AN ACT Relating to the creation of the Washington economic development finance authority; amending RCW 42.17.2401; reenacting and amending RCW 42.17.310; and creating a new chapter in Title 43 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. Economic development is essential to the health, safety, and welfare of all Washington citizens by broadening and strengthening state and local tax bases, providing meaningful employment opportunities and thereby enhancing the quality of life. Economic development increasingly is dependent upon the ability of small-sized and medium-sized businesses and farms to finance growth and trade activities. Many of these businesses face an unmet need for capital that limits their growth. These unmet capital needs are a problem in both urban and rural areas which cannot be solved by the private sector alone. There presently exist some federal programs, private credit enhancements and other financial tools to complement the private banking industry in providing this needed capital. More research is needed to develop effective strategies to enhance access to capital and thereby stimulate economic development.

It is the purpose of this chapter to establish a state economic development finance authority to act as a financial conduit that, without using public funds or lending the credit of the state or local governments, can issue nonrecourse revenue bonds, and participate in federal, state, and local economic development programs to help facilitate access to needed capital by Washington businesses. It is also a primary purpose of this chapter to encourage the employment and retention of Washington workers at meaningful wages and to develop innovative approaches to the problem of unmet capital needs. This chapter is enacted to accomplish these and related purposes and shall be construed liberally to carry out its purposes and objectives.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. As used in this chapter, the following words and terms have the following meanings, unless the context requires otherwise:

(1) "Authority" means the Washington economic development finance authority created under section 3 of this act or any board, body, commission, department or officer succeeding to the principal functions of the authority or to whom the powers conferred upon the authority shall be given by law;

(2) "Bonds" means any bonds, notes, debentures, interim certificates, conditional sales or lease financing agreements, lines of credit, forward purchase agreements, investment agreements, and other banking or financial arrangements, guaranties, or other obligations issued by or entered into by the authority. Such bonds may be issued on either a tax-exempt or taxable basis;

(3) "Borrower" means one or more public or private persons or entities acting as lessee, purchaser, mortgagor, or borrower who has obtained or is seeking to obtain financing either from the authority or from an eligible banking organization that has obtained or is seeking to obtain funds from the authority to finance a project. A borrower may include a party who transfers the right of use and occupancy to another party by lease, sublease or otherwise, or a party who is seeking or has obtained a financial guaranty from the authority;

(4) "Eligible banking organization" means any organization subject to regulation by the state supervisor of banking, any national bank, federal savings and loan association, and federal credit union located within this state;

(5) "Eligible export transaction" means any preexport or export activity by a person or entity located in the state of Washington involving a foreign buyer and product sale which, in the judgment of the authority: (a) Will create or maintain employment in the state of Washington, (b) will obtain a material percent of its value from manufactured goods or services made, processed or occurring in Washington, and (c) could not otherwise obtain financing on reasonable terms from an eligible banking organization;

(6) "Eligible farmer" means any person who is a resident of the state of Washington and whose specific acreage qualifying for receipts from the federal department of agriculture under its conservation reserve program is within the state of Washington;

(7) "Financing document" means an instrument executed by the authority and one or more persons or entities pertaining to the issuance of or security for bonds, or the application of the proceeds of bonds or other funds of, or payable to, the authority. A financing document may include, but need not be limited to, a lease, installment sale agreement, conditional sale agreement, mortgage, loan agreement, trust agreement or indenture, security agreement, letter or line of credit, reimbursement agreement, insurance policy, guaranty agreement, or currency or interest rate swap agreement. A financing document also may be an agreement between the authority and an eligible banking organization which has agreed to make a loan to a borrower;

(8) "Plan" means the general plan of economic development finance objectives developed and adopted by the authority, and updated from time to time, as required under section 8 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The Washington economic development finance authority is established as a public body corporate and politic, with perpetual corporate succession, constituting an instrumentality of the state of Washington exercising essential governmental functions. The authority is a public body within the meaning of RCW 39.53.010.

The authority shall consist of seven members as follows: The director of the department of trade and economic development and the director of the department of community development, each ex officio, and five public members. The public members shall be residents of the state appointed by the governor on the basis of their interest or expertise in trade, agriculture or business finance or jobs creation and development, and such appointments shall be subject to confirmation by the senate. One of the public members shall be appointed by the governor as chair of the authority and shall serve on the authority and as chair of the authority at the pleasure of the governor. The authority may select from its membership such other officers as it deems appropriate.

