RCW 17.04.070 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 04 / Section 070
RCW 17.04.070: Meetings—Qualifications of electors and directors—Elections—Officers—Bonds—Terms of office—Vacancies—Rules and regulations.
Status: in_force

If the board of county commissioners establish such district it shall call a special meeting to be held within such district for the purpose of electing three directors for such district. No person shall be eligible to hold the office of director who is not a qualified elector of the state of Washington and a resident and landowner within such district. Such meeting shall be held not less than thirty nor more than ninety days from the date when such district is established by such board. Notice of such meeting shall be given by the county auditor by publication once a week for three successive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in such district, and by posting such notice for not less than ten days before the date fixed for such meeting in three public places within the boundaries of such district. The notices shall state the object of the meeting and the time and place when the same shall be held. At the time and place fixed for the meeting the county commissioner in whose commissioner district such district is located shall act as chair and call the meeting to order. The chair shall appoint two persons to assist him or her in conducting the election, one of whom shall act as clerk. If such county commissioner be not present the electors of such district then present shall elect a chair of the meeting. Every person who is a landowner within such district and a qualified elector of the state of Washington shall be entitled to vote at such meeting. Any person offering to vote may be challenged by any legally qualified elector of such district, and the chair of such meeting shall thereupon administer to the person challenged an oath in substance as follows: "You do swear (or affirm) that you are a citizen of the United States and a qualified elector of the state of Washington and an owner of land within the boundaries of weed district No. . . . . of . . . . . . county (giving number of district and name of county)." If the challenged person shall take such oath or make such affirmation, he or she shall be entitled to vote; otherwise his or her vote shall not be received. Any person making a false oath, or affirmation, or any person illegally voting at such meeting, shall be punished as provided in the general election laws of the state for illegal voting. The vote shall be by secret ballot, on white paper of uniform size and quality, of such arrangement that when names are written thereon, the same may be folded so as not to disclose the names. The elector shall write the names of three persons that he or she desires as the first directors of such district and shall fold his or her ballot and hand the same to the chair of the meeting who shall deposit it in a ballot box provided for that purpose. The clerk shall thereupon write the name of such person on a list as having voted at such election. After all persons present and entitled to vote have voted, the chair shall declare the election closed, and shall, with the assistance of the clerk and the other person appointed as assistant, proceed to count the ballots. The person receiving the greatest number of votes shall be elected as director for a term ending three years from the first Monday in March following his or her election; the person receiving the second greatest number of votes shall be elected for a term ending two years from the first Monday in March following his or her election, and the person receiving the third greatest number of votes shall be elected for a term ending one year from the first Monday of March following his or her election. Annually thereafter, there shall be held a meeting of the electors of such district on the last Monday in February, except that the directors may, by giving the same notice as is required for the initial meeting, fix an earlier time for the annual meeting on any nonholiday during the months of December, January, or February. At such meeting one director shall be elected to succeed the director whose term will expire on the first Monday in March following. The directors shall call the annual meeting, and shall fix the time and place where the same shall be held and shall give the same notice thereof as provided for the initial meeting. The annual meeting shall be conducted in the same manner as is provided for the initial meeting, and the qualifications of electors at such annual meeting shall be the same as is required for the initial meeting. In conducting directors' elections, the chair may accept nominations from the floor but voting shall not be limited to those nominated. All directors shall hold office for the term for which they are elected, and until their successors are elected and qualified. In case of a vacancy occurring in the office of any director, the county commissioners of the county in which such district is located shall appoint a qualified person to fill the vacancy for the unexpired term. The board of directors shall elect one of its members chair and may appoint a secretary who need not be a member of the board, and who shall be paid such compensation as the board may determine. Each director shall furnish a bond in the sum of one thousand dollars, which may be a surety company bond or property bond approved by the board of county commissioners, which bond shall be filed with the county commissioners and shall be conditioned for the faithful discharge of his or her duties. The cost of such bond shall be paid by the district the same as other expenses of the district. At any annual meeting the method for destroying, preventing, and exterminating weeds of such district as set forth in the petition, and the rules and regulations adopted by such district, may be changed by a majority vote of the qualified electors present at such meeting, or a special meeting may be called for that purpose, notice of which meeting and of such proposed changes to be voted on, shall be given to all landowners residing within the district by mailing a copy of such notice and of such proposed changes to the address of such landowner at least one week before the date fixed for such special meeting. The qualified electors of any weed district, at any annual meeting, may make other weeds that are not on the petition subject to control by the weed district by a two-thirds vote of the electors present: PROVIDED, That said weeds have been classified by the agricultural experiment station of Washington State University as noxious and: PROVIDED FURTHER, That the directors of the weed district give public notice in the manner required for initial meetings of the proposed new control of said weeds by the weed district.
RCW 17.28.252 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 28 / Section 252
RCW 17.28.252: Excess levy authorized.
Status: in_force

