Construction—Severability.
(1) This compact and the commission's rule-making authority shall be liberally construed so as to effectuate the purposes, and the implementation and administration, of the compact. Provisions of the compact expressly authorizing or requiring the promulgation of rules shall not be construed to limit the commission's rule-making authority solely for those purposes.
(2) The provisions of this compact shall be severable and if any phrase, clause, sentence, or provision of this compact is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be contrary to the constitution of any participating state, a state seeking participation in the compact, or of the United States, or the applicability thereof to any government, agency, person, or circumstance is held to be unconstitutional by a court of competent jurisdiction, the validity of the remainder of this compact and the applicability thereof to any other government, agency, person, or circumstance shall not be affected thereby.
(3) Notwithstanding subsection (2) of this section, the commission may deny a state's participation in the compact or, in accordance with the requirements of RCW 18.33.090(2), terminate a participating state's participation in the compact, if it determines that a constitutional requirement of a participating state is a material departure from the compact. Otherwise, if this compact shall be held to be contrary to the constitution of any participating state, the compact shall remain in full force and effect as to the remaining participating states and in full force and effect as to the participating state affected as to all severable matters.
[ 2023 c 297 s 12.]