§8-15-24. Political activities of members prohibited; exceptions.

(a) No member of any paid fire department may:

(1) Solicit any assessment, subscription or contribution for any political party, committee or candidate from any person who is a member or employee of the same fire department by which they are employed;

(2) Use any official authority or influence, including, but not limited to, the wearing by a member of a paid fire department of his or her uniform, for the purpose of interfering with or affecting the nomination, election or defeat of any candidate or the passage or defeat of any ballot issue: Provided, That this subdivision shall not be construed to prohibit any member of a paid fire department from casting his or her vote at any election while wearing his or her uniform;

(3) Coerce or command anyone to pay, lend or contribute anything of value to a party, committee, organization, agency or person for the nomination, election or defeat of a ballot issue; or

(4) Be a candidate for or hold any other public office in the municipality in which he or she is employed: Provided, That any paid member of a fire department that is subject to the provisions of 15 U.S.C. §1501 et seq., may not be a candidate for elective office.

(b) Other types of partisan or nonpartisan political activities not inconsistent with the provisions of subsection (a) of this section are permissible political activities for members of paid fire departments.

(c) No person shall be appointed or promoted to or demoted or dismissed from any position in a paid fire department or in any way favored or discriminated against because of his or her engagement in any political activities authorized by the provisions of this section. Any elected or appointed official who violates the provisions of this subsection shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by the penalties contained in section twenty-six, article fifteen, chapter eight of this code.