The term of the persons appointed by the governor as public members of the authority, other than the chair, shall be four years from the date of appointment, except that the term of two of the initial appointees shall be for two years from the date of appointment and the term of one of the initial appointees shall be for three years from the date of appointment. The governor shall designate the appointees who will serve the two-year and three-year terms.

In the event of a vacancy on the authority due to death, resignation or removal of one of the public members, or upon the expiration of the term of one of the public members, other than the chair, the governor shall appoint a successor for the remainder of the unexpired term. If either of the state offices is abolished, the resulting vacancy on the authority shall be filled by the state officer who shall succeed substantially to the power and duties of the abolished office.

Any public member of the authority, other than the chair, may be removed by the governor for misfeasance, malfeasance or willful neglect of duty after notice and a public hearing, unless such notice and hearing shall be expressly waived in writing by the affected public member.

The state officials serving in ex officio capacity may each designate an employee of their respective departments to act on their behalf in all respects with regard to any matter to come before the authority. Such designations shall be made in writing in such manner as is specified by the rules of the authority.

The members of the authority shall serve without compensation but shall be entitled to reimbursement, solely from the funds of the authority, for expenses incurred in the discharge of their duties under this chapter.

A majority of the authority shall constitute a quorum.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. (1) The authority, in cooperation with the small business export finance assistance center and other export assistance entities, is authorized to develop and conduct a program or programs to provide for the funding of export transactions for small businesses which are unable to obtain funding from private commercial lenders.

(2) The authority is authorized to secure or provide guaranties or insurance for loans and otherwise to provide for loans for any eligible export transaction. Loans may be made either directly by the authority or through an eligible banking organization. For such purpose, the authority may use funds legally available to it to provide for insurance or to guarantee eligible export transactions for which guaranteed funding has been provided.

(3) The authority shall make every effort to cause guaranties or insurance to be provided from the export-import bank of the United States, the foreign credit insurance association, the small business administration or such other similar or succeeding federal or private programs whose financial performance in the guarantee or insurance of export transactions is sound and recognized in the financial community. The maximum amount payable under any guaranty shall be specifically set forth in writing at the time any such guaranteed funding is entered into by the authority.

(4) Prior to providing or securing a guarantee of funding or otherwise providing for a loan for any eligible export transaction hereunder, the authority shall obtain assurance that there has been made an investigation of the credit of the exporter in order to determine its viability, the economic benefits to be derived from the eligible export transaction, the prospects for repayment, and such other facts as it deems necessary in order to determine that such guaranteed funding is consistent with the purposes of this chapter.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. To provide capital for economic development purposes, the authority is authorized to develop and conduct a program or programs to provide advance financing to eligible farmers in respect of the contract payments due to them under the federal department of agriculture conservation reserve program. Such advance financing may be provided in the form of lease, sale, loan or other similar financing transactions.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. The authority is authorized to develop and conduct a program or programs to promote small business and agricultural financing in the state through the pooling of loans or portions of loans made or guaranteed through programs administered by the federal small business or farmers home administrations. For such purpose, the authority may acquire from eligible banking organizations and other financial intermediaries who make or hold loans made or guaranteed through programs administered by the federal small business or farmers home administrations all or portions of such loans.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. (1) The authority is authorized to participate fully in federal and other governmental economic development finance programs and to take such actions as are necessary and consistent with this chapter to secure to itself and the people of the state the benefits of those programs and to meet their requirements.

