(1) The public disclosure commission was created by the passage of Initiative 276 in 1972 for the principal purpose of providing the public with accurate information about certain financial affairs of candidates and elected officials, about the financing of election campaigns and the sponsors of political advertising, and about expenditures made in the course of lobbying. The passage of Initiative 134 in 1992 further expounded the purpose of the commission and the law.

(2) The duties, responsibilities and powers of the commission, and provisions for establishing the commission and appointing the members thereof, are set forth in chapter 42.17A RCW.

(1) The public disclosure commission is a five-member commission appointed by the governor with the consent of the senate. The commission is assisted by a staff ((consisting of)), managed by an executive director ((and such other employees as are necessary)).

(2) Electronic communications to the commission should be sent to pdc@pdc.wa.gov. Mailings to the commission should be addressed as follows: Public Disclosure Commission, P.O. Box 40908, Olympia, WA 98504-0908.

The purpose of these rules is to implement the provisions of chapter 42.17A RCW (((Initiatives 276 and 134))), referred to throughout as the act, by declaring the policies of the commission, particularly with regard to the interpretation and enforcement of the act by the commission.

((In RCW 42.17A.005 (13)(a),))The definition of contribution in the act excludes the actual cost of consumables furnished at a ticketed fund-raising event. This exclusion applies to the amount paid for food, beverages, preparation, catering or entertainment furnished at the event. For this purpose of ((RCW 42.17A.005))the act and these rules, the term "consumable" includes the amount paid for food, beverages, event preparation, catering or entertainment cost furnished at the event.

(1) The term "contribution" as defined in the act and used in these rules shall be deemed to include, among other things, furnishing services, property or rights on an unequal basis or at less than their fair market value as defined in WAC 390-05-235, for the purpose of assisting any candidate or political committee. When such in-kind contribution is provided, it shall be reported at its fair market value per WAC 390-05-235 and, pursuant to RCW 42.17A.405 and 42.17A.410, the fair market value is the amount of the contribution to be allocated to the contributor in determining compliance with the contributor's contribution limit.

(2) Duplicating political advertising. The financing by a person of the dissemination, distribution, or republication, in whole or in part, of broadcast, written, graphic, digital, or other form of political advertising prepared by a candidate, a political committee, or the authorized agent of a candidate or political committee, is a contribution to the candidate or political committee.

(3) Consulting with a ((state, local or judicial)) candidate. An expenditure made by a person in cooperation, consultation, concert or collaboration with, or at the request or suggestion of a candidate, or the candidate's authorized committee or agent, is a contribution to such candidate. An expenditure is presumed to be made in cooperation, consultation, concert or collaboration with, or at the request or suggestion of a candidate, or the candidate's authorized committee or agent, when:

(a) Any arrangement, coordination, or direction by the candidate, or the candidate's authorized committee or agent, is given to the expending person prior to the publication, distribution (digital or otherwise), display or broadcast, of political advertising or electioneering communications or prior to an expenditure being made by that person supporting that candidate or opposing one or more of that candidate's opponents; ((or))

(b) An expenditure is made based on information about the candidate's plans, projects, or needs provided to the expending person by the candidate, or the candidate's authorized committee or agent, with a view toward having an expenditure made; ((or))

(c) An expenditure is made by, through, in consultation with, or with the assistance of, including the fund-raising assistance of, any person who, during the twelve months preceding the expenditure, is or has been an officer of the candidate's authorized committee; or

(d) An expenditure is made by or in consultation with any person who, during the twelve months preceding the expenditure, is or has been receiving any form of campaign-related compensation or reimbursement from the candidate, or the candidate's authorized committee or agent. However, there is no presumption that an expenditure is made in cooperation, consultation, concert or collaboration with, or at the request or suggestion of a candidate, or the candidate's authorized committee or agent, when a person performs only ministerial functions for two or more candidates or political committees pursuant to RCW 42.17A.005 and WAC 390-05-243.

(4) Consulting with a caucus political committee. An expenditure ((that does not qualify)), not otherwise qualifying as a contribution to a candidate under subsection (3) of this section, made by a person in cooperation, consultation, concert or collaboration with, or at the request or suggestion of a caucus political committee or its agent, is a contribution to such caucus political committee. An expenditure is presumed to be made in cooperation, consultation, concert or collaboration with, or at the request or suggestion of a caucus political committee or its agent, when:

(a) Any arrangement, coordination, or direction by the caucus political committee, its agent, or another political committee financed, controlled or operated by the caucus, is given to the expending person prior to the publication, distribution, display, or broadcast of political advertising or electioneering communications, or prior to an expenditure being made by that person supporting that caucus political committee, or one or more of the candidates supported by it, or opposing one or more of those candidates' opponents; ((or))

(b) An expenditure is made based on information about the caucus political committee's plans, projects, or needs provided to the expending person by the caucus political committee, its agent, or another political committee financed, controlled, or operated by the caucus with a view toward having an expenditure made; ((or))

(c) An expenditure is made by, through, in consultation with, or with the assistance of, including the fund-raising assistance of, any person who, during the twelve months preceding the expenditure, is or has been an officer of the caucus political committee or another political committee financed, controlled, or operated by the caucus; or

(d) The expenditure is made by or in consultation with any person who, during the twelve months preceding the expenditure, is or has been receiving any form of campaign-related compensation or reimbursement from the caucus political committee, its agent, or another political committee financed, controlled, or operated by the caucus. However, there is no presumption that an expenditure is made in cooperation, consultation, concert, or collaboration with, or at the request or suggestion of a caucus political committee or its agent, when a person performs only ministerial functions for two or more candidates or political committees pursuant to RCW 42.17A.005 and WAC 390-05-243.

(5) Consulting with a bona fide political party. An expenditure ((that does not qualify)), not otherwise qualifying as a contribution to a candidate under subsection (3) of this section, made by a person in cooperation, consultation, concert or collaboration with, or at the request or suggestion of a bona fide political party or its agent, is a contribution to such bona fide political party. An expenditure is presumed to be made in cooperation, consultation, concert or collaboration with, or at the request or suggestion of a bona fide political party, when:

(a) Any arrangement, coordination or direction by the bona fide political party, its agent, or a political committee financed, controlled or operated by the party is given to the expending person prior to the publication, distribution, display, or broadcast of political advertising or electioneering communications or prior to an expenditure being made by that person supporting that bona fide political party, or one or more of the candidates supported by it, or opposing one or more of those candidates' opponents; ((or))

(b) An expenditure is made based on information about the bona fide political party's plans, projects, or needs provided to the expending person by the bona fide political party or its agent with a view toward having an expenditure made; ((or))

(c) An expenditure is made by, through, in consultation with, or with the assistance of, including the fund-raising assistance of, any person who, during the twelve months preceding the expenditure, is or has been an officer of the bona fide political party or a political committee financed, controlled, or operated by the bona fide political party; or

(d) An expenditure is made by, through, or in consultation with, any person who, during the twelve months preceding the expenditure, is or has been receiving any form of campaign-related compensation or reimbursement from the bona fide political party, its agent, or a political committee financed, controlled, or operated by the bona fide political party. However, there is no presumption that an expenditure is made in cooperation, consultation, concert, or collaboration with, or at the request or suggestion of the bona fide political party, a political committee financed, controlled, or operated by a bona fide political party or their agents, when a person performs only ministerial functions for two or more candidates or political committees pursuant to RCW 42.17A.005 and WAC 390-05-243.

(6) Consulting with other political committees. An expenditure made by a person in cooperation, consultation, concert, or collaboration with, or at the request or suggestion of a political committee is a contribution to such political committee. An expenditure is presumed to be made in cooperation, consultation, concert, or collaboration with, or at the request or suggestion of a political committee when:

(a) Any arrangement, coordination, or direction by the political committee, its agent, or another political committee financed, controlled, or operated by the committee is given to the expending person prior to the publication, distribution (digital or otherwise), display, or broadcast of political advertising, or prior to an expenditure being made by that person benefiting that political committee; ((or))

(b) An expenditure is made based on information about the political committee's plans, projects, or needs provided to the expending person by the political committee or its agent with a view toward having an expenditure made; ((or))

(c) An expenditure is made by, through, in consultation with, or with the assistance of, including the fund-raising assistance of, any person who, during the twelve months preceding the expenditure, is or has been an officer of the political committee or another political committee financed, controlled or operated by the committee; or

(d) An expenditure is made by, through, or in consultation with any person who, during the twelve months preceding the expenditure, is or has been receiving any form of campaign-related compensation or reimbursement from the political committee, its agent, or another political committee financed, controlled, or operated by the committee. However, there is no presumption that an expenditure is made in cooperation, consultation, concert, or collaboration with, or at the request or suggestion of a political committee or its agent, when a person performs only ministerial functions for two or more candidates or political committees pursuant to RCW 42.17A.005 and WAC 390-05-243.

"Receipt" of a campaign contribution, as that term is used in the act and in these rules, shall be deemed to occur as follows:

(1) For online or credit card contributions, the contribution is considered received at the time the transfer is made from the merchant account to a candidate or political committee account, except that a contribution made to a candidate who is a state official or legislator outside the restriction period established in RCW 42.17A.560, but transferred to the candidate's account within the restricted period, is considered received outside of the restriction period.

(2) For all other contributions, receipt shall be deemed to occur at the earliest date of the following:

(a) The date that the candidate, treasurer, deputy treasurer, campaign manager, campaign chairperson, or agent obtains possession of the contribution; ((or))

(b) The date that the candidate, treasurer, deputy treasurer, campaign manager, campaign chairperson, or agent is informed of the contribution, or becomes aware that the campaign, or in the case of an earmarked contribution, the intermediary or conduit((,)) has possession of the contribution; or

(c) The date that the contribution becomes available for use by the candidate or committee.

"Consideration" as that term is used in the act and in these rules shall be deemed to include anything of value promised ((or)), paid, or transferred in return for a person's property or services rendered or to be rendered, including but not limited to reimbursement for traveling or other expenses.

(1) "Fair market value" as used in this act and in these rules means the amount of money which a purchaser willing, but not obliged, to buy would pay a seller willing, but not obligated, to sell, for property, goods, or services.

(2)(a) In reference to real property, "fair market value" or "value," as used in the act and in these rules is the ((amount in cash which))present cash value that a well-informed buyer or lessee, willing but not obligated to buy or lease that property, would pay, and ((which))that a well-informed seller, or lessor, willing but not obligated to sell or lease it, would accept, taking into consideration all uses to which the property is adapted and might in reason be applied.

(b) If, in determining "fair market value" or "value," the amount a buyer would pay and the amount a seller would accept would be based on varying standards, then the fair market value of the contribution shall be based on the amount the contributor would ordinarily accept for selling the property, rather than the amount the candidate or political committee would ordinarily pay. For example, if a contributor who sells property in the ordinary course of their business at a wholesale price donates such property to a candidate or political committee who would ordinarily pay the retail price as a consumer, then the fair market value of the contribution shall be the wholesale price.

(3)(a) Any person who donates an item for sale, raffle, auction or awarding at a fund-raising event is making a contribution to the recipient candidate or political committee in an amount equal to the fair market value of the item donated.

(b) Any person who buys a donated item makes a contribution equal in value to the difference between the purchase or auction price and the fair market value of the donated item.

(c) If the purchase or auction price is the same as the fair market value, the buyer's contribution is zero. If the purchase or auction price is less than the fair market value, the buyer's contribution is zero and the donor's contribution is reduced to the amount of the sale or auction price.

(4) The value of any in-kind contribution donated to any candidate or political committee subject to contribution limits pursuant to RCW 42.17A.405 or 42.17A.410 shall not, when combined with other contributions to that candidate or political committee, exceed the donor's applicable contribution limit as set forth in RCW 42.17A.405 or 42.17A.410. The value of an in-kind contribution donated as an exempt contribution to a bona fide political party committee or other political committee eligible to receive exempt funds is only subject to the limit imposed by RCW 42.17A.420.

(5)(a) Except as provided in WAC 390-16-207, if a person permits a candidate, a candidate's authorized committee, or a political committee to use the telephones of a business, union, organization or other entity without charge for the purpose of making local campaign-related calls, the telephone usage is an in-kind contribution and shall be valued at its fair market value or, if no fair market value is ascertainable, (($1))one dollar per telephone per calendar day or part thereof.

