Title 19 — Title 19 BUSINESS REGULATIONS—MISCELLANEOUS

The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.(1) "Air compressor" means a compressor designed to compress air that has an inlet open to the atmosphere or other source of air and is made up of a compression element (ba…

(1) This chapter applies to the following types of new products sold, offered for sale, or installed in the state:(a) Hot water dispensers and mini-tank electric water heaters;(b) Bottle-type water dispensers and point-of-use water dispensers;(c) Portable electric spas;(d) Tub sp…

Except as provided in subsection (1) of this section, the minimum efficiency standards specified in this section apply to the types of new products set forth in RCW 19.260.030 as of the effective dates set forth in RCW 19.260.050.(1) The department may adopt by rule a more recent…

(1) The following products, if manufactured on or after January 1, 2010, may not be sold or offered in the state unless the efficiency of the new product meets or exceeds the efficiency standards set forth in RCW 19.260.040:(a) Hot water dispensers and mini-tank electric water he…

(1) The department may adopt rules that incorporate by reference federal efficiency standards for federally covered products only as the standards existed on January 1, 2018. The department, in consultation with the office of the attorney general, must regularly submit a report t…

(1) The manufacturers of products covered by this chapter must test samples of their products in accordance with the test procedures under this chapter or those specified in the state building code.(2) Manufacturers of new products covered by RCW 19.260.030 shall certify to the d…

(1) An electric storage water heater, if manufactured on or after January 1, 2021, may not be installed, sold, or offered for sale, lease, or rent in the state unless it complies with the following design requirement:(a) The product must have a modular demand response communicati…

The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.(1) "Borrower" means a taxpayer who receives the proceeds of a refund anticipation loan.(2) "Department" means the department of financial institutions.(3) "Director" means…

(1) No person may individually, or in conjunction or cooperation with another person act as a facilitator unless that person is:(a) A tax preparer or works for a person that engages in the business of tax preparation;(b) Accepted by the internal revenue service as an authorized I…

(1) For all refund anticipation loans, a facilitator must provide clear disclosure to the borrower prior to the borrower's completion of the application. The disclosure must contain the following:(a) The refund anticipation loan fee schedule; and(b) A written statement, in a mini…

A borrower may rescind a loan, on or before the close of business on the next day of business, by either returning the original check issued for the loan or providing the amount of the loan in cash to the lender or the facilitator. The facilitator may not charge the borrower a fe…

It is unlawful for a facilitator of a refund anticipation loan to engage in any of the following activities:(1) Misrepresent a material factor or condition of a refund anticipation loan;(2) Fail to process the application for a refund anticipation loan promptly after the consumer…

Any person who knowingly and willfully violates this chapter is guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be fined up to five hundred dollars for each offense.[ 2005 c 471 s 7.]

The legislature finds that the practices covered by this chapter are matters vitally affecting the public interest for the purpose of applying the consumer protection act, chapter 19.86 RCW. A violation of this chapter is not reasonable in relation to the development and preserva…

This chapter may be known and cited as the tax refund anticipation loan act.[ 2005 c 471 s 1.]

The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.(1) "Advertisement" means a communication, the primary purpose of which is the commercial promotion of a commercial product or service, including a communication on an inte…

It is unlawful for a person, without the authorization of the owner or operator, to transmit, or procure the transmission of, software to the owner or operator's computer with actual knowledge or conscious avoidance of actual knowledge that the software does any of the following:…

It is unlawful for a person who is not an owner or operator to do any of the following with regard to the owner or operator's computer:(1) Induce an owner or operator to install a computer software component onto the computer by deceptively misrepresenting the extent to which ins…

(1) Neither RCW 19.270.020 (5) through (11) nor 19.270.040 apply to any monitoring of, or interaction with, a subscriber's internet or other network connection or service, or a computer, by a telecommunications carrier, cable operator, computer hardware or software provider, or p…

(1) In addition to any other remedies provided by this chapter or any other provision of law, the attorney general, or a provider of computer software or owner of a website or trademark who is adversely affected by reason of a violation of this chapter, and whose action arises di…

It is the intent of the legislature that this chapter is a matter of statewide concern. This chapter supersedes and preempts all rules, regulations, codes, ordinances, and other laws adopted by a city, county, city and county, municipality, or local agency regarding spyware and n…

Chapter 500, Laws of 2005 does not add to, contract, alter, or amend any cause of action allowed under chapter 19.86 RCW and does not affect in any way the application of chapter 19.86 RCW to any future case or fact pattern.[ 2005 c 500 s 8.]

The legislature finds that pyramid schemes, chain letters, and related illegal schemes are enterprises:(1) That finance returns to participants through sums taken from newly attracted participants;(2) In which new participants are promised large returns for their investment or co…

The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.(1) "Compensation" means payment, regardless of how it is characterized, of money, financial benefit, or thing of value. "Compensation" does not include payment based on th…

(1) No person may establish, promote, operate, or participate in any pyramid scheme.(2) A limitation as to the number of persons who may participate, or the presence of additional conditions affecting eligibility for the opportunity to receive compensation under the scheme, does …

The legislature finds that the practices covered by this chapter are matters vitally affecting the public interest for the purpose of applying the consumer protection act, chapter 19.86 RCW. A violation of this chapter is not reasonable in relation to the development and preserva…

This act may be cited as the "antipyramid promotional scheme act."[ 2006 c 65 s 5.]