A mosquito control district shall have the power to levy additional taxes in excess of the constitutional and/or statutory limitations for any of the authorized purposes of such district, not in excess of fifty cents per thousand dollars of assessed value per year when authorized so to do by the electors of such district by a three-fifths majority of those voting on the proposition in the manner set forth in Article VII, section 2(a) of the Constitution of this state, as amended by Amendment 59 and as thereafter amended at such time as may be fixed by the board of trustees for the district, which special election may be called by the board of trustees of the district, at which special election the proposition of authorizing such excess levy shall be submitted in such form as to enable the voters favoring the proposition to vote "Yes" and those opposing thereto to vote "No". Nothing herein shall be construed to prevent holding the foregoing special election at the same time as that fixed for a general election.
RCW 17.06.020 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 06 / Section 020
RCW 17.06.020: Intercounty weed districts authorized.
Status: in_force

An intercounty weed district, including all or any part of two counties or more, may be created for the purposes set forth in RCW 17.04.010 by the joint action of the boards of county commissioners of the counties in which any portion of the proposed district is located.
RCW 17.28.020 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 28 / Section 020
RCW 17.28.020: Districts may be organized in counties—Petition, presentment, signatures.
Status: in_force

Any number of units of a territory within the state of Washington in Adams, Benton, Franklin, Grant, Kittitas, Walla Walla and Yakima counties or any other county may be organized as a mosquito control district under the provisions of this chapter. A petition to form a district may consist of any number of separate instruments which shall be presented at a regular meeting of the county commissioners of the county in which the greater area of the proposed district is located. Petitions shall be signed by registered voters of each unit of the proposed district, equal in number to not less than ten percent of the votes cast in each unit respectively for the office of governor at the last gubernatorial election prior to the time of presenting the petition.
RCW 17.28.260 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 28 / Section 260
RCW 17.28.260: General obligation bonds—Excess property tax levies.
Status: in_force

A mosquito control district shall have the power to issue general obligation bonds and to pledge the full faith and credit of the district to the payment thereof, for authorized capital purposes of the mosquito control district, and to provide for the retirement thereof by excess property tax levies whenever a proposition authorizing both the issuance of such bonds and the imposition of such excess levies has been approved by the voters of the district, at an election held pursuant to RCW 39.36.050 , by three-fifths of the persons voting on said proposition at said election at which such election the total number of persons voting on such bond proposition shall constitute not less than forty percent of the total number of votes cast within the area of said mosquito control district at the last preceding county or state general election. Mosquito control districts may become indebted for capital purposes up to an amount equal to one and one-fourth percent of the value of the taxable property in the district, as the term "value of the taxable property" is defined in RCW 39.36.015 . Such bonds shall never be issued to run for a longer period than ten years from the date of issue and shall be issued and sold in accordance with chapter 39.46 RCW.
RCW 17.34.030 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 34 / Section 030
RCW 17.34.030: Filing of bylaws and amendments.
Status: in_force

Pursuant to Article IV(H) of the compact, copies of bylaws and amendments thereto shall be filed with the code reviser's office.
RCW 17.34.060 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 34 / Section 060
RCW 17.34.060: Agency incurring expenses to be credited with payments to this state.
Status: in_force

The department, agency, or officer expending or becoming liable for an expenditure on account of a control or eradication program undertaken or intensified pursuant to the compact shall have credited to his or her account in the state treasury the amount or amounts of any payments made to this state to defray the cost of such program, or any part thereof, or as reimbursement thereof.
RCW 17.04.270 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 04 / Section 270
RCW 17.04.270: Districts organized under prior law—Reorganization.
Status: in_force

