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Chapter 43.126 RCW

Geographic names

RCW Sections

43.126.015Purposes.
43.126.025State board on geographic names created -- Membership -- Chair.
43.126.035Powers and duties.
43.126.045Policies -- Criteria.
43.126.055Adoption of names -- Procedure -- Effect.
43.126.065Meetings -- Rules -- Publication of adopted names.
43.126.075Compensation and travel expenses of members.
43.126.085Naming geographic features without board approval prohibited.

43.126.015
Purposes.

The purposes of this chapter are: To establish a procedure for the retention and formal recognition of existing geographical names; to standardize the procedures for naming or renaming geographical features within the state of Washington; to identify one body as the responsible agency to coordinate this important activity between local, state, and federal agencies; to identify the responsible agency for the purpose of serving the public interest; to avoid the duplication of names for similar features whenever possible; and as far as possible, to retain the significance, spelling, and color of names associated with the early history of Washington.

[1983 c 273 § 1.]

43.126.025
State board on geographic names created — Membership — Chair.

There is hereby created a Washington state board on geographic names composed of:

     (1) The state librarian or a representative;

     (2) The commissioner of public lands or a representative;

     (3) The chair of the Washington state heritage council created by 1983 law; and

     (4) Four members from the general public to be appointed by the commissioner of public lands.

     The commissioner of public lands or his or her representative shall be chair of the board.

     The members of the initial board to be appointed by the commissioner shall be appointed as follows: One member for a one-year term, one member for a two-year term, one member for a three-year term, and one member for a four-year term. Thereafter, each member shall be appointed for a three-year term. Each member of the board shall continue in office until a successor is appointed.

[2009 c 549 § 5174; 1983 c 273 § 2.]



43.126.035
Powers and duties.

It shall be the duty of the Washington state board on geographic names and it shall have the power and authority to:

     (1) Establish the official names for the lakes, mountains, streams, places, towns, and other geographic features within the state and the spellings thereof except when a name is specified by law. For the purposes of this subsection geographic features do not include man-made features or administrative areas such as parks, game reserves, and dams, but shall include man-made lakes;

     (2) Assign names to lakes, mountains, streams, places, towns, and other geographic features in the state for which no single generally accepted name has been in use;

     (3) Cooperate with county commissioners, state departments, and agencies, and with the United States board on geographic names to establish, change and/or determine the appropriate names of the lakes, mountains, streams, places, towns, and other geographic features for the purpose of eliminating, as far as possible, duplication of place names within the state;

     (4) Serve as a state of Washington liaison with the United States board on geographic names;

     (5) Periodically issue a list of names approved by the board.

[1983 c 273 § 3.]



43.126.045
Policies — Criteria.

The board is authorized to establish policies to carry out the purposes of this chapter. In determining the names and spelling of geographic place names within the state of Washington, the board's decisions shall be made only after a careful consideration of all available information relating to such names, including the recommendations of the United States board on geographic names, with which the board shall cooperate.

[1983 c 273 § 4.]



43.126.055
Adoption of names — Procedure — Effect.

Adoption of names by the board shall take place only after consideration at a previous meeting. All board determinations shall be filed with the code reviser and shall be compiled and indexed in the same manner as agency rules under RCW 34.05.210. Determinations by the board shall not be considered a rule under RCW 34.05.010. Whenever the state board on geographic names has given a name to any lake, stream, place, or other geographic feature within the state, that name shall be used in all maps, records, documents, and other publications issued by the state or any of its departments and political subdivisions, and that name shall be the official name of the geographic feature.

[1983 c 273 § 5.]



43.126.065
Meetings — Rules — Publication of adopted names.

(1) The board shall hold at least two meetings each year, and shall hold special meetings as called by the chair or a majority of the board.

     (2) All meetings shall be open to the public.

     (3) Notice of all board meetings shall be as provided in RCW 42.30.080. This notice includes those names to be considered by the board and those names to be adopted by the board.

     (4) Four board members shall constitute a quorum.

     (5) The board shall establish rules for the conduct of its affairs and to carry out the purposes of this chapter.

     (6) The department of natural resources shall furnish secretarial and administrative services and shall serve as custodian of the records.

     (7) All geographic names adopted by the board shall be published in the Washington State Register.

[2009 c 549 § 5175; 1983 c 273 § 6.]

43.126.075
Compensation and travel expenses of members.

Members of the board who are not otherwise public employees shall be compensated in accordance with RCW 43.03.240 and shall be reimbursed for travel expenses as provided in RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060, which shall be paid by the agency that each member represents and, for the four members of the general public, by the department of natural resources.

[1984 c 287 § 88; 1983 c 273 § 7.]

Notes:

     Legislative findings -- Severability -- Effective date -- 1984 c 287: See notes following RCW 43.03.220.



43.126.085
Naming geographic features without board approval prohibited.

A person shall not, in any advertisement or publication, attempt to change local usage or name unnamed geographic features without first obtaining approval of the board.

[1983 c 273 § 8.]