HB867 - Local government employees; expression of certain opinions protected.

3 Co-Sponsors

Local government employees; expression of certain opinions protected. Provides that an employee of a locality shall not be penalized by his employer for expressing his opinion regarding a current or proposed regulation, rule, policy, position, or other action or purpose of a public body at an open meeting of such public body when such employee is speaking on his own behalf. The bill excludes any speech that is unprotected under the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, including speech that (i) incites violence; (ii) is obscene, defamatory, or fraudulent; or (iii) discloses privileged and confidential information. The bill specifies that for purposes of this provision an employee of a locality does not include any person appointed to a position in a locality by an elected official or by a government body composed in whole or in part of elected officials.