Washington Administrative Code

Pursuant to the authority in RCW 29B.20.050 that the commission may revise the monetary contribution limits and reporting thresholds and code values of the act to reflect changes in economic conditions, the previous and current amounts are:RCW SectionSubjectValue Set in Statute(y…

"Debate or forum" means qualifying events under RCW 29B.10.220 where candidates are invited based upon predefined objective criteria, including where only one candidate in an uncontested race participates.[Statutory Authority: RCW 42.17A.110 and 2024 c 164. WSR 26-01-209, s 390-0…

"Electioneering communication," as defined in the act and used in these rules, does not include communications expressly excluded from the definition in the act, such as communications conveyed through websites, emails, telephone calls, or in-person leaflet/pamphlet drops at stre…

(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 …

"General treasury funds," as used in the act and in these rules, means a collective designation of all of the assets of an organization which furnish the means for defraying the necessary, usual, ordinary running and incidental expenses of an organization. General treasury funds …

(1) In determining whether an organization's political communications 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 within chapter 29B.10 …

A "nonreimbursed public office related expense" is an expenditure incurred by an elected or appointed official, or a member of the official's immediate family, solely because of being an official.[Statutory Authority: RCW 42.17A.110(1), 2019 c 428, and 2019 c 261. WSR 20-02-062, …

For electioneering communications and other political advertising, "periodical" means a digital or paper 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.[Statutory Aut…

(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section for the purpose of reporting the top 10 largest sources of payments to an incidental committee, pursuant to RCW 29B.25.090, a "payment" means any monetary transfer or in-kind value accepted by the incidental committee, rega…

"A place of business in the state of Washington" as that term is used in reference to out-of-state political committees in RCW 29B.25.110 (1)(f) means the business is headquartered in or has a primary place of business in Washington state.For example, if a national corporation he…

(1) "Public service announcement," as that term is used in the act and in these rules, means a communication that is all of the following:(a) Designed to benefit or promote the community's health, safety, or welfare or nonprofit community events;(b) Not selling a product or servi…

A "nonprofit organization," as the term is used in the definition of "incidental committee" in RCW 29B.10.290, means an entity that meets one or more of the following criteria:(1) An entity that is exempt from income tax under Title 26 U.S.C. Sec. 501(c) of the federal Internal R…

(1) Pursuant to RCW 42.30.075, regular meetings of the public disclosure commission are scheduled to be held monthly on the fourth Thursday of each month at 9:30 a.m. unless a different time is noted on an agenda, except November and December when a combined meeting may be schedu…

(1) Any person may submit a petition for a declaratory order pursuant to RCW 34.05.240 in any form so long as it:(a) Clearly states the question the declaratory order is to answer; and(b) Provides a statement of the facts which raise the question.(2) The executive director may co…

Any person may submit a petition requesting the adoption, amendment or repeal of any rule by the commission, pursuant to RCW 34.05.330 and the uniform rules adopted by the office of financial management that are set forth in chapter 82-05 WAC.[Statutory Authority: RCW 42.17.370(1…

(1) The purpose of chapter 390-14 WAC is to establish the commission's procedures to provide full access to its public records and to implement the provisions of the Public Records Act under chapter 42.56 RCW for the commission.(2) The commission implements and enforces Title 29B…

(1) The commission's public records officer is responsible for implementing the commission's rules regarding release of public records, coordinating the staff of the commission in this regard, and insuring the agency's compliance with the public records disclosure requirements of…

(1) You can inspect and copy public records in the commission office during customary business hours. Customary business hours are typically 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays or other days the agency is closed. Contact the public records offic…

(1) Making a public records request. You may make a request to inspect or copy public records in person by completing the public records request form, or by sending the form or a letter, fax or email to the public records officer.The commission office is located at 711 Capitol Wa…

The commission sets the following goals for access to all reports, copies or reports, or copies of data or information included in reports, filed under RCW 29B.25.020, 29B.25.070, 29B.25.090, 29B.25.120, 29B.25.140, 29B.50.010, 29B.50.050, 29B.50.070, and 29B.50.080.(1) In Januar…

(1) The public records officer may confirm receipt of your request for public records within five business days. Depending upon the nature of the request, the public records officer may also take any of the steps listed in WAC 390-14-015. A search for potentially responsive recor…

(1) Providing electronic records. The commission may provide records to you electronically or may provide paper copies. The following general procedures apply to production of electronic copies:(a) Records provided on the commission's website have been provided to you electronica…

(1) The commission does not charge a fee for the inspection of public records made available in the commission office or on the commission website.(2) The commission does not charge a fee for locating public records and making them available to you for copying.(3)(a) The commissi…

(1) The public records officer may redact information from any record prior to permitting public inspection or copying if the information is exempt from disclosure according to RCW 42.56.210, another section of chapter 42.56 RCW or other applicable law. After such information is …