(b) If ((toll)) calls are permitted with assessed charges, the ((toll)) charges are also an in-kind contribution unless the candidate, the candidate's authorized committee, or the political committee reimburses the person in full within thirty days of making ((the toll))such calls.

(1) "Mass communication," as that term is used in the act and in these rules, means a communication, digital or otherwise, intended to reach a large audience through any of the following methods:

(a) Advertising displays, newspaper advertising, billboards, signs;

(b) Brochures, articles, tabloids, fliers, periodicals;

(c) Radio or television presentations;

(d) Sample ballots (see WAC 390-17-030);

(e) Online or other electronic transmission methods;

(f) One hundred or more letters, emails, text messages or similar communications that are identical or substantially similar in nature, directed to specific recipients, and sent within a thirty-day period; and

(g) Other mass means of disseminating political advertising, unless excluded by chapter 42.17A RCW or Title 390 WAC.

(2) "Online" means disseminating through a network of interconnected computers or devices, such as the internet or similar systems enabling electronic dissemination or exchange of communications. Examples include, but are not limited to, internet web sites, social media, and other digital platforms, emails, and text messages.

(3) "Political advertising" ((is defined under RCW 42.17A.005 to))as that term is defined in the act and used in these rules includes a mass communication used for the purpose of appealing, directly or indirectly, for votes or for financial or other support or opposition in any election campaign.

(((4))) Political advertising does not include letters to the editor, news or feature articles, editorial comment or replies thereto in a regularly published newspaper, periodical, web site or blog, or on a radio or television broadcast where payment for the space or time is not normally required.

((From the effective date of RCW 42.17A.135,))The following reporting requirements ((are suspended))do not apply in jurisdictions with fewer than ((one))two thousand registered voters, as of the date of the most recent general election in the jurisdiction:

(1) The F-1 financial reports of public officials required by RCW 42.17A.700 and WAC 390-24-010, 390-24-020 and 390-24-025;

(2) The L-5 public agency lobbying reports required by RCW 42.17A.635 and WAC 390-20-120;

(3) The C-1 through C-4 campaign finance reports required for ballot issues by RCW 42.17A.205 through 42.17A.240 and 42.17A.425, and WAC 390-16-011, 390-16-031, 390-16-036, 390-16-041, and independent campaign expenditure reports (C-6) required for ballot issues by RCW 42.17A.255 and WAC 390-16-050((: Provided, that reporting requirements shall be reinstated by order of the commission at its next regular or special meeting if:

If reporting requirements are reinstated by petition, the commission shall promptly notify all known affected candidates and incumbent elected officials of their duty to file disclosure reports. Such individuals and committees shall be ordered to file the required statements within thirty days of the commission order)).

(((1)))The registered voters of a jurisdiction where reporting requirements are suspended may petition the commission to reinstate the reporting requirements suspended in jurisdictions with fewer than two thousand registered voters, as provided under RCW 42.17A.135 and this section.

(3) A petition for disclosure shall be filed electronically using the means provided by the PDC, or if an electronic method has not been provided the petition shall be filed on legible, on 8-1/2 x 11" paper((, and shall)). The petition must include the following information:

(a) The name of the jurisdiction;

(b) A request that public disclosure be required;

(c) The names and addresses of all known candidates and ballot proposition committees in the jurisdiction who will be required to report;

(d) The legibly printed name and address and the legal signature of at least fifteen percent of the number of registered voters in the jurisdiction as of the date of the most recent general election in the jurisdiction.

(((2)))(4) The petition shall be verified and certified by the auditor or elections officer of the county or counties in which the jurisdiction is located. The signatures shall be verified by comparing the signatures on the petition to the signatures on the voter registration roll. The auditor shall place ((his))the auditor's seal on each verified page of the petition in order to certify it to the commission.

(((3)))(5) A suggested form for petition is:

"We, the undersigned citizens and registered voters of (name of jurisdiction) , request that the Public Disclosure Commission order disclosure in (name of jurisdiction) ."

(((4)))(6) A suggested form for the petition of a jurisdiction by ordinance, resolution or other official action is:

"We, the (governing board) of (name of jurisdiction) request that the Public Disclosure Commission order disclosure in (name of jurisdiction) . This request is made pursuant to RCW 42.17A.135 and WAC 390-05-305."

Pursuant to the ((requirement))authority in RCW 42.17A.125 that the commission ((biennially))may revise the ((dollar amounts found in Initiative 134 and RCW 42.17A.410))monetary contribution limits and reporting thresholds and code values of the act to reflect changes in economic conditions, the previous and current amounts are:

(((1))) "Electioneering communication," as ((used))defined in the act and used in these rules, does not include communications ((listed in RCW 42.17A.005 (22)(b).

(c) Communications conveyed in a manner not specified in RCW 42.17A.005(22)))expressly excluded from the definition in the act, such as communications conveyed through web sites, emails, telephone calls, or in-person leaflet/pamphlet drops at street addresses.

(1) "Source of funds" for purposes of reporting a payment of promise to pay for an electioneering communication means a person who contributes anything of value for the communication, including a loan, gift, advance, payment, pledge, or personal or professional services for less than full consideration.

(2) Goods, services, property or rights other than money or its equivalent are deemed to have a monetary value equivalent to their fair market value.

(((3) "Source of funds" does not include those things of value specified in RCW 42.17A.005 (16)(a)(i).))

(1) In determining whether ((a))an organization's political communications((is to a "member" as that term is used in RCW 42.17A.005 and 42.17A.255, and for the purposes of RCW 42.17A.405, 42.17A.410 and 42.17A.420:

(1)))are limited to its "members" for purposes of communications that are excluded from the definitions of a contribution, independent expenditure, or electioneering communication, as provided in RCW 42.17A.005 of the act and used in these rules, the commission will examine whether the organization is a legitimate membership organization with common interest goals and objectives, taking into account such factors as the organization's permanence, structure and ((whether it has)) formal organizing documents, membership criteria, and services it provides its members. An organization will not be considered a membership organization if it is primarily a commercial entity or for-profit entity selling products to customers even though it may refer to its customers as "members."

(2) With respect to the status of members of an organization, the commission will examine whether a valid, active relationship exists between the organization and its members or classes of members for purposes other than influencing the outcome of an election, taking into account ((such factors as)):

(a) Whether the members affirmatively accept membership ((and));

(b) The rights and obligations conferred on members by the organization, including whether members have the right to vote for:

(((a)))(i) Election of directors or officers; ((or

(b)))(ii) Changes to the articles or bylaws; or

(((c)))(iii) The disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the organization or on a merger or dissolution((.)); and

(c) A required payment of a predetermined amount of membership dues ((is also a factor; however, an organization will not be considered a membership organization if it is primarily a commercial entity or for-profit entity selling products to customers even though it may refer to its customers as "members.")).

(3) If ((a membership))an organization and its members satisfy the criteria regarding "membership associations" and "members" established by the Federal Election Commission (FEC) in 11 C.F.R. Sec. 100.134 (e)-(g), the commission will consider ((the organization and its members as qualifying for the exemption in RCW 42.17A.005 (16)(b)(v) and (22)(b)(vii), unless the communication was not sent primarily to members. However,)) these FEC criteria ((are not the only))as indicators of legitimate membership organizations or valid members((, a determination that will be made by the commission on a case-by-case basis as necessary)).

(4) In determining whether an internal political communication is "primarily" limited to the members of an organization or political committee, the commission will consider whether any distribution to nonmembers is incidental and isolated.

For electioneering communications and other political advertising, "periodical" means a digital or paper publication ((on paper)) that is serial in nature and appears or is intended to appear indefinitely, issued regularly or at stated intervals at least once every three months. ((For all other political advertising, "periodical" means a publication that is serial in nature and appears or is intended to appear indefinitely, issued regularly or at stated intervals at least once every three months.))

(1) "Public service announcement," as used in the act and in these rules, means a communication that ((meets))is all of the following ((criteria. The communication is)):

(a) Designed to benefit or promote the community's health, safety or welfare or nonprofit community events;

(b) Not selling a product or service;

(c) Sponsored by an organization with a history of routinely providing the community such outreach public service messages in the service area of the organization;

(d) Of primary interest to the ((general)) public and is not targeted to reach only voters or voters in a specific jurisdiction;

(e) Not coordinated with or controlled or paid for by a candidate's authorized committee or political committee;

(f) Subject to the policies for public service announcements of the entity broadcasting, transmitting, mailing, erecting, distributing, digitally communicating, or otherwise publishing the communication including policies regarding length, timing and manner of distribution; and

(g) One for which the arrangements to include a reference or depiction of the candidate or candidates in the communication were made at least six months before the candidate became a candidate.

(2) Examples of public service announcements include but are not limited to communications regarding nonprofit community events, outreach, or awareness activities.

Pursuant to chapter 42.17A RCW, candidates, political committees and other persons participating in elections are subject to reporting requirements with the public disclosure commission. This chapter provides information on how to meet those requirements. To provide the public with full and immediate disclosure, electronic filing is ((preferred and sometimes)) required where the commission has provided an electronic filing method. The executive director may waive the electronic filing requirement and allow for the use of another written format on the basis of hardship. Links to electronic filing systems, forms and the instructions for filing can be found on the PDC web site.

(1) "Sponsored political committees," "sponsors of political committees," and "authorized committees," as those terms are used in the act and these rules, are defined in RCW 42.17A.005. This rule applies to political committees that are not authorized by a candidate, or by the public official against whom recall charges have been filed.

(2) A sponsored political committee shall include on its C-1pc the name of at least one sponsor in the committee's name.

(3) ((To determine if a political committee))For purposes of determining whether a political committee is sponsored, as defined in RCW 42.17A.005, by having received eighty percent or more of its contributions from a person or from the person's members, officers, employees, or shareholders ((under RCW 42.17A.005(46))), the political committee organized to support or oppose a particular candidate or ballot proposition shall consider all contributions received by the committee in the previous twelve months.

(4) A sponsored political committee must amend its C-1pc sixty days before an election in which it participates if the committee's name on its most recently filed C-1pc does not include at least one current sponsor. To determine if the committee received eighty percent or more of its contributions from a person or from the person's members, officers, employees, or shareholders ((under RCW 42.17A.005(46))) at the time of the amendment:

(a) A political committee not organized to support or oppose a particular candidate or ballot proposition shall consider all contributions received in the previous twelve months through the date of filing the amended C-1pc.

(b) A committee organized to support or oppose a particular candidate or ballot proposition shall consider all contributions received from the time the committee was organized or filed its initial C-1pc, whichever is earlier.

(1) Any person required to report the "purpose" of an expenditure under RCW 42.17A.240(6), or 42.17A.255 (5)(b), shall identify any candidate(s) or ballot proposition(s) that are supported or opposed by the expenditure unless such candidate(s) or ballot proposition(s) have been previously identified in a statement of organization of the person required to be filed under RCW 42.17A.205 (2)(f) and (g);

(2) Whenever an expenditure is made to a candidate or a political committee pursuant to an agreement or understanding of any kind regarding how the recipient will use the expenditure, the report shall describe in detail that agreement or understanding and the goods and/or services to be provided.

Example A: If an expenditure is made directly to a vendor for get-out-the-vote (GOTV) phone calls or robocalls, the purpose shall include the following details:

Example B: If an expenditure is made directly to a vendor for printing, the purpose shall include the following details:

(1) Pursuant to RCW 42.17A.240 and 42.17A.005, "promise," "promise to pay," "debt" and "obligations" mean:

(a) Any oral or written order or agreement placed for goods, services, or anything else of value;

(b) Any offer to purchase advertising space, broadcast time, or other written, broadcast or digital advertising-related product or service;

(c) Any contractual contingent liability; or

(d) Provided that the amount of the debt or obligation in (a), (b), or (c) of this subsection owed to a vendor is more than seven hundred fifty dollars, and the vendor has not been paid in full for the goods received, invoices submitted, or services performed within the time periods specified below:

(i) For reports due within thirty days of an election, debts or obligations of more than seven hundred fifty dollars must be reported if the debt or obligation has been outstanding for more than five business days as of the last day of the reporting period.

(ii) For reports due during any other reporting period, debts or obligations of more than seven hundred fifty dollars must be reported if the debt or obligation has been outstanding for more than ten business days as of the last day of the reporting period.

(2) A contractual contingent liability (e.g., an additional fee to be paid to a political consultant or other person conditioned upon the candidate winning the election) is reportable as a debt or obligation from the time the contract or agreement is entered into until the liability is voided, paid or otherwise satisfied.

