WSR 15-17-128

PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY

[Filed August 19, 2015, 10:49 a.m.]

Subject of Possible Rule Making: Time limit for state officials to solicit or accept contributions (session freeze).

In 1993, the commission engaged in rule making to implement the "session freeze" provisions of Initiative 134, approved by voters in 1992. PDC Interpretation 96-01 was adopted in 1996 to give further clarification. Interpretation 96-01 was later revised and adopted as PDC Interpretation 01-04 to incorporate the supreme court's decision in Senate Republican Campaign Committee v. PDC. The commission now wishes to convert this long-standing interpretive statement to rule.

Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 42.17A.110.

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: The interpretation the commission wishes to convert to rule has guided the regulated community since 1996 and has become an accepted opinion. The public and regulated community would be better served by having the interpretation incorporated in the commission's rules so that it can be more easily located.

Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: None.

Process for Developing New Rule: The interpretation language will be incorporated into draft proposed rule language and presented to the commission for its approval at a regularly scheduled commission meeting. Notice of the consideration will be included on the commission's meeting agenda, which is published on the commission's web site and distributed to stakeholders.

Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by submitting comments to Lori Anderson, P.O. Box 40908, Olympia, WA 98504-0908, e-mail lori.anderson@pdc.wa.gov, fax (360) 753-1112, phone (360) 664-2737.

Participate in the March 26 commission meeting. Exact time to be determined when agenda is published. Meeting location: 711 Capitol Way, Room 206, Olympia, WA. Contact Lori Anderson to accommodate alternatives to in-person participation.

August 19, 2015

Lori Anderson

Communications and

Training Officer