HB 2642 Summary

• Amends Arizona Revised Statutes section 41-752 to expand political activities permitted for state employees, members of the state personnel board, and members of the law enforcement merit system council.

• Allows employees to serve as members of national, state, or local political party committees, as officers or chairpersons of partisan political clubs, and to participate in the management of political parties and campaigns, with limited exceptions.

• Permits employees to express political opinions, attend political meetings, vote, make campaign contributions, circulate nomination or recall petitions, and advocate for or against candidates outside of work hours and at no public expense.

• Maintains prohibitions on using political endorsements for state personnel appointments, using official authority to influence political action, and engaging in prohibited political activities while on duty, in uniform, or at public expense.

• Establishes criminal penalties (class 6 felony for violations involving coercion or intimidation; class 1 misdemeanor for other violations) and civil penalties up to three times the amount of any contribution solicited in violation of the law.