(3) Regularly recurring expenditures, of the same type and same or similar amount that have been reported at least once, need not be reported as debt unless they are past due as of the last day of the reporting period. Examples of recurring obligations that can be reported as recurring expenditures rather than debt include rent, utilities, insurance, cellular phone costs, and payments to campaign staff.

(((4) There is no requirement for a candidate or political committee to report any debt owed by a third party such as a consultant or vendor provided that the obligation or expenditure to the third party has already been reported by the candidate or political committee.))

(1) RCW 42.17A.005 defines "books of account" for candidates and political committees as "a ledger or similar listing of contributions, expenditures, and debts, such as a campaign or committee is required to file regularly with the commission, current as of the most recent business day."

(2) RCW 42.17A.225 and 42.17A.235 require that candidates and political committees participating in an election as defined in RCW 42.17A.005, must make their books of account available for public inspection. The public inspection of books of account is not intended to be an exhaustive audit of all contributions received and expenditures made.

(3) Any individual who requests to publicly inspect the books of account of a candidate or political committee, must make the request during the period beginning ten calendar days before a primary, general, or special election, by contacting the filer's email address listed on the C-1 report for a candidate, or the C-1pc report for a political committee.

(4) The inspection of the books of account may occur on weekdays, unless the treasurer for the candidate or committee agrees otherwise, beginning on the eighth day before the election, excluding legal holidays, for at least two consecutive hours between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. at a location that is agreed upon by the treasurer and the individual requesting the inspection. If the treasurer and requestor are unable to agree on a location and the treasurer has not provided digital access to the books of account, the default location for an appointment shall be a place of public accommodation selected by the treasurer within a reasonable distance from the treasurer's office. However, if the treasurer is located out-of-state, the default location must be within the state of Washington. The inspection must be allowed within forty-eight hours of the date and time the request was made at the agreed-upon location, provided that if the request is not made by 3:00 p.m. on the third day preceding an election, the candidate or political committee need only make best efforts to accommodate the request.

(5) The treasurer for the candidate or committee may make the books of account available electronically, in lieu of scheduling an in-person inspection, or if a location cannot be agreed upon by both parties. If the campaign's only copy of its books of account is maintained electronically with security protections, the person requesting the inspection must be given sufficient instruction to allow the inspection to proceed.

(6) The books of account, ledger and other supporting documentation must be maintained by the treasurer and kept current within one business day. The books of account of a candidate or political committee include the following: A ledger, spreadsheet, or similar listing of contributions, expenditures, loans, debts and obligations to substantiate the information disclosed on the PDC campaign finance reports. If a ledger is not sufficiently kept, the books of account must include the underlying source documents such as receipts, invoices, copies of contribution checks, copies of canceled checks for expenditures, notes or other documentation concerning expenditures, orders placed, and loans. In the absence of those types of source documents, the campaign or committee must make the check register available. The campaign or committee is not required to provide the name and address of contributors who gave twenty-five dollars or less in the aggregate in total contributions.

(7) The candidate or political committee is not required to make copies of its books of account for the requestor. Videotaping, photographing or photocopying of the records is not required to be permitted but may be agreed to by both parties during or in advance of the inspection.

(8) At the time of making the appointment, the person requesting to inspect the books of account must provide the name(s) and contact information for all individuals who will be in attendance for the inspection. The requestor(s) must show photo identification prior to the inspection beginning, and the candidate or political committee may deny the inspection from occurring if photo identification is not provided.

(9) The records required by this section shall be available for audit or examination by the PDC at any time upon request from the PDC.

(1) "Independent expenditure," as that term is used in chapter 42.17A RCW and in these rules, except RCW 42.17A.255, means an "expenditure" as defined in RCW 42.17A.005 that has each of the following elements:

(a) It is made in support of or in opposition to a candidate for public office subject to the filing requirements in chapter 42.17A RCW, by a person who is not:

(i) A candidate for that office;

(ii) An authorized committee of that candidate for that office;

(iii) A person who has received the candidate's encouragement or approval to make the expenditure, if the expenditure pays in whole or in part for any political advertising supporting that candidate or promoting the defeat of any other candidate or candidates for that office.

(b) It is made in support of any or in opposition to a candidate for office by a person with whom the candidate has not collaborated for the purpose of making the expenditure, if the expenditure pays in whole or in part for any political advertising supporting that candidate or promoting the defeat of any other candidate or candidates for that office;

(c) The expenditure pays in whole or in part for any political advertising that either specifically names the candidate supported or opposed, or clearly and beyond any doubt identifies the candidate without using the candidate's name;

(d) The expenditure, alone or in conjunction with another expenditure or other expenditures of the same person in support of or opposition to that candidate, has a value ((equal to or greater than one-half the contribution limit from an individual per election))of one thousand dollars or more. A series of expenditures, each of which is under ((one-half the contribution limit from an individual per election))one thousand dollars, constitutes one independent expenditure if their cumulative value is ((equal to or greater than one-half the contribution limit from an individual per election))one thousand dollars or more; and

(e) The expenditure is not a contribution as defined in RCW 42.17A.005 and clarified by WAC 390-05-210.

(2) Exempt activities. The following activities are not considered independent expenditures for purposes of RCW 42.17A.255, 42.17A.630, or 42.17A.320:

(a) Ordinary home hospitality;

(b) A news item, feature, commentary, or editorial, or communications with journalists or editorial staff designed to elicit the same, in a regularly scheduled news medium that is of ((primary)) interest to the ((general)) public, that is in a news medium controlled by a person whose business is that news medium, and that is not controlled by a candidate or a political committee;

(c) Participation in the creation of a publicly funded voters' pamphlet statement in written or video form;

(d) An internal political communication primarily limited to:

(i) The members of or contributors to a political party organization or political committee;

(ii) The officers, management staff or stockholders of a corporation or similar enterprise; or

(iii) The members of a labor organization or other membership organization.

(e) Messages in the form of reader boards, banners, or yard or window signs displayed on a person's own property or the property occupied by a person. However, a facility used for such political advertising for which a rental charge is normally made shall be reported as an in-kind contribution at its fair market value and counts toward any applicable contribution limit of the person providing the facility; or

(f) The rendering of personal services of the sort commonly performed by volunteer campaign workers or incidental expenses personally incurred by volunteer campaign workers not in excess of two hundred fifty dollars personally paid by the worker.

(1) A "sponsor" of an electioneering communication is defined in RCW 42.17A.005(((46))).

(2) For the purposes of RCW 42.17A.005(((22))), an electioneering communication is reportable by the sponsor to the commission when the communication, alone or in combination:

(a) Identifies the same candidate in one or more communications satisfying RCW 42.17A.005 (((22)))(21)(a)(i) and (ii) or these rules;

(b) Is made by the same sponsor of one or more of the communications;

(c) When it, either alone, or in combination with one or more communications identifying the candidate by the same sponsor during the sixty days before an election, has a fair market or aggregate value of one thousand dollars or more; and

(d) Is not a communication ((exempted from reporting))excluded from the meaning of "expenditure" under RCW 42.17A.005(((23))) or by commission rule.

(3) When the ((electioneering communication or)) communications (including radio ((or)), television ((transmissions)), electronic, mailings, billboards, newspapers ((and/or)), online, or periodicals) reach the one thousand dollar threshold, the sponsor shall ((electronically)) report to the commission as required by RCW 42.17A.305 within twenty-four hours of, or on the first working day after, the date the ((electioneering)) communication is first broadcast, transmitted electronically, erected, distributed, published online or by other media, or otherwise ((published))presented to the public.

(4) Once the one thousand dollar threshold is reached, all subsequent electioneering communications by the sponsor identifying the same candidate are reportable as provided in RCW 42.17A.305 and this rule.

(5) When more than one sponsor pays for the electioneering communication, the entire fair market value of the communication is attributable to all sponsors. All sponsors of the same communication are responsible for reporting once the one thousand dollar threshold is met. A failure to report by one joint sponsor is not attributable to all joint sponsors of a specific communication or communications if the remaining sponsors have reported properly.

(6) Consistent with WAC 390-16-060 and the requirements of PDC Form C-6, a prorated portion of independent expenditure and electioneering communications expenditures shall be attributed to each candidate or ballot proposition identified in the advertisement or communication. That proration shall be based on a reasonable, good faith estimate of the value of the portion of the advertisement or communication relating to each candidate or proposition identified.

(1) RCW 42.17A.255 requires a person not otherwise subject to the disclosure requirements of chapter 42.17A RCW to disclose an independent expenditure of one hundred dollars or more that supports or opposes a candidate or ballot measure. RCW 42.17A.260 requires the disclosure of political advertising with a fair market value of one thousand dollars or more that is presented to the public within twenty-one days of an election, that supports or opposes a ((candidate or ballot measure, and that))ballot proposition, or that supports or opposes a candidate and qualifies as an independent expenditure.

(a) Prorating and attributing independent expenditures that support or oppose multiple candidates or ballot measures. Whether to disclose an independent expenditure that supports or opposes multiple candidates or ballot measures is determined by prorating and attributing the cost of the expenditure among all candidates or ballot measures that are the subject of the expenditure. Disclosure is required when:

(i) The pro rata cost for a single candidate or ballot measure reaches or exceeds the statutory threshold and none of the subject candidates are seeking election to the same office and none of the subject ballot measures are competing measures; or

(ii) The sum of the pro rata costs attributable to all candidates seeking election to the same office or the sum of the pro rata costs attributable to competing ballot measures reaches or exceeds the statutory threshold.

Example 1 (prorating): A mailer/postcard supports one candidate and one ballot measure at a total cost of $3,200. One side of the postcard is entirely devoted to the ballot measure. The other side is split evenly between the candidate and the ballot measure. The ballot measure's pro rata share is $2,400 (75%) and the candidate's pro rata share is $800 (25%).

Example 2 (prorating and attributing): An independent expenditure ad appears in the newspaper two weeks before the election. The ad costs $1,000; 50% of the ad supports a candidate and the other 50% opposes the candidate's opponent. The independent expenditure is disclosed under RCW 42.17A.260 because the sum of the pro rata share for the two candidates who seek the same office is $1,000.

(b) Disclosing independent expenditures that support or oppose multiple candidates or ballot measures. When a pro rata, attributable cost reaches or exceeds the statutory threshold, the entire independent expenditure must be disclosed. Include the amounts attributable to all candidates and ballot propositions supported or opposed by the expenditure.

(c) Other applications of prorating and attributing independent expenditures. Use the prorating and attribution steps explained in (a)(i) and (ii) of this section to determine when an independent expenditure as defined in RCW 42.17A.005 must comply with the "no candidate authorized this ad" sponsor identification and, if applicable, the "top 5" contributors required by RCW 42.17A.320 and WAC 390-18-010.

(2) A political committee reporting pursuant to RCW 42.17A.225, 42.17A.235 and 42.17A.240 is exempt from providing on a C-6 form the sources of any funds received by the committee for an electioneering communication, unless the committee received funds that were earmarked or otherwise designated for the communication.

(3) An out-of-state political committee shall report pursuant to RCW 42.17A.305 if it sponsors an electioneering communication defined in RCW 42.17A.005.

(4) The sponsor of an electioneering communication shall report pursuant to RCW 42.17A.305 and these rules regarding electioneering communications, even if the expenditure also satisfies the definition of independent expenditure in RCW 42.17A.005 or 42.17A.255. Persons in compliance with this subsection are deemed in compliance with RCW 42.17A.255 or 42.17A.260.

(5) Any person making an expenditure that is reportable under RCW 42.17A.640, grass roots lobbying campaigns, that also satisfies the definition of electioneering communication in RCW 42.17A.005, shall file pursuant to RCW 42.17A.305 and these rules regarding electioneering communications.

RCW 42.17A.630 requires that:

(1) Any person, other than an individual, must file with the commission an annual "Special Political Expenditures" report, if the person:

(a) ((who))Made contributions to any state office candidates ((and))or statewide ballot proposition committees totaling more than the aggregate amount during the preceding calendar year for contributions referenced in WAC 390-05-400((,)); or

(b) ((who))Made independent expenditures regarding state office candidates and statewide ballot propositions totaling more than the aggregate amount during the preceding calendar year for independent expenditures on political advertising, referenced in WAC 390-05-400((, shall file with the commission an annual report)). ((This))

(2) The report shall not be required of a lobbyist employer filing an annual L-3 report pursuant to RCW 42.17A.630 or of a candidate's authorized committee or a political committee, provided the information has been properly reported pursuant to RCW 42.17A.235 and 42.17A.240.

