WSR 99-01-134
PERMANENT RULES
DEPARTMENT OF LICENSING
[Filed December 21, 1998, 12:16 p.m.]
Date of Adoption: December 19, 1998.
Purpose: Meet criteria supporting Governor Locke's Executive Order 97-02.
Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Vessel registration and certificates of title, public disclosure of vessel owner names or addresses; repealing WAC 308-93-670 Disclosure of individual vessel owner names and addresses; and amending WAC 308-93-087 Disclosure of names and addresses of individual owners, 308-93-088 Disclosure violations, penalties, and 308-93-660 Destruction of records by department.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 88.02.070, 88.02.100.
Adopted under notice filed as WSR 98-21-060 on October 20, 1998.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, amended 3, repealed 1.
Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, amended 3, repealed 1; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0.
Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing.
December 21, 1998
Fred Stephens
Director
OTS-2589.1
AMENDATORY SECTION (Amending WSR 92-24-035, filed 11/25/92, effective 12/26/92)
WAC 308-93-087 Disclosure of names and addresses of
individual vessel owners. (1) ((Notwithstanding the provisions
of chapter 42.17 RCW, the name and/or address of an individual
vessel owner shall not be released by the department, county
auditor, or other public agency except under the following
circumstances:
(a) The requesting party is a business entity that requests
the information for use in the course of business;
(b) The request is in writing, signed by the person
requesting disclosure, contains the full legal name and address
of the requesting party, and specifies the purpose for which the
information will be used; and
(c) The requesting party enters into a disclosure agreement
with the department in which the party promises that the party
will use the information only for the purpose stated in the
request for the information; and that the party does not intend
to use, or facilitate the use of, the information for the purpose
of making any unsolicited business contact with a person named in
the disclosed information. The term "unsolicited business
contact" means a contact that is intended to result in or promote
the sale of any goods or services to a person named in the
disclosure information. The term does not apply to situations
where the requesting party and such person have been involved in
a business transaction prior to the date of the disclosure
request and where the request is made in connection with the
transaction.
(2) The disclosing entity shall retain the request for
disclosure for three years.
(3) Whenever the disclosing entity grants a request for
information under this section by an attorney or private
investigator, the disclosing entity shall provide notice to the
vessel owner, to whom the information applies, that the request
has been granted. The notice shall also contain the name and
address of the requesting party.
(4) Any person who is furnished vessel owner information
under this section shall be responsible for assuring that the
information furnished is not used for a purpose contrary to the
agreement between the person and the department.
(5) This section shall not apply to requests for information
by government entities or requests that may be granted under any
other provision of this chapter expressly authorizing the
disclosure of the name or address of vessel owners.)) Who may
receive disclosure of individual vessel owner names and
addresses?
(a) Any business entity that uses the name and address information in the course of business in accordance with these rules; or
(b) A vessel owner for their own vessel.
(2) What documentation is needed to receive vessel owner names and addresses?
Each entity shall submit the following to the department:
(a) A record disclosure request form provided by the department and completed by the applicant; and
(b) Verification of the applicant's identity as a business; and
(c) If an attorney, a copy of his or her bar card; or
(d) If a private investigator, a copy of his or her private investigator's license.
(3) What is acceptable verification?
For purposes of this section acceptable verification includes:
(a) If a licensed Washington business, a copy of its current unexpired master business license;
(b) If a business not required to be licensed in this state, its federal employer identification number on its official letterhead with a notarized signature of the owner or an authorized representative; or
(c) If an out-of-state business not licensed in Washington:
(i) If the business is required to be licensed, a copy of its current business license issued by the governmental authority with jurisdiction over the license; or
(ii) If the business is not required to be licensed, its federal employer identification number on its official letterhead with a notarized signature of the owner or an authorized representative.
(4) If a business entity has entered into an agreement with the department, is a separate request for each inquiry required?
No. If a business entity has entered into a written agreement with the department, a separate request for each inquiry is not required.
(5) When may an individual be provided vessel owner name and address information?
(a) When the owner of record is requesting the information; or
(b) When the requestor presents a bill of sale and needs the ownership information to obtain a release of interest.
(6) Who may release the vessel owner name and address information?
(a) The department of licensing; or
(b) Agents and subagents, only when disclosing information for purposes described in subsection (5)(b) of this section.
(7) When may the department disclose the names and addresses of vessel owners?
