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SENATE
BILL 5460
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Passed
Legislature - 1997 Regular Session
State of Washington 55th
Legislature 1997 Regular Session
By
Read first time 01/27/97.
Referred to Committee on Government Operations.
Limiting
the use of public funds for political activities.
AN
ACT Relating to the use of public funds; and amending RCW 42.17.130, 36.32.350,
and 36.47.040.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE
LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec.
1. RCW
42.17.130 and 1979 ex.s. c 265 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
(1)
No elective official nor any employee of his or her office nor any
person appointed to or employed by any public office or agency may use or
authorize the use of any of the facilities of a public office or agency,
directly or indirectly, for the purpose of assisting a campaign for election of
any person to any office or for the promotion of or opposition to any ballot
proposition. Facilities of public office or agency include, but are not
limited to, use of stationery, postage, machines, and equipment, use of
employees of the office or agency during working hours, vehicles, office space,
publications of the office or agency, and clientele lists of persons served by
the office or agency((: PROVIDED, That)). However, the
foregoing provisions of this section shall not apply to the following
activities:
(((1)))
(a) Action taken at an open public meeting by members of an elected
legislative body to express a collective decision, or to actually vote upon a
motion, proposal, resolution, order, or ordinance, or to support or oppose a
ballot proposition so long as (((a))) (i) any required notice of
the meeting includes the title and number of the ballot proposition, and (((b)))
(ii) members of the legislative body or members of the public are
afforded an approximately equal opportunity for the expression of an opposing
view;
(((2)))
(b) A statement by an elected official in support of or in opposition to
any ballot proposition at an open press conference or in response to a specific
inquiry; or
(((3)))
(c) Activities which are part of the normal and regular conduct of the
office or agency.
(2)
No association, organization, or entity that derives more than twenty-five
percent of its income from dues, assessments, or membership fees paid with
public funds may provide any financial support or use of its facilities for or
against a ballot proposition or candidate for public office.
Sec.
2. RCW
36.32.350 and 1991 c 363 s 59 are each amended to read as follows:
County
legislative authorities may designate the Washington state association of
counties as a coordinating agency in the execution of duties imposed by RCW
36.32.335 through 36.32.360 and reimburse the association from county current
expense funds in the county legislative authority's budget for the costs of any
such services rendered. No reimbursement shall be made for contributions to
political committees or for funds used as political contributions. Such
reimbursement shall be paid on vouchers submitted to the county auditor and
approved by the county legislative authority in the manner provided for the
disbursement of other current expense funds and the vouchers shall set forth
the nature of the service rendered, supported by affidavit that the service has
actually been performed.
Sec.
3. RCW
36.47.040 and 1991 c 363 s 71 are each amended to read as follows:
Each county which designates the Washington state association of
county officials as the agency through which the duties imposed by RCW
36.47.020 may be executed is authorized to reimburse the association from the
county current expense fund for the cost of any such services rendered((:
PROVIDED, That)). However, no reimbursement shall be made to the
association for any expenses incurred under RCW 36.47.050 for travel, meals, or
lodging of such county officials, or their representatives at such meetings,
but such expenses may be paid by such official's respective county as other
expenses are paid for county business. Such reimbursement shall be paid only
on vouchers submitted to the county auditor and approved by the legislative
authority of each county in the manner provided for the disbursement of other
current expense funds. Each such voucher shall set forth the nature of the
services rendered by the association, supported by affidavit that the services
were actually performed. No reimbursement shall be made for contributions
to political committees or for funds used as political contributions.
