S-1529

AN ACT Relating to the regulation of political contributions and advertising; amending RCW 42.17.095, 42.17.105, 42.17.125, 42.17.510, 41.04.230, 42.17.180, and 42.17.390; adding new sections to chapter 42.17 RCW; creating a new section; repealing RCW 42.17.243; prescribing penalties; making an appropriation; providing an effective date; and providing for submission of this act to a vote of the people.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

PART I

FINDINGS AND INTENT

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. FINDINGS. The legislature finds and declares that:

(1) Monetary contributions to political campaigns are a legitimate form of participation in the American political process, but the financial strength of certain individuals or organizations should not permit them to exercise a disproportionate or controlling influence on the election of candidates.

(2) Rapidly increasing political campaign costs have led many candidates to raise larger percentages of money from organizational contributors with a specific financial stake in matters before state government. This has caused the public perception that decisions of elected officials are being improperly influenced by monetary contributions. This perception undermines the credibility and integrity of the governmental process.

(3) Candidates are raising less money in small contributions from individuals and more money in organizational contributions. This has created the public perception that the small contributor has an insignificant role to play in the political campaigns.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. INTENT. By limiting campaign contributions, the legislature intends to:

(1) Ensure that individuals and interest groups have fair and equal opportunity to participate in elective and governmental processes;

(2) Reduce the influence of large organizational contributors with a specific financial stake in matters before government, thus countering the perception that decisions are influenced more by the size of the contribution than by the best interests of the people; and

(3) Help restore public trust in governmental institutions and the electoral process.

PART II

DEFINITIONS

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. DEFINITIONS. The definitions under RCW 42.17.020 apply to sections 4 through 20 of this act except as modified by this section. Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout sections 4 through 20 of this act.

(1) "Authorized committee" means the political committee authorized by a candidate, or by the state official against whom recall charges have been filed, to accept contributions or make expenditures on behalf of the candidate or state official.

(2) "Bona fide political party" means an organization which has filed a valid certificate of nomination with the secretary of state under chapter 29.24 RCW or the governing body of the state organization of a major political party, as defined in RCW 29.01.090, which is the body authorized by the charter or bylaws of the party to exercise authority on behalf of the state party.

(3) "Candidate" means an individual seeking nomination for election or seeking election to a state office. An individual shall be deemed to be seeking nomination for election or seeking election when the individual first:

(a) Announces publicly or files for the office;

(b) Receives contributions or makes expenditures or reserves space or facilities with intent to promote his or her candidacy for the office; or

(c) Gives his or her consent to another person to take on behalf of the individual any of the actions in (b) of this subsection.

(4) "Caucus of the state legislature" means the caucus of the members of a major political party in the state house of representatives or in the state senate.

(5)(a) "Contribution" includes a loan, gift, deposit, subscription, forgiveness of indebtedness, donation, advance, pledge, payment, transfer of funds between political committees, or transfer of anything of value, including personal and professional services for less than full consideration.

(b) Subject to further definition by the commission, "contribution" shall not include the following:

(i) Interest on moneys deposited in a political committee's account;

(ii) Ordinary home hospitality;

(iii) A contribution received by a candidate or political committee that is returned to the contributor within five business days of the date on which it is received by the candidate or committee;

(iv) An expenditure for voter registration, for absentee ballot information, for precinct caucuses, for get-out-the-vote campaigns, for precinct judges or inspectors, or for ballot counting, all without promotion of or political advertising for individual candidates;

(v) An expenditure for sample ballots listing all or substantially all candidates and ballot issues that will appear on a coming election ballot, listing all candidates and their political party affiliations for each office mentioned, and perhaps also denoting political committee endorsements, but with no other descriptive information about the candidates;

(vi) Any news, feature, commentary, or editorial in a regularly scheduled news medium that is of primary interest to the general public, that is in a news medium controlled by a person whose primary business is that news medium, and that is not controlled by any candidate or political committee;

(vii) An expenditure by a political committee for its own internal organization or fund raising without direct association with individual candidates;

(viii) An internal political communication primarily limited to the contributors to a political party organization or political action committee, or the officers, management staff, and stockholders of a corporation or similar enterprise, or the members of a labor organization or other membership organization; or

(ix) The rendering of personal services of the sort commonly performed by volunteer campaign workers, or incidental expenses personally incurred by volunteer campaign workers not in excess of fifty dollars personally paid for by the worker. "Volunteer services," for the purposes of this section, means services or labor for which the individual is not compensated by any person and that are performed outside the individual's normal working hours.

(c) Contributions other than money or its equivalent shall be deemed to have a monetary value equivalent to the fair market value of the contribution.

(d) Sums paid for tickets to fund-raising events such as dinners and parties are contributions. However, the amount of the contributions may equal the cost of the ticket less the actual cost of the consumables furnished at the event.

