(1) Any action under RCW 74.66.040 or 74.66.050 may be brought in the superior court in any county in which the defendant or, in the case of multiple defendants, any one defendant can be found, resides, transacts business, or in which any act proscribed by RCW 74.66.020 occurred. The appropriate court must issue a summons as required by the superior court civil rules and service must occur at any place within the state of Washington.

(2) The superior courts have jurisdiction over any action brought under the laws of any city or county for the recovery of funds paid by a government entity if the action arises from the same transaction or occurrence as an action brought under RCW 74.66.040 or 74.66.050.

(3) With respect to any local government that is named as a coplaintiff with the state in an action brought under RCW 74.66.050, a seal on the action ordered by the court under RCW 74.66.050 does not preclude the attorney general or the person bringing the action from serving the complaint, any other pleadings, or the written disclosure of substantially all material evidence and information possessed by the person bringing the action on the law enforcement authorities that are authorized under the law of the local government to investigate and prosecute the action on behalf of the local government, except that the seal applies to the law enforcement authorities so served to the same extent as the seal applies to other parties in the action.

Intent—Finding—2012 c 241: See note following RCW 74.66.010.