§ 5.1. Political activities permitted.

Any chief, officer, or sworn members of the Fire Department may attend and express their views at city council meetings, or any other public meetings of municipal entities.

Any chief, officer, or sworn member of the Fire Department may actively participate in partisan and nonpartisan political activities. Provided, the political activity in which the employee participates shall be exercised only during off-duty hours and while not in uniform. Any federal statutes restricting the political activities of certain municipal employees shall supersede the provisions of this section as to such employees.

NOTE: This section was amended to read as above by an amendment voted November 14, 2017. There were 6,968 votes in favor of the amendment and 3,312 votes against the amendment. The title to this amendment read:

Shall the City Charter of the City of Tulsa, Article X, "Civil Service Commission and Merit System", Section 10.1, "Political Activities Prohibited", and Article XI, "Fire Department", Section 5.1 "Political Activities Prohibited", be amended to permit municipal employees, including firefighters, to attend public meetings and express their views, and to permit political activities by municipal employees, including firefighters, when off duty and not in uniform?

Prior to this amendment, this section read as follows:

Section 5.1. Political activities prohibited.

No chief, officer, or sworn member of the Fire Department shall take an active part in any campaign for the election of officers of the city, except to vote and privately state a personal opinion.