It is the intent of this legislation [act] to improve executive management and control of state publications and reduce state expenditures through: (1) Elimination of reports and publications which are economically or otherwise unjustified; and (2) the simplification and consolidation of other reports and publications.

The terms defined in this section shall have the meanings indicated when used in this chapter.

(1) "Director" means the director of financial management.

(2) "State agency" includes every state office, department, division, bureau, board, commission, committee, higher education institution, community college, and agency of the state and all subordinate subdivisions of such agencies in the executive branch financed in whole or in part from funds held in the state treasury, but does not include the offices of executive officials elected on a statewide basis, agricultural commodity commissions, the legislature, the judiciary, or agencies of the legislative or judicial branches of state government.

(3)(a) "State publication" means publications of state agencies and shall include any annual and biennial reports, any special report required by law, state agency newsletters, periodicals and magazines, and other printed informational material intended for general dissemination to the public or to the legislature.

(b) "State publication" may include such other state agency printed informational material as the director may prescribe by rule or regulation, in the interest of economy and efficiency, after consultation with the governor, the state librarian, and any state agencies affected.

(c) "State publication" does not include:

(i) Business forms, preliminary draft reports, working papers, or copies of testimony and related exhibit material prepared solely for purposes of a presentation to a committee of the state legislature;

(ii) Typewritten correspondence and interoffice memoranda, and staff memoranda and similar material prepared exclusively as testimony or exhibits in any proceeding in the courts of this state, the United States, or before any administrative entity;

(iii) Any notices of intention to adopt rules under RCW 34.05.320;

(iv) Publications relating to a multistate program financed by more than one state or by federal funds or private subscriptions; or

(v) News releases sent exclusively to the news media.

(4) "Print" includes all forms of reproducing multiple copies with the exception of typewritten correspondence and interoffice memoranda.

Effective date—1989 c 175: See note following RCW 34.05.010.

(1) Any annual, biennial, or special report required to be made by any state officer, board, agency, department, commissioner, regents, trustees, or institution to the governor or to the legislature may be typewritten and a copy shall be filed with the governor, or the governor's designee, and the legislature as the law may require. An additional copy shall be filed with the state library as a public record.

(2) The director or the director's designee may selectively review state publications in order to determine if specific state publications are economically and effectively contributing to the accomplishment of state agency program objectives. The director or the director's designee shall provide general guidelines as to the number of copies to be printed for use or distribution by the issuing agency and any public or other distribution under chapter 40.06 RCW as now or hereafter amended, or other applicable directives.

(3) No agency head shall recommend a state publication for printing and distribution, other than those required by law, unless the benefits from the publication and distribution thereof to the citizens and taxpayers of this state clearly exceed the costs of preparation, printing, and distribution.

(4) The director, after consultation with affected agencies, shall prepare and publish guidelines for use by state agencies in determining and evaluating the benefits and costs of current and proposed state publications. All state agencies shall evaluate each new state publication they propose and shall annually evaluate each continuing state publication they produce in accordance with the guidelines published by the director.

(5) The director shall, after consultation with affected state agencies, also provide by general rules and regulations for overall control of the quality of the printing of state publications. Necessary publications are to be prepared and printed in the most economic manner consistent with effectiveness and achievement of program objectives.

(1) The governor or the governor's designee shall take such other action as may be necessary to maximize the economy, efficiency, and effectiveness of state publications and to do so may eliminate, consolidate, or simplify state agency publications.

(2) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed in any way as restricting public access to public records or the public right to copy such records as provided by chapter 42.56 RCW.

Each state agency shall at least once each biennium notify the addressees of each state publication in or with that publication that they may be removed from the mailing list by notifying the originating agency. Mailings required by a state or federal statute, rule, or regulation, those maintained by an institution of higher education for official fund-raising or curriculum offerings, bulk mailings addressed to "occupant" or a similar designation, and paid subscriptions are excluded from the provisions of this paragraph.

All publications shall be distributed or mailed at the lowest available rate.

A state agency may not accept advertising for placement in a state publication unless the advertiser: (1) Has obtained a certificate of registration from the department of revenue under chapter 82.32 RCW; and (2) if the advertiser is not otherwise obligated to collect and remit Washington retail sales tax or use tax, the advertiser either (a) agrees to voluntarily collect and remit the Washington use tax upon all sales to Washington consumers, or (b) agrees to provide to the department of revenue, no less frequently than quarterly, a listing of the names and addresses of Washington customers to whom sales were made. This section does not apply to advertising that does not offer items for sale or to advertising that does not solicit orders for sales.

Effective date—1993 c 74: "This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect July 1, 1993." [ 1993 c 74 s 2.]