Montana § 7-3-4256 - Control Of Conflict Of Interest

§ 7-3-4256. Control Of Conflict Of Interest

Control of conflict of interest. (1) An officer or employee elected or appointed in any municipal commission government city may not have an interest, directly or indirectly, in any contract or job for work or materials or the profits of the contract or job or materials, supplies, or services to be furnished to or performed for the city. An officer or employee may not have an interest, directly or indirectly, in any contract or job for work or materials or the profits of the contract or job or services to be furnished to or performed for any person, firm, or corporation operating any interurban railway, street railway, gasworks, waterworks, electric light or power plant, heating plant, telegraph line, telephone exchange, or other public utility within the territorial limits of the city. An officer or employee may not accept or receive, directly or indirectly, from any person, firm, or corporation operating within the territorial limits of the city any interurban railway, street railway, gasworks, waterworks, electric light or power plant, heating plant, telegraph line, telephone exchange, or other business using or operating under a public franchise any frank, free pass, free ticket, or free service or accept or receive, directly or indirectly, from any person, firm, or corporation any other service on terms more favorable than are granted to the public generally. The prohibition of free transportation does not apply to police officers or firefighters in uniform. Any officer or employee of the city who, by solicitation or otherwise, exerts influence, directly or indirectly, to influence other officers or employees of the city to adopt the officer's or employee's political views or to favor any particular person or candidate for office or who in any manner contributes money, labor, or other valuable thing to any person for election purposes is guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be punished by a fine not exceeding $300 or by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding 30 days. (2) Any violation of the provisions of this section is a misdemeanor, and every contract and agreement that violates the provisions of this section is void.