Campaign reporting timeline

AN ACT Relating to amending the timeline for reporting campaign 1
contributions and expenditures; amending RCW 42.17A.235 and 2
29B.25.090; providing an effective date; and providing an expiration 3
date. 4
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:5
Sec. 1. RCW 42.17A.235 and 2019 c 428 s 20 are each amended to 6
read as follows: 7
(1)(a) In addition to the information required under RCW 8
42.17A.205 and 42.17A.210, each candidate or political committee must 9
file with the commission a report of all contributions received and 10
expenditures made as a political committee on the next reporting date 11
pursuant to the timeline established in this section.12
(b) In addition to the information required under RCW 42.17A.207 13
and 42.17A.210, on the day an incidental committee files a statement 14
of organization with the commission, each incidental committee must 15
file with the commission a report of any election campaign 16
expenditures under RCW 42.17A.240(((6))) (7), as well as the source 17
of the ten largest cumulative payments of ten thousand dollars or 18
greater it received in the current calendar year from a single 19
person, including any persons tied as the tenth largest source of 20
payments it received, if any. 21
H-0949.1
HOUSE BILL 1782
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Representatives Marshall, Barkis, Dufault, and Pollet
Read first time 02/03/25. Referred to Committee on State Government
& Tribal Relations.
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(2) Each treasurer of a candidate or political committee, or an 1
incidental committee, required to file a statement of organization 2
under this chapter, shall file with the commission a report, for each 3
election in which a candidate, political committee, or incidental 4
committee is participating, containing the information required by 5
RCW 42.17A.240 at the following intervals: 6
(a) On the ((twenty-first)) 20th day and the ((seventh)) sixth 7
day immediately preceding the date on which the election is held; and8
(b) On the tenth day of the first full month after the election.9
(3)(a) Each treasurer of a candidate or political committee shall 10
file with the commission a report on the tenth day of each month 11
during which the candidate or political committee is not 12
participating in an election campaign, only if the committee has 13
received a contribution or made an expenditure in the preceding 14
calendar month and either the total contributions received or total 15
expenditures made since the last such report exceed two hundred 16
dollars. 17
(b) Each incidental committee shall file with the commission a 18
report on the tenth day of each month during which the incidental 19
committee is not otherwise required to report under this section only 20
if the committee has: 21
(i) Received a payment that would change the information required 22
under RCW 42.17A.240(2)(d) as included in its last report; or23
(ii) Made any election campaign expenditure reportable under RCW 24
42.17A.240(((6))) (7) since its last report, and the total election 25
campaign expenditures made since the last report exceed two hundred 26
dollars. 27
(4) The report filed ((twenty-one)) 20 days before the election 28
shall report all contributions received and expenditures made as of 29
the end of ((one)) two business days before the date of the report. 30
The report filed ((seven)) six days before the election shall report 31
all contributions received and expenditures made as of the end of 32
((one)) two business day s before the date of the report. Reports 33
filed on the tenth day of the month shall report all contributions 34
received and expenditures made from the closing date of the last 35
report filed through the last day of the month preceding the date of 36
the current report. 37
(5) For the period beginning the first day of the fourth month 38
preceding the date of the special election, or for the period 39
beginning the first day of the fifth month before the date of the 40
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general election, and ending on the date of that special or general 1
election, each Monday the treasurer for a candidate or a political 2
committee shall file with the commission a report of each bank 3
deposit made during the previous seven calendar days. The report 4
shall contain the name of each person contributing the funds and the 5
amount contributed by each person. However, persons who contribute no 6
more than twenty-five dollars in the aggregate are not required to be 7
identified in the report. A copy of the report shall be retained by 8
the treasurer for the treasurer's records. In the event of deposits 9
made by candidates, political committee members, or paid staff other 10
than the treasurer, the copy shall be immediately provided to the 11
treasurer for the treasurer's records. Each report shall be certified 12
as correct by the treasurer. 13
(6)(a) The treasurer for a candidate or a political committee 14
shall maintain books of account accurately reflecting all 15
contributions and expenditures on a current basis within five 16
