The bill introduces significant amendments to Washington state law concerning the publication, formatting, and distribution of voters' pamphlets. It mandates that the Secretary of State distribute these pamphlets to every household and public libraries, while also ensuring accessibility through recorded or Braille transcripts. The legislation increases penalties for publishing deceptive campaign materials, raising the maximum civil fine from $2 to $5 per copy distributed, with a cap of $10,000 for violations, and allows for the recovery of legal expenses incurred by the state. Furthermore, it outlines specific content requirements for the pamphlets, including candidate statements and contact information for the Public Disclosure Commission, while clarifying the responsibilities of county auditors in producing local pamphlets.

Additionally, the bill establishes new requirements for local government legislative authorities in preparing local voters' pamphlets. It requires these authorities to formally appoint committees to draft arguments for and against local measures, with members needing to reside within the jurisdiction and be known supporters or opponents of the measures. If the authorities do not meet the appointment deadline, the county auditor will issue a media release to solicit committee formation and will appoint members on a first-come, first-served basis. In cases where no statements are produced by the committees, the auditor must include a note in the pamphlet indicating the lack of submissions. The changes are set to take effect on January 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Original Bill: 29A.32.010, 29A.32.020, 29A.32.031, 29A.32.060, 29A.32.070, 29A.32.090, 29A.32.110, 29A.32.121, 29A.32.210, 29A.32.220, 29A.32.230, 29A.32.241, 29A.32.250, 29A.32.260, 29A.32.280
Substitute Bill: 29A.32.010, 29A.32.020, 29A.32.031, 29A.32.060, 29A.32.070, 29A.32.090, 29A.32.110, 29A.32.121, 29A.32.210, 29A.32.220, 29A.32.230, 29A.32.241, 29A.32.250, 29A.32.260, 29A.32.280
Second Substitute: 29A.32.010, 29A.32.020, 29A.32.031, 29A.32.060, 29A.32.070, 29A.32.090, 29A.32.110, 29A.32.121, 29A.32.210, 29A.32.220, 29A.32.230, 29A.32.241, 29A.32.250, 29A.32.260, 29A.32.280
Engrossed Second Substitute: 29A.32.010, 29A.32.020, 29A.32.031, 29A.32.060, 29A.32.070, 29A.32.090, 29A.32.121, 29A.32.210, 29A.32.220, 29A.32.230, 29A.32.241, 29A.32.250, 29A.32.260, 29A.32.280
Bill as Passed Legislature: 29A.32.010, 29A.32.020, 29A.32.031, 29A.32.060, 29A.32.070, 29A.32.121, 29A.32.210, 29A.32.220, 29A.32.241, 29A.32.250, 29A.32.260, 29A.32.280
Session Law: 29A.32.010, 29A.32.020, 29A.32.031, 29A.32.060, 29A.32.070, 29A.32.121, 29A.32.210, 29A.32.220, 29A.32.241, 29A.32.250, 29A.32.260, 29A.32.280