(1) "Contribution" includes:

(a) A loan, gift, deposit, subscription, forgiveness of indebtedness, donation, advance, pledge, payment, transfer of funds, or anything of value, including personal and professional services for less than full consideration;

(b) An expenditure made by a person in cooperation, consultation, or concert with, or at the request or suggestion of, a candidate, a political or incidental committee, the person or persons named on the candidate's or committee's registration form who direct expenditures on behalf of the candidate or committee, or their agents;

(c) The financing by a person of the dissemination, distribution, or republication, in whole or in part, of broadcast, written, graphic, digital, or other form of political advertising or electioneering communication prepared by a candidate, a political or incidental committee, or its authorized agent;

(d) Sums paid for tickets to fund-raising events such as dinners and parties, except for the actual cost of the consumables furnished at the event.

(2) "Contribution" does not include:

(a) Accrued interest on money deposited in a political or incidental committee's account;

(b) Ordinary home hospitality;

(c) A contribution received by a candidate or political or incidental committee that is returned to the contributor within 10 business days of the date on which it is received by the candidate or political or incidental committee;

(d) A news item, feature, commentary, or editorial in a regularly scheduled news medium that is of interest to the public, that is in a news medium controlled by a person whose business is that news medium, and that is not controlled by a candidate or a political or incidental committee;

(e) An internal political communication primarily limited to the members of or contributors to a political party organization or political or incidental committee, or to the officers, management staff, or stockholders of a corporation or similar enterprise, or to the members of a labor organization or other membership organization;

(f) The rendering of personal services of the sort commonly performed by volunteer campaign workers, or incidental expenses personally incurred by volunteer campaign workers not in excess of $50 personally paid for by the worker. "Volunteer services," for the purposes of this section, means services or labor for which the individual is not compensated by any person;

(g) Messages in the form of reader boards, banners, or yard or window signs displayed on a person's own property or property occupied by a person. However, a facility used for such political advertising for which a rental charge is normally made must be reported as an in-kind contribution and counts toward any applicable contribution limit of the person providing the facility;

(h) Legal or accounting services rendered to or on behalf of:

(i) A political party or caucus political committee if the person paying for the services is the regular employer of the person rendering such services; or

(ii) A candidate or an authorized committee if the person paying for the services is the regular employer of the individual rendering the services and if the services are solely for the purpose of ensuring compliance with state election or public disclosure laws; or

(i) The performance of ministerial functions by a person on behalf of two or more candidates or political or incidental committees either as volunteer services defined in (f) of this subsection or for payment by the candidate or political or incidental committee for whom the services are performed as long as:

(i) The person performs solely ministerial functions;

(ii) A person who is paid by two or more candidates or political or incidental committees is identified by the candidates and political committees on whose behalf services are performed as part of their respective statements of organization under RCW 29B.25.020; and

(iii) The person does not disclose, except as required by law, any information regarding a candidate's or committee's plans, projects, activities, or needs, or regarding a candidate's or committee's contributions or expenditures that is not already publicly available from campaign reports filed with the commission, or otherwise engage in activity that constitutes a contribution under subsection (1)(b) of this section.

A person who performs ministerial functions under this subsection (2)(i) is not considered an agent of the candidate or committee as long as the person has no authority to authorize expenditures or make decisions on behalf of the candidate or committee.

(3) Contributions other than money or its equivalent are deemed to have a monetary value equivalent to the fair market value of the contribution. Services or property or rights furnished at less than their fair market value for the purpose of assisting any candidate or political committee are deemed a contribution. Such a contribution must be reported as an in-kind contribution at its fair market value and counts towards any applicable contribution limit of the provider.

Intent—Construction—Rules remain valid—Effective date—2024 c 164: See notes following RCW 29B.10.010.