business days of receipt or expenditure. During the ten calendar days 17
immediately preceding the date of the election the books of account 18
shall be kept current within one business day. As specified in the 19
political committee's statement of organization filed under RCW 20
42.17A.205, the books of account must be open for public inspection 21
by appointment at a place agreed upon by both the treasurer and the 22
requestor, for inspections between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on any day 23
from the tenth calendar day immediately before the election through 24
the day immediately before the election, other than Saturday, Sunday, 25
or a legal holiday. It is a violation of this chapter for a candidate 26
or political committee to refuse to allow and keep an appointment for 27
an inspection to be conducted during these authorized times and days. 28
The appointment must be allowed at an authorized time and day for 29
such inspections that is within forty-eight hours of the time and day 30
that is requested for the inspection. The treasurer may provide 31
digital access or copies of the books of account in lieu of 32
scheduling an appointment at a designated place for inspection. If 33
the treasurer and requestor are unable to agree on a location and the 34
treasurer has not provided digital access to the books of account, 35
the default location for an appointment shall be a place of public 36
accommodation selected by the treasurer within a reasonable distance 37
from the treasurer's office. 38
(b) At the time of making the appointment, a person wishing to 39
inspect the books of account must provide the treasurer the name and 40
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telephone number of the person wishing to inspect the books of 1
account. The person inspecting the books of account must show photo 2
identification before the inspection begins. 3
(c) A treasurer may refuse to show the books of account to any 4
person who does not make an appointment or provide the required 5
identification. The commission may issue limited rules to modify the 6
requirements set forth in this section in consideration of other 7
technology and best practices. 8
(7) Copies of all reports filed pursuant to this section shall be 9
readily available for public inspection by appointment, pursuant to 10
subsection (6) of this section. 11
(8) The treasurer or candidate shall preserve books of account, 12
bills, receipts, and all other financial records of the campaign or 13
political committee for not less than five calendar years following 14
the year during which the transaction occurred or for any longer 15
period as otherwise required by law. 16
(9) All reports filed pursuant to subsection (1) or (2) of this 17
section shall be certified as correct by the candidate and the 18
treasurer. 19
(10) Where there is not a pending complaint concerning a report, 20
it is not evidence of a violation of this section to submit an 21
amended report within twenty-one days of filing an initial report if:22
(a) The report is accurately amended; 23
(b) The amended report is filed more than thirty days before an 24
election; 25
(c) The total aggregate dollar amount of the adjustment for the 26
amended report is within three times the contribution limit per 27
election or two hundred dollars, whichever is greater; and28
(d) The committee reported all information that was available to 29
it at the time of filing, or made a good faith effort to do so, or if 30
a refund of a contribution or expenditure is being reported.31
(11)(a) When there is no outstanding debt or obligation, the 32
campaign fund is closed, the campaign is concluded in all respects, 33
and the political committee has ceased to function and intends to 34
dissolve, the treasurer shall file a final report. Upon submitting a 35
final report, the political committee so intending to dissolve must 36
file notice of intent to dissolve with the commission and the 37
commission must post the notice on its website. 38
(b) Any political committee may dissolve sixty days after it 39
files its notice to dissolve, only if: 40
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(i) The political committee does not make any expenditures other 1
than those related to the dissolution process or engage in any 2
political activity or any other activities that generate additional 3
reporting requirements under this chapter after filing such notice;4
(ii) No complaint or court action under this chapter is pending 5
against the political committee; and 6
(iii) All penalties assessed by the commission or court order 7
have been paid by the political committee. 8
(c) The political committee must continue to report regularly as 9
required under this chapter until all the conditions under (b) of 10
this subsection are resolved. 11
(d) Upon dissolution, the commission must issue an acknowledgment 12
of dissolution, the duties of the treasurer shall cease, and there 13
shall be no further obligations under this chapter. Dissolution does 14
not absolve the candidate or board of the committee from 15
responsibility for any future obligations resulting from the finding 16
