Washington Administrative Code

(1) 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 o…

Pursuant to the commission's authority in RCW 29B.20.050 to revise the monetary reporting thresholds and code values found in Title 29B RCW to reflect changes in economic conditions, the following revisions are made:Statutory chapter 29B.55 RCWSubject MatterAmount Enactedor Last …

The term applicant for the purposes of chapter 390-28 WAC means any person who seeks a modification of the filing requirements pursuant to RCW 29B.20.040 and these rules.[Statutory Authority: RCW 42.17A.110 and 2024 c 164. WSR 26-01-209, s 390-28-020, filed 12/24/25, effective 1/…

(1) Any individual who considers compliance with any of the reporting requirements of Title 29B RCW to be a manifestly unreasonable hardship in a particular case may apply for a modification of such reporting requirements pursuant to RCW 29B.20.040 and further pursuant to these r…

(1) An applicant must electronically submit with the commission a request for a hearing for suspension or modification of reporting requirements, unless the executive director makes an exception for an applicant who lacks the technological ability to file reports electronically. …

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, and WAC 390-37-140 through 390-37-144. The commission may preside over the proceedings. Alternatively, one of the …

(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, the applicant must submit a written, sworn statement setting out in detail the rationale for requesti…

(1) All evidence presented at hearings held pursuant to chapter 390-28 WAC and RCW 29B.20.040 are considered to be a public record. However, if a modification of reporting requirements is requested by a filer because of a concern for personal safety that is caused by the potentia…

(1) The commission or presiding officer, after a hearing, as provided in these rules, may suspend the applicable reporting requirement of Title 29B RCW if the commission or presiding officer finds that the literal application of such requirement works a manifestly unreasonable ha…

(1) Under RCW 29B.20.040, the commission or presiding officer may modify reporting requirements, including the statement of financial affairs, if literal application of the requirement would work a manifestly unreasonable hardship and the suspension or modification would not frus…

Pursuant to the provisions of RCW 29B.20.030 (1) and (6) the public disclosure commission adopts this Fair Campaign Practices Code:(1) I shall conduct my campaign, and to the extent reasonably possible shall insist that my supporters conduct themselves, in a manner consistent wit…

(1) A copy of the code provided in WAC 390-32-010 shall be printed in appropriate campaign reporting instructions made available to candidates and political committees.(2) Failure to subscribe to the code shall not constitute a violation of Title 29B RCW.[Statutory Authority: RCW…

(1) Written and signed complaints alleging a violation of one or more specific provisions of WAC 390-32-010. The Fair Campaign Practices Code may be submitted to the commission by any person.(a) Subject to the limitations in subsection (4) of this section, upon receipt of a compl…

The public disclosure commission (PDC) enforces Title 29B RCW concerning campaign financing, lobbyist reporting, reporting of public officials' financial affairs, reporting by public treasurers, political advertising, campaign contribution limitations and the other provisions in …

(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)…

This chapter provides the procedures for the PDC's enforcement of compliance with Title 29B RCW, including categorization of enforcement matters, complaint processes, alternative resolutions, investigations, and adjudicative proceedings (enforcement hearings) in compliance cases …

Alleged violations of Title 29B RCW may be brought to the attention of the PDC staff by:(1) A member of the public;(2) The PDC staff;(3) A commission member, who shall thereafter, in their discretion, determine whether disqualification from participating in the adjudication of an…

(1) When a complaint is filed with the PDC other than by PDC staff pursuant to WAC 390-37-040, neither the complainant nor any other person shall have special standing to participate or intervene in any investigation or consideration of the complaint by the commission or its staf…

(1) A complaint filed with the PDC must be by electronic writing. Complainants must use the form(s) provided by the PDC on its website. The executive director may waive this requirement and allow for the use of another written format on the basis of hardship.(2) A complaint must …

(1) When a complaint is filed or initiated by the PDC, the PDC may refer the matter at any time to the attorney general in accordance with RCW 29B.60.020. The determination to refer a matter to the attorney general will be made by either:(a) A majority vote of the commission at a…

(1) Within ten days of receipt by the PDC of a complaint which on its face appears to have merit, or initiation of a complaint by the PDC staff, the PDC staff must notify the respondent that a complaint has been filed, along with an explanation of possible next steps, including t…

(1) Upon receipt or initiation of a complaint, the PDC staff will conduct an initial review 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 wil…

(1) In considering appropriate responses to violations, the PDC staff will consider 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 expecta…

(1) The purpose of this section 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 29B.60.020. That schedule appears in the table below.(2) A violation not set fort…

(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 must:(a) Specifically describe the informati…

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, provides reason to believe that a violation has occurred, but also shows that the respondent is in substantial compliance with th…

