H-0351.1 _______________________________________________
HOUSE BILL 1004
_______________________________________________
State of Washington 55th Legislature 1997 Regular Session
By Representatives Carlson, Honeyford, Dunshee and D. Schmidt
Read first time 01/13/97. Referred to Committee on Government Administration.
AN ACT Relating to independent political advertising; and amending RCW 42.17.510.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1. RCW 42.17.510 and 1995 c 397 s 19 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)
At least ten days before distributing or airing political advertising
relating to a candidate undertaken as an independent expenditure, the person or
entity proposing to undertake the political advertising must submit a copy of
the political advertising to each candidate for that office, together with his
or her name, address, city, state, and telephone number. In addition to
the ((materials required by)) identification requirements of
subsection (1) of this section, all political advertising relating to a
candidate undertaken as an independent expenditure ((by a person or
entity other than a party organization)) must include ((the following))
a statement on the communication as follows:
(a) If requested by a candidate for this office within five days of when the candidate received a copy of the advertising, the following statement must be included on the communication: "NOTICE TO VOTERS (Required by law): This advertisement is not authorized or approved by (name or names of the candidates making the request) or any other candidate for this office. It is paid for by (name, address, city, state)."
(b) In all other instances, the following statement must be included 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)."
(3) In addition, if the advertisement relating to a candidate undertaken as an independent expenditure is undertaken by a nonindividual other than a party organization, then the following notation must 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)))
(4) The statements and listings of contributors required by ((subsections
(1) and (2) of)) this section shall:
(a) Appear on the first 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;
(c) Be set apart from any other printed matter; and
(d) Be clearly spoken on any broadcast advertisement.
(((4)))
(5) Political yard signs are exempt from the requirements 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 all or part of 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.
(((5))) (6) For the purposes of this section,
"yard sign" means any outdoor sign with dimensions no greater than
eight feet by four feet.
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