Advisory Opinion 06-01
Date
08/17/2006
Number
06-01
Requester
Board’s own motion
Topic
Public Resources - Advocacy on Behalf of 3rd Parties
Issue/Question
When may public resources or the office of a legislator be utilized to assist a third party in a legislative and/or advocacy context?
Summary
When a legislator becomes an advocate for a constituent, public resources and the office of the legislator may be used on behalf of that constituent if a government official or government office is involved or if the constituent is seeking assistance on legislative issues. If either of these two conditions is met, there is a sufficient and tangible legislative nexus to conclude that the advocacy is within the scope of a legislator's employment and/or within his or her official duties. RCW 42.52.070; RCW 42.52.160