H-656                _______________________________________________

                                                   HOUSE BILL NO. 1318

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1989 Regular Session

By Representatives Valle and K. Wilson

Read first time 1/20/89 and referred to Committee on State Government.

AN ACT Relating to political advertising; and amending RCW 42.17.530.

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

        Sec. 1.  Section 3, chapter 216, Laws of 1984 as amended by section 2, chapter 199, Laws of 1988 and RCW 42.17.530 are each amended to read as follows:

          (1) It is a violation of this chapter for a person to sponsor with actual malice:

          (a) Political advertising that contains a false statement of material fact;

          (b) Political advertising that falsely represents that a candidate is the incumbent for the office sought when in fact the candidate is not the incumbent;

          (c) Political advertising that makes either directly or indirectly, a false claim stating or implying the support or endorsement of any person or organization when in fact the candidate does not have such support or endorsement.

          (2) It is a violation of this chapter for a candidate to sponsor political advertising that contains a picture of the candidate's opponent.

(3) Any violation of this section shall be proven by clear and convincing evidence.