42.17A.640 - Grass roots lobbying campaigns.

Grass roots lobbying campaigns. (Effective January 1, 2012.)

(1) Any person who has made expenditures, not reported by a registered lobbyist under RCW 42.17A.615 or by a candidate or political committee under RCW 42.17A.225 or 42.17A.235, exceeding *one thousand dollars in the aggregate within any three-month period or exceeding *five hundred dollars in the aggregate within any one-month period in presenting a program to the public, a substantial portion of which is intended, designed, or calculated primarily to influence legislation shall register and report, as provided in subsection (2) of this section, as a sponsor of a grass roots lobbying campaign.

     (2) Within thirty days after becoming a sponsor of a grass roots lobbying campaign, the sponsor shall register by filing with the commission a registration statement, in such detail as the commission shall prescribe, showing:

     (a) The sponsor's name, address, and business or occupation, and, if the sponsor is not an individual, the names, addresses, and titles of the controlling persons responsible for managing the sponsor's affairs;

     (b) The names, addresses, and business or occupation of all persons organizing and managing the campaign, or hired to assist the campaign, including any public relations or advertising firms participating in the campaign, and the terms of compensation for all such persons;

     (c) The names and addresses of each person contributing twenty-five dollars or more to the campaign, and the aggregate amount contributed;

     (d) The purpose of the campaign, including the specific legislation, rules, rates, standards, or proposals that are the subject matter of the campaign;

     (e) The totals of all expenditures made or incurred to date on behalf of the campaign segregated according to financial category, including but not limited to the following: Advertising, segregated by media, and in the case of large expenditures (as provided by rule of the commission), by outlet; contributions; entertainment, including food and refreshments; office expenses including rent and the salaries and wages paid for staff and secretarial assistance, or the proportionate amount paid or incurred for lobbying campaign activities; consultants; and printing and mailing expenses.

     (3) Every sponsor who has registered under this section shall file monthly reports with the commission by the tenth day of the month for the activity during the preceding month. The reports shall update the information contained in the sponsor's registration statement and in prior reports and shall show contributions received and totals of expenditures made during the month, in the same manner as provided for in the registration statement.

     (4) When the campaign has been terminated, the sponsor shall file a notice of termination with the final monthly report. The final report shall state the totals of all contributions and expenditures made on behalf of the campaign, in the same manner as provided for in the registration statement.

[2010 c 204 § 809; 1990 c 139 § 5; 1985 c 367 § 10; 1973 c 1 § 20 (Initiative Measure No. 276, approved November 7, 1972). Formerly RCW 42.17.200.]

Notes: *Reviser's note: The dollar amounts in this section have been adjusted for inflation by rule of the commission adopted under the authority of RCW 42.17A.110. For current dollar amounts, see chapter 390-20 of the Washington Administrative Code (WAC).

Legislative intent -- 1990 c 139: See note following RCW 42.17A.005.