Washington State

Office of the Attorney General

Attorney General

Bob Ferguson

AGO 2004 NO. 4 >

1.  A county sheriff, as supervisor of the county jail, is required to accept arrestees presented at the jail for booking and housing pending disposition of charges, whether the arrestees are presented by county officers, by state patrol officers, or by other state employees with criminal law enforcement responsibilities.     2.  The county sheriff does not have authority to (1) limit the hours during which the county jail will accept arrestees presented for booking by state officers, or (2) limit the number of arrestees that can be presented during a stated time period.  3.  RCW 43.135.060 does not require the state to reimburse counties for the cost of booking or housing arrestees presented at the county jail by state patrol officers or other state employees, since this practice is neither a “new program” nor an “expansion of an existing program.”

AGO 1994 NO. 8 >

1.  The Washington Citizens' Commission on Salaries for Elected Officials may not decrease the salaries of elected officials during their current terms of office. 2.  If the Washington Citizens' Commission on Salaries for Elected Officials fails to timely adopt a new salary schedule, the last one adopted continues in effect. 3.  The Washington Citizens' Commission on Salaries for Elected Officials may continue to operate lawfully notwithstanding Washington's gain of a ninth representative in Congress after the 1990 census; pending amendatory legislation commission members must be selected from the pre-1990 congressional districts. 4.  A member of the Washington Citizens' Commission may be reappointed to a second term if his or her name is again drawn by lot for the position, or if nominated for a second term pursuant to RCW 43.03.305.

AGO 2003 NO. 12 >

1. The specific campaign finance limitations set forth in RCW 42.17 do not apply to the office of prosecuting attorney, although the related reporting and disclosure requirements do apply to that office.  2. A county prosecuting attorney is subject to campaign finance limitations adopted by a county and generally covering county officers and employees, except to the extent directly in conflict with a state statute.  3. The state ethics law, RCW 42.52, does not apply to the office of prosecuting attorney.

AGO 1953 NO. 19 >

The state may sell timber separate from the land with a valid requirement that it be removed within a period less than five years, regardless of whether the sale is for cash or on a stumpage or scale basis.

AGO 1953 NO. 49 >

1. Persons over 70 are ineligible for state employment in positions which could qualify them as members of the retirement system.  2. Persons over 70 are not rendered ineligible for elective state office by the retirement act.  3. State Auditor should issue warrants in payment of salary of persons over 70 affected by this opinion to the end of May, 1953.