Notwithstanding the provisions of chapter 42.17 RCW, the department may disclose the names and addresses of vessel owners when:
(a) The requesting party is a business entity that requests the information for use in the course of business;
(b) The request is in writing, signed by the person requesting disclosure, contains the full legal name and address of the requesting party, and specifies the purpose for which the information will be used; and
(c) The requesting party enters into a disclosure agreement with the department in which the party promises that the party will use the information only for the purpose stated in the request for the information; and that the party does not intend to use, or facilitate the use of, the information for the purpose of making any unsolicited business contact with a person named in the disclosed information.
(8) What does the term "unsolicited business contact" mean?
The term "unsolicited business contact" means a contact that is intended to result in or promote the sale of any goods or services to a person named in the disclosure information. The term does not apply to situations where the requesting party and such person have been involved in a business transaction prior to the date of the disclosure request and where the request is made in connection with the transaction.
(9) Is the department required to notify the vessel owner when ownership information is disclosed?
When the department grants a request from an attorney or private investigator, for information under this section, the department shall provide notice to the vessel owner that the request has been granted. The notice shall also contain the name and address of the requesting party.
(10) How long will the department retain the request for disclosure of vessel owner information?
The department will retain the request for disclosure for three years.
(11) Who is responsible for assuring that the information is used appropriately?
Any person, business, entity or association that receives vessel owner information under this section shall be responsible for assuring that the information received is not used for a purpose contrary to the agreement between the person, business, entity or association and the department.
(12) Who is exempt from the provisions of this section?
This section shall not apply to requests for information by government entities or requests that may be granted under any other provision of this chapter expressly authorizing the disclosure of the name or address of vessel owners.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 88.02.070 and 88.02.100. 92-24-035, § 308-93-087, filed 11/25/92, effective 12/26/92. Statutory Authority: RCW 88.02.070. 88-24-003 (Order TL/RG 47), § 308-93-087, filed 11/29/88.]
AMENDATORY SECTION (Amending WSR 96-03-046, filed 1/11/96, effective 2/11/96)
WAC 308-93-088 Disclosure violations, penalties. (1) ((The
department may review the activities of a person who receives
vessel record information to ensure compliance with the
limitations imposed on the use of the information. The
department shall suspend or revoke for up to five years the
privilege of obtaining vessel record information of a person
found to be in violation of chapter 42.17 RCW, this chapter, or a
disclosure agreement executed with the department.
(2) In addition to the penalty in subsection (1) of this
section:
(a) The unauthorized disclosure of information from a
department vessel record; or
(b) The use of a false representation to obtain information
from the department's vessel records; or
(c) The use of information obtained from the department
vessel records for a purpose other than what is stated in the
request for information or in the disclosure agreement executed
with the department; or
(d) The sale or other distribution of any vessel owner name
or address to another person not disclosed in the request or
disclosure agreement, is a gross misdemeanor punishable by a fine
not to exceed ten thousand dollars, or by imprisonment in a
county jail not to exceed one year, or by both such fine and
imprisonment for each violation.)) What are considered violations
of chapter 42.17 RCW, this chapter or a disclosure agreement with
the department?
(a) The unauthorized disclosure of information from a department vessel record;
(b) The use of a false representation to obtain information from the department's vessel records;
(c) The use of information obtained from the department vessel records for a purpose other than what is stated in the request for information or in the disclosure agreement executed with the department; or
(d) The sale or other distribution of any vessel owner name or address to another person not disclosed in the request or disclosure agreement.
(2) What are the penalties associated with these violations?
The department shall suspend or revoke for up to five years the privilege of obtaining vessel record information.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 88.02.070, 88.02.100 and 46.12.380. 96-03-046, § 308-93-088, filed 1/11/96, effective 2/11/96. Statutory Authority: RCW 88.02.070 and 88.02.100. 92-24-035, § 308-93-088, filed 11/25/92, effective 12/26/92.]
AMENDATORY SECTION (Amending WSR 90-08-018, filed 3/28/90, effective 4/28/90)
WAC 308-93-660 Destruction of records by ((director))
department. How long shall the department retain vessel
application documentation? The ((director, at her/his
discretion,)) department may destroy applications for vessel
registrations, copies of vessel registrations issued,
certificates of title and registration and other documents,
records, supporting papers on file in the department which have
been microfilmed or photographed or are more than five years old.
If the applications for vessel registrations are renewal
applications, the director may destroy such applications when the
computer record has been updated.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 88.02.100 and 88.02.120. 90-08-018, § 308-93-660, filed 3/28/90, effective 4/28/90.]
REPEALER
The following section of the Washington Administrative Code is repealed:
WAC 308-93-670 Disclosure of individual vessel owner names and addresses.