BILL REQ. #:  S-3942.1 

Read first time 01/09/2006.   Referred to Committee on Government Operations & Elections.

     AN ACT Relating to campaign contribution limits for candidates for judicial office; amending RCW 42.17.700; adding new sections to chapter 42.17 RCW; and declaring an emergency.

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:
     (1) The contribution limits in this section apply to candidates for judicial office.
     (2) No person may make contributions to a candidate for a court of limited jurisdiction or for superior court that in the aggregate exceed six hundred seventy-five dollars or to a candidate for the state supreme court or court of appeals that in the aggregate exceed one thousand three hundred fifty dollars for each election in which the candidate is on the ballot or appears as a write-in candidate. Contributions made with respect to a primary may not be made after the date of the primary. However, contributions to a candidate or a candidate's authorized committee may be made with respect to a primary until thirty days after the primary, subject to the following limitations: (a) The candidate lost the primary; (b) the candidate's authorized committee has insufficient funds to pay debts outstanding as of the date of the primary; and (c) the contributions may only be raised and spent to satisfy the outstanding debt. Contributions made with respect to a general election may not be made after the final day of the applicable election cycle.
     (3) This section and RCW 42.17.640 through 42.17.790 apply to a special election conducted to fill a vacancy in an office. However, the contributions made to a candidate or received by a candidate for a primary or special election conducted to fill the vacancy will not be counted toward any of the limitations that apply to the candidate or to contributions made to the candidate for any other primary or election.
     (4) No person may accept contributions that exceed the contribution limitations provided in this section.
     (5) The dollar limits in this section must be adjusted according to RCW 42.17.690.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 42.17 RCW to read as follows:
     The commission shall adopt rules to carry out this act.

Sec. 3   RCW 42.17.700 and 1993 c 2 s 10 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Contributions to candidates for state office made and received before December 3, 1992, are considered to be contributions under RCW 42.17.640 through 42.17.790. Monetary contributions that exceed the contribution limitations and that have not been spent by the recipient of the contribution by December 3, 1992, must be disposed of in accordance with RCW 42.17.095.
     (2) Contributions to other candidates subject to the contribution limits of this chapter made and received before the effective date of this act are considered to be contributions under RCW 42.17.640 through 42.17.790. Contributions that exceed the contribution limitations and that have not been spent by the recipient of the contribution by the effective date of this act must be disposed of in accordance with RCW 42.17.095 (1) through (5) and (8).

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately.