H-0141.1  _______________________________________________

 

                          HOUSE BILL 1006

          _______________________________________________

 

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1997 Regular Session

 

By Representatives Carlson, Ogden, Pennington, Regala, Mielke, Keiser, D. Schmidt, Radcliff, B. Thomas, Sheahan, Dunn, McMorris, Huff, Skinner, Johnson, Sehlin, Boldt, Mulliken, Honeyford, Thompson, D. Sommers, Alexander, Murray, Buck, Sheldon, Cooke, Van Luven, Anderson, Chandler and Backlund

 

Read first time 01/13/97.  Referred to Committee on Government Administration.

 

Expanding incumbent's authority to send individual letters.



    AN ACT Relating to restrictions on mailings by incumbents; and amending RCW 42.17.132.

 

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

 

    Sec. 1.  RCW 42.17.132 and 1995 c 397 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:

    During the twelve-month period preceding the last day for certification of the election results for a state legislator's election to office, the legislator may not mail to a constituent at public expense a letter, newsletter, brochure, or other piece of literature except as provided in this section.

    The legislator may mail one mailing no later than thirty days after the start of a regular legislative session and one mailing no later than sixty days after the end of a regular legislative session of identical newsletters to constituents.

    The legislator may mail an individual letter to an individual constituent who (1) has contacted the legislator regarding the subject matter of the letter during the legislator's current term of office; or (2) holds a governmental office with jurisdiction over the subject matter of the letter; or (3) has received an award or honor for extraordinary civic or academic achievement, as defined by rule of the legislative ethics board.

    A violation of this section constitutes use of the facilities of a public office for the purpose of assisting a campaign under RCW 42.52.180.

    The house of representatives and senate shall specifically limit expenditures per member for the total cost of mailings, including but not limited to production costs, printing costs, and postage.

 


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