The bill seeks to reorganize and clarify the campaign finance and lobbying statutes in Washington State by introducing a new title, Title 29B RCW, and defining key terms such as "actual malice," "candidate," and "electioneering communication." It emphasizes that the changes are technical and do not alter substantive policy. The legislation includes the recodification of existing laws, the repeal of outdated statutes, and the establishment of new sections that enhance transparency and compliance in campaign financing. Notably, it clarifies definitions related to contributions and expenditures, ensuring a streamlined legal framework for campaign finance.

Additionally, the bill amends various sections of RCW 42.17A to strengthen reporting requirements for political committees and lobbyists, including the timely filing of financial reports and the disclosure of contributors. It introduces stricter penalties for non-compliance and emphasizes the importance of public disclosure in political financing. The bill also addresses the use of public resources in lobbying efforts, ensuring that state officials do not misuse their positions for political gain. Overall, the amendments aim to enhance accountability and transparency in campaign finance and lobbying practices, thereby reinforcing public trust in the electoral process.

Statutes affected:
Original Bill: 42.17A.005, 42.62.010, 42.17A.001, 42.17A.010, 42.17A.020, 42.17A.055, 42.17A.060, 42.17A.065, 42.17A.100, 42.17A.105, 42.17A.110, 42.17A.120, 42.17A.125, 42.17A.135, 42.17A.140, 42.17A.145, 42.17A.150, 42.17A.160, 42.17A.200, 42.17A.205, 42.17A.207, 42.17A.210, 42.17A.215, 42.17A.220, 42.17A.225, 42.17A.230, 42.17A.235, 42.17A.240, 42.17A.250, 42.17A.255, 42.17A.260, 42.17A.265, 42.17A.270, 42.17A.300, 42.17A.305, 42.17A.310, 42.17A.320, 42.17A.330, 42.17A.335, 42.17A.340, 42.17A.345, 42.17A.350, 42.17A.400, 42.17A.405, 42.17A.410, 42.17A.417, 42.17A.418, 42.17A.420, 42.17A.425, 42.17A.430, 42.17A.435, 42.17A.440, 42.17A.442, 42.17A.445, 42.17A.450, 42.17A.455, 42.17A.460, 42.17A.465, 42.17A.470, 42.17A.475, 42.17A.480, 42.17A.485, 42.17A.490, 42.17A.495, 42.17A.500, 42.17A.550, 42.17A.555, 43.07.370, 42.17A.570, 42.17A.575, 42.17A.603, 42.17A.610, 42.17A.615, 42.17A.620, 42.17A.625, 42.17A.630, 42.17A.640, 42.17A.645, 42.17A.650, 42.17A.655, 42.17A.700, 42.17A.705, 42.17A.710, 42.17A.715, 42.17A.750, 42.17A.755, 42.17A.760, 42.17A.765, 42.17A.770, 42.17A.775, 42.17A.780, 42.17A.785, 42.62.040, 15.89.070, 19.09.020, 19.09.075, 28B.15.610, 28B.133.030, 42.17A.560, 29A.84.250, 9A.20.021, 35.21.759, 36.70A.200, 36.70A.280, 42.52.150, 42.52.180, 42.52.185, 42.52.380, 42.52.560, 42.52.806, 43.08.800, 43.17.320, 43.52A.030, 43.60A.175, 43.166.030, 43.167.020, 43.384.060, 44.05.020, 44.05.080, 36.32.054, 68.52.220, 70A.02.120, 79A.25.830, 82.04.759
Substitute Bill: 42.17A.005, 42.62.010, 42.17A.001, 42.17A.010, 42.17A.020, 42.17A.055, 42.17A.060, 42.17A.065, 42.17A.100, 42.17A.105, 42.17A.110, 42.17A.120, 42.17A.125, 42.17A.135, 42.17A.140, 42.17A.145, 42.17A.150, 42.17A.160, 42.17A.200, 42.17A.205, 42.17A.207, 42.17A.210, 42.17A.215, 42.17A.220, 42.17A.225, 42.17A.230, 42.17A.235, 42.17A.240, 42.17A.250, 42.17A.255, 42.17A.260, 42.17A.265, 42.17A.270, 42.17A.300, 42.17A.305, 42.17A.310, 42.17A.320, 42.17A.330, 42.17A.335, 42.17A.340, 42.17A.345, 42.17A.350, 42.17A.400, 42.17A.405, 42.17A.410, 42.17A.417, 42.17A.418, 42.17A.420, 42.17A.425, 42.17A.430, 42.17A.435, 42.17A.440, 42.17A.442, 42.17A.445, 42.17A.450, 42.17A.455, 42.17A.460, 42.17A.465, 42.17A.470, 42.17A.475, 42.17A.480, 42.17A.485, 42.17A.490, 42.17A.495, 42.17A.500, 42.17A.550, 