(1) If you object to the denial of all or part of your request for a public record you may petition the commission chair for prompt review of such decision by submitting a written request for review to the public records officer. Your request for review must be in writing and add…

(1) The commission has implemented an indexing system for the identification and location of the following records:(a) All records issued before July 1, 1990, for which the commission has maintained an index.(b) Final adjudicative orders and declaratory orders issued after June 3…

(1) The public disclosure commission shall prepare a list of all state elected officials of the state of Washington. The list shall be updated annually by January 15th.(2) The list shall contain the names of those entities that are reported by state elected officials and successf…

(1) The commission has as part of its authority the power to suspend or modify reporting requirements of chapter 29B.20 RCW, if it finds after hearing that literal application of the act would work a manifestly unreasonable hardship and suspension or modification will not frustra…

Pursuant to chapter 29B.25 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 w…

The official form for providing the statement of organization by political committees for designating a campaign treasurer and depository and for reporting information required to qualify for mini campaign finance reporting is designated "C-1pc."[Statutory Authority: RCW 42.17A.1…

(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 chapter 29B.10 RCW. This rule applies to political committees that are not authorized by a candidate, or by th…

The official form for providing the statement of organization by candidates and candidate committees, for designating a campaign treasurer and depository, and for reporting information required to qualify for mini campaign finance reporting is designated "C-1."[Statutory Authorit…

(1) Chapter 29B.25 RCW requires the disclosure of monetary and in-kind contributions and expenditures by nonprofit organizations that participate significantly in candidate and ballot proposition campaigns in Washington state. Nonprofit organizations that make contributions or ex…

The official form for statement of contributions deposit, as required by RCW 29B.25.090, is designated "C-3."[Statutory Authority: RCW 42.17A.110 and 2024 c 164. WSR 26-01-209, s 390-16-031, filed 12/24/25, effective 1/1/26. Statutory Authority: RCW 42.17A.110(1) and 2018 c 304. …

The official form for reporting items donated and sold at auctions, as required by RCW 29B.25.100(2), is designated "Attachment Au." This attachment shall accompany each C-3 which reports the receipt of funds from an auction.[Statutory Authority: RCW 42.17A.110 and 2024 c 164. WS…

The official form for reporting the details surrounding an earmarked contribution, as required by RCW 29B.25.150, is designated "Special Report E." This report shall be filed within two business days of receiving a contribution earmarked for another candidate or committee.[Statut…

Pursuant to RCW 29B.25.100, each report required under RCW 29B.25.090 shall disclose, in addition to the name and address of each person who has made one or more contributions in the aggregate amount of more than $250, their occupation, and the name and location (city and state) …

(1) Any person required to report the "purpose" of an expenditure under RCW 29B.25.100(6), or 29B.25.120 (5)(b), must identify any candidate(s) or ballot proposition(s) that are supported or opposed by the expenditure as required to be filed under RCW 29B.25.020 (2)(f) and (g);(2…

(1) A continuing political committee which is not organized to support or oppose a particular candidate or ballot proposition shall report total contributions and expenditures based on a calendar year, or upon the basis of a fiscal year if the commission expressly authorizes this…

The official form for reports of contributions and expenditures by candidates and political committees who use the "full" reporting option is designated "C-4," and includes Schedule A, Schedule B, Schedule C, and Schedule L.[Statutory Authority: RCW 42.17A.110(1) and 2018 c 304. …

(1) As used in chapter 29B.10 RCW and RCW 29B.25.100, "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 …

(1) RCW 29B.10.080 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 busine…

(1) RCW 29B.25.110 governs campaign reporting in Washington state by committees located outside of Washington. The committee begins reporting when it makes an expenditure supporting or opposing a Washington state candidate or political committee.(2) To file as an out-of-state pol…

The official form for the report required by RCW 29B.25.110 of contributions and expenditures of an out-of-state political committee organized for the purpose of supporting or opposing candidates or ballot propositions in another state, that is not otherwise required to report un…

(1) "Independent expenditure," as that term is used in Title 29B RCW, other than RCW 29B.25.120, and as used in these rules, means an "expenditure" as defined in RCW 29B.10.310 that has each of the following elements:(a) It is made in support of or in opposition to a candidate fo…

(1) A "sponsor" of an electioneering communication is defined in RCW 29B.10.220.(2) For the purposes of RCW 29B.10.220, an electioneering communication is reportable by the sponsor to the commission when the communication, alone or in combination:(a) Identifies the same candidate…

The official form for reports of independent expenditures and electioneering communications as required by RCW 29B.25.120, 29B.25.130, and 29B.30.020 is designated "C-6."[Statutory Authority: RCW 42.17A.110 and 2024 c 164. WSR 26-01-209, s 390-16-060, filed 12/24/25, effective 1/…