(2) The authority shall coordinate its programs with those contributing to a common purpose found elsewhere in the departments of trade and economic development, community development, agriculture or employment security, or any other department or organization of, or affiliated with, the state or federal government, and shall avoid any duplication of such activities or programs provided elsewhere. The departments of trade and economic development, community development, agriculture, employment security and other relevant state agencies shall provide to the authority all reports prepared in the course of their ongoing activities which may assist in the identification of unmet capital financing needs by small-sized and medium-sized businesses in the state.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. The authority may use any funds legally available to it for the purpose of making loans, providing guarantees or insurance, acquiring loans or otherwise accomplishing the economic development programs authorized by this chapter: PROVIDED, That no funds of the state shall be used for such purposes.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. The authority shall adopt a general plan of economic development finance objectives to be implemented by the authority during the period of the plan. The authority may exercise the powers authorized under this chapter prior to the adoption of the initial plan. In developing the plan, the authority shall consider and set objectives for:

(1) Employment generation associated with the authority's programs;

(2) The application of funds to sectors and regions of the state economy evidencing need for improved access to capital markets and funding resources;

(3) Geographic distribution of funds and programs available through the authority;

(4) Eligibility criteria for participants in authority programs;

(5) The use of funds and resources available from or through federal, state, local, and private sources and programs;

(6) Standards for economic viability and growth opportunities of participants in authority programs;

(7) New programs which serve a targeted need for financing assistance within the purposes of this chapter; and

(8) Opportunities to improve capital access as evidenced by programs existent in other states or as they are made possible by results of private capital market circumstances.

At least one public hearing shall be conducted by the authority on the plan prior to its adoption. The plan shall be adopted by resolution of the authority no later than November 15, 1990. The plan shall be submitted to the chief clerk of the house of representatives and secretary of the senate for transmittal to and review by the appropriate standing committees no later than December 15, 1990. The authority shall periodically update the plan as determined necessary by the authority. The plan or updated plan shall include a report on authority activities conducted since the commencement of authority operation or since the last plan was reported, whichever is more recent, including a statement of results achieved under the purposes of this chapter and the plan. Upon adoption, the authority shall conduct its programs in observance of the objectives established in the plan.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 10. In addition to accomplishing the economic development finance programs specifically authorized in this chapter, the authority may:

(1) Adopt an official seal and alter the same at pleasure;

(2) Maintain an office or offices;

(3) Sue and be sued in its own name, and plead and be impleaded;

(4) Engage consultants, agents, attorneys, and advisers, contract with other federal, state, and local governmental entities for services, and hire such employees, agents and other personnel as the authority deems necessary, useful, or convenient to accomplish its purposes;

(5) Make and execute all manner of contracts, agreements and instruments and financing documents with public and private parties as the authority deems necessary, useful, or convenient to accomplish its purposes;

(6) Acquire and hold real or personal property, or any interest therein, in the name of the authority, and to sell, assign, lease, encumber, mortgage, or otherwise dispose of the same in such manner as the authority deems necessary, useful, or convenient to accomplish its purposes;

(7) Open and maintain accounts in qualified public depositaries and otherwise provide for the investment of any funds not required for immediate disbursement, and provide for the selection of investments;

(8) Appear in its own behalf before boards, commissions, departments, or other agencies of federal, state, or local government;

(9) Procure such insurance in such amounts and from such insurers as the authority deems desirable, including, but not limited to, insurance against any loss or damage to its property or other assets, public liability insurance for injuries to persons or property, and directors and officers liability insurance;

(10) Apply for and accept subventions, grants, loans, advances, and contributions from any source of money, property, labor, or other things of value, to be held, used and applied as the authority deems necessary, useful, or convenient to accomplish its purposes;

(11) Establish guidelines for the participation by eligible banking organizations in programs conducted by the authority under this chapter;

(12) Act as an agent, by agreement, for federal, state, or local governmental entities to carry out the programs authorized in this chapter;

(13) Establish, revise, and collect such fees and charges as the authority deems necessary, useful, or convenient to accomplish its purposes;

(14) Make such expenditures as are appropriate for paying the administrative costs and expenses of the authority in carrying out the provisions of this chapter: PROVIDED, That expenditures with respect to the economic development financing programs of the authority shall not be made from funds of the state;

(15) Establish such reserves and special funds, and controls on deposits to and disbursements from them, as the authority deems necessary, useful, or convenient to accomplish its purposes;

(16) Give assistance to public bodies by providing information, guidelines, forms, and procedures for implementing their financing programs;

(17) Prepare, publish and distribute, with or without charge, such studies, reports, bulletins, and other material as the authority deems necessary, useful, or convenient to accomplish its purposes;

(18) Delegate any of its powers and duties if consistent with the purposes of this chapter;

