Public Disclosure Commission

711 Capital Way, Room 206 | Olympia, Washington 98504

Note: All times shown for consideration of agenda items (other than time of convening) are approximate and may vary, depending on the amount of discussion required for each.

9:30 AM - I. Citizen Comments/Concerns

Presenter - Chair Degginger

9:30 AM - II. Commissioner Comments/Concerns

Presenter - Chair Degginger

9:30 - III. Minutes

Approval of:

· Regular meeting minutes of October 23, 2014

Presenter - Chair Degginger

9:35 AM - IV. Rule Making
  1. Public hearing and possible adoption:
    • Disclosing Lobbying Expenditures/Legislative Receptions:
      • WAC 390-20-020 Forms for lobbyist report of expenditures
      • WAC 390-20-020A L-2 reporting guide for entertainment
    • Personal Financial Affairs Disclosure/inflationary adjustments to dollar amounts
      • WAC 390-16-071 Annual report of major contributors and persons making independent expenditures
      • WAC 390-20-110 Forms for lobbyist employers report
      • WAC 390-24-010 Forms for statement of financial affairs
      • WAC 390-24-020 Forms for amending statement of financial affairs
      • WAC 390-20-110 Forms for compensation from sales commission
      • WAC 390-24-301 Changes in dollar amounts of reporting thresholds and value codes
    • Personal Financial Affairs/Defining “officer”
      • WAC 390-24-150 Definition - Officer

Presenter - Lori Anderson

9:50 AM - IV .Rule Making

2. Preliminary discussion –Applying Limits to Contributions Made to Affiliated Committees and Necessary Updates to 1994 Policy Statement.

Presenter - Lori Anderson

10:10 AM - V. Commissioner Training
  • Lobbyist & Lobbyist employer registration
  • Public agency lobbying

Presenter - Chip Beatty, Tony Perkins

10:35 AM - Legislative/Budget Update

Presenter - Andrea McNamara Doyle

10:45 AM - Break
10:55 AM - VII. 2014 Election
  • Preliminary highlights summary of contribution and expenditures
  • General overview of complaints received during election cycle

Presenter - Guest Panel, Tony Perkins

11:40 AM - VIII. Staff Reports
  • Executive Director
  • Chief Information Officer
  • Compliance and Enforcement
  • Communications and Outreach

Presenter - Andrea McNamara Doyle, James Gutholm, Phil Stutzman, Lori Anderson

11:55 AM - IX. 2015 Commission Meeting Schedule

Presenter - Andrea McNamara Doyle

12:00 PM - Executive Session/Working Lunch

Discussion of pending and potential litigation with legal counsel. Possible action regarding pending litigation following the executive session.

1:00 PM - X. Enforcement
  1. National Association of Realtors Fund, Case No. 14-009 involving alleged violations of RCW 42.17A.260 and RCW 42.17A.305 by failing to timely file C-6 reports of Electioneering Communications and Independent Expenditure Political Advertising for direct mail advertising and related polling and consulting expenses, advocacy phone calls, and online advertising for candidates in the 2013 general election, totaling $125,100.
  2. Lucy DeYoung and Ethical Woodinville, Case No. 14-008 involving alleged violations of RCW 42.17A.305 for failing to timely report electioneering communications and Independent Expenditure Political Advertising for direct mail advertising and related advocacy phone calls; RCW 42.17A.320 for failing to include proper sponsor identification on the electioneering communications and Independent Expenditure Political Advertising; and RCW 42.17A.435 for concealing the identity of the source of funds of the sponsor of the electioneering communications and Independent Expenditure

Presenter - Phil Stutzman

1:30 PM - XI. Farewell to Commissioner Turner
1:35 PM - Adjourn

The Commission may deliberate in closed session on any enforcement matter on this agenda, or any matters listed in RCW 42.30.140.

Meeting Summary

Grant Degginger, Chair
Katrina Asay, Vice Chair
Amit Rande, Member
Kathy Turner, Member

Farewell to Commissioner Turner 

Commissioner Kathy Turner, whose term ends December 31, attended her final meeting.  Other Commission members wished her well and expressed their appreciation her for her service.

Chair Degginger announced new commissioner appointments, John Bridges (effective December 8) succeeding Barry Sehlin and Anne Levinson (effective January 1) succeeding Kathy Turner.

Enforcement 

The Commission accepted Lucy DeYoung’s stipulation that she violated campaign finance disclosure laws by concealing her identity as the sponsor of political advertising opposing 2013 Woodinville City Council candidate Bernie Talmas.  DeYoung also failed to timely disclose spending $14,973 for the advertisements, which consisted of automated phone calls and direct mail postcards.  DeYoung agreed to a $40,000 penalty, of which $10,000 is suspended with terms.   

A stipulation of violation was also accepted from the National Association of Realtors Fund admitting its failure to timely disclose independent expenditures totaling $125,100.  The independent expenditures were for direct mail, advocacy phone calls, online advertising and related expenses supporting eight local candidates in 2013.  The stipulation imposes a $10,000 penalty, suspending $7,500 with terms.

Rule Making

Disclosing Lobbying Expenditures for Legislative Receptions

The Commission adopted rules that will relieve lobbyists from disclosing a per-person cost when reporting expenditures for certain legislative receptions and officials who attend these events from reporting food & beverage costs on their personal financial affairs statements.  The rules take effect in early January and are:

·         WAC 390-20-020 Forms for lobbyist report of expenditures,

·         WAC 390-20-020A L-2 Reporting Guide, and

·         WAC 390-24-010 Forms for statement of financial affairs.

Personal Financial Affairs/Inflationary Adjustments to Dollar Amounts

Inflationary adjustments to the dollar thresholds and dollar range code values were made through rule making.  The Commission also adopted a new rule defining “officer” for the purpose of personal financial disclosure.  These rules also take effect in early January and are:

  • WAC 390-16-071 Annual report of major contributors and persons making independent expenditures,
  • WAC 390-20-110 Forms for lobbyist employers report,
  • WAC 390-24-010 Forms for statement of financial affairs,
  • WAC 399-24-010 Forms for amending statement of financial affairs,
  • WAC 390-20-110 Forms for compensation from sales commission,
  • WAC 390-24-301 Changes in dollar amounts of reporting thresholds and value codes, and

WAC 390-24-150 Definition – Officer.

The Commission meeting materials can be found at www.pdc.wa.gov under Commission Meetings. For additional information concerning these issues contact Lori Anderson, Communications & Training Officer, at (360) 664-2737, toll free 1-877-601-2828 or e-mail at landerson@pdc.wa.gov.

The next regular meeting of the Public Disclosure Commission is tentatively scheduled for January 22, 2015.

Meeting Minutes