(e) An expenditure made by a person in cooperation, consultation, or concert with, or at the request or suggestion of, a candidate, a political committee, or their agents, is considered to be a contribution to such candidate or political committee.

(f) The financing by a person of the dissemination, distribution, or republication, in whole or in part, of broadcast, written, graphic, or other form of political advertising prepared by a candidate, a political committee, or their authorized agent, is considered to be a contribution to the candidate or political committee.

(6) "Corporation" includes any private or public association or proprietorship that is organized for profit or not for profit.

(7) "Election cycle" means the period beginning on the first day of December following the date of the last previous general election for the office which the candidate seeks and ending on November thirtieth following the next election for the office. In the case of a special election to fill a vacancy in an office, "election cycle" means the period beginning on the day the vacancy occurs and ending on November thirtieth following the special election.

(8) "General election" means the election which directly results in the election of a person to a state office. It does not include a primary.

(9) "Immediate family" means a candidate's spouse, and any child, stepchild, grandchild, parent, stepparent, grandparent, brother, half-brother, sister, or half-sister of the candidate and the spouse of any such person and any child, stepchild, grandchild, parent, stepparent, grandparent, brother, half-brother, sister, or half-sister of the candidate's spouse and the spouse of any such person.

(10) "Independent expenditure" means an "expenditure" as defined in RCW 42.17.020 which has each of the following elements:

(a) It is made in support of or in opposition to a candidate for office by a person who is not (i) a candidate for that office, (ii) an authorized committee of a candidate for that office, (iii) a person who has received the candidate's encouragement or approval to make the expenditure, if the expenditure pays in whole or in part for any political advertising supporting that candidate or promoting the defeat of any other candidate or candidates for that office, or (iv) a person with whom the candidate has collaborated for the purpose of making the expenditure, if the expenditure pays in whole or in part for any political advertising supporting that candidate or promoting the defeat of any other candidate or candidates for that office;

(b) The expenditure pays in whole or in part for any political advertising which either specifically names the candidate supported or opposed, or clearly and beyond any doubt identifies such candidate without using the candidate's name; and

(c) The expenditure, alone or in conjunction with another expenditure or other expenditures of the same person in support of or opposition to that candidate, has a value of five hundred dollars or more. A sequence of expenditures each of which is under five hundred dollars shall constitute one independent expenditure as of the time that the last expenditure brings the total value of the sequence to five hundred dollars or more.

(11)(a)"Intermediary" means an individual who transmits a contribution to a candidate or committee from another person unless the contribution is from the individual's employer, immediate family, or an association to which the individual belongs.

(b) A treasurer or a candidate is not an intermediary for purpose of the committee that the treasurer or candidate serves.

(c) A professional fund raiser is not an intermediary if the fund raiser is compensated for fund-raising services at the usual and customary rate.

(d) A volunteer hosting a fund-raising event at the individual's home is not an intermediary for purposes of that event.

(12) "Organization" means a:

(a) Labor organization;

(b) Collective bargaining organization;

(c) Local, state, or national organization to which a labor organization pays membership per capita fees, based upon its affiliation and membership; or

(d) Trade or professional association that receives its funds exclusively from membership dues or service fees, whether organized inside or outside the state.

(13) "Primary" means the procedure for nominating a candidate to state office under chapter 29.18 or 29.21 RCW or any other primary for an election which uses, in large measure, the procedures established in chapter 29.18 or 29.21 RCW.

(14) "Recall campaign" means the period of time beginning on the date of the filing of recall charges pursuant to RCW 29.82.015 and ending thirty days after the recall election.

(15) "State legislative office" means the office of a member of the state house of representatives and the office of a member of the state senate.

(16) "State office" means state legislative office or the office of governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, commissioner of public lands, insurance commissioner, superintendent of public instruction, state auditor, or state treasurer.

(17) "State official" means a person who holds a state office.

PART III

CONTRIBUTIONS

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION LIMITS. (1) No person, other than a bona fide political party or a caucus of the state legislature, may make contributions to any candidate during an election cycle which in the aggregate exceed five hundred dollars. No candidate and no authorized committee of a candidate may accept contributions from any person or entity which exceed the contribution limitation provided by this subsection.

(2) No person, other than a bona fide political party or a caucus of the state legislature, may make contributions to any state official against whom recall charges have been filed, or to any political committee having the expectation of making expenditures in support of the recall of any such state official, during a recall campaign which in the aggregate exceed five hundred dollars. No state official against whom recall charges have been filed, no authorized committee of such an official, and no political committee having the expectation of making expenditures in support of the recall of any state official, may accept contributions from a person which exceed the contribution limitation provided by this subsection.

(3) Notwithstanding subsection (1) of this section, no bona fide political party and no caucus of the state legislature may make contributions to any candidate during an election cycle which in the aggregate exceed fifty cents multiplied times the number of eligible registered voters in the jurisdiction entitled to elect the candidate. No candidate and no authorized committee of a candidate may accept contributions from a bona fide political party or from a caucus of the state legislature which exceed the contribution limitation provided by this subsection.

