(a)  A municipal employee may hold a state elective office or a municipal elective office; provided, that except as authorized pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, no municipal employee may hold a municipal elective office in the city or town in which he or she is employed, and a state employee may hold any municipal elective office. Any provision in any state law, municipal ordinance, or city or town charter prohibiting a municipal employee from holding state elective office or municipal elective office, other than in the town where he or she is employed, or a state employee from holding a municipal elective office is declared null and void.

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Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 17-1-5.1

  • person: may be construed to extend to and include co-partnerships and bodies corporate and politic. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-6
  • town: may be construed to include city; the words "town council" include city council; the words "town clerk" include city clerk; the words "ward clerk" include clerk of election district; the words "town treasurer" include city treasurer; and the words "town sergeant" include city sergeant. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-9

(b)  The provisions of this section shall not apply to school teachers of the individual cities and towns as defined in title 16.

(c)  Notwithstanding the provisions of the first sentence of subsection (a) of this section, a city or town may, by charter or ordinance, permit a municipal employee of that city or town to hold the office of school committee person in that city or town.

History of Section.
P.L. 1978, ch. 378, § 1; P.L. 2000, ch. 518, § 1.