after dissolution of a violation committed prior to dissolution.17
(12) The commission must adopt rules for the dissolution of 18
incidental committees. 19
Sec. 2. RCW 29B.25.090 and 2024 c 164 s 426 are each amended to 20
read as follows: 21
(1)(a) In addition to the information required under RCW 22
29B.25.020 and 29B.25.040, each candidate or political committee must 23
file with the commission a report of all contributions received and 24
expenditures made as a political committee on the next reporting date 25
pursuant to the timeline established in this section.26
(b) In addition to the information required under RCW 29B.25.030 27
and 29B.25.040, on the day an incidental committee files a statement 28
of organization with the commission, each incidental committee must 29
file with the commission a report of any election campaign 30
expenditures under RCW 29B.25.100(7), as well as the source of the 10 31
largest cumulative payments of ten thousand dollars or greater it 32
received in the current calendar year from a single person, including 33
any persons tied as the 10th largest source of payments it received, 34
if any. 35
(2) Each treasurer of a candidate or political committee, or an 36
incidental committee, required to file a statement of organization 37
under this title, shall file with the commission a report, for each 38
election in which a candidate, political committee, or incidental 39
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committee is participating, containing the information required by 1
RCW 29B.25.100 at the following intervals: 2
(a) On the ((21st)) 20th day and the ((seventh)) sixth day 3
immediately preceding the date on which the election is held; and4
(b) On the 10th day of the first full month after the election.5
(3)(a) Each treasurer of a candidate or political committee shall 6
file with the commission a report on the 10th day of each month 7
during which the candidate or political committee is not 8
participating in an election campaign, only if the committee has 9
received a contribution or made an expenditure in the preceding 10
calendar month and either the total contributions received or total 11
expenditures made since the last such report exceed two hundred 12
dollars. 13
(b) Each incidental committee shall file with the commission a 14
report on the 10th day of each month during which the incidental 15
committee is not otherwise required to report under this section only 16
if the committee has: 17
(i) Received a payment that would change the information required 18
under RCW 29B.25.100(2)(d) as included in its last report; or19
(ii) Made any election campaign expenditure reportable under RCW 20
29B.25.100(7) since its last report, and the total election campaign 21
expenditures made since the last report exceed two hundred dollars.22
(4) The report filed ((21)) 20 days before the election shall 23
report all contributions received and expenditures made as of the end 24
of ((one)) two business day s before the date of the report. The 25
report filed ((seven)) six days before the election shall report all 26
contributions received and expenditures made as of the end of ((one)) 27
two business days before the date of the report. Reports filed on the 28
10th day of the month shall report all contributions received and 29
expenditures made from the closing date of the last report filed 30
through the last day of the month preceding the date of the current 31
report. 32
(5) For the period beginning the first day of the fourth month 33
preceding the date of the special election, or for the period 34
beginning the first day of the fifth month before the date of the 35
general election, and ending on the date of that special or general 36
election, each Monday the treasurer for a candidate or a political 37
committee shall file with the commission a report of each bank 38
deposit made during the previous seven calendar days. The report 39
shall contain the name of each person contributing the funds and the 40
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amount contributed by each person. However, persons who contribute no 1
more than twenty-five dollars in the aggregate are not required to be 2
identified in the report. A copy of the report shall be retained by 3
the treasurer for the treasurer's records. In the event of deposits 4
made by candidates, political committee members, or paid staff other 5
than the treasurer, the copy shall be immediately provided to the 6
treasurer for the treasurer's records. Each report shall be certified 7
as correct by the treasurer. 8
(6)(a) The treasurer for a candidate or a political committee 9
shall maintain books of account accurately reflecting all 10
contributions and expenditures on a current basis within five 11
business days of receipt or expenditure. During the 10 calendar days 12
immediately preceding the date of the election the books of account 13
shall be kept current within one business day. As specified in the 14
political committee's statement of organization filed under RCW 15
29B.25.020, the books of account must be open for public inspection 16
by appointment at a place agreed upon by both the treasurer and the 17
