Capitol centennial account

AN ACT Relating to creating the capitol centennial stewardship 1
account and authorizing members of the legislature and statewide 2
elected officials to solicit gifts, grants, and donations to the 3
account; amending RCW 29B.45.020 and 42.52.150; adding a new section 4
to chapter 43.34 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 42.52 RCW; 5
creating new sections; and providing an expiration date.6
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:7
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that, as the 8
Washington state capitol approaches its centennial in 2028, it 9
remains a vital symbol of civic life and an architectural marvel 10
featuring North America's tallest masonry dome. To honor this 11
milestone, strategic public and private investments are essential to 12
preserve its historic integrity while ensuring modern functionality. 13
Funding will support improvements and enhancements that will enable 14
more Washingtonians to access and enjoy this historic building. By 15
supporting these efforts, public and private partners protect a 16
shared heritage, ensuring this "People's House" continues to inspire 17
and serve Washingtonians safely and effectively for another century 18
of democracy and progress.19
S-4229.1
SENATE BILL 6313
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session
By Senators Liias, J. Wilson, and Nobles
Read first time 01/26/26. Referred to Committee on State Government,
Tribal Affairs & Elections.
p. 1 SB 6313
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 43.34 1
RCW to read as follows: 2
(1) The capitol centennial stewardship account is created in the 3
custody of the state treasurer. All receipts from gifts, grants, 4
donations and other sources as provided in subsection (2) of this 5
section must be deposited into the account. Moneys in the account may 6
be spent only after appropriation. Expenditures from the account may 7
only be used for: 8
(a) Remodeling and repairs to the state capitol public and 9
historic facilities as defined in RCW 79.24.710; 10
(b) Interpretive and educational activities; and11
(c) Improvements and activities to enhance public participation 12
in state government. 13
(2) Members of the legislature and statewide elected officials 14
may solicit gifts, grants, and donations from public or private 15
sources that are made for the purposes in subsection (1) of this 16
section. 17
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 42.52 18
RCW to read as follows: 19
When soliciting gifts, grants, or donations for the purposes in 20
section 2 of this act, members of the legislature and statewide 21
elected officials are presumed not to be in violation of the 22
solicitation and receipt of gift provisions of this chapter.23
Sec. 4. RCW 29B.45.020 and 2024 c 164 s 469 are each amended to 24
read as follows: 25
(1) During the period beginning on the thirtieth day before the 26
date a regular legislative session convenes and continuing through 27
the date of final adjournment, and during the period beginning on the 28
date a special legislative session convenes and continuing through 29
the date that session adjourns, no state official or a person 30
employed by or acting on behalf of a state official or state 31
legislator may solicit or accept contributions to a public office 32
fund, to a candidate or authorized committee, or to retire a campaign 33
debt. Contributions received through the mail after the thirtieth day 34
before a regular legislative session may be accepted if the 35
contribution is postmarked prior to the thirtieth day before the 36
session. 37
p. 2 SB 6313
(2) This section does not apply to activities authorized in RCW 1
43.07.370 and, until June 30, 2033, section 2 of this act.2
Sec. 5. RCW 42.52.150 and 2025 c 377 s 10 are each amended to 3
read as follows: 4
(1)(a) Unless the context requires otherwise, the definition of 5
"gift" in this subsection applies throughout this chapter.6
(b) "Gift" means anything of economic value for which no 7
consideration is given. 8
(c) "Gift" does not include the following: 9
(i) Items from family members or friends where it is clear beyond 10
a reasonable doubt that the gift was not made as part of any design 11
to gain or maintain influence in the agency of which the recipient is 12
an officer or employee; 13
(ii) Items related to the outside business of the recipient that 14
are customary and not related to the recipient's performance of 15
official duties; 16
(iii) Items exchanged among officials and employees at a social 17
event hosted or sponsored by a state officer or state employee for 18
coworkers; 19
(iv) Payments by a governmental or nongovernmental entity of 20
reasonable expenses incurred in connection with a speech, 21
presentation, appearance, or trade mission made in an official 22
capacity. As used in this subsection, "reasonable expenses" are 23
limited to travel, lodging, and subsistence expenses incurred the day 24
before through the day after the event; 25
(v) Items a state officer or state employee is authorized by law 26
to accept; 27
(vi) Payment of enrollment and course fees and reasonable travel 28
expenses attributable to attending seminars and educational programs 29
sponsored by a bona fide governmental or nonprofit professional, 30
educational, trade, or charitable association or institution. As used 31
in this subsection, "reasonable expenses" are limited to travel, 32
lodging, and subsistence expenses incurred the day before through the 33
day after the event; 34
(vii) Items returned by the recipient to the donor within 30 days 35
of receipt or donated to a charitable organization within 30 days of 36
receipt; 37
(viii) Campaign contributions reported under Title 29B RCW;38
p. 3 SB 6313
(ix) Discounts available to an individual as a member of an 1
employee group, occupation, or similar broad-based group;2
(x) Awards, prizes, scholarships, or other items provided in 3
recognition of academic or scientific achievement; and4
(xi) Gift cards received by legislative employees in an amount of 5
$25 or less. 6
(2) No state officer or state employee may receive, accept, take, 7
seek, or solicit, directly or indirectly, any thing of economic value 8
as a gift, gratuity, or favor from a person if it could be reasonably 9
expected that the gift, gratuity, or favor would influence the vote, 10
action, or judgment of the officer or employee, or be considered as 11
part of a reward for action or inaction. 12
(3) No state officer or state employee may accept gifts, other 13
than those specified in subsections (4) and (7) of this section, with 14
