5025-S AMS FINK S2058.2
SSB 5025 - S AMD - 075
By Senators Finkbeiner and Patterson
On page 13, after line 31, insert the following:
"Sec. 8. RCW 42.52.185 and 1997 c 320 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) During the twelve-month period beginning on December 1st of the year before a general election for a state legislator's election to office and continuing through November 30th immediately after the general election, the legislator may not mail, either by regular mail or electronic mail, to a constituent at public expense a letter, newsletter, brochure, or other piece of literature, except as follows:
(a) The legislator may mail two mailings of newsletters to constituents. All newsletters within each mailing of newsletters must be identical as to their content but not as to the constituent name or address. One such mailing may be mailed no later than thirty days after the start of a regular legislative session, except that a legislator appointed during a regular legislative session to fill a vacant seat may have up to thirty days from the date of appointment to send out the first mailing. The other mailing may be mailed no later than sixty days after the end of a regular legislative session.
(b)
The legislator may mail an individual letter to (i) an individual constituent
who has contacted the legislator regarding the subject matter of the letter
during the legislator's current term of office; (ii) an individual constituent
who holds a governmental office with jurisdiction over the subject matter of
the letter; ((or)) (iii) an individual constituent who has achieved
an uncommon personal milestone that is sufficiently infrequent to be noteworthy
to a reasonable person, including, but not limited to: (A) A fiftieth wedding
anniversary; and (B) a seventy-fifth birthday; (iv) an individual constituent
who has suffered the loss of an immediate family member or who has become a new
parent; or (v) an individual constituent who has ((received)) achieved
an award or honor of ((extraordinary)) uncommon distinction of a
type that is sufficiently infrequent to be noteworthy to a reasonable person,
including, but not limited to: (A) ((An international or national award
such as the Nobel prize or the Pulitzer prize)) Making a school honor
roll; and (B) ((a state award such as Washington scholar; (C) an
Eagle Scout award; and (D) a Medal of Honor)) winning a state sports
championship.
(2) For purposes of subsection (1) of this section, "legislator" means a legislator who is a "candidate," as defined by RCW 42.17.020, for any public office.
(3) 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.
(4) The house of representatives and senate shall specifically limit expenditures per member for the total cost of mailings. Those costs include, but are not limited to, production costs, printing costs, and postage costs. The limits imposed under this subsection apply only to the total expenditures on mailings per member and not to any categorical cost within the total.
(5) For purposes of this section, persons residing outside the legislative district represented by the legislator are not considered to be constituents, but students, military personnel, or others temporarily employed outside of the district who normally reside in the district are considered to be constituents."
SSB 5025 - S AMD - 075
By Senators Finkbeiner and Patterson
On page 1, line 2 of the title, after "42.52.120," strike "and 42.52.010" and insert "42.52.010, and 42.52.185"
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