(1) Every law enforcement agency in this state or other agency authorized to issue notices of civil infractions shall provide in appropriate form notices of civil infractions which shall be issued in books with notices in quadruplicate and meeting the requirements of this section, or issued by an electronic device capable of producing a printed copy and electronic copies of the citations.

The chief administrative officer of every such agency shall be responsible for the issuance of such books or electronic devices and shall maintain a record of every such book or electronic device and each notice contained therein issued to individual members or employees of the agency and shall require and retain a receipt for every book or electronic device so issued.

(2) Every law enforcement officer or other person upon issuing a notice of civil infraction to an alleged perpetrator of a civil infraction under the laws of this state or of any ordinance of any city or town shall deposit the original or a printed or electronic copy of such notice of civil infraction with a court having competent jurisdiction over the civil infraction, as provided in RCW 7.80.050.

Upon the deposit of the original or a printed or electronic copy of such notice of civil infraction with a court having competent jurisdiction over the civil infraction, the original or copy may be disposed of only as provided in this chapter.

(3) It is unlawful and is official misconduct for any law enforcement officer or other officer or public employee to dispose of a notice of civil infraction or copies thereof or of the record of the issuance of the same in a manner other than as required in this section.

(4) The chief administrative officer of every law enforcement agency or other agency authorized to issue notices of civil infractions shall require the return to him or her of a copy of every notice issued by a person under his or her supervision to an alleged perpetrator of a civil infraction under any law or ordinance and of all copies of every notice which has been spoiled or upon which any entry has been made and not issued to an alleged perpetrator.

Such chief administrative officer shall also maintain or cause to be maintained in connection with every notice issued by a person under his or her supervision a record of the disposition of the charge by the court in which the original or copy of the notice was deposited.

(5) Any person who cancels or solicits the cancellation of any notice of civil infraction, in any manner other than as provided in this section, is guilty of a misdemeanor.

(6) Every record of notices required in this section shall be audited monthly by the appropriate fiscal officer of the government agency to which the law enforcement agency or other agency authorized to issue notices of civil infractions is responsible.

Effective date—2004 c 43: "This act takes effect July 1, 2004." [ 2004 c 43 s 6.]