42.17A.555, 43.07.370, 42.17A.570, 42.17A.575, 42.17A.603, 42.17A.610, 42.17A.615, 42.17A.620, 42.17A.625, 42.17A.630, 42.17A.640, 42.17A.645, 42.17A.650, 42.17A.655, 42.17A.700, 42.17A.705, 42.17A.710, 42.17A.715, 42.17A.750, 42.17A.755, 42.17A.760, 42.17A.765, 42.17A.770, 42.17A.775, 42.17A.780, 42.17A.785, 42.62.040, 15.89.070, 19.09.020, 19.09.075, 28B.15.610, 28B.133.030, 42.17A.560, 29A.84.250, 9A.20.021, 35.21.759, 36.70A.200, 36.70A.280, 42.52.150, 42.52.180, 42.52.185, 42.52.380, 42.52.560, 42.52.806, 43.08.800, 43.17.320, 43.52A.030, 43.60A.175, 43.166.030, 43.167.020, 43.384.060, 44.05.020, 44.05.080, 36.32.054, 68.52.220, 70A.02.120, 79A.25.830, 82.04.759
Bill as Passed Legislature: 42.17A.005, 42.62.010, 42.17A.001, 42.17A.010, 42.17A.020, 42.17A.055, 42.17A.060, 42.17A.065, 42.17A.100, 42.17A.105, 42.17A.110, 42.17A.120, 42.17A.125, 42.17A.135, 42.17A.140, 42.17A.145, 42.17A.150, 42.17A.160, 42.17A.200, 42.17A.205, 42.17A.207, 42.17A.210, 42.17A.215, 42.17A.220, 42.17A.225, 42.17A.230, 42.17A.235, 42.17A.240, 42.17A.250, 42.17A.255, 42.17A.260, 42.17A.265, 42.17A.270, 42.17A.300, 42.17A.305, 42.17A.310, 42.17A.320, 42.17A.330, 42.17A.335, 42.17A.340, 42.17A.345, 42.17A.350, 42.17A.400, 42.17A.405, 42.17A.410, 42.17A.417, 42.17A.418, 42.17A.420, 42.17A.425, 42.17A.430, 42.17A.435, 42.17A.440, 42.17A.442, 42.17A.445, 42.17A.450, 42.17A.455, 42.17A.460, 42.17A.465, 42.17A.470, 42.17A.475, 42.17A.480, 42.17A.485, 42.17A.490, 42.17A.495, 42.17A.500, 42.17A.550, 42.17A.555, 43.07.370, 42.17A.570, 42.17A.575, 42.17A.603, 42.17A.610, 42.17A.615, 42.17A.620, 42.17A.625, 42.17A.630, 42.17A.640, 42.17A.645, 42.17A.650, 42.17A.655, 42.17A.700, 42.17A.705, 42.17A.710, 42.17A.715, 42.17A.750, 42.17A.755, 42.17A.760, 42.17A.765, 42.17A.770, 42.17A.775, 42.17A.780, 42.17A.785, 42.62.040, 15.89.070, 19.09.020, 19.09.075, 28B.15.610, 28B.133.030, 42.17A.560, 29A.84.250, 9A.20.021, 35.21.759, 36.70A.200, 36.70A.280, 42.52.150, 42.52.180, 42.52.185, 42.52.380, 42.52.560, 42.52.806, 43.08.800, 43.17.320, 43.52A.030, 43.60A.175, 43.166.030, 43.167.020, 43.384.060, 44.05.020, 44.05.080, 36.32.054, 68.52.220, 70A.02.120, 79A.25.830, 82.04.759
Session Law: 42.17A.005, 42.62.010, 42.17A.001, 42.17A.010, 42.17A.020, 42.17A.055, 42.17A.060, 42.17A.065, 42.17A.100, 42.17A.105, 42.17A.110, 42.17A.120, 42.17A.125, 42.17A.135, 42.17A.140, 42.17A.145, 42.17A.150, 42.17A.160, 42.17A.200, 42.17A.205, 42.17A.207, 42.17A.210, 42.17A.215, 42.17A.220, 42.17A.225, 42.17A.230, 42.17A.235, 42.17A.240, 42.17A.250, 42.17A.255, 42.17A.260, 42.17A.265, 42.17A.270, 42.17A.300, 42.17A.305, 42.17A.310, 42.17A.320, 42.17A.330, 42.17A.335, 42.17A.340, 42.17A.345, 42.17A.350, 42.17A.400, 42.17A.405, 42.17A.410, 42.17A.417, 42.17A.418, 42.17A.420, 42.17A.425, 42.17A.430, 42.17A.435, 42.17A.440, 42.17A.442, 42.17A.445, 42.17A.450, 42.17A.455, 42.17A.460, 42.17A.465, 42.17A.470, 42.17A.475, 42.17A.480, 42.17A.485, 42.17A.490, 42.17A.495, 42.17A.500, 42.17A.550, 42.17A.555, 43.07.370, 42.17A.570, 42.17A.575, 42.17A.603, 42.17A.610, 42.17A.615, 42.17A.620, 42.17A.625, 42.17A.630, 42.17A.640, 42.17A.645, 42.17A.650, 42.17A.655, 42.17A.700, 42.17A.705, 42.17A.710, 42.17A.715, 42.17A.750, 42.17A.755, 42.17A.760, 42.17A.765, 42.17A.770, 42.17A.775, 42.17A.780, 42.17A.785, 42.62.040, 15.89.070, 19.09.020, 19.09.075, 28B.15.610, 28B.133.030, 42.17A.560, 29A.84.250, 9A.20.021, 35.21.759, 36.70A.200, 36.70A.280, 42.52.150, 42.52.180, 42.52.185, 42.52.380, 42.52.560, 42.52.806, 43.08.800, 43.17.320, 43.52A.030, 43.60A.175, 43.166.030, 43.167.020, 43.384.060, 44.05.020, 44.05.080, 36.32.054, 68.52.220, 70A.02.120, 79A.25.830, 82.04.759