(4) Notwithstanding subsection (2) of this section, no bona fide political party and no caucus of the state legislature may make contributions to any state official against whom recall charges have been filed, or to any political committee having the expectation of making expenditures in support of the recall of any such state official, during a recall campaign which in the aggregate exceed fifty cents multiplied times the number of eligible registered voters in the jurisdiction entitled to recall such state official. No state official against whom recall charges have been filed, no authorized committee of such an official, and no political committee having the expectation of making expenditures in support of the recall of any state official may accept contributions from a bona fide political party or from a caucus of the state legislature which exceed the contribution limitation provided by this subsection.

(5) Notwithstanding subsections (1) through (4) of this section, no corporation, partnership, labor organization, organization, political committee, or other nonindividual other than a bona fide political party or caucus of the state legislature may make contributions reportable under this chapter to any candidate, to any state official against whom recall charges have been filed, or to any political committee having the expectation of making expenditures in support of the recall of any such official. No entity prohibited by this subsection from making contributions to candidates may make contributions to a caucus of the state legislature that in the aggregate exceed five hundred dollars in a calendar year or to a bona fide political party that in the aggregate exceed one thousand dollars in a calendar year. This subsection does not apply to loans made in the ordinary course of business.

(6) For the purposes of sections 4 through 20 of this act, a contribution to the authorized political committee of a candidate, or of a state official against whom recall charges have been filed, shall be considered to be a contribution to the candidate or state official.

(7) Any contribution received within the twelve-month period following a general election for a state office or for a recall election concerning a state office shall be considered to be a contribution during the election cycle ending with that election or during that recall campaign if the contribution is used to pay any debt or obligation incurred to influence the outcome of that election or the primary conducted for that election or of that recall campaign.

(8)(a) The contributions allowed by subsection (2) of this section are in addition to those allowed by subsection (1) of this section, and the contributions allowed by subsection (4) of this section are in addition to those allowed by subsection (3) of this section.

(b) The provisions of sections 4 through 20 of this act apply to a special election conducted to fill a vacancy in a state office. However, the contributions made to a candidate or received by a candidate for a primary or special election conducted to fill such a vacancy shall not be counted toward any of the limitations which apply to the candidate or to contributions made to the candidate under this subchapter for any other primary or election.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. ATTRIBUTION AND AGGREGATION OF FAMILY CONTRIBUTIONS. (1) Contributions by a husband and wife are considered separate contributions and not aggregated.

(2) Contributions by unemancipated children under eighteen years of age are considered contributions by their parents and attributed proportionately to each parent. Fifty percent of the contributions are attributed to each parent or, in the case of a single custodial parent, the total amount is attributed to the parent.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. ATTRIBUTION OF CONTRIBUTIONS BY CONTROLLED ENTITIES. (1) For purposes of this chapter, a contribution by a person or entity controlled by any other person or entity is a contribution by the controlling person or entity. A contribution to a person or entity controlled by another person or entity is a contribution to the controlling person or entity. This subsection does not apply to the relationship between an individual and the spouse of the individual or to the relationship between a bona fide political party and a district or county organization of that party or a caucus of the state legislature of the members of that party.

(2) Contributions governed by subsection (1) of this section include but are not limited to:

(a) A contribution by a subsidiary, branch, division, department, or local unit of an association, which is considered to have been made by the association; and

(b) A contribution by a political committee controlled by a person or entity, which is considered to be a contribution by that person or entity.

(3) In determining whether a person or entity is controlled by any other person or entity for the purposes of subsection (1) of this section, the following shall, if applicable, be considered:

(a) Ownership of a controlling interest in voting shares or securities;

(b) Provisions of bylaws, articles of incorporation, charters, constitutions, or other documents by which one person or entity has the authority, power, or ability to direct another;

(c) The authority, power, or ability to hire, appoint, discipline, discharge, demote, remove, or influence the decision of the officers or members of an entity;

(d) Similar patterns of contributions; and

(e) The extent of the transfer of funds between the person or entities.

(4) A candidate committee and a committee other than a candidate committee are treated as a single committee if the committees both have the candidate or a member of the candidate's immediate family as an officer.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. ATTRIBUTION OF CONTRIBUTIONS. All contributions made by a person or entity, either directly or indirectly, to a candidate, to a state official against whom recall charges have been filed, or to a political committee, are considered to be contributions from that person or entity to the candidate, state official, or political committee, as are contributions that are in any way earmarked or otherwise directed through an intermediary or conduit to the candidate, state official, or political committee. For the purposes of this section, "earmarked" means a designation, instruction, or encumbrance, whether direct or indirect, expressed or implied, or oral or written, that is intended to result in or that does result in all or any part of a contribution being made to a certain candidate or state official. If a conduit or intermediary exercises any direction or control over the choice of the recipient candidate or state official, the contribution is considered to be by both the original contributor and the conduit or intermediary.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. LIMITATIONS ON EMPLOYERS OR LABOR ORGANIZATIONS. (1) No employer or labor organization may increase the salary of an officer or employee, or give an emolument to an officer, employee, or other person or entity, with the intention that the increase in salary, or the emolument, or a part of it, be contributed or spent to support or oppose any candidate, ballot proposition, political party, or political committee.

