Political activities; other provisions

A. (1) No member of the civil service board or employee covered under this Part shall: (a) Participate or engage in political activity. (b) Be a candidate for nomination or election to public office, except for the position of elected employee member of the civil service board, or be a member of any national, state, or local committee of a political party or faction. (c) Make or solicit contributions for any political party, faction, or candidate. (d) Take active part in the management of the affairs of a political party, faction, candidate, or any political campaign, except to exercise his right as a citizen to express his opinion privately, to serve as a commissioner or official watcher at the polls, and to cast his vote as he desires. (2) No person shall solicit contributions for political purposes from a classified employee or use or attempt to use his position in the parish service to punish or coerce the political action of a classified employee. (3) As used in this Part, "political activity" means an effort to support or oppose the election of a candidate for political office or to support a particular political party in an election. B. Rules and regulations, classification plans, and pay plans presently in effect for the employees of Rapides Parish will remain in effect until rules and regulations under this law have been passed by the civil service board. C. Any person holding a full-time position subject to this Part on June 7, 1993, who has served as an employee of the parish for at least six months prior thereto shall continue in his position without competitive test, but shall be subject in all other respects to this Part.