BILL REQ. #: Z-0078.2
State of Washington | 63rd Legislature | 2013 Regular Session |
Read first time 01/24/13. Referred to Committee on Government Operations & Elections.
AN ACT Relating to modifying time frames applicable to certain public disclosure commission requirements; amending RCW 42.17A.120 and 42.17A.265; reenacting and amending RCW 42.17A.110; and repealing RCW 42.17A.420.
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, except that: (a) The commission may readopt an emergency rule
adopted prior to June 30th when necessary to enable the rule to remain
in effect through the next general election and when done in accordance
with the requirements of RCW 34.05.350(2); and (b) the commission may
adopt emergency rules to implement legislation that takes effect after
June 30th in a general election 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;
(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.
Sec. 2 RCW 42.17A.120 and 2010 c 204 s 304 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1) The commission may suspend or modify any of the reporting
requirements of this chapter if it finds that literal application of
this chapter works a manifestly unreasonable hardship in a particular
case and the suspension or modification will not frustrate the purposes
of this chapter. The commission may suspend or modify reporting
requirements only after a hearing is held and the suspension or
modification receives approval from a majority of the commission. A
suspension or modification of the financial affairs reporting
requirements contained in RCW 42.17A.710 may be approved for an elected
official's term of office, or for up to three years for an executive
state officer, where no material change in the applicant's
circumstances is anticipated. The commission shall act to suspend or
modify any reporting requirements:
(a) Only if it determines that facts exist that are clear and
convincing proof of the findings required under this section; and
(b) Only to the extent necessary to substantially relieve the
hardship.
(2) A manifestly unreasonable hardship exists if reporting the name
of an entity required to be reported under RCW 42.17A.710(1)(g)(ii)
would be likely to adversely affect the competitive position of any
entity in which the person filing the report, or any member of his or
her immediate family, holds any office, directorship, general
partnership interest, or an ownership interest of ten percent or more.
(3) Requests for renewals of reporting modifications may be heard
in a brief adjudicative proceeding as set forth in RCW 34.05.482
through 34.05.494 and in accordance with the standards established in
this section. No initial request may be heard in a brief adjudicative
proceeding. No request for renewal may be heard in a brief
adjudicative proceeding if the initial request was granted more than
three years previously or if the applicant is holding an office or
position of employment different from the office or position held when
the initial request was granted.
(4) Any citizen has standing to bring an action in Thurston county
superior court to contest the propriety of any order entered under this
section within one year from the date of the entry of the order.
(5) The commission shall adopt rules governing the proceedings.
Sec. 3 RCW 42.17A.265 and 2010 c 204 s 414 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1) Treasurers shall prepare and deliver to the commission a
special report when a contribution or aggregate of contributions totals
one thousand dollars or more, is from a single person or entity, and is
received during a special reporting period.
(2) A political committee shall prepare and deliver to the
commission a special report when it makes a contribution or an
aggregate of contributions to a single entity that totals one thousand
dollars or more during a special reporting period.
(3) An aggregate of contributions includes only those contributions
made to or received from a single entity during any one special
reporting period. Any subsequent contribution of any size made to or
received from the same person or entity during the special reporting
period must also be reported.
(4) Special reporting periods, for purposes of this section,
include:
(a) The period ((beginning on the day after the last report
required by RCW 42.17A.235 and 42.17A.240 to be filed before a primary
and concluding on the end of the day before that)) twenty-one days
preceding a primary election;
(b) The period twenty-one days preceding a general election; and
(c) An aggregate of contributions includes only those contributions
received from a single entity during any one special reporting period
or made by the contributing political committee to a single entity
during any one special reporting period.
(5) If a campaign treasurer files a special report under this
section for one or more contributions received from a single entity
during a special reporting period, the treasurer shall also file a
special report under this section for each subsequent contribution of
any size which is received from that entity during the special
reporting period. If a political committee files a special report
under this section for a contribution or contributions made to a single
entity during a special reporting period, the political committee shall
also file a special report for each subsequent contribution of any size
which is made to that entity during the special reporting period.
(6) Special reports required by this section shall be delivered
electronically or in written form((, including but not limited to
mailgram, telegram, or nightletter. The special report may be
transmitted orally by telephone to the commission if the written form
of the report is postmarked and mailed to the commission or the
electronic filing is transferred to the commission within the delivery
periods established in (a) and (b) of this subsection)) by electronic
mail or facsimile.
(a) The special report required of a contribution recipient under
subsection (1) of this section shall be delivered to the commission
within ((forty-eight)) twenty-four hours of the time, or on the first
working day after: The contribution of one thousand dollars or more is
received by the candidate or treasurer; the aggregate received by the
candidate or treasurer first equals one thousand dollars or more; or
any subsequent contribution from the same source is received by the
candidate or treasurer.
(b) The special report required of a contributor under subsection
(2) of this section or RCW 42.17A.625 shall be delivered to the
commission, and the candidate or political committee to whom the
contribution or contributions are made, within twenty-four hours of the
time, or on the first working day after: The contribution is made; the
aggregate of contributions made first equals one thousand dollars or
more; or any subsequent contribution to the same person or entity is
made.
(7) The special report shall include:
(a) The amount of the contribution or contributions;
(b) The date or dates of receipt;
(c) The name and address of the donor;
(d) The name and address of the recipient; and
(e) Any other information the commission may by rule require.
(8) Contributions reported under this section shall also be
reported as required by other provisions of this chapter.
(9) The commission shall prepare daily a summary of the special
reports made under this section and RCW 42.17A.625.
(10) Contributions governed by this section include, but are not
limited to, contributions made or received indirectly through a third
party or entity whether the contributions are or are not reported to
the commission as earmarked contributions under RCW 42.17A.270.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4 RCW 42.17A.420 (Reportable contributions--Preelection limitations) and 2010 c 204 s 604 are each repealed.