(2) No employer or labor organization may discriminate against an officer or employee in the terms or conditions of employment: For (a) the failure to contribute to, (b) the failure in any way to support or oppose, or (c) in any way supporting or opposing a candidate, ballot proposition, political party, or political committee.

(3) No employer or other person or entity responsible for the disbursement of funds in payment of wages or salaries may withhold or divert any portion of an employee's wages or salaries for contributions to political committees except upon the written request of the employee. The request must be made on a form prescribed by the commission informing the employee of the prohibition against employer and labor organization discrimination described in subsection (2) of this section. The request shall be valid for no more than twelve months from the date it is made by the employee.

(4) Each person or entity who withholds contributions under subsection (3) of this section shall maintain open for public inspection for a period of no less than three years, during normal business hours, documents and books of accounts that shall include a copy of each employee's request, the amounts and dates funds were actually withheld, and the amounts and dates funds were transferred to a political committee. Copies of such information shall be delivered to the commission upon request.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. CHANGING MONETARY LIMITS. At the beginning of each even-numbered calendar year, the commission shall increase or decrease all dollar amounts in this chapter based on changes in economic conditions as reflected in the inflationary index used by the commission under RCW 42.17.370. The new dollar amounts established by the commission under this section shall be rounded off by the commission to amounts as judged most convenient for public understanding and so as to be within ten percent of the target amount equal to the base amount provided in this chapter multiplied by the increase in the inflationary index since the effective date of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 10. CONTRIBUTIONS FROM BEFORE EFFECTIVE DATE OF ACT. Contributions made and received before the effective date of this act are not considered to be contributions under the provisions of sections 4 through 20 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 11. TIME LIMIT FOR STATE OFFICIALS TO SOLICIT OR ACCEPT CONTRIBUTIONS. During the period beginning on the fifteenth day before the date a regular legislative session convenes and continuing thirty days past the date of final adjournment, and during the period beginning on the date a special legislative session convenes and continuing through the date that session adjourns, no state official or any person employed by a state official or state legislator may solicit or accept contributions to a public office fund, to any candidate campaign fund, or to retire any campaign debt.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 12. RESTRICTION ON LOANS. (1) A loan is considered a contribution from the maker and the guarantor of the loan and is subject to the contribution limitations of this chapter.

(2) A loan to a candidate or the candidate committee must be by written agreement.

(3) The proceeds of a loan made to a candidate:

(a) By a commercial lending institution;

(b) Made in the regular course of business;

(d) Which is secured or guaranteed;

are not subject to the contribution limits of this chapter.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 13. CONTRIBUTIONS ON BEHALF OF ANOTHER. (1) A person, other than individual, may not be an intermediary or an agent for a contribution.

(2) An individual may not make a contribution on behalf of another person or entity, or while acting as the intermediary or agent of another person or entity, without disclosing to the recipient of the contribution both his or her full name, street address, occupation, name of employer, if any, or place of business if self-employed, and the same information for each contributor for whom the individual serves as intermediary or agent.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 14. CERTAIN CONTRIBUTIONS REQUIRED TO BE BY WRITTEN INSTRUMENT. (1) An individual may not make a contribution of more than fifty dollars, other than an in-kind contribution, except by written instrument containing the name of the donor and the name of the payee.

(2) A committee may not make a contribution, other than in-kind, except by written instrument containing the name of the donor and the name of the payee.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 15. SOLICITATION OF CONTRIBUTIONS BY GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES. (1) No state official or state official's agent may knowingly solicit, directly or indirectly, a contribution from an employee in the state official's agency.