It is the intent of the legislature to encourage the development of new safe, clean, and reliable energy resources to meet demand in Washington for affordable and reliable electricity. To achieve this end, the legislature finds it essential that electric utilities in Washington d…

The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.(1) "Combined heat and power" means the sequential production of electricity and useful thermal energy from a common fuel source where, under normal operating conditions, t…

Each electric utility must develop a plan consistent with this section.(1) Utilities with more than 25,000 customers that are not full requirements customers must develop or update an integrated resource plan by September 1, 2008. At a minimum, progress reports reflecting changin…

(1) Investor-owned utilities shall submit integrated resource plans to the commission. The commission shall establish by rule the requirements for preparation and submission of integrated resource plans.(2) The commission may adopt additional rules as necessary to clarify the req…

(1) The governing body of a consumer-owned utility that develops a plan under this chapter shall encourage participation of its consumers in development of the plans and progress reports and approve the plans and progress reports after it has provided public notice and hearing.(2…

*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 2575.SL) ***The department shall review the plans of consumer-owned utilities and investor-owned utilities, and data available from other state, regional, and national sources, and prepare an electronic report to the legislature aggregating the data an…

(1) At least once every twelve months, the department and the commission shall jointly convene a meeting of representatives of the investor-owned utilities and consumer-owned utilities, regional planning organizations, transmission operators, energy analytics experts at Pacific N…

(1) The legislature finds that combined heat and power systems provide both energy and capacity resources. Failure to assess the electric output of combined heat and power systems as both an energy and a capacity resource may result in a failure to account for the total benefits …

(1) The legislature finds that power purchase agreements of a minimum of fifteen years for the electric output of combined heat and power systems may be advantageous to both electric utilities and the owners or operators of combined heat and power systems.(2) Electric utilities w…

The Washington State University extension energy program may electronically submit an annual report to the appropriate legislative committees on the planned and completed combined heat and power facilities in the state, including but not limited to the following information: Numb…

(1) The legislature finds that the proliferation of distributed energy resources across the distribution system is rapidly transforming the relationships between electric utilities and their retail electric customers. The legislature finds that distributed energy resources planni…

(1) Electric utilities must in their planning and selection of renewable resources give reasonable consideration, consistent with prudent utility practice, to renewable resources that would use transmission services considered to be conditional firm under the tariff of the releva…

This chapter concerns requirements for new energy resources. This chapter requires large utilities to obtain fifteen percent of their electricity from new renewable resources such as solar and wind by 2020 and undertake cost-effective energy conservation.[ 2007 c 1 s 1 (Initiativ…

Increasing energy conservation and the use of appropriately sited renewable energy facilities builds on the strong foundation of low-cost renewable hydroelectric generation in Washington state and will promote energy independence in the state and the Pacific Northwest region. Mak…

The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.(1) "Attorney general" means the Washington state office of the attorney general.(2) "Auditor" means: (a) The Washington state auditor's office or its designee for qualifyi…

(1) Each qualifying utility shall pursue all available conservation that is cost-effective, reliable, and feasible.(a) By January 1, 2010, using methodologies consistent with those used by the Pacific Northwest electric power and conservation planning council in the most recently…

(1) When requested by a consumer-owned qualifying utility or by a person proposing an electric generation project or conservation resource, the department is authorized to and shall provide analysis and an advisory opinion on whether a proposed electric generation project or cons…

(1)(a) A qualifying utility shall be considered in compliance with an annual target created in RCW 19.285.040(2) for a given year if the utility invested four percent of its total annual retail revenue requirement on the incremental costs of eligible renewable resources, the cost…

(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, a qualifying utility that fails to comply with the energy conservation or renewable energy targets established in RCW 19.285.040 shall pay an administrative penalty to the state of Washington in the amount of fifty dollars…

*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 2575.SL) ***(1) On or before June 1, 2012, and annually thereafter, each qualifying utility shall report to the department on its progress in the preceding year in meeting the targets established in RCW 19.285.040, including expected electricity saving…

(1) The commission may adopt rules to ensure the proper implementation and enforcement of this chapter as it applies to investor-owned utilities.(2) The department shall adopt rules concerning only process, timelines, and documentation to ensure the proper implementation of this …

The provisions of this chapter are to be liberally construed to effectuate the intent, policies, and purposes of this chapter.[ 2007 c 1 s 9 (Initiative Measure No. 937, approved November 7, 2006).]

This chapter may be known and cited as the energy independence act.[ 2007 c 1 s 11 (Initiative Measure No. 937, approved November 7, 2006).]