(((2) The report is entitled))(3) The "Special Political Expenditures" ((and))report is designated "C-7."

(1) A candidate or candidate's authorized committee, as those terms are defined in ((RCW 42.17A.005))the act and these rules, is not required to comply with the provisions of RCW 42.17A.225 through 42.17A.240, except as otherwise prescribed in WAC 390-16-038, 390-16-115, and 390-16-125, if the committee selects the mini reporting option on its registration and meets both of the following conditions:

(a) Neither aggregate contributions nor aggregate expenditures exceed the amount of the candidate's filing fee provided by law plus a sum not to exceed five thousand dollars; and

(b) No contribution or contributions from any person other than the candidate exceed five hundred dollars in the aggregate. However, a bona fide political party may pay the candidate's filing fee provided by law without that payment disqualifying that candidate from eligibility under this section.

(2) A political committee, as that term is defined in RCW 42.17A.005, is not required to comply with the provisions of RCW 42.17A.225 through 42.17A.240, except as otherwise prescribed in WAC 390-16-038, 390-16-115, and 390-16-125, if the committee selects the mini reporting option on its registration and meets both of the following conditions:

(a) Neither aggregate contributions nor aggregate expenditures exceed five thousand dollars; and

(b) No contribution or contributions from any person exceed five hundred dollars in the aggregate.

(3) A continuing political committee, as that term is defined in ((RCW 42.17A.005))the act and these rules, is not required to comply with the provisions of RCW 42.17A.225 through 42.17A.240, except as otherwise prescribed in WAC 390-16-038, 390-16-115, and 390-16-125, if the committee selects the mini reporting option on its registration and meets both of the following conditions:

(a) Neither aggregate contributions nor aggregate expenditures during a calendar year exceed five thousand dollars; and

(b) No contribution or contributions from any person exceed five hundred dollars in the aggregate.

(4) A candidate or political committee that exceeds one or both of the thresholds set out in either subsection (1), (2), or (3) of this section after registering as a mini reporting campaign shall no longer qualify for the mini reporting option and shall comply with the provisions of chapter 42.17A RCW, including, but not limited to, disclosure of contributions and expenditures, disclosure of last minute contributions, applicable contribution limits, false political advertising, sponsor identification and public inspection of campaign books of account.

(5) Candidates and political committees eligible for mini campaign reporting are required to comply with all applicable provisions of chapter 42.17A RCW including, but not limited to, false political advertising, sponsor identification and public inspection of campaign books of account unless specifically exempted under subsections (1) through (3) of this section.

The exemptions allowed in WAC 390-16-105 shall be granted to a candidate or political committee, including a continuing political committee, only upon compliance with the following conditions:

(1) A candidate shall file a C-1 registration with the commission within fourteen days of first:

(a) Receiving contributions, making expenditures, reserving space or facilities or purchasing commercial advertising space or broadcast time to promote his or her candidacy;

(b) Giving ((his or her))the candidate's consent to another person to take any of the action in (a) of this subsection on behalf of the candidate ((any of the action in (a) of this subsection)); or

(c) Announcing publicly or filing a declaration of candidacy with the appropriate elections official.

(2) A political committee shall file a C-1pc registration with the commission within fourteen days after its organization or after the date when it first has the expectation of receiving contributions or making expenditures in any election campaign, whichever is earlier.

(3) The statement filed under subsections (1) and (2) of this section shall declare that the political committee will not exceed the contribution or expenditure limits set out in WAC 390-16-105.

(4) In addition to complying with subsections (2) and (3) of this section, a continuing political committee shall also file a C-1pc between January 1st and January 31st for each year in which the committee intends to use the mini reporting system. Failure to file a new registration statement during January will automatically terminate the committee's entitlement to use the mini reporting system until such time as a new C-1pc is filed.

(5) A candidate or political committee using the mini reporting option shall keep current records in sufficient detail to allow the candidate or political committee to make reports otherwise required by RCW 42.17A.205 through 42.17A.240 in the event that the filing of such reports becomes necessary as a result of exceeding the contribution or expenditure limitation pursuant to the provisions of WAC 390-16-125.

(6) The candidate or political committee treasurer shall comply with the requirements for public inspection of campaign books pursuant to WAC 390-16-043.

(1) A candidate or political committee wishing to change from mini to full reporting must apply ((in electronic writing))electronically to the PDC for authorization to change reporting options before the limitations specified in WAC 390-16-105 are exceeded. A complete application shall include all of the following documents:

(a) An amended registration statement (Form C-1 for candidates, Form C-1pc for political committees) selecting the full reporting option as provided in RCW 42.17A.225 through 42.17A.240;

(b) PDC forms C-3 and C-4 with relevant schedules and attachments disclosing all contributions and expenditures to date reportable under RCW 42.17A.240 for the election campaign, or in the case of continuing political committees, for the calendar year; and

(c)(i) If the applicant is a candidate, a statement affirming that all candidates registered with the PDC for the office being sought have been notified personally in writing of the application, and the manner and date of such notification;

(ii) If the applicant is the treasurer of a political committee supporting or opposing a ballot proposition, a statement affirming that all treasurers of all political committees registered with the commission as supporting or opposing the proposition have been notified personally in writing of the application, and the manner and date of such notification; or

(iii) If the applicant is the treasurer of a county or legislative district party committee, a statement affirming that the treasurer of that party committee's counterpart in any other major political party has been notified personally in writing of the application, and the manner and date of such notification.

(2) An application that is submitted without the required documents described in subsection (1) of this section is incomplete and will not be processed or approved. If the applicant provides the missing documents, the application will be determined to be complete on the date the documents are received by the commission.

(3) If a complete application is received by the PDC on or before August 31st for the general election or thirty business days prior to the date of other elections, the executive director will approve the application.

(4) If a complete application is received by the commission after the deadlines set out in subsection (3) of this section, the executive director will approve the application only if one or more of the following factors are present:

(a) The applicant is a candidate and, after the application deadline, a write-in opponent has filed for office in accordance with chapter 29A.24 RCW;

(b) After the application deadline, an independent expenditure as defined in RCW 42.17A.005 is made in support of the applicant's opponent or in opposition to the applicant; or

(c) When a candidate or political committee on one side of an election campaign or proposition has been approved to change reporting options under this section, each opponent of that candidate or political committee is approved to change options as of the date that opponent's complete application is received by the PDC.

(5) The executive director may approve an application to change reporting options after the aggregate contributions or aggregate expenditures specified in WAC 390-16-105 have been exceeded only if the applicant:

(a) Meets the deadlines provided in subsection (3) of this section;

(b) Acknowledges the violation and demonstrates compliance with WAC 390-16-105(4); and

(c) Takes any other action required by the PDC to address the violation.

(1) If after the last day of the election cycle for candidates as defined in RCW 42.17A.005 any contribution is received or an expenditure is made from surplus funds for any purpose which would qualify the recipient or person who made the expenditure as a candidate or political committee, it will be presumed the recipient or person who made the expenditure of such funds has initiated a new candidacy or committee. Surplus funds may only be expended for a new candidacy if the candidate is seeking the same office sought at ((his or her))the candidate's last election. Within fourteen days of the day such contribution is received or expenditure is made, such candidate or political committee shall file (a) a final report for the previous campaign as provided in RCW 42.17A.235 and 42.17A.240; and (b) a statement of organization and initial report for the new campaign as provided by RCW 42.17A.205, 42.17A.235 and 42.17A.240. The surplus funds may be carried forward to the new campaign, reported as one sum and listed as a contribution identified as "funds from previous campaign." All augmentations to and all expenditures made from the retained surplus funds after the last day of the election cycle shall be reported in detail as to source, recipient, purpose, amount and date of each transaction.

(2) For candidates as defined in RCW 42.17A.005, if at any time after the last day of the election cycle, any contribution is received or expenditure is made from such surplus funds for any purpose which would qualify the recipient or person who made the expenditure as a candidate or authorized committee, it will be presumed the recipient or person who made the expenditure of such funds has initiated a new candidacy or committee. Surplus funds may only be expended for a new candidacy if the candidate is seeking the same office sought at ((his or her))the candidate's last election. Within fourteen days of the day such contribution is received or expenditure is made, such candidate or authorized committee shall file (a) a final report for the previous campaign as provided in RCW 42.17A.235 and 42.17A.240; and (b) a statement of organization and initial report for the new campaign as provided by RCW 42.17A.205, 42.17A.235 and 42.17A.240. The surplus funds as of the last day of the election cycle may be carried forward to the new campaign, reported as one sum and listed as a contribution identified as "funds from previous campaign." "Funds from previous campaign" carried forward by a candidate to ((his or her))the candidate's new campaign are not subject to contribution limits set forth in RCW 42.17A.405.

(3) A political committee formed to support or oppose a particular ballot proposition or particular candidates which retains surplus funds to use in support or opposition of other candidates or of other ballot propositions has become a continuing political committee and must thereafter register and report in accordance with chapter 42.17A RCW.

(1) Except as specifically allowed by chapter 42.17A RCW, any expenditure of a candidate's campaign funds that is not directly related to the candidate's election campaign is a personal use of campaign funds prohibited under RCW 42.17A.445.

(2) An expenditure of a candidate's campaign funds shall be considered personal use if it fulfills or pays for any commitment, obligation or expense that would exist irrespective of the candidate's election campaign.

(3) If an activity or expenditure is both personal and campaign-related, the campaign may pay no more than the fair market value of its share of the activity or expenditure. For example, if a candidate incurs costs for child care, the campaign can reimburse the candidate only for any portion of the expense that occurred directly as a result of the candidate's campaign activities. Also, if a candidate uses a personal vehicle for campaign purposes, the campaign may reimburse the candidate for:

(a) The prorated share of documented gasoline, maintenance and insurance costs directly related to the campaign's usage of the vehicle; or

(b) The standard mileage rate established by the Internal Revenue Service for those documented miles directly related to the campaign's usage.

(4) Examples of expenditures presumed to be for personal use include, but are not limited to:

(a) Mortgage, rent, utility, telephone, or maintenance expenses for personal living accommodations;

(b) Clothing purchases and maintenance expenses not related to the campaign;

(c) Automobile expenses not related to the campaign;

(d) Travel expenses not related to the campaign;

(e) Household food items;

(f) Restaurant expenses except for in-person fund-raising or campaign organizational activities;

(g) Tuition payments not related to the campaign;

(h) Admission to sporting events, concerts, theaters, or other forms of entertainment unless the event is primarily related to the candidate's campaign;

(i) Club membership fees, dues and payments;

(j) Health club or recreational facility membership fees, dues and payments;

(k) Social, civic, fraternal, or professional membership dues, fees and payments unless the expenditure occurs during an election year and membership is required to gain access to the organization's mailing list for campaign purposes or other facilities for the candidate's campaign;

(l) Home or business internet service provider costs;

(m) Home or business newspaper and periodical subscriptions;

(n) Greeting cards to persons who would customarily receive such cards (e.g., family, friends and business associates).

The limitations on contributions as provided in RCW 42.17A.420, 42.17A.405, and 42.17A.410 shall be as follows:

(1)(a) The limitation on contributions in RCW 42.17A.405 or 42.17A.410 shall not apply to a "candidate" as that term is defined in RCW 42.17A.005 when the candidate is contributing to ((his or her))the candidate's own campaign using ((his or her))the candidate's own personal funds as defined in WAC 390-17-305.

(b) The limitation on contributions in RCW 42.17A.420, 42.17A.405, or 42.17A.410 shall apply to contributions to the candidate from the candidate's spouse, domestic partner or other immediate family members.

(2) Contributions by spouses are considered separate contributions. Contributions by domestic partners are considered separate contributions.

(3) Emancipated minor children (children under 18 years of age) may make contributions which do not exceed the limitations on contributions and the contribution is properly attributed to the emancipated minor child if:

(a) The decision to contribute is made knowingly and voluntarily by the emancipated minor child;

(b) The funds, goods, or services contributed are owned or controlled exclusively by the emancipated minor child, such as income earned by the child, the proceeds of a trust for which the child is the beneficiary, or a savings account opened and maintained exclusively in the child's name; and

(c) The contribution is not made from the proceeds of a gift, the purpose of which was to provide funds to be contributed, or is not in any other way controlled by another person.

