the sick orinjured, using either basic or advanced techniques. Emergency medicaltechnicians may also provide fire protection services and assist in theenforcement of the fire prevention code.
"Firefighter" means any person who is employed within the fire departmentor public safety department of a locality whose primary responsibility is theprevention or extinguishment of fires, the protection of life and property,or the enforcement of local or state fire prevention codes or laws pertainingto the prevention or control of fires.
"Law-enforcement officer" means any person who is employed within thepolice department, bureau or force of any locality, including the sheriff'sdepartment of any city or county, and who is authorized by law to makearrests.
"Locality" means counties, cities, towns, authorities or special districts.
"Political campaign" means activities engaged in for the purpose ofpromoting a political issue, for influencing the outcome of an election forlocal or state office, or for influencing the outcome of a referendum orspecial election.
"Political candidate" means any person who has made known his or herintention to seek, or campaign for, local or state office in a general,primary or special election.
"Political party" means any party, organization or group having as itspurpose the promotion of political candidates or political campaigns.
B. Notwithstanding any contrary provision of law, general or special, nolocality shall prohibit an employee of the locality, including firefighters,emergency medical technicians or law-enforcement officers within itsemployment, or deputies, appointees and employees of local constitutionalofficers as defined in § 15.2-1600, from participating in politicalactivities while these employees are off duty, out of uniform and not on thepremises of their employment with the locality.
C. For purposes of this section, the term "political activities" includes,but is not limited to: voting; registering to vote; soliciting votes orendorsements on behalf of a political candidate or political campaign;expressing opinions, privately or publicly, on political subjects andcandidates; displaying a political picture, sign, sticker, badge or button;participating in the activities of, or contributing financially to, apolitical party, candidate or campaign or an organization that supports apolitical candidate or campaign; attending or participating in a politicalconvention, caucus, rally, or other political gathering; initiating,circulating or signing a political petition; engaging in fund-raisingactivities for any political party, candidate or campaign; acting as arecorder, watcher, challenger or similar officer at the polls on behalf of apolitical party, candidate or campaign; or becoming a political candidate.
D. Employees of a locality, including firefighters, emergency medicaltechnicians, law-enforcement officers, and other employees specified insubsection B are prohibited from using their official authority to coerce orattempt to coerce a subordinate employee to pay, lend or contribute anythingof value to a political party, candidate or campaign, or to discriminateagainst any employee or applicant for employment because of that person'spolitical affiliations or political activities, except as such affiliation oractivity may be established by law as disqualification for employment.
E. Employees of a locality, including firefighters, emergency medicaltechnicians, law-enforcement officers, and other employees specified insubsection B are prohibited from discriminating in the provision of publicservices, including but not limited to fire fighting, emergency medical, orlaw-enforcement services, or responding to requests for such services, on thebasis of the political affiliations or political activities of the person ororganization for which such services are provided or requested.
F. Employees of a locality, including firefighters, emergency medicaltechnicians, law-enforcement officers, and other employees specified insubsection B are prohibited from suggesting or implying that a locality hasofficially endorsed a political party, candidate or campaign.
