Section 390-16-049. Out-of-state political committees—Implementation of RCW 42.17A.250.

(1) RCW 42.17A.250 governs campaign reporting in Washington state by committees located outside of Washington. The statute directs that an out-of-state political committee organized for the purpose of supporting or opposing candidates or ballot propositions in another state (and that is not otherwise required to report as an in-state committee) reports the information listed in RCW 42.17A.250 on a C5 form (WAC 390-16-050). The committee begins reporting on a C5 form when it makes an expenditure supporting or opposing a Washington state candidate or political committee.

(2) To file as an out-of-state political committee, all the criteria in (a) and (b) of this subsection must be satisfied:

(a) Out-of-state. First, the committee must be located out-of-state. It must be maintaining its office or headquarters in another U.S. state or the District of Columbia, and has no office, street address or corporate registered agent in Washington state. If there is no office or headquarters in another state or the District of Columbia, and no corporate registered agent in Washington state, the political committee is deemed out-of-state if its treasurer resides in another U.S. state or the District of Columbia.

(b) Organizational purpose and campaign activities. Second, the committee must also be currently organized primarily for engaging in campaign activities in another state. Therefore, to qualify as a current out-of-state committee, the committee must also:

(i) Be currently registered and actively filing campaign disclosure reports in one or more other states and has been so filing for the preceding two years; and

(ii) Have organizational documents showing it was originally formed and is currently organized for the purpose of making expenditures in another state or soliciting contributions for use in another state's election campaigns; and

(iii) Have spent less than twenty percent of its aggregate expenditures for all political campaign activity nationwide at any point in any calendar year to support and/or oppose Washington candidates for state, local and judicial office, Washington ballot measures and/or Washington political committees.

(3) A committee that does not satisfy the criteria in subsection (2) of this section shall file as an in-state committee under chapter 42.17A RCW, including RCW 42.17A.205 through 42.17A.240.

(4) Out-of-state political committees reporting under RCW 42.17A.250 are also subject to reporting pursuant to RCW 42.17A.260 (political advertising independent expenditures) and RCW 42.17A.305 through 42.17A.315 (electioneering communications).

[Statutory Authority: RCW 42.17A.110. WSR 12-03-002, § 390-16-049, filed 1/4/12, effective 2/4/12. Statutory Authority: RCW 42.17.370(1). WSR 09-19-003 and 09-19-102, § 390-16-049, filed 9/2/09 and 9/21/09, effective 10/3/09 and 11/4/09.]

RCW 42.17A.110. WSR 12-03-002, § 390-16-049, filed 1/4/12, effective 2/4/12. Statutory Authority: RCW 42.17.370(1). WSR 09-19-003 and 09-19-102, § 390-16-049, filed 9/2/09 and 9/21/09, effective 10/3/09 and 11/4/09.

Rules

390-16-050,