California, like all other states and the federal government, have a system for the employment of individuals, our public employee system. Many of the provisions for California’s public employee system are spelled out in our state’s constitution.

Article VII was added to the California Constitution by Proposition 14 on the June 8, 1976, ballot. It contains eleven sections.

  • Section 1 – Civil Service includes every officer and employee of the state except for those provided for elsewhere in the Constitution. Permanent appointment and promotion in civil service must be made under a general system based on merit by use of competitive examinations.
  • Section 2 – establishes the State Personnel Board
  • Section 3 – requires the State Personnel Board to enforce civil services statutes, and gives the Board other duties
  • Section 4 – Exempts from civil service individuals who are employed or appointed by the Legislature; employed by council or commissions in the judicial branch; elected by the people of California; members of Boards and Commissions; selected by Boards and Commissions or appointed by the Governor; state officers appointed by the Governor; employees of the Governor’s or Lieutenant Governor’s office; and many others.
  • Section 5 – Temporary civil service appoints may be made to a position where there is not an employment list, but no person may serve in such a role for more than nine months in a twelve consecutive month period.
  • Section 6 – The Legislature may provide preferences for veterans and surviving spouses of veterans
  • Section 7 – Prohibits a person holding a lucrative office under the United States or another power from holding a civil office
  • Section 8 – Every person who has been convicted of having given or offered a bribe to procure personal election or appointment is prohibited from holding any office of profit in California.
  • Section 9 – any person or organization that advocates for the overthrow of the government of the US by force or other illegal means, or who advocates support of a foreign government against the United States can’t hold office or employment.
  • Section 10 – No person who is found liable in a civil action for making libelous or slanderous statements against an opposing candidate at the state or local level can retain the seat to which they’ve been elected if the libel or slander was a major contributing cause in the defeat of an opposing candidate.
  • Section 11 – Prohibits the Legislature’s retirement system from paying any retirement allowance to any person who entered office after January 1, 1987.

You can find the transcript of the audio in today’s post here.