an aggregate value in excess of $100 from a single source in a 15
calendar year or a single gift from multiple sources with a value in 16
excess of $100. For purposes of this section, "single source" means 17
any person, as defined in RCW 42.52.010, whether acting directly or 18
through any agent or other intermediary, and "single gift" includes 19
any event, item, or group of items used in conjunction with each 20
other or any trip including transportation, lodging, and attendant 21
costs, not excluded from the definition of gift under subsection 22
(1)(c) of this section. The value of gifts given to an officer's or 23
employee's family member or guest shall be attributed to the official 24
or employee for the purpose of determining whether the limit has been 25
exceeded, unless an independent business, family, or social 26
relationship exists between the donor and the family member or guest.27
(4) Except as provided in subsection (6) of this section, the 28
following items are presumed not to influence under subsection (3) of 29
this section, and may be accepted without regard to the limit 30
established by subsection (3) of this section: 31
(a) Unsolicited flowers, plants, and floral arrangements;32
(b) Unsolicited advertising or promotional items of nominal 33
value, such as pens and note pads; 34
(c) Unsolicited tokens or awards of appreciation in the form of a 35
plaque, trophy, desk item, wall memento, or similar item;36
(d) Unsolicited items received by a state officer or state 37
employee for the purpose of evaluation or review, if the officer or 38
employee has no personal beneficial interest in the eventual use or 39
acquisition of the item by the officer's or employee's agency;40
p. 4 SB 6313
(e) Informational material, publications, or subscriptions 1
related to the recipient's performance of official duties;2
(f) Food and beverages consumed at hosted receptions where 3
attendance is related to the state officer's or state employee's 4
official duties; 5
(g) Gifts, grants, conveyances, bequests, and devises of real or 6
personal property, or both, in trust or otherwise accepted and 7
solicited for deposit in the legislative international trade account 8
created in RCW 43.15.050; 9
(h) Gifts, grants, conveyances, bequests, and devises of real or 10
personal property, or both, solicited on behalf of a national or 11
regional legislative association as defined in RCW 42.52.822(2), the 12
2006 official conference of the national lieutenant governors' 13
association, the annual conference of the national association of 14
state treasurers, or a host committee, for the purpose of hosting an 15
official conference under the circumstances specified in RCW 16
42.52.820, section 2, chapter 5, Laws of 2006, RCW 42.52.821, or RCW 17
42.52.822. Anything solicited or accepted may only be received by the 18
national association or host committee and may not be commingled with 19
any funds or accounts that are the property of any person;20
(i) Admission to, and the cost of food and beverages consumed at, 21
events sponsored by or in conjunction with a civic, charitable, 22
governmental, or community organization; 23
(j) Unsolicited gifts from dignitaries from another state or a 24
foreign country that are intended to be personal in nature;25
(k) Gifts, grants, donations, sponsorships, or contributions from 26
any agency or federal or local government agency or program or 27
private source for the purposes of chapter 28B.156 RCW; ((and))28
(l) Unsolicited gifts received by legislative employees from a 29
legislator; and30
(m) Until June 30, 2033, gifts, grants, or donations from public 31
or private sources for the purposes in section 2 of this act.32
(5) The presumption in subsection (4) of this section is 33
rebuttable and may be overcome based on the circumstances surrounding 34
the giving and acceptance of the item. 35
(6) Notwithstanding subsections (4) and (7) of this section, a 36
state officer or state employee of a regulatory agency or of an 37
agency that seeks to acquire goods or services who participates in 38
those regulatory or contractual matters may receive, accept, take, or 39
seek, directly or indirectly, only the following items from a person 40
p. 5 SB 6313
regulated by the agency or from a person who seeks to provide goods 1
or services to the agency: 2
(a) Unsolicited advertising or promotional items of nominal 3
value, such as pens and note pads; 4
(b) Unsolicited tokens or awards of appreciation in the form of a 5
plaque, trophy, desk item, wall memento, or similar item;6
(c) Unsolicited items received by a state officer or state 7
employee for the purpose of evaluation or review, if the officer or 8
employee has no personal interest in the eventual use or acquisition 9
of the item by the officer's or employee's agency;10
(d) Informational material, publications, or subscriptions 11
related to the recipient's performance of official duties;12
(e) Food and beverages consumed at hosted receptions where 13
attendance is related to the state officer's or state employee's 14
official duties; 15
(f) Admission to, and the cost of food and beverages consumed at, 16
events sponsored by or in conjunction with a civic, charitable, 17
governmental, or community organization; and 18
(g) Those items excluded from the definition of gift in 19
subsection (1)(c) of this section except: 20
(i) Payments by a governmental or nongovernmental entity of 21
reasonable expenses incurred in connection with a speech, 22
presentation, appearance, or trade mission made in an official 23
capacity; 24
(ii) Payments for seminars and educational programs sponsored by 25
a bona fide governmental or nonprofit professional, educational, 26
trade, or charitable association or institution; and27
(iii) Flowers, plants, and floral arrangements.28
(7) A state officer or state employee may accept gifts in the 29
form of food and beverage on infrequent occasions in the ordinary 30
course of meals where attendance by the officer or employee is 31
related to the performance of official duties. Gifts in the form of 32
food and beverage that exceed $100 on a single occasion shall be 33
reported as provided in Title 29B RCW. 34
NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. Any residual balance of funds remaining in 35
the capitol centennial stewardship account when section 2 of this act 36
expires shall be transferred by the state treasurer to the capitol 37
furnishings preservation committee account.38
p. 6 SB 6313
NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. Sections 1 through 3 of this act expire 1
June 30, 2033.2
--- END ---
p. 7 SB 6313