Title 29B — Title 29B CAMPAIGN DISCLOSURE AND CONTRIBUTION

It is hereby declared by the sovereign people to be the public policy of the state of Washington:(1) That political campaign and lobbying contributions and expenditures be fully disclosed to the public and that secrecy is to be avoided.(2) That the people have the right to expect…

Elections of conservation district supervisors held pursuant to chapter 89.08 RCW shall not be considered general or special elections for purposes of the campaign disclosure and personal financial affairs reporting requirements of this title. Elected conservation district superv…

All statements and reports filed under this title shall be public records of the agency where they are filed, and shall be available for public inspection and copying during normal business hours at the expense of the person requesting copies, provided that the charge for such co…

Words and phrases as defined in this chapter, wherever used in this title, shall have the meaning as in this chapter ascribed to them, unless where used the context thereof shall clearly indicate to the contrary or unless otherwise defined in the chapter of which they are a part.…

"Actual malice" means to act with knowledge of falsity or with reckless disregard as to truth or falsity.[ 2024 c 164 s 202.]Notes:Intent—Construction—Rules remain valid—Effective date—2024 c 164: See notes following RCW 29B.10.010.

"Agency" includes all state agencies and all local agencies. "State agency" includes every state office, department, division, bureau, board, commission, or other state agency. "Local agency" includes every county, city, town, municipal corporation, quasi-municipal corporation, o…

"Authorized committee" means the political committee authorized by a candidate, or by the public official against whom recall charges have been filed, to accept contributions or make expenditures on behalf of the candidate or public official.[ 2024 c 164 s 204.]Notes:Intent—Const…

"Ballot proposition" means any "measure" as defined by RCW 29A.04.091, or any initiative, recall, or referendum proposition proposed to be submitted to the voters of the state or any municipal corporation, political subdivision, or other voting constituency from and after the tim…

"Benefit" means a commercial, proprietary, financial, economic, or monetary advantage, or the avoidance of a commercial, proprietary, financial, economic, or monetary disadvantage.[ 2024 c 164 s 206.]Notes:Intent—Construction—Rules remain valid—Effective date—2024 c 164: See note…

"Bona fide political party" means:(1) An organization that has been recognized as a minor political party by the secretary of state;(2) The governing body of the state organization of a major political party, as defined in RCW 29A.04.086, that is the body authorized by the charte…

"Books of account" means:(1) In the case of a campaign or political committee, 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; or(…

"Candidate" means any individual who seeks nomination for election or election to public office. An individual seeks nomination or election when the individual first:(1) Receives contributions or makes expenditures or reserves space or facilities with intent to promote the indivi…

"Caucus political committee" means a political committee organized and maintained by the members of a major political party in the state senate or state house of representatives.[ 2024 c 164 s 210.]Notes:Intent—Construction—Rules remain valid—Effective date—2024 c 164: See notes …

"Commercial advertiser" means any person 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, billb…

"Commission" means the agency established under RCW 29B.20.010.[ 2024 c 164 s 212.]Notes:Intent—Construction—Rules remain valid—Effective date—2024 c 164: See notes following RCW 29B.10.010.

"Committee[,]" unless the context indicates otherwise, includes a political committee such as a candidate, ballot proposition, recall, political, or continuing political committee.[ 2024 c 164 s 213.]Notes:Intent—Construction—Rules remain valid—Effective date—2024 c 164: See note…

"Compensation[,]" unless the context requires a narrower meaning, includes payment in any form for real or personal property or services of any kind. For the purpose of compliance with RCW 29B.55.030, "compensation" does not include per diem allowances or other payments made by a…

"Continuing political committee" means a political committee that is an organization of continuing existence not limited to participation in any particular election campaign or election cycle.[ 2024 c 164 s 215.]Notes:Intent—Construction—Rules remain valid—Effective date—2024 c 1…

(1) "Contribution" includes:(a) A loan, gift, deposit, subscription, forgiveness of indebtedness, donation, advance, pledge, payment, transfer of funds, or anything of value, including personal and professional services for less than full consideration;(b) An expenditure made by …

"Depository" means a bank, mutual savings bank, savings and loan association, or credit union doing business in this state.[ 2024 c 164 s 217.]Notes:Intent—Construction—Rules remain valid—Effective date—2024 c 164: See notes following RCW 29B.10.010.

"Elected official" means any person elected at a general or special election to any public office, and any person appointed to fill a vacancy in any such office.[ 2024 c 164 s 218.]Notes:Intent—Construction—Rules remain valid—Effective date—2024 c 164: See notes following RCW 29B…

"Election" includes any primary, general, or special election for public office and any election in which a ballot proposition is submitted to the voters. An election in which the qualifications for voting include other than those requirements set forth in Article VI, section 1 (…

"Election campaign" means any campaign in support of or in opposition to a candidate for election to public office and any campaign in support of, or in opposition to, a ballot proposition.[ 2024 c 164 s 220.]Notes:Intent—Construction—Rules remain valid—Effective date—2024 c 164:…

"Election cycle" means the period beginning on the first day of January after the date of the last previous general election for the office that the candidate seeks and ending on December 31st after the next election for the office. In the case of a special election to fill a vac…

(1) "Electioneering communication" means any broadcast, cable, or satellite television, radio transmission, digital communication, United States postal service mailing, billboard, newspaper, or periodical that:(a) Clearly identifies a candidate for a state, local, or judicial off…

"Expenditure" includes a payment, contribution, subscription, distribution, loan, advance, deposit, or gift of money or anything of value, and includes a contract, promise, or agreement, whether or not legally enforceable, to make an expenditure. "Expenditure" also includes a pro…

"Final report" means the report described as a final report in RCW 29B.25.090(11)(a).[ 2024 c 164 s 224.]Notes:Intent—Construction—Rules remain valid—Effective date—2024 c 164: See notes following RCW 29B.10.010.

