Washington State

Office of the Attorney General

Attorney General

Bob Ferguson

AGO 1977 NO. 19 >

Impose a reasonable franchise fee in return for the granting of a franchise to cable television company, and likewise, may also impose similarly reasonable fees for the various other kinds of franchises which are authorized to be granted by RCW 36.55.010.

AGO 1953 NO. 88 >

The Washington State Highway Commission cannot be compelled to grant franchises under RCW 47.44 or 47.52 except by a court of competent jurisdiction, and then only upon a showing that the refusal to grant a franchise was occasioned by fraud or manifest abuse of discretion.

AGO 1966 NO. 111 >

Where the commissioner of public lands, pursuant to RCW 79.01.340, has granted a right of way across public lands to the state highway department, or to a board of county commissioners, for the establishment and construction of a road or street, and has received legally required compensation therefor, the right of way grantee may, in turn, grant a franchise to a public utility for power lines, telephone and telegraph lines, gas lines, water mains, or sewer lines without the payment of additional compensation to the commissioner.