H-0190.2  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 1545

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      56th Legislature     1999 Regular Session

By Representatives Murray, Romero, McIntire, Cody and Dunshee

Read first time 01/28/1999.  Referred to Committee on State Government.

Authorizing public financing of local political campaigns.

    AN ACT Relating to authorization for public funds to be used to finance political campaigns for public office; amending RCW 42.17.128; and adding a new section to chapter 42.17 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 42.17 RCW to read as follows:

    A county with a population of one million or more, and a city with a population of five hundred thousand or more, may establish a program where a candidate for a county or city elected office voluntarily agrees to abide by limitations on the amount of money the candidate, or the candidate's authorized committee, spends to campaign for the office in return for receiving public matching funds from the county or city that are used to assist in funding his or her campaign.

    Sec. 2.  RCW 42.17.128 and 1993 c 2 s 24 are each amended to read as follows:

Except as provided under section 1 of this act, public funds, whether derived through taxes, fees, penalties, or any other sources, shall not be used to finance political campaigns for state or local office.

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