(2) No state official or state employee may provide an advantage or disadvantage to an employee or applicant for employment in the classified civil service concerning the applicant's or employee's:

(a) Employment;

(b) Conditions of employment; or

based on the employee or applicant's contribution or promise to contribute, failure to make a contribution or contribute to a political party or committee.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 16. AGENCY SHOP FEES AS CONTRIBUTIONS. A labor organization may not use agency shop fees paid by an individual who is not a member of the organization to make contributions or expenditures to influence an election or to operate a political committee, unless affirmatively authorized by the individual.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 17. SOLICITATION FOR ENDORSEMENT FEES. A person or entity may not solicit from a candidate, committee, political party, or other person or entity money or other property as a condition or consideration for an endorsement, article, or other communication in the news media promoting or opposing a candidate, committee, or political party.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 18. REIMBURSEMENT FOR CONTRIBUTIONS. A person or entity may not, directly or indirectly, reimburse another person or entity for a contribution to a candidate, committee, or political party.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 19. PROHIBITION ON USE OF CONTRIBUTIONS FOR A DIFFERENT OFFICE. (1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, a candidate committee may not use or permit the use of contributions solicited for or received by the candidate committee to further the candidacy of the individual for an office other than the office designated on the statement of organization. A contribution solicited for or received on behalf of the candidate is considered solicited or received for the candidacy for which the individual is then a candidate if the contribution is solicited or received before the general elections for which the candidate is a nominee or is unopposed.

(2) With the written approval of the contributor, a candidate committee may use or permit the use of contributions solicited for or received by the candidate committee from that contributor to further the candidacy of the individual for an office other than the office designated on the statement of organization.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 20. OUT-OF-STATE CONTRIBUTIONS PROHIBITED. Notwithstanding section 4 of this act, no person residing outside the state of Washington may contribute to a candidate or political committee required to report under this chapter. No candidate or political committee may accept a contribution that is prohibited by this section.

Sec. 21. RCW 42.17.095 and 1982 c 147 s 8 are each amended to read as follows:

The surplus funds of a candidate, or of a political committee supporting or opposing a candidate, may only be disposed of in any one or more of the following ways:

(1) Return the surplus to a contributor in an amount not to exceed that contributor's original contribution;

(2) Transfer the surplus to the candidate's personal account as reimbursement for lost earnings incurred as a result of that candidate's election campaign. Such lost earnings shall be verifiable as unpaid salary or, when the candidate is not salaried, as an amount not to exceed income received by the candidate for services rendered during an appropriate, corresponding time period. All lost earnings incurred shall be documented and a record thereof shall be maintained by the candidate or the candidate's political committee. The committee shall include a copy of such record when its expenditure for such reimbursement is reported pursuant to RCW 42.17.090;

(3) Transfer the surplus to ((~~one or more candidates or to~~)) a political ((~~committee or~~)) party;

(4) Donate the surplus to a charitable organization registered in accordance with chapter 19.09 RCW;

(5) Transmit the surplus to the state treasurer for deposit in the general fund; or

(6) Hold the surplus in the campaign depository or depositories designated in accordance with RCW 42.17.050 for possible use in a future election campaign((~~, for political activity, for community activity, or for nonreimbursed public office related expenses~~)) for the same office last sought by the candidate and report any such disposition in accordance with RCW 42.17.090: PROVIDED, That if the candidate subsequently announces or publicly files for office, information as appropriate is reported to the commission in accordance with RCW 42.17.040 through 42.17.090. If a subsequent office is not sought the surplus held shall be disposed of in accordance with the requirements of this section.

(7) No candidate or authorized committee may transfer funds to any other candidate or other political committee.

Sec. 22. RCW 42.17.105 and 1989 c 280 s 11 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Campaign treasurers shall prepare and deliver to the commission a special report regarding any contribution which:

(a) Exceeds five hundred dollars;

(b) Is from a single ((~~person or entity~~)) bona fide political party or caucus of the state legislature;

(d) Is received: (i) After the period covered by the last report required by RCW 42.17.080 and 42.17.090 to be filed before that primary; or (ii) within twenty-one days preceding that general election.

(2) ((Any political committee making a contribution which exceeds five hundred dollars shall also prepare and deliver to the commission the special report if the contribution is made before a primary or general election and: (a) After the period covered by the last report required by RCW 42.17.080 and 42.17.090 to be filed before that primary; or (b) within twenty-one days preceding that general election.

~~(3)~~)) Except as provided in subsection ((~~(4)~~)) (3) of this section, the special report required by this section shall be delivered in written form, including but not limited to mailgram, telegram, or nightletter. The special report required by subsection (1) of this section shall be delivered to the commission within forty-eight hours of the time, or on the first working day after, the contribution is received by the candidate or campaign treasurer. ((The special report required by subsection (2) of this section and RCW 42.17.175 shall be delivered to the commission, and the candidate or political committee to whom the contribution is made, within twenty-four hours of the time, or on the first working day after, the contribution is made.

~~(4)~~)) (3) The special report may be transmitted orally by telephone to the commission to satisfy the delivery period required by subsection ((~~(3)~~)) (2) of this section if the written form of the report is also mailed to the commission and postmarked within the delivery period established in subsection ((~~(3)~~)) (2) of this section.

((~~(5)~~)) (4) The special report shall include at least:

(a) The amount of the contribution;

(b) The date of receipt;

(d) The name and address of the recipient; and

(e) Any other information the commission may by rule require.

((~~(6)~~)) (5) Contributions reported under this section shall also be reported as required by other provisions of this chapter.