(19) Adopt rules concerning its exercise of the powers authorized by this chapter; and

(20) Exercise any other power the authority deems necessary, useful, or convenient to accomplish its purposes and exercise the powers expressly granted in this chapter.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 11. Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the authority shall not:

(1) Give any state money or property or loan any state money or credit to or in aid of any individual, association, company, or corporation, except for the necessary support of the poor and infirm, or become directly or indirectly the owner of any stock in or bonds of any association, company, or corporation;

(2) Issue bills of credit or accept deposits of money for time or demand deposit, administer trusts, engage in any form or manner in, or in the conduct of, any private or commercial banking business, or act as a savings bank or savings and loan association other than as provided in this chapter;

(3) Be or constitute a bank or trust company within the jurisdiction or under the control of the division of banking of the state, the comptroller of the currency of the United States of America or the treasury department thereof;

(4) Be or constitute a bank, broker or dealer in securities within the meaning of, or subject to the provisions of, any securities, securities exchange or securities dealers' law of the United States of America or the state;

(5) Engage in the financing of housing as provided for in chapter 43.180 RCW;

(6) Engage in the financing of health care facilities as provided for in chapter 70.37 RCW; or

(7) Engage in financing higher education facilities as provided for in chapter 28B.07 RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 12. The authority shall receive no initial appropriation of state funds in the 1989-91 biennium, but the department of trade and economic development shall provide staff to the authority, to the extent permitted by law, to enable the authority to accomplish its purposes.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 13. (1) The authority may issue its nonrecourse revenue bonds in order to obtain the funds to carry out the programs authorized in this chapter. The bonds shall be special obligations of the authority, payable solely out of the special fund or funds established by the authority for their repayment.

(2) Any bonds issued under this chapter may be secured by a financing document between the authority and the purchasers or owners of such bonds or between the authority and a corporate trustee, which may be any trust company or bank having the powers of a trust company within or without the state.

(a) The financing document may pledge or assign, in whole or in part, the revenues and funds held or to be received by the authority, any present or future contract or other rights to receive the same, and the proceeds thereof.

(b) The financing document may contain such provisions for protecting and enforcing the rights, security, and remedies of bondowners as may be reasonable and proper, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, provisions defining defaults and providing for remedies in the event of default which may include the acceleration of maturities, restrictions on the individual rights of action by bondowners, and covenants setting forth duties of and limitations on the authority in conduct of its programs and the management of its property.

(c) In addition to other security provided in this chapter or otherwise by law, bonds issued by the authority may be secured, in whole or in part, by financial guaranties, by insurance or by letters of credit issued to the authority or a trustee or any other person, by any bank, trust company, insurance or surety company or other financial institution, within or without the state. The authority may pledge or assign, in whole or in part, the revenues and funds held or to be received by the authority, any present or future contract or other rights to receive the same, and the proceeds thereof, as security for such guaranties or insurance or for the reimbursement by the authority to any issuer of such letter of credit of any payments made under such letter of credit.

(3) Without limiting the powers of the authority contained in this chapter, in connection with each issue of its obligation bonds, the authority shall create and establish one or more special funds, including, but not limited to debt service and sinking funds, reserve funds, project funds, and such other special funds as the authority deems necessary, useful, or convenient.

(4) Any security interest created against the unexpended bond proceeds and against the special funds created by the authority shall be immediately valid and binding against the money and any securities in which the money may be invested without authority or trustee possession. The security interest shall be prior to any party having any competing claim against the moneys or securities, without filing or recording under Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code, Title 62A RCW, and regardless of whether the party has notice of the security interest.

(5) The bonds may be issued as serial bonds, term bonds or any other type of bond instrument consistent with the provisions of this chapter. The bonds shall bear such date or dates; mature at such time or times; bear interest at such rate or rates, either fixed or variable; be payable at such time or times; be in such denominations; be in such form; bear such privileges of transferability, exchangeability, and interchangeability; be subject to such terms of redemption; and be sold at public or private sale, in such manner, at such time or times, and at such price or prices as the authority shall determine. The bonds shall be executed by the manual or facsimile signatures of the authority's chair and either its secretary or executive director, and may be authenticated by the trustee (if the authority determines to use a trustee) or any registrar which may be designated for the bonds by the authority.

