Washington State

Office of the Attorney General

Attorney General

Bob Ferguson

AGO 1961 NO. 21 >

Agent vendors appointed by the liquor control board under the authority of RCW 66.08.050 (2) are covered by the provisions of the state civil service law.

AGLO 1977 NO. 21 >

(1) In the event that a county assessor has utilized one or more leases of comparable lands to establish the "net cash rental" for certain farm and agricultural land under RCW 84.34.065, those leases (or copies), if retained in his custody, constitute "public records" under the public disclosure law (chapter 42.17 RCW); accordingly, the owner of such land will be governed by the provisions of that law in seeking to require the assessor to permit inspection of the contents of those documents.

(2) If, however a petition for review under chapter 84.48 RCW has been filed, such a landowner may utilize the provisions of RCW 84.48.150 to obtain the same material or information from the assessor.

AGO 1992 NO. 21 >

1.  RCW 54.12.080(4) provides that any public utility district providing group insurance for its employees may provide its commissioners with the same insurance coverage.  In this circumstance, public utility district commissioners may receive insurance as part of their compensation. 2.  Article 2, section 25 (amend. 35) of the Washington Constitution provides that the compensation of a public officer shall not be increased during his or her term of office.  Article 30, section 1 of the Washington Constitution permits mid-term compensation increases only for public officers who do not fix their own compensation. Accordingly, public utility districts may decide to purchase life insurance policies for their commissioners, but may not actually provide the policies until the next terms of the respective commissioners' offices begin.

AGO 1987 NO. 21 >

A member of a board of county commissioners (which county is within the joint legislative district) is not eligible to be nominated by a state central committee to fill a legislative vacancy from a joint legislative district.

AGO 1963 NO. 21 >

The civil defense office and the health office of Lincoln county may be located at a place other than the county seat.

AGLO 1975 NO. 21 >

Those state senators elected in 1972 for four-year terms ending in January, 1977, will not be eligible to receive the pay increases provided for by Initiative No. 282 until the commencement of their next ensuing terms of office in 1977.

AGO 1968 NO. 21 >

(1) RCW 36.18.020 (1), as amended by § 9, chapter 26, Laws of 1967, does not apply retroactively; therefore, the additional $1.00 fee collectible in divorce, annulment or separate maintenance actions under the provisions of this 1967 amendment can be collected only in those cases that have been filed subsequent to January 1, 1968 (the effective date of the act). (2) The additional $1.00 fee provided by § 9, chapter 26, Laws of 1967, must be collected in the case of every divorce, annulment or separate maintenance filed subsequent to January 1, 1968. (3) Where a county clerk collects an additional $1.00 filing fee provided by § 9, chapter 26, Laws of 1967, and the divorce, annulment or separate maintenance action is not consummated by a court decree, the clerk is without authority to refund any portion of the filing fee.

AGO 1977 NO. 22 >

The provisions of RCW 36.24.130 and 36.24.140 do not authorize a county to probate the estate of the person who has died without heirs or to place to the credit of the county other assets of the decedent except ". . . money or other property which may be found upon the dead body . . ." 

AGO 1983 NO. 22 >

A public utility district may annex adjacent territory located in a county other than that in which the district was created where such adjacent territory is not situated within the boundaries of another public utility district.

AGO 1976 NO. 22 >

(1) A person who, on January 1, 1977, is serving in one of the appointive positions covered by RCW 42.17.240, as amended by Referendum No. 36, will be required to file a financial disclosure report pursuant to that statute even though such person resigns from his office at sometime between that date and January 31, 1977.  (2) Such financial disclosure reports as are first required to be filed by persons holding appointive offices under RCW 42.17.240, as amended, during January, 1977, will not be required to include otherwise reportable transactions occurring before the effective date (December 2, 1976) of Referendum Bill No. 36.