Contributions by emancipated minor children which do not meet these requirements and contributions by unemancipated minor children shall be considered contributions by the child's parents. Fifty percent of the contributions will be attributed to each parent, or in the case of a single custodial parent, the total amount is attributed to that parent.

(4) Contributions from a business organized as a sole proprietorship and contributions from the owner of the sole proprietorship shall be aggregated for purposes of determining the limitations of contributions under RCW 42.17A.420, 42.17A.405, or 42.17A.410.

(5) The limitations on contributions shall apply separately to the contributions made by a partnership, limited liability partnership and limited liability corporation from the contributions made by an individual partner or member. However, contributions made from or charged against the capital account of an individual partner, or member of a limited liability partnership or limited liability corporation shall be aggregated with the partner's or member's individual contributions for purposes of determining the limitations on contributions under RCW 42.17A.420, 42.17A.405, or 42.17A.410.

(6) The limitations on contributions in RCW 42.17A.420, 42.17A.405, and 42.17A.410 shall apply separately to the contributions made by an entity (corporation, subsidiary or branch, national union and local unions, collective bargaining organizations and local units, membership organizations and local units and other organizations and their local units) unless the criteria in RCW 42.17A.455 and WAC 390-16-309 are met.

(1) ((According to))As provided in RCW 42.17A.200 and 42.17A.135(7), a candidate for election in any political subdivision must fully report ((pursuant to chapter 42.17A RCW and Title 390 WAC)) if the candidate receives five thousand dollars or more in contributions or expects to receive five thousand dollars or more in contributions during an election cycle.

(2) It is presumed the candidate "expects to receive" five thousand dollars or more when any one of the following first occurs:

(a) The candidate or candidate's authorized committee receives at least five thousand dollars in aggregate contributions, including contributions from the candidate;

(b) The candidate is seeking the same office last sought, the candidate's election is in the current calendar year, and ((his or her))the candidate's campaign contributions in the previous election for the same office were five thousand dollars or more in the aggregate;

(c) The contributions received on or before March 31st of the election year total one thousand two hundred fifty dollars or more;

(d) The contributions received on or before June 30th of the election year total two thousand five hundred dollars or more;

(e) The contributions received on or before September 30th of the election year total three thousand seven hundred fifty dollars or more; or

(f) The candidate otherwise anticipates that five thousand dollars or more will be received during the election cycle.

(3) Surplus funds carried over from a candidate's previous campaign are not contributions to the candidate's new campaign and do not count toward the five thousand dollar reporting threshold.

(4) A candidate or candidate's authorized committee that receives, or expects to receive, five thousand dollars or more shall:

(a) Within two weeks of the date the reporting obligation begins under subsection (1) or (2) of this section, file:

(i) A candidate registration, PDC form C-1;

(ii) A personal financial affairs statement, PDC form F1 and, if relevant, the F1 Supplement; and

(iii) Contribution and expenditure reports, PDC forms C3 and C4 with appropriate attachments and schedules; and

(b) Otherwise comply with the campaign finance reporting and other provisions of chapter 42.17A RCW and Title 390 WAC.

(1) Dissolution is the process by which a committee officially ceases doing business, pursuant to RCW 42.17A.225 and 42.17A.235. Dissolution does not relieve the candidate, elected official, or officers from any obligations to address violations that occurred before the committee was dissolved.

(2) To initiate dissolution, the committee must file a notice of intent to dissolve.

(3) The official form for filing a notice of intent to dissolve a committee is designated "D-1." The D-1 must be filed using the electronic filing system provided by the commission. The commission is required to post each committee's notice of intent to dissolve on the commission web site upon receipt.

(4) On the D-1 form, the candidate or authorized committee officer must attest to the following:

(a) The committee has concluded its activities in all respects and has ceased to function and intends to dissolve;

(b) The committee has no outstanding debts or obligations, will not make any expenditure other than those related to the dissolution process, and will not engage in any political activity or any other activity that generates additional reporting requirements;

(c) The committee has filed a final report;

(d) No complaint or court action under chapter 42.17A RCW is pending against the committee and it has not been informed by the commission of any possible violations or technical corrections which remain unresolved;

(e) The committee has no outstanding penalties under chapter 42.17A RCW as assessed by the commission or a court;

(f) The committee accepts an ongoing obligation to maintain compliance with these conditions and an affirmative duty to notify the commission of any noncompliance; and

(g) ((The committee understands that the committee's bank account may not be closed before the political committee has dissolved; and

(h))) The treasurer is obligated to preserve books of account, bills, receipts, and all other financial records for five years((, or as otherwise required by chapter 42.17A RCW)).

(5) If, sixty days after a committee has filed its D-1, the committee is in compliance with the above requirements and has not notified the commission in writing that it revokes its intent to dissolve, the committee shall be deemed to be dissolved.

(6) The executive director will promptly acknowledge by electronic writing the committee's dissolution. The acknowledgment of dissolution will be posted on the commission's web site when sent to the committee.

(7) If the committee has not met the requirements for dissolution, the executive director will promptly notify the committee by electronic writing that it is not eligible to dissolve, and explain the reasons for its ineligibility. The committee may initiate the process again once it has come into compliance with the requirements.

(1) For the purposes of chapter 42.17A RCW and Title 390 WAC:

(a) "Sponsor of political advertising, electioneering communication, or independent expenditure" is, as used in the act and in these rules, and defined in RCW 42.17A.005.

(b) Unless the context clearly provides otherwise, "advertising" or "advertisement" means political advertising, independent expenditures that are for political advertising and/or electioneering communications subject to the provisions of chapter 42.17A RCW and as defined in RCW 42.17A.005 or 42.17A.255.

(2) All advertising shall clearly state, in an area set apart from any other printed matter, that it has been paid for by the sponsor (Example: (1) Paid for by the XYZ committee, mailing address, city, state, zip code; (2) Vote for John Doe, paid for by John Doe, mailing address, city, state, zip code). Additional requirements apply for the following:

(a) Political committees that sponsor political advertising costing or having a fair market value of one thousand dollars or more supporting or opposing a ballot ((measure))proposition must clearly identify the "top five contributors" to that political committee pursuant to WAC 390-18-025.

(b) Advertising undertaken as an independent expenditure or electioneering communication shall comply with the "no candidate authorized this ad" sponsor identification and, if relevant, the "top five contributors" and identification of the individual, corporation, union, association, or other entity that established, maintains, or controls the sponsoring political committee provisions of RCW 42.17A.320.

(c) Political committees that sponsor independent expenditure or electioneering communication printed advertising are required to identify the "top five contributors" to that political committee pursuant to WAC 390-18-025. This requirement does not apply to bona fide political parties sponsoring independent expenditures.

(3) Required sponsor identification shall be displayed in printed advertisements:

(a) In an area set apart from other printed matter;

(b) On the first page or fold of advertising consisting of more than one page that is intended to be presented as a single item (e.g., 3-page letter with return envelope). Identification on an enclosed return envelope or the envelope in which the advertising is sent is not sufficient;

(c) By respective sponsor on advertising which is a collection of several items relating to more than one candidate or committee and distributed simultaneously.

(4) Required sponsor identification shall be clearly identified or spoken in advertising on radio, by telephone, or on television.

(5) Required sponsor identification shall be clearly identified, spoken or displayed on advertising on web sites, social media and other digital communication. Political committee web sites and other online forums created by a political committee must include sponsor identification.

(6) With advertising for which no payment is demanded or for which a cost or fair market value is not readily ascertainable, the sponsor is the candidate, political committee or person who solicits or arranges for the advertising to be displayed, disseminated or broadcast.

(7) If more than one person sponsors specific advertising, the identity of each sponsor must be identified. However, if a person contributes in cash or in-kind to a candidate or political committee to assist in paying the cost of advertising, that person is not deemed a sponsor provided the contribution is not earmarked for the advertising and is reported in accordance with applicable provisions of chapter 42.17A RCW and Title 390 WAC.

(1) For purposes of RCW 42.17A.320 (2), (4), (5) and (6), "top five contributors" means the five persons, as defined in RCW 42.17A.005, giving the largest aggregate contributions exceeding seven hundred dollars during the twelve-month period preceding the date on which the advertisement is published or otherwise presented to the public. If more than five contributors give an amount equal to the largest aggregate contribution exceeding seven hundred dollars and the funds are received during the relevant twelve-month period, the political committee sponsoring the advertisement shall select five of these contributors to identify as the top five contributors.

(2) If a political committee keeps records necessary to track contributions according to the use intended by contributors, and the committee subsequently makes independent expenditures for advertisements supporting or opposing a candidate or slate of candidates or an electioneering communication identifying a specific candidate or slate of candidates, that committee may identify the top five contributors giving for that purpose, as opposed to identifying the overall top five contributors to the committee as is otherwise required by RCW 42.17A.320 and this section.

However, a contributor's contributions earmarked for independent expenditures supporting or opposing a specific candidate or slate of candidates or electioneering communications identifying a specific candidate or slate of candidates shall not be used with respect to a different candidate or slate of candidates without the contributor being identified as one of the top five contributors for the actual expenditure if that contributor is one of the top five contributors for that expenditure.

(1) For electioneering communications identifying sponsors and top five contributors as required by RCW 42.17A.320, a "medium that does not include a visual image" means ((radio))audio only, such as radio, which is transmitted without a visual component.

(2) For independent expenditures identifying sponsors and top five contributors as required by RCW 42.17A.320, a "medium that does not include a visual image" means audio only, such as radio or telephone transmissions, without a visual component.

(1) RCW 42.17A.320 requires that political advertising must identify certain information. The commission is authorized to exempt advertising where the sponsor identification disclosures required by RCW 42.17A.320 (1) and (2) are impractical. In addition, other political advertising is exempt from providing certain disclosures.

(2) The following forms of advertising need not include the sponsor's name and address, the "no candidate authorized this ad" sponsor identification, the "top five contributors," or the identification of the individual, corporation, union, association, or other entity that established, maintains, or controls the sponsoring political committee as otherwise required by RCW 42.17A.320 (1) and (2) because such identification is impractical: Ashtrays, badges and badge holders, balloons, bingo chips, brushes, bumper stickers - size 4" x 15" or smaller, buttons, cigarette lighters, clothes pins, clothing, coasters, combs, cups, earrings, emery boards, envelopes, erasers, frisbees, glasses, golf balls, golf tees, hand-held signs, hats, horns, ice scrapers, inscriptions, key rings, knives, labels, letter openers, magnifying glasses, matchbooks, nail clippers, nail files, newspaper ads of one column inch or less (excluding online ads), noisemakers, paper and plastic cups, paper and plastic plates, paper weights, pencils, pendants, pennants, pens, pinwheels, plastic tableware, pocket protectors, pot holders, reader boards where message is affixed in movable letters, ribbons, 12-inch or shorter rulers, shoe horns, skywriting, staple removers, stickers of a comparable size as worn by an individual, sunglasses, sun visors, swizzle sticks, state or local voter's pamphlets published pursuant to law, tickets to fund-raisers, water towers, whistles, yard signs - size 4' x 8' or smaller, yo-yos, and all other similar items.

(3) Online political advertising must provide the same disclosures that apply to non-online advertising to the extent practical. As an alternative, small online advertising may provide the required disclosures by using an automatic display with the advertising that takes the reader directly to the required disclosures.

(a) These automatic displays must be clear and conspicuous, unavoidable, immediately visible, remain visible for at least four seconds, and display a color contrast as to be legible. Online advertising that includes only audio must include the disclosures in a manner that is clearly spoken.

(b) Examples include nonblockable pop-ups, roll-overs, a separate text box or link that automatically appears with or in the advertising that automatically takes the reader directly to the required disclosures upon being clicked once, or other similar mechanisms that disclose the information required in RCW 42.17A.320.