(1) After initiating an investigation pursuant to WAC 390-37-060, the executive director will conduct a case status review, referred to as an initial hearing in RCW 29B.60.020. The case status review is not an adjudicative proceeding conducted pursuant to the Administrative Proce…

(1) As provided by WAC 390-37-060, the chair or the chair's designee commissioner may authorize deferred enforcement:(a) Following a case status review provided for in WAC 390-37-071, referred to as an initial hearing in RCW 29B.60.020, in lieu of a formal investigation;(b) Follo…

(1) RCW 34.05.060 authorizes agencies to establish by rule specific procedures for attempting and executing informal settlement of matters. The following procedures are available for informal dispute resolution prior to an adjudicative proceeding that may make more elaborate proc…

(1) An enforcement hearing (adjudicative proceeding) will be conducted pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act (chapter 34.05 RCW). Chapter 390-37 WAC further governs these proceedings, as supplemented by chapter 10-08 WAC. To the extent chapters 390-37 and 10-08 WAC differ,…

Upon receipt of a PDC staff report concerning alleged violations, the commission may:(1) Direct the executive director to pursue an alternative resolution as provided in WAC 390-37-060;(2) Defer enforcement as provided in WAC 390-37-075;(3) Issue an order; or(4) Refer the matter …

(1) In any prehearing conference prior to an enforcement hearing (adjudicative proceeding), the presiding officer upon their own motion or upon request by one of the parties or their qualified representative, may direct the parties to appear at a specified time and place for a co…

(1) The commission, or presiding officer, may issue subpoenas for discovery, subpoenas to persons to appear and give testimony, and may require the production of any books, papers, correspondence, memorandums, or other records deemed relevant or material and the commission or pre…

Unless otherwise provided, any party may take the testimony of any person, including a party, by deposition upon oral examination or written interrogatories for use as evidence in the hearing. The deposition of a commissioner, the executive director, or other staff, may only be t…

A party desiring to take the deposition of any person upon oral examination shall give reasonable notice of not less than five business days in writing to the commission and all parties. The notice shall state the time and place for taking the deposition and the name and address …

After notice is served for taking a deposition, upon its own motion or upon motion reasonably made by any party or by the person to be examined and upon notice and for good cause shown, the commission or the presiding officer in a prehearing conference may make an order that the …

(1) Unless a prehearing order states otherwise, the provisions of this rule apply to evidence and written argument (legal briefs) filed and served in hearings (adjudicative proceedings). Parties or the executive director may request a prehearing conference if provisions of this r…

(1) The commission may provide a brief adjudicative proceeding for violations in which the facts are undisputed, the violations appear to be relatively minor in nature, and a penalty no greater than $2,000 will be assessed for the violations. Typical matters to be heard in a brie…

(1) A brief adjudicative proceeding may be presided over by the chair, or a member of the commission designated by the chair.(2) When a violation, as described in WAC 390-37-140, is alleged, before taking action, the executive director shall send the respondent notice, which shal…

The presiding officer may assess a penalty up to $2,000 upon finding a violation of Title 29B RCW or Title 390 WAC.(1) Base penalty amounts:Violation1st Occasion2nd Occasion3rd OccasionFailure to timely file an accurate and complete statement of financial affairs (F-1):Filed repo…

(1) The commission shall conduct a review of the initial order upon the electronic written request of a party if the commission receives the request within twenty-one days after the service of the initial order. "Service" is defined as the date the order was deposited in the U.S.…

(1) For purposes of this rule, "decision" means any findings, conclusions, order, or other action by the commission which is reviewable by a court.(2) A decision may be reconsidered only upon (a) the request of a party by electronic writing or (b) the motion or written request, b…

(1) Under RCW 29B.60.020, the commission:(a) May waive a penalty for a first-time violation;(b) Must assess a penalty for a second violation by the same person or individual, regardless if the person or individual committed the violation for a different political committee;(c) Mu…

(1) In assessing a penalty after a brief enforcement hearing or a full adjudicatory proceeding, the commission considers the purposes of Title 29B RCW, including the public's right to know of the financing of political campaigns, lobbying and the financial affairs of elected offi…

The purpose of chapter 391-08 WAC is to provide comprehensive and uniform rules of practice and procedure before the agency. This chapter sets forth general rules applicable to all types of proceedings before the agency. To the extent these rules of practice and procedure differ …

The policy of the state being primarily to promote peace in labor relations, these rules and all other rules adopted by the commission are liberally construed to effectuate the purposes and provisions of the statutes administered by the agency. Nothing in any rule prevents the ag…

As used in Title 391 WAC:(1) "Agency" means the public employment relations commission, its officers, and its agents;(2) "Commission" means the commissioners of the public employment relations commission appointed by the governor;(3) "Executive director" means the officer of that…