"Foreign national" means:(1) An individual who is not a citizen of the United States and is not lawfully admitted for permanent residence;(2) A government, or subdivision, of a foreign country;(3) A foreign political party; and(4) Any entity, such as a partnership, association, c…

"General election," for the purposes of RCW 29B.40.020, means the election that results in the election of a person to a state or local office. It does not include a primary.[ 2024 c 164 s 226.]Notes:Intent—Construction—Rules remain valid—Effective date—2024 c 164: See notes foll…

"Gift" has the definition in RCW 42.52.150.[ 2025 c 377 s 22; 2024 c 164 s 227.]Notes:Effective date—2025 c 377 ss 2, 10, 14, 22, 24, 26, and 28: See note following RCW 42.52.010.Intent—Construction—Rules remain valid—Effective date—2024 c 164: See notes following RCW 29B.10.010.

"Immediate family" includes the spouse or domestic partner, dependent children, and other dependent relatives, if living in the household. For the purposes of the definition of "intermediary" in RCW 29B.10.320, "immediate family" means an individual's spouse or domestic partner, …

"Incidental committee" means any nonprofit organization not otherwise defined as a political committee but that may incidentally make a contribution or an expenditure in excess of the reporting thresholds in RCW 29B.25.090, directly or through a political committee. Any nonprofit…

"Incumbent" means a person who is in present possession of an elected office.[ 2024 c 164 s 230.]Notes:Intent—Construction—Rules remain valid—Effective date—2024 c 164: See notes following RCW 29B.10.010.

(1) "Independent expenditure" means an expenditure that has each of the following elements:(a) It is made in support of or in opposition to a candidate for office by a person who is not:(i) A candidate for that office;(ii) An authorized committee of that candidate for that office…

(1) "Intermediary" means an individual who transmits a contribution to a candidate or committee from another person unless the contribution is from the individual's employer, immediate family, or an association to which the individual belongs.(2) A treasurer or a candidate is not…

"Legislation" means bills, resolutions, motions, amendments, nominations, and other matters pending or proposed in either house of the state legislature, and includes any other matter that may be the subject of action by either house or any committee of the legislature and all bi…

"Legislative office" means the office of a member of the state house of representatives or the office of a member of the state senate.[ 2024 c 164 s 234.]Notes:Intent—Construction—Rules remain valid—Effective date—2024 c 164: See notes following RCW 29B.10.010.

"Lobby" and "lobbying" each mean attempting to influence the passage or defeat of any legislation by the legislature of the state of Washington, or the adoption or rejection of any rule, standard, rate, or other legislative enactment of any state agency under the state administra…

"Lobbyist" includes any person who lobbies either on the person's own or another's behalf.[ 2024 c 164 s 236.]Notes:Intent—Construction—Rules remain valid—Effective date—2024 c 164: See notes following RCW 29B.10.010.

"Lobbyist's employer" means the person or persons by whom a lobbyist is employed and all persons by whom the lobbyist is compensated for acting as a lobbyist.[ 2024 c 164 s 237.]Notes:Intent—Construction—Rules remain valid—Effective date—2024 c 164: See notes following RCW 29B.10…

"Ministerial functions" means an act or duty carried out as part of the duties of an administrative office without exercise of personal judgment or discretion.[ 2024 c 164 s 238.]Notes:Intent—Construction—Rules remain valid—Effective date—2024 c 164: See notes following RCW 29B.1…

"Participate" means that, with respect to a particular election, an entity:(1) Makes either a monetary or in-kind contribution to a candidate;(2) Makes an independent expenditure or electioneering communication in support of or opposition to a candidate;(3) Endorses a candidate b…

"Person" includes an individual, partnership, joint venture, public or private corporation, association, federal, state, or local governmental entity or agency however constituted, candidate, committee, political committee, political party, executive committee thereof, or any oth…

"Political advertising" includes any advertising displays, newspaper ads, billboards, signs, brochures, articles, tabloids, flyers, letters, radio or television presentations, digital communication, or other means of mass communication, used for the purpose of appealing, directly…

"Political committee" means any person (except a candidate or an individual dealing with the candidate's or individual's own funds or property) having the expectation of receiving contributions or making expenditures in support of, or opposition to, any candidate or any ballot pr…

"Primary," for the purposes of RCW 29B.40.020, means the procedure for nominating a candidate to state or local office under chapter 29A.52 RCW or any other primary for an election that uses, in large measure, the procedures established in chapter 29A.52 RCW.[ 2024 c 164 s 243.]N…

"Public office" means any federal, state, judicial, county, city, town, school district, port district, special district, or other state political subdivision elective office.[ 2024 c 164 s 244.]Notes:Intent—Construction—Rules remain valid—Effective date—2024 c 164: See notes fol…

"Public record" has the definition in RCW 42.56.010.[ 2024 c 164 s 245.]Notes:Intent—Construction—Rules remain valid—Effective date—2024 c 164: See notes following RCW 29B.10.010.

"Recall campaign" means the period of time beginning on the date of the filing of recall charges under RCW 29A.56.120 and ending 30 days after the recall election.[ 2024 c 164 s 246.]Notes:Intent—Construction—Rules remain valid—Effective date—2024 c 164: See notes following RCW 2…

"Remediable violation" means any violation of this title that:(1) Involved expenditures or contributions totaling no more than the contribution limits set out under RCW 29B.40.020(2) per election, or $1,000 if there is no statutory limit;(2) Occurred:(a) More than 30 days before …