BILL REQ. #:  S-3554.1 

Read first time 01/16/14.   Referred to Committee on Governmental Operations.

     AN ACT Relating to accountability in caucus political committee accounts; and reenacting and amending RCW 42.17A.110.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 42.17A.110 and 2011 1st sp.s. c 43 s 448 and 2011 c 60 s 20 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:
     The commission may:
     (1) Adopt, amend, and rescind suitable administrative rules to carry out the policies and purposes of this chapter, which rules shall be adopted under chapter 34.05 RCW. Any rule relating to campaign finance, political advertising, or related forms that would otherwise take effect after June 30th of a general election year shall take effect no earlier than the day following the general election in that year;
     (2) Appoint an executive director and set, within the limits established by the office of financial management under RCW 43.03.028, the executive director's compensation. The executive director shall perform such duties and have such powers as the commission may prescribe and delegate to implement and enforce this chapter efficiently and effectively. The commission shall not delegate its authority to adopt, amend, or rescind rules nor may it delegate authority to determine whether an actual violation of this chapter has occurred or to assess penalties for such violations;
     (3) Prepare and publish reports and technical studies as in its judgment will tend to promote the purposes of this chapter, including reports and statistics concerning campaign financing, lobbying, financial interests of elected officials, and enforcement of this chapter;
     (4) Conduct, as it deems appropriate, audits and field investigations, including annual audits or investigations of the expenditures, receipts, debts, and obligations of each caucus political committee. Any documents, records, reports, computer files, papers, or materials provided to the commission for use in conducting audits or investigations under this subsection must be returned to the committee or candidate from which they were received within one week of the commission's completion of the audit or investigation;
     (5) Make public the time and date of any formal hearing set to determine whether a violation has occurred, the question or questions to be considered, and the results thereof;
     (6) Administer oaths and affirmations, issue subpoenas, and compel attendance, take evidence, and require the production of any records relevant to any investigation authorized under this chapter, or any other proceeding under this chapter;
     (7) Adopt a code of fair campaign practices;
     (8) Adopt rules relieving candidates or political committees of obligations to comply with the election campaign provisions of this chapter, if they have not received contributions nor made expenditures in connection with any election campaign of more than five thousand dollars;
     (9) Adopt rules prescribing reasonable requirements for keeping accounts of, and reporting on a quarterly basis, costs incurred by state agencies, counties, cities, and other municipalities and political subdivisions in preparing, publishing, and distributing legislative information. For the purposes of this subsection, "legislative information" means books, pamphlets, reports, and other materials prepared, published, or distributed at substantial cost, a substantial purpose of which is to influence the passage or defeat of any legislation. The state auditor in his or her regular examination of each agency under chapter 43.09 RCW shall review the rules, accounts, and reports and make appropriate findings, comments, and recommendations concerning those agencies; and
     (10) Develop and provide to filers a system for certification of reports required under this chapter which are transmitted by facsimile or electronically to the commission. Implementation of the program is contingent on the availability of funds.