The laws of section 1, chapter 26, Laws of 1985 (RCW 15.04.200) provide that agricultural commodity commission shall adopt rules governing hosting expenditures by agricultural commodity commission employees, agents, or commissioners. The rules governing agricultural development or trade relations hosting expenditures for the Washington state potato commission shall be as follows:

(1) Budget approval: Commission expenditures for agricultural development or trade relations hosting shall be pursuant to specific budget items as approved by the commission at annual public hearings on the commission budget.

(2) Officials and agents authorized to make expenditures: Individual commissioners and commission staff shall make agricultural development or trade relations hosting expenditures, or seek reimbursements for those expenditures, only in those instances where the expenditures have been approved by the commission.

(3) Payment and reimbursement. All payments and reimbursements shall be as identified and supported by vouchers to which receipts are attached. Voucher forms will be supplied by the commission, and shall require the following information:

(a) Name and position of each person hosted, provided that in case of a group of twenty-five or more persons, then only the name of the group hosting shall be required;

(b) General purpose of the hosting;

(c) Date of hosting;

(d) To whom payment was or will be made;

(e) Signature of person seeking payment or reimbursement;

(4) The chairman of the commission and/or the executive director or assistant executive director are authorized to approve direct payment or reimbursements submitted in accordance with these rules.

(5) The following persons may be hosted when it is reasonably believed such hosting will cultivate trade relations for the Washington state potato industry, provided that such hosting shall not violate federal or state conflict of interest laws:

(a) Individuals from private business and accompanying interpreter or interpreters;

(b) Foreign government officials and accompanying interpreter or interpreters;

(c) Federal, state, and local officials, provided lodging, meals, and transportation will not be provided when such officials may obtain reimbursement for these expenses from their government employer;

(d) The general public, at meetings and gatherings open to the general public;

(e) Commissioners and employees of the commission when their attendance at meetings, meals, and gatherings at which the persons described in (a) through (d) of this subsection are being hosted will cultivate trade relations for the Washington state potato industry.