Kentucky SB 267: AN ACT relating to the Kentucky State Police.

Bill Text

UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 1777
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AN ACT relating to the Kentucky State Police. 1
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: 2
Section 1. KRS 16.170 is amended to read as follows: 3
(1) As used in this section, unless the context requires otherwise: 4
(a) "Political activities" includes but is not limited to: 5
1. Registering to vote and voting; 6
2. Soliciting votes or endorsements on behalf of a political candidate or 7
political campaign; 8
3. Expressing opinions, either publicly or privately, on political subjects 9
and candidates; 10
4. Displaying political signs, pictures, stickers, badges, or buttons; 11
5. Participating in the activities of, or contributing financially to, a 12
political party, political group, candidate, campaign, or any 13
organization that supports a political candidate or campaign; 14
6. Attending or participating in a political convention, caucus, rally, or 15
other political gathering; 16
7. Initiating, circulating, or signing a petition in favor of or in opposition 17
to a candidate, public question, or a particular political position or 18
opinion; 19
8. Engaging in fundraising activities for any political party, political 20
organization, political group, candidate, or campaign; 21
9. Acting as a recorder, watcher, challenger, or similar officer at the 22
polls on behalf of a political party, political organization, political 23
group, candidate, or campaign; and 24
10. Becoming a political candidate; and 25
(b) "Political party," "political organization," and "political group" have the 26
same meaning as in KRS 118.015. 27

UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 1777
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(2) No provision of law shall prohibit an officer of the department or individual 1
employed as a Trooper R Class or CVE R Class from participating in political 2
activities while off duty, out of uniform, and off the premises of his or her usual 3
place of employment. 4
(3) An officer of the department or individual employed as a Trooper R Class or CVE 5
R Class shall not: 6
(a) Use his or her official authority to: 7
1. Influence, coerce, or attempt to influence or coerce, a subordinate 8
employee to pay, lend, or contribute anything of value to a political 9
party, candidate, or campaign; or 10
2. Discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment due to 11
that person's political affiliation or political activity, unless otherwise 12
provided by law as a disqualification for employment; 13
(b) Discriminate in providing public services, including but not limited to law 14
enforcement services, on the basis of any political affiliation or political 15
activities of any person, group, or organization; or 16
(c) Suggest or imply that any employee or agency of state government has 17
officially endorsed a political party, political organization, political group, 18
candidate, or campaign. 19
(4) While engaging in any political activity under this section, an officer of the 20
department or individual employed as a Trooper R Class or CVE R Class shall 21
not: 22
(a) Wear a uniform or any part of a uniform that would identify him or her as 23
an officer or trooper; 24
(b) Use any equipment or property of the department; 25
(c) Display or otherwise attempt to cause others to believe the officer or 26
employee is carrying a firearm, star, badge, or other indication of law 27

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enforcement authority; 1
(d) Promote himself or herself as an officer of the department or Trooper R 2
Class or CVE R Class representing the interests of the department; 3
(e) Solicit contributions from employees or nonemployees during regular 4
working hours; or 5
(f) Solicit or receive any political contribution of any kind while on state 6
property, unless the property is rented or leased by a private individual or 7
corporate entity[shall, directly or indirectly, give, solicit or receive, or be in 8
any manner concerned in giving, soliciting or receiving, any assessment, 9
subscription or contribution for any political party or political purpose 10
whatever. No officer or individual employed as a Trooper R Class or CVE R 11
Class shall, orally or by letter, solicit or be in any manner concerned in 12
soliciting any assessment, subscription or contribution for any political party 13
or purpose whatever from any person holding a position in the department. No 14
officer of the department or individual employed as a Trooper R Class or 15
CVE R Class shall take any part in political management or affairs or in 16
political campaigns further than to cast his vote and to express privately his 17
opinion]. 18
(5) Any violation of the provisions of this section[hereof] shall be grounds for removal. 19
Section 2. KRS 16.195 is amended to read as follows: 20
For officers governed by KRS 16.186 to 16.195, t