(6) Bonds may be issued by the authority to refund other outstanding authority bonds, at or prior to maturity of, and to pay any redemption premium on, the outstanding bonds. Bonds issued for refunding purposes may be combined with bonds issued for the financing or refinancing of new projects. Pending the application of the proceeds of the refunding bonds to the redemption of the bonds to be redeemed, the authority may enter into an agreement or agreements with a corporate trustee regarding the interim investment of the proceeds and the application of the proceeds and the earnings on the proceeds to the payment of the principal of and interest on, and the redemption of, the bonds to be redeemed.

(7) The bonds of the authority may be negotiable instruments under Title 62A RCW.

(8) Neither the members of the authority, nor its employees or agents, nor any person executing the bonds shall be personally liable on the bonds or be subject to any personal liability or accountability by reason of the issuance of the bonds.

(9) The authority may purchase its bonds with any of its funds available for the purchase. The authority may hold, pledge, cancel or resell the bonds subject to and in accordance with agreements with bondowners.

(10) The state finance committee shall be notified in advance of the issuance of bonds by the authority in order to promote the orderly offering of obligations in the financial markets.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 14. (1) Bonds issued by the authority under this chapter shall not be deemed to constitute obligations, either general, special or moral, of the state or of any political subdivision of the state, or pledge of the faith and credit of the state or of any political subdivision, or general obligations of the authority. The bonds shall be special obligations of the authority and shall be payable solely from the special fund or funds created by the authority for their repayment. The issuance of bonds under this chapter shall not obligate, directly, indirectly, or contingently, the state or any political subdivision of the state to levy any taxes or appropriate or expend any funds for the payment of the principal or the interest on the bonds. The substance of the limitations included in this paragraph shall be plainly printed, written, engraved, or reproduced on each bond and in any disclosure document prepared in conjunction with the offer and sale of bonds.

(2) Neither the proceeds of bonds issued under this chapter nor any money used or to be used to pay the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on the bonds shall constitute public money or property. All of such money shall be kept segregated and set apart from funds of the state and any political subdivision of the state and shall not be subject to appropriation or allotment by the state or subject to the provisions of chapter 43.88 RCW.

(3) Contracts entered into by the authority shall be entered into in the name of the authority and not in the name of the state. The obligations of the authority under such contracts shall be obligations only of the authority and shall not, in any way, constitute obligations of the state.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 15. The authority may enter into financing documents with borrowers regarding bonds issued by the authority that may provide for the payment by each borrower of amounts sufficient, together with other revenues available to the authority, if any, to: (1) Pay the borrower's share of the fees established by the authority; (2) pay the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on outstanding bonds of the authority issued in respect of such borrower as the same shall become due and payable; and (3) create and maintain reserves required or provided for by the authority in connection with the issuance of such bonds. The payments shall not be subject to supervision or regulation by any department, committee, board, body, bureau, or agency of the state other than the authority.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 16. All money received by or on behalf of the authority with respect to this issuance of its bonds shall be trust funds to be held and applied solely as provided in this chapter. The authority, in lieu of receiving and applying the moneys itself, may enter into trust agreement or indenture with one or more banks or trust companies having the power and authority to conduct trust business in the state to:

(1) Perform all of any part of the obligations of the authority with respect to: (a) Bonds issued by it; (b) the receipt, investment and application of the proceeds of the bonds and money paid by a participant or available from other sources for the payment of the bonds; (c) the enforcement of the obligations of a borrower in connection with the financing or refinancing of any project; and (d) other matters relating to the exercise of the authority's powers under this chapter;

(2) Receive, hold, preserve, and enforce any security interest or evidence of security interest granted by a participant for purposes of securing the payment of the bonds; and