requestor, for inspections between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on any day 18
from the 10th calendar day immediately before the election through 19
the day immediately before the election, other than Saturday, Sunday, 20
or a legal holiday. It is a violation of this title for a candidate 21
or political committee to refuse to allow and keep an appointment for 22
an inspection to be conducted during these authorized times and days. 23
The appointment must be allowed at an authorized time and day for 24
such inspections that is within 48 hours of the time and day that is 25
requested for the inspection. The treasurer may provide digital 26
access or copies of the books of account in lieu of scheduling an 27
appointment at a designated place for inspection. If the treasurer 28
and requestor are unable to agree on a location and the treasurer has 29
not provided digital access to the books of account, the default 30
location for an appointment shall be a place of public accommodation 31
selected by the treasurer within a reasonable distance from the 32
treasurer's office. 33
(b) At the time of making the appointment, a person wishing to 34
inspect the books of account must provide the treasurer the name and 35
telephone number of the person wishing to inspect the books of 36
account. The person inspecting the books of account must show photo 37
identification before the inspection begins. 38
(c) A treasurer may refuse to show the books of account to any 39
person who does not make an appointment or provide the required 40
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identification. The commission may issue limited rules to modify the 1
requirements set forth in this section in consideration of other 2
technology and best practices. 3
(7) Copies of all reports filed pursuant to this section shall be 4
readily available for public inspection by appointment, pursuant to 5
subsection (6) of this section. 6
(8) The treasurer or candidate shall preserve books of account, 7
bills, receipts, and all other financial records of the campaign or 8
political committee for not less than five calendar years following 9
the year during which the transaction occurred or for any longer 10
period as otherwise required by law. 11
(9) All reports filed pursuant to subsection (1) or (2) of this 12
section shall be certified as correct by the candidate and the 13
treasurer. 14
(10) Where there is not a pending complaint concerning a report, 15
it is not evidence of a violation of this section to submit an 16
amended report within 21 days of filing an initial report if:17
(a) The report is accurately amended; 18
(b) The amended report is filed more than 30 days before an 19
election; 20
(c) The total aggregate dollar amount of the adjustment for the 21
amended report is within three times the contribution limit per 22
election or two hundred dollars, whichever is greater; and23
(d) The committee reported all information that was available to 24
it at the time of filing, or made a good faith effort to do so, or if 25
a refund of a contribution or expenditure is being reported.26
(11)(a) When there is no outstanding debt or obligation, the 27
campaign fund is closed, the campaign is concluded in all respects, 28
and the political committee has ceased to function and intends to 29
dissolve, the treasurer shall file a final report. Upon submitting a 30
final report, the political committee so intending to dissolve must 31
file notice of intent to dissolve with the commission and the 32
commission must post the notice on its website. 33
(b) Any political committee may dissolve 60 days after it files 34
its notice to dissolve, only if: 35
(i) The political committee does not make any expenditures other 36
than those related to the dissolution process or engage in any 37
political activity or any other activities that generate additional 38
reporting requirements under this title after filing such notice;39
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(ii) No complaint or court action under this title is pending 1
against the political committee; and 2
(iii) All penalties assessed by the commission or court order 3
have been paid by the political committee. 4
(c) The political committee must continue to report regularly as 5
required under this title until all the conditions under (b) of this 6
subsection are resolved. 7
(d) Upon dissolution, the commission must issue an acknowledgment 8
of dissolution, the duties of the treasurer shall cease, and there 9
shall be no further obligations under this title. Dissolution does 10
not absolve the candidate or board of the committee from 11
responsibility for any future obligations resulting from the finding 12
after dissolution of a violation committed prior to dissolution.13
(12) The commission must adopt rules for the dissolution of 14
incidental committees. 15
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. Section 1 of this act expires January 1, 16
2026.17
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. Section 2 of this act takes effect January 18
1, 2026.19
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