((~~(7)~~)) (6) The commission shall publish daily a summary of the special reports made under this section and RCW 42.17.175.

((~~(8)~~)) (7) It is a violation of this chapter for ((any person to make, or for any candidate or political committee to accept from any one person, contributions reportable under RCW 42.17.090 in the aggregate exceeding fifty thousand dollars for any campaign for state-wide office or exceeding five thousand dollars for any other campaign subject to the provisions of this chapter within twenty-one days of a general election. This subsection does not apply to contributions made by, or accepted from, a major Washington state political party as defined in RCW 29.01.090)) a political party to make, or for a candidate for state-wide office to accept from a political party, contributions reportable under RCW 42.17.090 in the aggregate exceeding fifty thousand dollars within the twenty-one days preceding a general election.

(8) It is a violation of this chapter for a political party or caucus of the state legislature to make, or for any candidate for the state legislature to accept from a political party or a caucus of the state legislature, contributions reportable under RCW 42.17.090 in the aggregate exceeding five thousand dollars within twenty-one days of a general election.

Sec. 23. RCW 42.17.125 and 1989 c 280 s 12 are each amended to read as follows:

Contributions received and reported in accordance with RCW 42.17.060 through 42.17.090 may only be transferred to the personal account of a candidate, or of a treasurer or other individual or expended for such individual's personal use under the following circumstances:

(1) Reimbursement for or loans to cover lost earnings incurred as a result of campaigning or services performed for the committee. Such lost earnings shall be verifiable as unpaid salary, or when the individual is not salaried, as an amount not to exceed income received by the individual for services rendered during an appropriate, corresponding time period. All lost earnings incurred shall be documented and a record thereof shall be maintained by the individual or the individual's political committee. The committee shall include a copy of such record when its expenditure for such reimbursement is reported pursuant to RCW 42.17.090.

(2) Reimbursement for direct out-of-pocket election campaign and postelection campaign related expenses made by the individual. To receive reimbursement from the political committee, the individual shall provide the committee with written documentation as to the amount, date, and description of each expense, and the committee shall include a copy of such information when its expenditure for such reimbursement is reported pursuant to RCW 42.17.090.

(3) Repayment of loans made by the individual to political committees, which repayment shall be reported pursuant to RCW 42.17.090. However, contributions may not be used to reimburse a candidate for loans totalling more than three thousand dollars made by the candidate to the candidate's own authorized committee or campaign.

PART IV

INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURES

Sec. 24. RCW 42.17.510 and 1984 c 216 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) All written political advertising, whether relating to candidates or ballot propositions, shall include the sponsor's name and address. All radio and television political advertising, whether relating to candidates or ballot propositions, shall include the sponsor's name. The use of an assumed name shall be unlawful. The party with which a candidate files shall be clearly identified in political advertising for partisan office.

(2) In addition to the materials required by subsection (1) of this section, all political advertising undertaken as an independent expenditure by a person or entity other than a party organization shall include the following statement on the communication "NOTICE TO VOTERS (Required by Law): This advertisement is not authorized or approved by any candidate. It is paid for by (name, address, city, state)." If the advertisement is undertaken by a nonindividual, then the following notation shall also be included: "Top Five Contributors", followed by a listing of the names of the five persons or entities making the largest contributions reportable under this chapter during the twelve-month period before the date of the advertisement.

(3) The statements and listing of contributors required by subsections (1) and (2) of this section shall:

(a) Appear on each page or fold of the written communication in at least ten-point type, or in type at least ten percent of the largest size type used in a written communication directed at more than one voter, such as a billboard or poster, whichever is larger;

(b) Not be subject to the half-tone or screening process;

(d) Be clearly spoken on any broadcast advertisement.

(4) Political yard signs are exempt from the requirement of subsections (1) and (2) of this section that the name and address of the sponsor of political advertising be listed on the advertising. In addition, the public disclosure commission shall, by rule, exempt from the identification requirements of subsections (1) and (2) of this section forms of political advertising such as campaign buttons, balloons, pens, pencils, sky-writing, inscriptions, and other forms of advertising where identification is impractical.

((~~(3)~~)) (5) For the purposes of this section, "yard sign" means any outdoor sign with dimensions no greater than eight feet by four feet.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 25. INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURES. A person or entity making an independent expenditure by mailing one thousand or more identical or nearly identical cumulative pieces of political advertising in a single calendar year shall, within one day after the time of the mailing, file an example of the mailed political advertising with the election officer of the county of residence for the candidate supported or opposed by the independent campaign expenditure or, in the case of an expenditure made in support of or in opposition to a ballot proposition, the county of residence for the person making the expenditure.

