Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing.

     Purpose: The public disclosure commission implements the campaign finance and disclosure laws in chapter 42.17A RCW. RCW 42.17A.320 describes the sponsor identification that must be included in political advertising, electioneering communications and independent expenditures. In 2012, RCW 42.17A.320 was amended to add a requirement that ballot measure ads costing $1,000 and sponsored by political committees must include the "top five contributors" in the sponsor identification. Chapter 226, Laws of 2012. The amendments to WAC 390-18-010 and 390-18-025 explain those additional disclosure requirements for ballot measure ads, thus conforming the rule to RCW 42.17A.320 as amended.

     Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 390-18-010 and 390-18-025.

     Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 42.17A.110, 42.17A.320.

      Adopted under notice filed as WSR 13-09-012 on April 8, 2013.

     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 0, Amended 2, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0;      Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Date Adopted: May 22, 2013.

Nancy Krier

General Counsel

OTS-5371.2

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 12-03-002, filed 1/4/12, effective 2/4/12)

WAC 390-18-010   Advertising, political advertising, electioneering communications, and independent expenditures.   (1) For the purposes of chapter 42.17A RCW and TITLE 390 WAC:

     (a) "Sponsor of an electioneering communication, independent expenditure or political advertising" is defined in RCW 42.17A.005.

     (b) Unless the context clearly provides otherwise, "advertising" or "advertisement" means political advertising, electioneering communications, or independent expenditures that are for political advertising and/or electioneering communications subject to the provisions of chapter 42.17A RCW and as defined in RCW 42.17A.005 or 42.17A.255.

     (2) With advertising for which no payment is demanded or for which a cost is not readily ascertainable, the sponsor is the candidate, political committee or person who solicits or arranges for the advertising to be displayed or broadcast.

     (3) If more than one person sponsors specific advertising, the identity of each sponsor must be shown. However, if a person contributes in cash or in-kind to a candidate or political committee to assist in paying the cost of advertising, that person is not deemed a sponsor provided the contribution is reported in accordance with applicable provisions of chapter 42.17A RCW and TITLE 390 WAC.

     (4) Printed advertising shall clearly state, in an area set apart from any other printed matter, that it has been paid for by the sponsor (Example: (1) Paid for by the XYZ committee, mailing address, city, state, zip code; (2) Vote for John Doe, paid for by John Doe, mailing address, city, state, zip code). ((However,))

     (a) Political committees that sponsor political advertising costing one thousand dollars or more supporting or opposing a ballot measure must clearly state the "top five contributors" to that political committee pursuant to WAC 390-18-025.

     (b) Printed advertising undertaken as an independent expenditure or electioneering communication shall comply with the "no candidate authorized this ad" sponsor identification and, if relevant, the "top five contributors" and identification of the individual, corporation, union, association, or other entity that established, maintains, or controls the sponsoring political committee provisions of RCW 42.17A.320 and provide this information in an area set apart from any other printed matter.

     (c) Political committees that sponsor independent expenditure or electioneering communication printed advertising are required to provide the "top five contributors" to that political committee pursuant to WAC 390-18-025; however, this requirement does not apply to bona fide political parties sponsoring independent expenditures.

     (5)(a) Advertising consisting of more than one page but intended to be presented as a single item (e.g., 3-page letter with return envelope) must identify the sponsor on the first page or fold of the advertising. Identification on an enclosed return envelope or the envelope in which the advertising is sent is not sufficient.

     (b) Advertising which is a collection of several items relating to more than one candidate or committee and distributed simultaneously must show the respective sponsor on the respective items.

     (6) The name of the sponsor of all radio or television advertising shall be clearly spoken or identified as required in RCW 42.17A.320.

     (a) Political committees that sponsor political advertising costing one thousand dollars or more supporting or opposing a ballot measure shall comply with the "top five contributors" provisions of RCW 42.17A.320 and this information shall be clearly spoken or identified as provided in RCW 42.17A.320. The "top five" contributors shall be identified pursuant to WAC 390-18-025.

     (b) All radio, telephone and television advertising undertaken as an independent expenditure as defined in RCW 42.17A.005 shall comply with the "no candidate authorized this ad" sponsor identification and, if relevant, the "top five contributors" provisions of RCW 42.17A.320 and this information shall be clearly spoken or identified as provided in RCW 42.17A.320.

     (((b))) (c) All radio and television advertising undertaken as an electioneering communication as defined in RCW 42.17A.005 shall comply with the "no candidate authorized this ad" sponsor identification and, if relevant, the "top five contributors" provisions of RCW 42.17A.320 and this information shall be clearly spoken or identified as provided in RCW 42.17A.320.

     (((c))) (d) Political committees that sponsor independent expenditure or electioneering communication radio and television advertising are required to clearly speak or otherwise identify the "top five contributors" to that political committee pursuant to WAC 390-18-025; however, this requirement does not apply to bona fide political parties sponsoring independent expenditures.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 42.17A.110. 12-03-002, § 390-18-010, filed 1/4/12, effective 2/4/12. Statutory Authority: RCW 42.17.370. 11-05-051, § 390-18-010, filed 2/10/11, effective 3/13/11. Statutory Authority: RCW 42.17.370 and 42.17.562. 06-11-132, § 390-18-010, filed 5/23/06, effective 6/23/06. Statutory Authority: RCW 42.17.370. 03-12-034, § 390-18-010, filed 5/29/03, effective 6/29/03. Statutory Authority: RCW 42.17.370(1). 00-22-055, § 390-18-010, filed 10/27/00, effective 11/27/00. Statutory Authority: RCW 42.17.370. 93-16-064, § 390-18-010, filed 7/30/93, effective 8/30/93. Statutory Authority: RCW 42.17.370(1). 85-15-020 (Order 85-03), § 390-18-010, filed 7/9/85.]

     (2) For independent expenditure advertisements or electioneering communications, the "top five contributors" identification requirement of RCW 42.17A.320 applies to all political committees that make independent expenditures, including continuing political committees and out-of-state political committees subject to chapter 42.17A RCW other than a bona fide political party committee.

     (3) For political advertisements supporting or opposing ballot measures costing one thousand dollars, the "top five contributors" identification requirement of RCW 42.17A.320 applies to all political committees.

     (4) If a political committee keeps records necessary to track contributions according to the use intended by contributors, and the committee subsequently makes independent expenditures for advertisements supporting or opposing a candidate or slate of candidates or an electioneering communication identifying a specific candidate or slate of candidates, that committee may identify the top five contributors giving for that purpose, as opposed to identifying the overall top five contributors to the committee as is otherwise required by RCW 42.17A.320 and this section.

     However, a contributor's contributions earmarked for independent expenditures supporting or opposing a specific candidate or slate of candidates or electioneering communications identifying a specific candidate or slate of candidates shall not be used with respect to a different candidate or slate of candidates without the contributor being identified as one of the top five contributors for the actual expenditure if that contributor is one of the top five contributors for that expenditure.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 42.17A.110. 12-03-002, § 390-18-025, filed 1/4/12, effective 2/4/12. Statutory Authority: RCW 42.17.370. 07-08-044, § 390-18-025, filed 3/28/07, effective 4/28/07. Statutory Authority: RCW 42.17.370 and 42.17.562. 06-11-132, § 390-18-025, filed 5/23/06, effective 6/23/06. Statutory Authority: RCW 42.17.370(1). 02-12-007, § 390-18-025, filed 5/23/02, effective 6/23/02.]