S-952                 _______________________________________________

                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 3853

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              49th Legislature                              1985 Regular Session

By Senators Rinehart and Rasmussen

Read first time 2/7/85 and referred to Committee on Governmental Operations.

AN ACT Relating to the use of public facilities in political campaigns; and amending RCW 42.17.130.

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

        Sec. 1.  Section 13, chapter 1, Laws of 1973 as last amended by section 2, chapter 265, Laws of 1979 ex. sess. and RCW 42.17.130 are each amended to read as follows:

          No ((elective official nor any employee of his office nor any person appointed to or employed by any public office or agency)) person 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, clientele, and clientele lists of persons served by the office or agency((:  PROVIDED, That the foregoing provisions of)).

This section shall not apply to the following activities:

          (1) 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) any required notice of the meeting includes the title and number of the ballot proposition, and (b) members of the legislative body or members of the public are afforded an approximately equal opportunity for the expression of an opposing view;

          (2) 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;

          (3) Activities which are part of the normal and regular conduct of the office or agency.