(3) Act on behalf of the authority or the owners of bonds of the authority for purposes of assuring or enforcing the payment of the bonds, when due.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 17. Any owner of bonds of the authority issued under this chapter, and the trustee under any trust agreement or indenture, may, either at law or in equity, by suit, action, mandamus or other proceeding, protect and enforce any of their respective rights, and may become the purchaser at any foreclosure sale if the person is the highest bidder, except to the extent the rights given are restricted by the authority in any bond resolution or trust agreement or indenture authorizing the issuance of the bonds.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 18. The bonds or the authority are securities in which all public officers and bodies of this state and all counties, cities, municipal corporations and political subdivisions, all banks, bankers, trust companies, savings banks and institutions, building and loan associations, savings and loan associations, investment companies, insurance companies and associations, and all executors, administrators, guardians, trustees and other fiduciaries may legally invest any sinking funds, moneys or other funds belonging to them or within their control.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 19. This chapter provides a complete, additional and alternative method for accomplishing the purposes of this chapter and shall be regarded as supplemental and additional to powers conferred by other laws. The issuance of bonds and refunding bonds under this chapter need not comply with the requirements of any other law applicable to the issuance of bonds.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 20. Insofar as the provisions of this chapter are inconsistent with the provisions of any general or special law, or parts thereof, the provisions of this chapter are controlling.

Sec. 21. Section 2, chapter 34, Laws of 1984 as last amended by section 13, chapter 36, Laws of 1988 and RCW 42.17.2401 are each amended to read as follows:

For the purposes of RCW 42.17.240, the term "executive state officer" includes:

(1) The chief administrative law judge, the director of financial management, the director of personnel, the director of community development, the director of the state system of community colleges, the director of the department of information services, the executive secretary of the forest practices appeals board, the director of the gambling commission, the director of the higher education personnel board, the secretary of transportation, the executive secretary of the horse racing commission, the executive secretary of the human rights commission, the administrator of the interagency committee for outdoor recreation, the director of parks and recreation, the executive secretary of the ((~~board of prison terms and paroles~~)) indeterminate sentence review board, the administrator of the public disclosure commission, the director of retirement systems, the secretary of the utilities and transportation commission, the executive secretary of the board of tax appeals, the secretary of the state finance committee, the president of each of the regional and state universities and the president of The Evergreen State College, each district and each campus president of each state community college;

(2) Each professional staff member of the office of the governor;

(3) Each professional staff member of the legislature; and

(4) Each member of the state board for community college education, information services board, forest practices board, forest practices appeals board, gambling commission, wildlife commission, higher education personnel board, transportation commission, horse racing commission, human rights commission, board of industrial insurance appeals, liquor control board, interagency committee for outdoor recreation, parks and recreation commission, personnel board, personnel appeals board, ((~~board of prison terms and paroles~~)) indeterminate sentence review board, public disclosure commission, public employees' retirement system board, public pension commission, University of Washington board of regents, Washington State University board of regents, board of tax appeals, teachers' retirement system board of trustees, Central Washington University board of trustees, Eastern Washington University board of trustees, The Evergreen State College board of trustees, Western Washington University board of trustees, board of trustees of each community college, state housing finance commission, Washington economic development finance authority, and the utilities and transportation commission.

Sec. 22. Section 2, chapter 107, Laws of 1987, section 1, chapter 337, Laws of 1987, section 16, chapter 370, Laws of 1987, section 1, chapter 404, Laws of 1987, section 10, chapter 411, Laws of 1987 and RCW 42.17.310 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:

(1) The following are exempt from public inspection and copying:

(a) Personal information in any files maintained for students in public schools, patients or clients of public institutions or public health agencies, welfare recipients, prisoners, probationers, or parolees.

(b) Personal information in files maintained for employees, appointees, or elected officials of any public agency to the extent that disclosure would violate their right to privacy.

(c) Information required of any taxpayer in connection with the assessment or collection of any tax if the disclosure of the information to other persons would (i) be prohibited to such persons by RCW 82.32.330 or (ii) violate the taxpayer's right to privacy or result in unfair competitive disadvantage to the taxpayer.

(d) Specific intelligence information and specific investigative records compiled by investigative, law enforcement, and penology agencies, and state agencies vested with the responsibility to discipline members of any profession, the nondisclosure of which is essential to effective law enforcement or for the protection of any person's right to privacy.

(e) Information revealing the identity of persons who file complaints with investigative, law enforcement, or penology agencies, other than the public disclosure commission, if disclosure would endanger any person's life, physical safety, or property: PROVIDED, That if at the time the complaint is filed the complainant indicates a desire for disclosure or nondisclosure, such desire shall govern: PROVIDED, FURTHER, That all complaints filed with the public disclosure commission about any elected official or candidate for public office must be made in writing and signed by the complainant under oath.