(4) Political advertising created and distributed by an individual using their own modest resources is not required to provide the disclosures in RCW 42.17A.320, when all of the following criteria are satisfied:

(a) The individual spends in the aggregate less than one hundred dollars to produce and distribute the advertising or less than fifty dollars to produce and distribute online advertising;

(b) The individual acts independently and not as an agent of a candidate, authorized committee, political committee, corporation, union, business association, or other organization or entity;

(c) The advertising is not a contribution under RCW 42.17A.005 (16)(a)(ii) or (iii) or WAC 390-05-210;

(d) The individual does not receive donations, contributions, or payments from others for the advertising, and is not compensated for producing or distributing the advertising; and

(e) The advertising is either:

((•))(i) A letter, flier, handbill, text, email or other digital communications from the individual that does not appear in a newspaper or other similar mass publication (except for letters to the editor and similar communications addressed in WAC 390-05-490(4)); or

((•))(ii) Disseminated on the individual's social media site, personal web site, or an individual's similar online forum where information is produced and disseminated only by the individual.

(5) Political advertising that is internal political communications to members is not required to separately include the disclosures in RCW 42.17A.320 where the sponsor's name is otherwise apparent on the face of the communication.

(1) The term "reelect" when used in an advertisement represents that the candidate is presently holding the office being sought, was elected to it, and is seeking another term in that same office in the same district or political subdivision.

(2) The term "reelect" may be used in an advertisement by a nonincumbent candidate who has previously been elected to the office being sought provided that in the same advertisement it is clearly stated that the candidate is not the incumbent.

(3) The term "retain" in an advertisement represents that the candidate is the incumbent but does not necessarily imply that the candidate attained the office by election.

(4) The term "return" in an advertisement represents that the candidate now holds, or has previously held, the office being sought, but does not represent that the office was necessarily attained by election.

(5) Whenever the boundaries of a district or political subdivision are officially altered through redistricting, consolidation or other official procedures, the candidate holding an office in the affected district or political subdivision may, in an advertisement, use the term "reelect," "retain" or "return," as appropriate, if the candidate is seeking the same office in the revised district or political subdivision.

(1) "Commercial advertiser" as that term is used in the act and these rules means any person, as defined in the act, including individuals and entities, that sells the service of communicating messages or producing material for broadcast or distribution to the general public or segments of the general public whether through brochures, fliers, newspapers, magazines, television, radio, billboard, direct mail advertising, printing, paid internet or digital communications, or any other means of mass communications used for the purpose of appealing, directly or indirectly for votes or for financial or other support in any election campaign.

(2) Any person that hosts political advertising or electioneering communications on a digital communication platform or other media is not required to maintain records on such advertising or communications if it has been purchased directly through another commercial advertiser, however the commercial advertiser that directly sells the advertising or communications to the original purchaser must maintain the information as required in this section.

(3) Pursuant to RCW 42.17A.345, each commercial advertiser who has accepted or provided political advertising, or electioneering communications, as defined in RCW 42.17A.005, must maintain current books of account and related materials as required by this section. Such information must be available for public inspection by any person, without reference to, or permission from, the PDC, and provided:

(a) In person during normal business hours; and

(b) If requested electronically, in machine readable format and structured in a way that enables the data to be fully discoverable and useable by the end user:

(i) By digital transmission, such as email, promptly upon request; or

(ii) By online publication in one of the following formats:

(A) On the advertiser's primary web site;

(B) On a web site controlled by the advertiser, created for purposes of publishing the information required by this section, if a link is prominently displayed on the advertiser's primary web site directing users to the web site on which the information is provided; or

(C) On the PDC's open access platform, if one is provided by the PDC for such purpose.

(4) Information regarding political advertising or electioneering communications must be made available within twenty-four hours of the time when the advertisement or communication initially has been publicly distributed or broadcast, and within twenty-four hours of any update or change to such information. Such records must be maintained for a period of no less than ((three))five years after the date of the applicable election.

(5) The information and books of account that must be maintained open for public inspection pursuant to RCW 42.17A.345 are:

(a) The name of the candidate or ballot measure supported or opposed or the name of the candidate otherwise identified, and whether the advertising or communication supports or opposes the candidate or ballot measure;

(b) The name and address of the sponsoring person or persons actually paying for the advertising or electioneering communication, including the federal employee identification number, or other verifiable identification, if any, of an entity, so that the public can know who paid for the advertising or communication, without having to locate and identify any affiliated entities;

(c) The total cost of the advertising or electioneering communication, or initial cost estimate if the total cost is not available upon initial distribution or broadcast, how much of that amount has been paid, as updated, who made the payment, when it was paid, and what method of payment was used; and

(d) Date(s) the commercial advertiser rendered service.

(6) In addition to subsection (5) of this section and pursuant to RCW 42.17A.345, the materials and books of account open for public inspection must include the political advertisement or electioneering communication itself, and a description of the major work components or tasks, as specified in (a) through (g) of this subsection, that were required to provide the advertising or communications services.

(a) For printers, reproducers and other persons who provide commercial duplicating services: Quantity of items, item description, design, layout, typesetting, photography, printing, silk screening, binding.

(b) For mailing services: Quantity of items mailed, binding, stuffing, labeling, list or directory services, postage or delivery.

(c) For broadcast media: Air time and number of spot advertisements. If the broadcaster provides additional services such as copy writing, talent, production, and tape reproduction, some type of record or notation evidencing the additional service must be available.

(d) For billboard or sign companies: Number and location of signs, design, printing and art work, erection/removal costs.

(e) For specialty or novelty commercial advertisers: Quantity of items provided, silk screening, design, printing and art work.

(f) For newspapers and other print media: Amount of advertising space and dates of publication. If the advertiser provides additional services such as design or layout, some type of record evidencing such additional services must be available.

(g) For digital communication platforms: A description of the demographic information (e.g., age, gender, race, location, etc.) of the audiences targeted and reached, to the extent such information is collected by the commercial advertiser as part of its regular course of business, and the total number of impressions generated by the advertisement of communication.

(7) At the request of the PDC, each commercial advertiser required to comply with this section shall provide to the PDC copies of the information described above.

(1) The public disclosure commission (PDC) was created and empowered by initiative of the people to provide timely and meaningful public access to information about the financing of political campaigns, lobbyist expenditures, and the financial affairs of public officials and candidates, and to insure compliance with contribution limits and other campaign finance restrictions.

(2) Full and prompt access to the political finance data filed by persons subject to the law is best realized through wide-spread use of electronic filing ((alternatives)). The Washington state legislature has mandated that ((certain)) filers submit their PDC reports electronically where the commission has made an electronic filing method available. The PDC makes available to all candidates, public officials, lobbyists, lobbyist employers, and political committees that are required to file reports under this chapter electronic filing ((alternatives)) for submitting reports((, and encourages all persons required to report under the disclosure law to utilize the electronic filing alternatives provided by the PDC)).

(1) ((RCW 42.17A.245 mandates that persons meeting the qualifying criteria in that section file all contribution and expenditure reports by electronic means.

(4)))All persons required to provide the commission with electronic contact information, may provide an email address or other electronic format, if such alternate format has been approved by the PDC.

(2) Any filer required to file electronically, but who files on paper, is in violation of RCW ((42.17A.245))42.17A.055 and may be subject to enforcement action unless the filer is a candidate who has sought and been granted an exception from electronic filing under WAC 390-19-050.

(((5)))(3) A filer subject to electronic filing shall file reports using ((one of the following:

(b) Any other))the electronic filing application provided or approved by the PDC.

(((6) Pursuant to RCW 42.17A.055, state agencies reporting their legislative activities under RCW 42.17A.635 are required to file electronically.))

(1) An electronic report is filed when it is received and validated by the PDC computer system. The PDC shall notify the filer that the electronic report has been received.

(2) An electronic report is timely filed if received on or before 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on the prescribed filing date.

(3) An electronic report that is infected with a virus, damaged, or is improperly formatted is not properly filed with the PDC and shall be rejected.

(4) To amend an electronically filed report, the filer shall electronically refile the entire report.

(((1))) The PDC executive director may make exceptions on a case-by-case basis for ((candidates whose authorized committees))persons who lack the technological ability to file reports electronically.

(((2) A candidate))A person seeking an exception ((under RCW 42.17A.245)) shall electronically file with the executive director of the PDC a written statement of reasons why the ((authorized committee))person lacks the ability to file reports electronically. The request should be submitted by the tenth day of the month preceding the month in which the report is due so that action on the request can be completed before the filing deadline. The request does not suspend the reporting requirement of any portion of chapter 42.17A RCW. Upon receipt of a filed request, the executive director may request further information from the applicant in consideration of the request. The executive director shall issue a decision to approve or deny a request for an exception to an electronic filing requirement within thirty days of receiving a filed request, which may be extended if further information is provided upon request by the executive director.

Pursuant to the commission's authority in RCW 42.17A.125(((2))) to revise the monetary reporting thresholds found in chapter 42.17A RCW to reflect changes in economic conditions, the following revisions are made:

((FORMS FOR)) REPORTS OF FINANCIAL AFFAIRS

The official ((form for)) statement((s)) of financial affairs as required by RCW 42.17A.700 is designated "F-1." Copies of this ((form))application are available on the commission's web site, www.pdc.wa.gov, and at the Commission Office, Olympia, Washington. Any paper attachments must be on 8-1/2" x 11" white paper.

(1) The official ((form))application for amending statements of financial affairs as required by RCW 42.17A.700 for all persons who have previously filed the ((Form)) F-1 is designated ((Form)) "F-1A."

(2) ((No more than three F-1A forms may be filed to amend a previously submitted statement of financial affairs (Form F-1). The form can))An application for amending the F-1 may be submitted once per year for up to three years. The F-1A may be used only to update information required on an F-1.

(3) The commission reserves the right to reject amendatory ((forms))applications and require a new ((statement of financial affairs (Form)) F-1(())) at any time the amendments are confusing or create misunderstandings. Authority is delegated to the commission's executive director to make this determination.

(4) Copies of ((Form)) F-1A are available on the commission's web site, www.pdc.wa.gov and at the Commission Office, Olympia, Washington. Any paper attachments must be on 8-1/2" x 11" white paper.

It shall be the policy of the public disclosure commission to construe the filing requirements of RCW 42.17A.700 for elected officials in the following manner: It is the interpretation of the commission that:

(1) Any person holding elected public office, except as exempted by the terms of RCW 42.17A.700, and any appointed official and professional staff member listed or referenced in RCW 42.17A.700, and any appointed official required to comply with the reporting requirements of RCW 42.17A.700 by any other statute is required to file the statement of financial affairs ((if such person holds such public office between January 1 and April 15 of any year. Such report shall be for the preceding calendar year.

(3) Any local elected official who resigns his public office prior to the completion of his current term of office shall file a statement of financial affairs covering that portion of the year that he was in office))(F-1) for each partial or full calendar year that such person has served.

(c) Within two weeks of appointment for any person appointed to a vacancy in office during the months of January through December.

A "nonreimbursed public office related expense" is an expenditure incurred by an elected or appointed official, or a member of ((his or her))official's immediate family, solely because of being an official.

(1) Pursuant to RCW ((42.17.241 [42.17A.710]))42.17A.710 (1)(e), an official must provide in each report required by that subsection:

(a) The name of each governmental entity of which the official is an officer or employee,

(b) A statement of each subject area on which the reporting official has prepared, promoted or opposed any legislation, rule, rate or standard for such entity,

(c) The compensation received or promised for said service and,

(d) All other persons for whom such services have been performed for current or deferred compensation, together with an itemization of such actual or proposed legislation, rules, rates and standards, and the amount of compensation paid or promised for the service.

(2) A person need not report the information described in subsection (1)(a), (b), and (c) of this section as to any entity of which such person is an elected official.

An elected official or executive state officer is not required to report the office, directorship, or position held in a public or private office for service on a governmental board, commission, association, or functional equivalent, when such service is part of the elected official's or executive state officer's official duties.

Pursuant to the commission's authority in RCW 42.17A.125(((2))) to revise the monetary reporting thresholds and code values found in chapter 42.17A RCW to reflect changes in economic conditions, the following revisions are made:

((HARDSHIP EXEMPTIONS—HEARING EXAMINER SYSTEM))MODIFICATIONS OF REPORTING REQUIREMENTS—PROCEDURES

The term applicant for the purposes of chapter 390-28 WAC shall mean any person as defined in RCW 42.17A.005 ((that))who seeks a modification pursuant to RCW 42.17A.120 and these rules.

(1) Any person who considers compliance with any of the reporting requirements of chapter 42.17A RCW to be a manifestly unreasonable hardship in a particular case may apply for a modification of such reporting requirements pursuant to RCW 42.17A.120 and further pursuant to these rules.

