Washington State

Office of the Attorney General

Attorney General

Bob Ferguson

AGO 1961 NO. 46 >

The Washington public service commission has the authority to adopt and enforce rules and regulations relating to the safety of operations of motor freight carriers and auto transportation companies including the regulation of vehicle equipment and driver qualifications if such regulations are not in conflict with those of the state commission on equipment or the provisions of chapter 46.37 RCW.

AGO 1959 NO. 63 >

(1)  The Washington Public Service Commission would not lose its jurisdiction to regulate common carriage by dump truck, if it published its tariff to erroneously designate the tariff rate for such transportation as "wages" and "rental."(2)  The Washington Public Service Commission is without legal authority to publish a tariff which does not constitute a statement of fair, just and reasonable rates for a described transportation service.

AGO 1961 NO. 67 >

(1) RCW 59.18.270 does not require a landlord to maintain separate account for each tenant's security deposit; accordingly, the landlord may maintain a single account for the security deposits of all his tenants.  (2) If interest is earned through the investment of a tenant's security deposit, that interest belongs to the tenant.  (3) Interest earned on a tenant's security deposit may be retained by the landlord as a part of his rental charges for the premises involved if express provision to that effect is included in the rental agreement.

AGO 1955 NO. 103 >

Chapter 165, Laws of 1955, does not require the Washington Public Service Commission to perform safety inspections of the logging and industrial railroads.