(f) Test questions, scoring keys, and other examination data used to administer a license, employment, or academic examination.

(g) Except as provided by chapter 8.26 RCW, the contents of real estate appraisals, made for or by any agency relative to the acquisition or sale of property, until the project or prospective sale is abandoned or until such time as all of the property has been acquired or the property to which the sale appraisal relates is sold, but in no event shall disclosure be denied for more than three years after the appraisal.

(h) Valuable formulae, designs, drawings, and research data obtained by any agency within five years of the request for disclosure when disclosure would produce private gain and public loss.

(i) Preliminary drafts, notes, recommendations, and intra-agency memorandums in which opinions are expressed or policies formulated or recommended except that a specific record shall not be exempt when publicly cited by an agency in connection with any agency action.

(j) Records which are relevant to a controversy to which an agency is a party but which records would not be available to another party under the rules of pretrial discovery for causes pending in the superior courts.

(k) Records, maps, or other information identifying the location of archaeological sites in order to avoid the looting or depredation of such sites.

(l) Any library record, the primary purpose of which is to maintain control of library materials, or to gain access to information, which discloses or could be used to disclose the identity of a library user.

(m) Financial information supplied by or on behalf of a person, firm, or corporation for the purpose of qualifying to submit a bid or proposal for (a) a ferry system construction or repair contract as required by RCW 47.60.680 through 47.60.750 or (b) highway construction or improvement as required by RCW 47.28.070.

(n) Railroad company contracts filed with the utilities and transportation commission under RCW 81.34.070, except that the summaries of the contracts are open to public inspection and copying as otherwise provided by this chapter.

(o) Financial and commercial information and records supplied by private persons pertaining to export services provided pursuant to chapter 43.-- RCW (sections 1 through 20 of this act) and chapter 53.31 RCW.

(p) Financial disclosures filed by private vocational schools under chapter 28C.10 RCW.

(q) Records filed with the utilities and transportation commission or attorney general under RCW 80.04.095 that a court has determined are confidential under RCW 80.04.095.

(r) Financial and commercial information and records supplied by businesses during application for loans or program services provided by chapter 43.-- RCW (sections 1 through 20 of this act) and chapters 43.31, 43.63A, and 43.168 RCW.

(s) Membership lists or lists of members or owners of interests of units in timeshare projects, subdivisions, camping resorts, condominiums, land developments, or common-interest communities affiliated with such projects, regulated by the department of licensing, in the files or possession of the department.

(t) ((~~Except as provided under section 2 of this 1987 act [1987 c 404 § 2],~~)) All applications for public employment, including the names of applicants, resumes, and other related materials submitted with respect to an applicant.

(u) The residential addresses and residential telephone numbers of employees or volunteers of a public agency which are held by the agency in personnel records, employment or volunteer rosters, or mailing lists of employees or volunteers.

(v) The residential addresses and residential telephone numbers of the customers of a public utility contained in the records or lists held by the public utility of which they are customers.

(w) Information obtained by the board of pharmacy as provided in RCW 69.45.090.

(2) Except for information described in subsection (1)(c)(i) of this section and confidential income data exempted from public inspection pursuant to RCW 84.40.020, the exemptions of this section are inapplicable to the extent that information, the disclosure of which would violate personal privacy or vital governmental interests, can be deleted from the specific records sought. No exemption may be construed to permit the nondisclosure of statistical information not descriptive of any readily identifiable person or persons.

(3) Inspection or copying of any specific records exempt under the provisions of this section may be permitted if the superior court in the county in which the record is maintained finds, after a hearing with notice thereof to every person in interest and the agency, that the exemption of such records is clearly unnecessary to protect any individual's right of privacy or any vital governmental function.

(4) Agency responses refusing, in whole or in part, inspection of any public record shall include a statement of the specific exemption authorizing the withholding of the record (or part) and a brief explanation of how the exemption applies to the record withheld.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 23. Sections 1 through 20 of this act shall constitute a new chapter in Title 43 RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 24. If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.