(2) A hearing to modify the reporting requirements shall be conducted pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act (chapter 34.05 RCW) and its supporting regulations (chapter 10-08 WAC) and shall be followed unless otherwise modified by chapter 390-28 WAC.

(1) An applicant ((must))may electronically file with the commission a ((written)) request for hearing for suspension or modification of reporting requirements. The request should be submitted by the tenth day of the month preceding the month in which the report is due so that action on the request can be completed before the filing deadline.

(2) The request should contain (a) the required report completed to the extent possible, (b) the applicant's evidence to be submitted at the hearing, (c) a statement of reasons why the reporting of required information would cause a manifestly unreasonable hardship, with as much detail as possible. (A general statement, such as "violates right of privacy" shall not be deemed as sufficient compliance with this requirement.) The applicant is encouraged to also include a proposed modification to the required reporting which, in the applicant's opinion, will relieve the perceived hardship.

(3) The filing of a request for modification shall not suspend the reporting requirement of any portion of chapter 42.17A RCW.

(1) Reporting modification requests may be heard in a brief adjudicatory proceeding, as provided under the Administrative Procedure Act, RCW 34.05.482 through 34.05.494. The commission, the commission chair acting as presiding officer, or another commissioner appointed by the chair, may preside over the proceedings.

(2) The commission may request through the office of administrative hearings the appointment of an administrative law judge to hear individual applicants((.

(2))), in accordance with the following procedure:

(a) After such hearing is concluded, the administrative law judge shall prepare and distribute to the applicant and each commissioner a proposed decision determining the issue. The applicant shall have five business days to file with the commission specific objections to the administrative law judge's proposed decision and to request an opportunity to present additional evidence to the commission. When written objections are timely filed, the commission, at the time of review and ratification, shall consider the whole record or such portions as may be cited by the administrative law judge, applicant or executive director. The commission may also hear additional testimony.

(((3)))(b) If the applicant files objections to the administrative law judge's proposed decision, the filing requirement from which the applicant has sought modification shall not be suspended unless the commission, upon notice of the filing of objections, determines that a temporary suspension is justifiable pursuant to the criteria set out in RCW 42.17A.120. Such suspension of filing requirements shall be granted only until the decision is finalized by formal action of the commission.

(((4)))(c) At the next meeting at which the matter can be lawfully considered, the commission shall review and either ratify or modify or revise the proposed order.

(1) An applicant may choose to waive a personal appearance at a hearing conducted pursuant to chapter 390-28 WAC. In the event that an applicant chooses to waive such appearance, that person shall submit a written, sworn statement setting out in detail the rationale for requesting modification or suspension.

(2) The commission((, or the administrative law judge,))or presiding officer shall proceed to decide the application in the same manner as if an appearance were made. However, in the event the commission, or ((the administrative law judge))presiding officer is not able to reach a conclusion on the request because of an insufficiency of the evidence, the hearing may be adjourned for the purposes of gathering further evidence, or the application may be denied.

(1) All evidence presented at hearings held pursuant to chapter 390-28 WAC and RCW 42.17A.120 generally shall be considered to be a public record. However, if a modification is requested by a filer because of a concern for personal safety that is caused by the potential disclosure of a reporting requirement, upon request by the filer, the information submitted for that modification request regarding that safety concern shall not be made public prior to, or at the hearing on the request for modification. Any information provided or prepared for the modification hearing shall remain exempt from public disclosure under chapters 42.17A and 42.56 RCW to the extent it is determined at the hearing that disclosure of such information would present a personal safety risk to a reasonable person. If no written order is entered based on findings pursuant to this section, then the exempted information will become available for public disclosure.

(2) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (1) of this section, there is a presumption that all hearings and evidence presented in hearing records are open to the public. Requests for closure of hearings or portions of hearings or hearing records generally will be denied. However, pursuant to RCW 34.05.449(5) and 42.17A.120, the commission or presiding officer may close the hearing or a portion of the hearing or hearing record. The commission or presiding officer may close a hearing or portion of a hearing or hearing record for a limited purpose to protect compelling interests and where closure is specifically justified if it finds that it is necessary to allow the applicant to:

(a) Provide sufficient evidence to assure that proper findings are made regarding the name of an entity the disclosure of which would likely adversely affect the competitive position of the applicant as provided in RCW 42.17A.120; or

(b) Provide other information or relevant legal authorities for which it finds a compelling interest has otherwise been shown by the applicant to close the hearing.

(((2)))(3)(a) Before concluding that closure of a hearing or portion of a hearing or hearing record is warranted, the commission or presiding officer must find by clear and convincing evidence that:

(i) The applicant has satisfied a basis for seeking closure under subsection (((1)))(2)(a) or (b) of this section;

(ii) An open hearing or record to report the information would work a manifestly unreasonable hardship on the applicant;

(iii) Anyone present when the closure request is made has been given an opportunity to object to the closure;

(iv) The proposed method for closing the hearing or hearing record is the least restrictive means available for protecting the threatened interests, after considering alternatives;

(v) The commission or presiding officer has had the opportunity to weigh the competing interests of the applicant seeking closure and the public's interests;

(vi) Closing the hearing or portion of the hearing or hearing record will not frustrate the purposes of chapter 42.17A RCW; and

(vii) The proposed protective order is not broader in its application or duration than necessary to serve its purpose.

(b) All evidence presented at any portion of a closed session identifying the matters for which the applicant requests modification under these rules shall be considered confidential by the commission or presiding officer pursuant to a protective order which shall be entered by the commission or presiding officer unless otherwise ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction. In the event that an administrative law judge determines that testimony in private may be necessary, the judge shall immediately adjourn the hearing and refer the matter to the commission.

(((3)))(4) Any decision or order ((adverse to an applicant)) rendered by the commission or presiding officer or the administrative law judge shall be in writing or stated in the record and shall be accompanied by findings of fact and conclusions of law.

(1) The commission or presiding officer, after hearing as provided in these rules, may suspend the applicable reporting requirement of chapter 42.17A RCW if ((it))the commission or presiding officer finds that the literal application of such requirement works a manifestly unreasonable hardship in the case under consideration and if it also finds that such suspension or modification will not frustrate the purposes of the act. The commission or presiding officer shall suspend or modify such reporting requirement or requirements only to the extent necessary to substantially relieve such hardship, and only upon clear and convincing proof to support such claim.

(1) One or more of the following may be considered by the commission or presiding officer as possible qualifications for a reporting modification with respect to the statement of financial affairs, when it is in the public interest:

(a) Banks, savings accounts, insurance policies - Financial interests. An applicant may be exempted from reporting any financial interest, otherwise required to be reported by RCW 42.17A.710 (1)(b) if:

(i) The financial institution or other entity in which the applicant held an interest does not engage in business in the state of Washington, or is not regulated in whole or in part by the office sought or held by the applicant;

(ii) Such reporting would present a manifestly unreasonable hardship to the applicant; and

(iii) The interest would present no actual or potential conflict with the proper performance of the duties of the office sought or held.

(b) Income and ownership interests. An applicant may be exempted from reporting the information otherwise required by RCW 42.17A.710 (1)(f) and (g), if:

(i) Public disclosure would violate any legally recognized confidential relationship;

(ii) The information does not relate to a business entity which would be subject to the regulatory authority of the office sought or held by the applicant in whole or in part;

(iii) Such reporting would present a manifestly unreasonable hardship to the applicant including but not limited to adversely affecting the competitive position of an entity in which the applicant had an interest of ten percent or more as described in RCW 42.17A.120; and

(iv) The interest in question would present no actual or potential conflict with the performance of the duties of the office sought or held.

(c) Immediate family members' interests. An applicant may be exempted from reporting the information otherwise required by RCW 42.17A.710 for members of the applicant's immediate family, if:

(i) Such information relates to a financial interest held by such member under a bona fide separate property agreement, or other bona fide separate status; and, such financial interest is not a present or prospective source of income to the applicant or to any other person who is dependent upon the applicant for support in whole or in part; or

(ii) Reporting the name of an entity in which the immediate family holds an interest of ten percent or more would be likely to adversely affect the competitive position of the entity, under RCW 42.17A.120.

(d) Personal residence - Real property. Regarding reporting the information otherwise required by RCW 42.17A.710 (1)(h) through (k):

(i) Under WAC 390-24-200, the filer shall list the street address of each parcel, the assessor's parcel number, the abbreviated legal description appearing on property tax statements, or the complete legal description. Each property description shall be followed by the name of the county in which the property is located.

(ii) No modification will be necessary if the filer describes the real property using one of the alternatives in WAC 390-24-200, plus the name of the county.

(iii) A judge, prosecutor, sheriff, or their immediate family member who is required to disclose the personal residence of the judge, prosecutor, or sheriff, may satisfy that reporting requirement without requesting a modification by reporting:

For all other filers, a modification will be required if the filer seeks some other means to describe reportable real property including the personal residence of the filer. The commission may consider a modification, for example, when the filer or his or her immediate family member has received a threat, has a no contact order, or presents a similar personal safety concern.

A prospective modification to allow nondisclosure of a residential address may be granted if the applicant or an immediate family member has received a threat, been issued a no contact order or presents a similar personal safety concern.

(e) Other. An applicant may be exempted from reporting information otherwise required under RCW 42.17A.710 which would constitute a manifestly unreasonable hardship in a particular case, when the circumstances presented would not indicate any actual or potential conflict with the proper performance of the duties of the office sought or held. Examples of other common requests will be considered as follows:

(i) Lawyers and law firms (when applicant is an incumbent or candidate and acts alone or as part of a governing body, board, or commission). An applicant may be allowed to satisfy the reporting requirements of RCW 42.17A.710 (1)(g)(ii) and WAC 390-24-020 by disclosing reportable clients from whom compensation has been paid in excess of the reporting threshold as follows:

(A) The names of the business clients for whom the applicant has done legal work;

(B) Other clients of the law firm whose interests are significantly affected by the applicant's actions as an elected or appointed official or whose actions will be affected by the applicant's action should the applicant be elected whose identities become known to the applicant through any means;

(C) The names of the clients of the law firm who are listed in Martindale Hubbell, the firm's resume, web site, or similar promotional materials; and

(D) Governmental clients that have done business with the law firm.

An applicant may also be required to disclose all business customers from whom compensation in excess of the reporting threshold has been received whose identities are publicized or referenced in documents open for public inspection at the courts, in administrative hearings, at proceedings conducted by public agencies, or are a matter of public knowledge in other similar public forums. Alternatively, the commission may require an applicant to report only those publicly identifiable customers of which the applicant is aware.

(ii) Judges and former law firms. An applicant may be allowed to satisfy the reporting requirements of RCW 42.17A.710 (1)(g)(ii) and WAC 390-24-020 by disclosing any required information of which the applicant is aware, when the applicant certifies ((he or she))that the applicant is no longer able to access or has been denied access to the former law firm's client information.

The commission may apply (e)(i) of this subsection when the applicant is a nonincumbent judicial candidate who practiced law during the reporting period and who seeks a modification regarding reportable business clients of the law firm.

(iii) Motor vehicle dealers. An applicant may satisfy the reporting requirements of RCW 42.17A.710 (1)(g) and WAC 390-24-020 by disclosing:

(A) All purchases and leases of vehicles, and purchases of parts and services from the dealership, by the agency or jurisdiction in which the applicant seeks or holds office;

(B) Other business and governmental entities that purchased or leased ten or more vehicles from the dealership;

(C) Business customers who paid in excess of twenty thousand dollars for the purchase of parts and/or service from the dealership; and

(D) Any other governmental entity that paid the dealership in excess of the disclosure threshold established under RCW 42.17A.710 (1)(g)(ii) for the purchase of parts and/or service.

(iv) Applicants whose spouse or registered domestic partner creates a reporting obligation for the applicant. When an applicant is required to report the activities of an entity solely because the applicant's spouse or registered domestic partner held an office, directorship, general partnership or ownership interest in the entity and the applicant does not have direct knowledge of the information that must be reported, the applicant may be allowed to satisfy the disclosure requirements of RCW 42.17A.710 (1)(g)(ii) and WAC 390-24-020 by disclosing reportable customers from whom compensation in excess of the disclosure threshold established under RCW 42.17A.710 (1)(g)(ii) has been received as follows:

(A) All payments made by the agency or jurisdiction in which the applicant seeks or holds office to the entity;

(B) The business and other governmental customers or clients of the applicant's spouse/domestic partner and of the entity of which the applicant is aware; and

(C) Any other business and other governmental customers or clients of the entity whose identities are known to the applicant and whose interests are significantly affected by the agency or jurisdiction in which the applicant seeks or holds office. The commission may apply (e)(i) through (iii) of this subsection when the applicant's spouse/domestic partner is a lawyer, judge, or motor vehicle dealer.

