Washington State

Office of the Attorney General

Attorney General

Bob Ferguson

AGO 1975 NO. 10 >

A certification, approved by the governor under chapter 80.50 RCW, may authorize the withdrawal of such public waters as are required for use in the operation of a thermal power plant.

AGLO 1981 NO. 10 >

Where, at the request of a new governor, the Senate voluntarily returns the names of those unconfirmed appointees then pending before it, the appointees involved are not thereafter entitled to continue in office until the Governor makes new appointments.

AGO 1981 NO. 10 >

The legislature could, constitutionally, fund the construction of capital projects by the Washington Public Power Supply System through the issuance of state general obligation bonds; however, unless those bonds were to be authorized by the voters pursuant to Article VIII, § 3 of the state constitution, their issuance would be subject to the constitutional debt limitation established in Article VIII, § 1 of the constitution.

AGO 1984 NO. 10 >

Economic development councils created in response to (but not pursuant to) RCW 35A.11.060, RCW 35.21.680 or RCW 36.32.410 are not, themselves, municipal corporations or quasi-corporations for the purposes of audit under RCW 43.09.260; however, the State Auditor would nevertheless have the authority to examine the books and records of an economic development council (or any similarly situated private party) as an extension of his authority to audit those municipal corporations or quasi-municipal corporations which have provided funds to such organizations.

AGLO 1978 NO. 10 >

Because of the provisions of Article VIII, § 4 (Amendment 11) of the Washington State Constitution, the full amount of $375,000 which was appropriated to the State Parks and Recreation Commission by § 15(14), chapter 338, Laws of 1977, 1st Ex.Sess., ". . . for the acquisition of 124 acres adjacent to Dash Point state park . . ." may not be expended for the purchase of a smaller, 75-acre portion of the larger tract.

AGO 1996 NO. 11 >

1. The Enabling Act facilitating the admission of Washington into the union (25 Stat. 676) is a limitation on state legislative authority and requires that federal grant lands be held in trust; exercises of legislative authority over federal grant lands will be tested by fiduciary principles. 2.  Common law trust principles are instructive with respect to the administration of federal trust lands by the State, but the Legislature's management decisions are accorded a deference not granted a private trustee because of the presumption of constitutionality that applies to exercises of state legislative authority. 3.  Federal and state laws of general application (such as the Endangered Species Act) apply to federal grant lands administered by the State. 4.  The State's duties as trustee of federal grant lands run separately to each trust; joint administration is permissible where it serves the interests of each trust, so long as each trust is separately accounted for. 5.  The State must separately account for each federal land grant trust, and maintain separate funds or accounts to that end. 6.  The Legislature may lawfully delegate to the Department of Natural Resources and the Commissioner of Public Lands a role in administering forest lands within the State, including federal grant lands, while simultaneously authorizing the same agency and officer to play a role in regulating such lands. 7.  In its administration of federal trust lands, the Department of Natural Resources is not subject to chapters 11.98, 11.100, 11.106 or 11.110 RCW. 8.  The Department of Natural Resources has the authority to satisfy the requirements of the Endangered Species Act by entering into a long-term management plan, so long as the plan does not violate the Department's common law or statutory duties regarding the federal grant land trusts. 9.  The exercise of discretion by the Department of Natural Resources with respect to administration of federal grant lands will be tested against an abuse of discretion standard; as against a trust beneficiary, principles regarding a trustee's exercise of discretion would apply, while as against a non-beneficiary, principles of administrative law would apply. 

AGO 1961 NO. 11 >

If the International Pacific Salmon Fisheries Commission promulgates a regulation which is contrary to a state regulation which creates a fish preserve and thereby prohibits commercial fishing in the area, the state regulation would be superseded insofar as it applied to Sockeye and Pink Salmon.

AGLO 1982 NO. 11 >

The Washington State Liquor Board may sell, through state liquor stores and agencies, unopened liquor which has been lawfully confiscated by the Board or by other governmental agencies.

AGLO 1979 NO. 11 >

(1) The Board of Prison Terms and Paroles is both authorized and required by RCW 9.95.040 to fix a minimum duration of confinement in the case of a person admitted to a state correctional facility under RCW 36.63.255 while on appeal from a felony conviction. (2) In such a case the Parole Board is further authorized by RCW 9.95.110 to release on parole, without the concurrence of the courts, a person admitted to a state correctional facility under RCW 36.63.255 even though that person's appeal is still pending.

AGO 1986 NO. 11 >

It is not a violation of RCW 41.05.025(2) for the State Employees' Insurance Board (SEIB) to provide employees covered by SEIB plans the option of coverage by a health maintenance organization (HMO) which restricts the availability of the services of licensed podiatrists, dentists, chiropractors, optometrists, osteopaths, physical therapists, psychologists, or registered nurses to those provided either directly through the HMO or upon referral by a primary care physician employed by the HMO.