(1) It is the purpose of this section to provide a means whereby all cities and towns may obtain, through a single source, information regarding ordinances of other cities and towns that may be of assistance to them in enacting appropriate local legislation.

(2) For the purposes of this section, (a) "clerk" means the city or town clerk or other person who is lawfully designated to perform the recordkeeping function of that office, and (b) "department" means the department of commerce.

(3) The clerk of every city and town is directed to provide to the department or its designee, promptly after adoption, a copy of each of its regulatory ordinances and such other ordinances or kinds of ordinances as may be described in a list or lists promulgated by the department or its designee from time to time, and may provide such copies without charge. The department may provide that information to the entity with which it contracts for the provision of municipal research and services, in order to provide a pool of information for all cities and towns in the state of Washington.

(4) This section is intended to be directory and not mandatory.

Purpose—Effective date—2010 c 271: See notes following RCW 43.330.005.