(2) "Bona fide separate property agreement" means an agreement or court order describing separate property in a valid:

(a) Prenuptial agreement;

(b) Separate property contract under chapter 26.09 RCW;

(c) Separate property court decree under chapter 26.09 RCW;

(d) Domestic partnership agreement under chapter 26.60 RCW;

(e) Domestic partnership agreement as part of a notice of termination under chapter 26.60 RCW; or

(f) Postnuptial agreement.

(3) "Other bona fide separate status" means a valid written agreement or court decree recognizing the separate status of the parties under state law, including their individual property that is separate under state law.

(1) PDC staff, upon receiving or initiating a complaint, will promptly conduct an initial review and preliminarily assign matters to certain categories.

(2) Upon initial review, a matter may be preliminarily categorized as:

(a) Unfounded or frivolous, pursuant to WAC 390-37-060;

(b) A ((remedial))remediable violation, pursuant to RCW 42.17A.005;

(c) Appropriate for resolution as a technical correction, pursuant to RCW 42.17A.005;

(d) A minor violation, appropriate for alternative resolution alternatives, pursuant to WAC 390-37-061;

(e) Appropriate for investigation as to whether or not there has been a material ((actual)) violation eligible for resolution ((pursuant to RCW 42.17A.005(2)));

(f) Appropriate for referral to the attorney general, pursuant to WAC 390-37-042; or

(g) Other status as authorized and appropriate under chapter 42.17A RCW or Title 390 WAC.

(3) Each enforcement matter will be posted by PDC staff on the PDC's public case-tracking database, where its status will be updated from time to time as appropriate until the matter is closed.

(1) Within ten days of receipt by the PDC of a complaint which on its face appears to have merit, the PDC staff shall notify the respondent that a complaint has been filed, along with an explanation of possible next steps, including the categorization process under WAC 390-37-005. Sending the complaint to the respondent's email address of record as provided to the PDC shall constitute sufficient notice.

(2) The notice shall set forth the nature of the complaint and the statutory and/or rule provision(s) alleged to have been violated.

(3) Respondents who wish to respond must file their response electronically within fourteen days of being notified by PDC staff, addressing the alleged noncompliance in the complaint. The response may address the respondent's view of which category or categories appropriately address the alleged noncompliance pursuant to WAC 390-37-005 (((remedial))remediable, technical corrections, etc.). The PDC staff may provide for a shorter response period for complaints received within sixty days of an election.

(4) If an alternative response to the alleged violation has been issued as provided by this chapter, the notice shall also describe that response, including any conditions the respondent is required to meet.

(1) Upon receipt of a complaint, the PDC staff will conduct an initial review of the complaint pursuant to WAC 390-37-005.

(a) If the executive director determines that any complaint is obviously unfounded or frivolous, or outside of the PDC's jurisdiction, the executive director will inform the complainant and, as appropriate, the respondent why no further action is warranted.

(b) The executive director may resolve a matter as a technical correction pursuant to RCW 42.17A.755. PDC staff will notify the respondent of the need to make a correction and the deadline by which that correction must be made. The deadline will be no less than five days and no more than thirty days from the date of the notification. The failure to make the requested correction may result in the initiation of an investigation or other enforcement action.

(c) The executive director may resolve a matter as a ((remedial))remediable violation pursuant to RCW 42.17A.755.

(d) The executive director may resolve any complaint that alleges minor violations of chapter 42.17A by issuing a formal written warning. If the resolution is conditioned upon the respondent reaching or maintaining compliance, specific expectations and any deadlines will be clearly explained in the written warning. A respondent's failure to meet conditions may result in a complaint being reopened.

(e) The executive director may use the complaint publication process set out in WAC 390-32-030 to resolve any complaint that alleges minor or technical violations of chapter 42.17A RCW.

(f) The executive director may initiate an investigation whenever an initial review of a complaint indicates that a material violation may have occurred.

(g) The executive director shall report at each regular commission meeting a summary covering the period since the previous commission meeting of all complaints initiated or received; how they were categorized; the nature of the allegations; conformance to required timelines; and actions taken and resolutions achieved pursuant to the alternatives provided for under chapter 42.17A RCW, such as dismissals, requests for technical correction, warning letters, complaint publication, statements of understanding, initiations of investigations, status reviews, stipulations, referrals to the attorney general's office, brief adjudicative proceedings, or commission hearings.

(2) If the executive director determines an investigation will require the expenditure of substantial resources, the executive director may request review and concurrence by the commission before proceeding.

(3) If the executive director determines an investigation is warranted, an initial hearing (also referred to as a "case status review") shall be held pursuant to WAC 390-37-071 within ninety days.

(4) Following the initial hearing (case status review), and further investigation if needed, the executive director may initiate an adjudicative proceeding whenever the facts support that ((an actual))a violation has occurred and the matter is not appropriate for a dismissal or an alternative resolution.

(5) The respondent and complainant shall be notified of the date of the adjudicative proceeding or a report on an enforcement matter resulting from a complaint no later than ten calendar days before that date. The notice shall contain the information required by RCW 34.05.434, the staff investigative report, and any charges to be adjudicated. The notice, whenever possible, will be delivered electronically.

(1) In considering appropriate responses to ((actual)) violations, as that term is used in the act, the PDC staff considers whether an investigation or adjudicative proceeding constitutes an efficient and effective use of public funds; or whether an alternative response better meets the PDC's mission and public expectations by allowing the expedited resolution of minor violations, and the focusing of resources on more significant violations of chapter 42.17A RCW and Title 390 WAC.

(2) A minor violation is ((an actual))a violation that occurs:

(a) When required information is not timely disclosed, but the public is not deprived of critical information; ((or))

(b) When incomplete information is disclosed, but a good faith effort to comply with disclosure is made, and the public is not deprived of critical information((.)); or

(c) When any other violation of chapter 42.17A RCW has occurred that does not materially affect the public interest.

(3) In authorizing an alternative response to alleged noncompliance, the executive director may consider the nature of the alleged violation and any relevant circumstances including, but not limited to, the factors described in subsection (4) of this section: Provided, that, if after weighing the relevant circumstances and factors, the executive director determines that there is evidence that so warrants, the allegations shall be addressed through an investigation as provided by WAC 390-37-060.

(4) The factors the executive director may consider in permitting an alternative response to noncompliance, an investigation, or an adjudicative proceeding include, but are not limited to:

(1) The purpose of WAC 390-37-062 is to set forth a schedule of violations and penalties that may be agreed to by a respondent pursuant to a stipulation prior to an investigation, as authorized by RCW 42.17A.755. That schedule appears in the table below.

(2) A violation not set forth in the schedule may be resolved pursuant to a stipulation, provided that the proposed penalty amount is within the dollar ranges listed in the schedule.

(3) "Occasion" as used in the schedule means ((an "actual violation," as defined in RCW 42.17A.005,))a violation found by the commission.

(4) Only ((actual)) violations within the last five years will be considered for determining whether the violation under consideration shall be deemed a second or third occasion.

(5) Any proposed stipulation shall be in writing, must include a brief recitation of the facts, violations, and penalty, and be signed by each party to the stipulation or their representative and provided by 4:00 p.m. three business days preceding the commission meeting. The executive director shall sign for PDC staff.

(6) The commission has the option of accepting, modifying or rejecting the proposed stipulation. If the commission accepts the stipulation, or modifies the stipulation with the agreement of the parties, the commission shall enter an order in conformity with the terms of the stipulation. If the commission rejects the stipulation, the commission staff may consider whether:

(a) An investigation should be initiated; or

(b) The matter may appropriately be resolved in another manner.

(7) In determining whether to accept the stipulation, the commission may consider the nature of the violation(s), and any aggravating and/or mitigating factors as provided in WAC 390-37-182.

(8) In a matter where the PDC staff have completed an investigation or resolved the matter as a technical correction, as authorized in RCW 42.17A.755, the schedule set forth in the table above is not applicable.

(1) During the course of a PDC audit or investigation, the executive director may issue a subpoena directed to any person who probably possesses information which is relevant and material to the audit or the investigation. The subpoena shall:

(a) Specifically describe the information which is sought, and

(b) Set forth a reasonable time and place for the production of the information, and

(c) Notify the person that if the information is not produced, the executive director will apply to the superior court for an appropriate order or other remedy.

The subpoena may be personally delivered or sent by certified mail, return receipt requested.

(2) The commission or the presiding officer may issue a subpoena under RCW 42.17A.110(6) and WAC 390-37-120 to compel persons to appear and give testimony and may require the production of any books, papers, correspondence, text messages, records, memoranda, electronically stored data, or other evidence that the commission deems relevant and material.

The executive director, at any time prior to consideration by the commission, may dismiss a complaint which on its face, or as shown by investigation, ((does)) provides reason to believe that a violation has occurred, but also shows that the respondent is in substantial compliance with the relevant statutes or rules, or shows that formal enforcement action is not warranted. The executive director shall report at each regular commission meeting all complaints dismissed.

(1) In assessing a penalty, the commission considers the purposes of chapter 42.17A RCW, including the public's right to know of the financing of political campaigns, lobbying and the financial affairs of elected officials and candidates as declared in the policy of RCW 42.17A.001; and, promoting compliance with the law. The commission also considers and applies RCW 42.17A.755 and may consider any of the additional factors described in subsection (3) of this section.

(2) Under RCW 42.17A.755, the commission:

(a) May waive a penalty for a first-time ((actual)) violation;

(b) Shall assess a penalty for a second ((actual)) violation by the same person or individual, regardless if the person or individual committed the violation for a different political committee;

(c) Shall assess successively increased penalties for succeeding ((actual)) violations pursuant to the following schedule:

(3) In addition to the requirements of RCW 42.17A.755, the commission may consider the nature of the violation and any relevant circumstances, including the following factors:

(a) The respondent's compliance history, including whether the noncompliance was isolated or limited in nature, indicative of systematic or ongoing problems, or part of a pattern of violations by the respondent, or in the case of a political committee or other entity, part of a pattern of violations by the respondent's officers, staff, principal decision makers, consultants, or sponsoring organization;

(b) The impact on the public, including whether the noncompliance deprived the public of timely or accurate information during a time-sensitive period, or otherwise had a significant or material impact on the public;

(c) Sophistication of respondent or the financing, staffing, or size of the respondent's campaign or organization;

(d) Amount of financial activity by the respondent during the statement period or election cycle;

(e) Whether the noncompliance resulted from a knowing or intentional effort to conceal, deceive or mislead, or violate the law or rule, or from collusive behavior;

(f) Whether the late or unreported activity was significant in amount or duration under the circumstances, including in proportion to the total amount of expenditures by the respondent in the campaign or statement period;

(g) Whether the respondent or any person, including an entity or organization, benefited politically or economically from the noncompliance;

(h) Personal emergency or illness of the respondent or member of his or her immediate family;

(i) Other emergencies such as fire, flood, or utility failure preventing filing;

(j) PDC staff or equipment error, including technical problems at the PDC preventing or delaying electronic filing;

(k) The respondent's demonstrated good-faith uncertainty concerning staff guidance or instructions;

(l) Corrective action or other remedial measures initiated by respondent prior to enforcement action, or promptly taken when noncompliance brought to respondent's attention (e.g., filing missing reports, amending incomplete or inaccurate reports, returning prohibited or overlimit contributions);

(m) Whether the respondent is a first-time filer;

(n) Good faith efforts to comply, including consultation with PDC staff prior to initiation of enforcement action and cooperation with PDC staff during enforcement action, and a demonstrated wish to acknowledge and take responsibility for the violation;

(o) Penalties imposed in factually similar cases; and

(p) Other factors relevant to a particular case.

(4) The commission may consider the factors in subsections (1) through (3) of this section in determining whether to suspend a portion or all of a penalty upon identified conditions, and whether to accept, reject, or modify a stipulated penalty amount recommended by the parties.

(5) Notwithstanding the above schedule, the commission may assess a penalty of up to ten thousand dollars per violation pursuant to RCW 42.17A.755, based on the aggravating factors set forth in subsections (1) through (3) of this section.