PART V

USE OF PUBLIC FUNDS/OFFICE FOR POLITICAL PURPOSES

NEW SECTION. Sec. 26. During the twelve-month period preceding the expiration of a state legislator's term in office, no incumbent to that office may mail to a constituent at public expense a letter, newsletter, brochure, or other piece of literature that is not in direct response to that constituent's request for a response or for information. However, one mailing mailed within thirty days after the start of a regular legislative session and one mailing mailed within sixty days after the end of a regular legislative session of identical newsletters to constituents are permitted. A violation of this section constitutes use of the facilities of a public office for the purpose of assisting a campaign under RCW 42.17.130.

Sec. 27. RCW 41.04.230 and 1988 c 107 s 19 are each amended to read as follows:

Any official of the state authorized to disburse funds in payment of salaries and wages of public officers or employees is authorized, upon written request of the officer or employee, to deduct from the salaries or wages of the officers or employees, the amount or amounts of subscription payments, premiums, contributions, or continuation thereof, for payment of the following:

(1) Credit union deductions: PROVIDED, That the credit union is organized solely for public employees: AND PROVIDED FURTHER, That twenty-five or more employees of a single state agency or a total of one hundred or more state employees of several agencies have authorized such a deduction for payment to the same credit union.

(2) Parking fee deductions: PROVIDED, That payment is made for parking facilities furnished by the agency or by the department of general administration.

(3) U.S. savings bond deductions: PROVIDED, That a person within the particular agency shall be appointed to act as trustee. The trustee will receive all contributions; purchase and deliver all bond certificates; and keep such records and furnish such bond or security as will render full accountability for all bond contributions.

(4) Board, lodging or uniform deductions when such board, lodging and uniforms are furnished by the state, or deductions for academic tuitions or fees or scholarship contributions payable to the employing institution.

(5) Dues and other fees deductions: PROVIDED, That the deduction is for payment of membership dues to any professional organization formed primarily for public employees or college and university professors: AND PROVIDED, FURTHER, That twenty-five or more employees of a single state agency, or a total of one hundred or more state employees of several agencies have authorized such a deduction for payment to the same professional organization.

(6) Labor or employee organization dues may be deducted in the event that a payroll deduction is not provided under a collective bargaining agreement under the provisions of RCW 41.06.150: PROVIDED, That twenty-five or more officers or employees of a single agency, or a total of one hundred or more officers or employees of several agencies have authorized such a deduction for payment to the same labor or employee organization: PROVIDED, FURTHER, That labor or employee organizations with five hundred or more members in state government may have payroll deduction for employee benefit programs.

(7) ((Voluntary deductions for political committees duly registered with the public disclosure commission and/or the federal election commission: PROVIDED, That twenty-five or more officers or employees of a single agency or a total of one hundred or more officers or employees of several agencies have authorized such a deduction for payment to the same political committee.

~~(8)~~)) Insurance contributions to the authority for payment of premiums under contracts authorized by the state health care authority.

Deductions from salaries and wages of public officers and employees other than those enumerated in this section or by other law, may be authorized by the director of financial management for purposes clearly related to state employment or goals and objectives of the agency and for plans authorized by the state health care authority.

The authority to make deductions from the salaries and wages of public officers and employees as provided for in this section shall be in addition to such other authority as may be provided by law: PROVIDED, That the state or any department, division, or separate agency of the state shall not be liable to any insurance carrier or contractor for the failure to make or transmit any such deduction.

PART VI

POLITICAL EXPENDITURE AND CONTRIBUTION REPORTING

Sec. 28. RCW 42.17.180 and 1990 c 139 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Every employer of a lobbyist registered under this chapter during the preceding calendar year and every person or entity that made contributions or independent expenditures reportable under this chapter that in the aggregate exceeded five hundred dollars during the preceding calendar year shall file with the commission on or before ((~~March 31st~~)) the last day of February of each year a statement disclosing for the preceding calendar year the following information:

(a) The name of each state elected official and the name of each candidate for state office who was elected to the office and any member of the immediate family of those persons to whom the ((~~employer~~)) person or entity reporting has paid any compensation in the amount of five hundred dollars or more during the preceding calendar year for personal employment or professional services, including professional services rendered by a corporation, partnership, joint venture, association, union, or other entity in which the person holds any office, directorship, or any general partnership interest, or an ownership interest of ten percent or more, the value of the compensation in accordance with the reporting provisions set out in RCW 42.17.241(2), and the consideration given or performed in exchange for the compensation.

(b) The name of each state elected official, successful candidate for state office, or members of his immediate family to whom the ((~~lobbyist employer~~)) person or entity reporting made expenditures, directly or indirectly, either through a lobbyist or otherwise, the amount of the expenditures and the purpose for the expenditures. For the purposes of this subsection, the term expenditure shall not include any expenditure made by the employer in the ordinary course of business if the expenditure is not made for the purpose of influencing, honoring, or benefiting the elected official, successful candidate, or member of his immediate family, as an elected official or candidate.

(c) The total expenditures made by the ((~~employer~~)) person or entity reporting for lobbying purposes, whether through or on behalf of a registered lobbyist or otherwise.

(d) All contributions made to a ((~~candidate for state office, to a~~)) political committee supporting or opposing a candidate for state office, or to a political committee supporting or opposing a state-wide ballot proposition. Such contributions shall be identified by the name and the address of the recipient and the aggregate amount contributed to each such recipient.

(e) The name and address of each registered lobbyist employed by the ((~~employer~~)) person or entity reporting and the total expenditures made by ((~~the employer~~)) each such person or entity for each such lobbyist for lobbying purposes.

(f) The names, offices sought, and party affiliations of candidates for state office supported or opposed by independent expenditures of the person or entity reporting and the amount of each such expenditure.

(g) The identifying proposition number and a brief description of any state-wide ballot proposition supported or opposed by expenditures not reported under (d) of this subsection and the amount of each such expenditure.

(h) Such other information as the commission prescribes by rule.

(2) (a) Except as provided in (b) of this subsection, an employer of a lobbyist registered under this chapter shall file a special report with the commission if the employer makes a contribution or contributions aggregating more than one hundred dollars in a calendar month to any one of the following: A candidate, elected official, officer or employee of an agency, or political committee. The report shall identify the date and amount of each such contribution and the name of the candidate, elected official, agency officer or employee, or political committee receiving the contribution or to be benefited by the contribution. The report shall be filed on a form prescribed by the commission and shall be filed within fifteen days after the last day of the calendar month during which the contribution was made.

(b) The provisions of (a) of this subsection do not apply to a contribution which is made through a registered lobbyist and reportable under RCW 42.17.170.

PART VII

PENALTIES

Sec. 29. RCW 42.17.390 and 1973 c 1 s 39 are each amended to read as follows:

((~~(1)~~)) One or more of the following civil remedies and sanctions may be imposed by court order in addition to any other remedies provided by law:

((~~(a)~~)) (1) If the court finds that the violation of any provision of this chapter by any candidate or political committee probably affected the outcome of any election, the result of said election may be held void and a special election held within sixty days of such finding. Any action to void an election shall be commenced within one year of the date of the election in question. It is intended that this remedy be imposed freely in all appropriate cases to protect the right of the electorate to an informed and knowledgeable vote.

((~~(b)~~)) (2) If any lobbyist or sponsor of any grass roots lobbying campaign violates any of the provisions of this chapter, his registration may be revoked or suspended and he may be enjoined from receiving compensation or making expenditures for lobbying: PROVIDED, HOWEVER, That imposition of such sanction shall not excuse said lobbyist from filing statements and reports required by this chapter.

((~~(c)~~)) (3) Any person who knowingly violates any of the provisions of this chapter may be subject to a civil penalty of not more than ten thousand dollars for each such violation. However, a person or entity who knowingly violates section 4 of this act may be subject to a civil penalty of ten thousand dollars or three times the amount of the contribution illegally made or accepted, whichever is greater.

((~~(d)~~)) (4) Any person who fails to file a properly completed statement or report within the time required by this chapter may be subject to a civil penalty of ten dollars per day for each day each such delinquency continues.

((~~(e)~~)) (5) Any person who fails to report a contribution or expenditure may be subject to a civil penalty equivalent to the amount he failed to report.

((~~(f)~~)) (6) The court may enjoin any person to prevent the doing of any act herein prohibited, or to compel the performance of any act required herein.

PART VIII

PUBLIC DISCLOSURE COMMISSION

NEW SECTION. Sec. 30. COMMISSION AUDITS. The commission shall conduct a sufficient number of audits and field investigations so as to provide a statistically valid finding regarding the degree of compliance with the provisions of this chapter by all required filers.

PART IX

REFERENDUM

NEW SECTION. Sec. 31. REFERENDUM. This act shall be submitted to the people for their adoption and ratification, or rejection, at the next succeeding general election to be held in this state, in accordance with Article II, section 1 of the state Constitution, as amended, and the laws to facilitate the operation thereof.

PART X

MISCELLANEOUS

NEW SECTION. Sec. 32. APPROPRIATION. The sum of ............. dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1993, from the general fund to the public disclosure commission for the purposes of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 33. CODIFICATION DIRECTIONS. (1) Sections 1 through 20 of this act are each added to chapter 42.17 RCW as a subchapter and codified with the subchapter heading of "CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION LIMITATIONS."

(2) Sections 25, 26, and 30 of this act are each added to chapter 42.17 RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 34. REPEALER. RCW 42.17.243 and 1977 ex.s. c 336 s 5 are each repealed.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 35. HEADINGS AND CAPTIONS. Part headings and section captions as used in this act do not constitute any part of the law.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 36. EFFECTIVE DATE. This act shall take effect December 1, 1992.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 37. SEVERABILITY. If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.