Any weed district heretofore organized under any law of the state of Washington may become a weed district under the provisions of this chapter and entitled to exercise all the powers and subject to the limitations of a weed district organized under this chapter by the election of three directors for such weed district which shall be done in the same manner as is provided in this chapter for the election of the first directors of a district organized under this chapter.
RCW 17.06.070 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 06 / Section 070
RCW 17.06.070: Actions of county officers—Costs.
Status: in_force

Whenever any action is required or may be performed by any county officer or board for all purposes essential to the maintenance, operation, and administration of the district, such action shall be performed by the respective officer or board of the county of that part of the district in which the greatest amount of acreage of the district is located. All costs incurred shall be borne proportionately by each county in that ratio which the amount of acreage of the district located in that part of each county forming a part of the district bears to the total amount of acreage located in the whole district.
RCW 17.28.350 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 28 / Section 350
RCW 17.28.350: Annexation of territory authorized—Filing of order—Composition of board.
Status: in_force

The order of annexation shall be entered in the minutes of the board and certified copies shall be filed with the secretary of state and with the county clerk and county auditor of each county in which the district or any part of it is situated. From and after the date of the filing and recording of the certified copies of the order, the territory described in the order is a part of the district, with all the rights, privileges, and powers set forth in this act and those necessarily incident thereto. After the annexation of territory to a district, the district board shall consist of the number of members and shall be appointed in the manner prescribed by this chapter for a district formed originally with boundaries embracing the annexed territory. However, the members of the district board in office at the time of the annexation shall continue to serve as members during the remainder of the terms for which they were appointed.
RCW 17.21.065 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 21 / Section 065
RCW 17.21.065: Classification of licenses.
Status: in_force

The director may classify licenses to be issued under the provisions of this chapter. These classifications may include but are not limited to pest control operators, ornamental sprayers, agricultural crop sprayers or right-of-way sprayers; separate classifications may be specified as to ground, aerial, or manual methods used by any licensee to apply pesticides. Each such classification shall be subject to separate testing procedures and requirements. No person shall be required to pay an additional license fee if such person desires to be licensed in one or all of the license classifications provided for by the director under the authority of this section, except as provided for in RCW 17.21.110 .
RCW 17.06.050 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 06 / Section 050
RCW 17.06.050: Meetings—Qualifications of electors and directors—Elections—Officers—Bonds—Terms—Rules.
Status: in_force

If the respective boards of county commissioners establish such district the chair of the principal board shall call a special meeting of landowners to be held within such district for the purpose of electing three directors for such district. No person shall be eligible to hold the office of director who is not a qualified elector of the state of Washington and a resident and landowner within such district. Such meeting shall be held not less than thirty nor more than ninety days from the date when such district is established. Notice of such meeting shall be given by the principal county auditor by publication once a week for three successive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in such district, and by posting such notice for not less than ten days before the date fixed for such meeting in three public places within the boundaries of such district. The notices shall state the object of the meeting and the time and place when the same shall be held. At the time and place fixed for the meeting the chair shall appoint two persons to assist him or her in conducting the election, one of whom shall act as clerk. If such chair be not present the electors of such district then present shall elect a chair of the meeting. Every person who is a landowner within such district and a qualified elector of the state of Washington shall be entitled to vote at such meeting. Any person offering to vote may be challenged by any legally qualified elector of such district, and the chair of such meeting shall thereupon administer to the person challenged an oath in substance as follows: "You do swear (or affirm) that you are a citizen of the United States and a qualified elector of the state of Washington and an owner of land within the boundaries of weed district No. . . . . (giving number of district)." If the challenged person shall take such oath or make such affirmation, he or she shall be entitled to vote; otherwise his or her vote shall not be received. Any person making a false oath, or affirmation, or any person illegally voting at such meeting, shall be punished as provided in the general election laws of the state for illegal voting. The vote shall be by secret ballot, on white paper of uniform size and quality, of such arrangement that when names are written thereon, the same may be folded so as not to disclose the names. The elector shall write the names of three persons that he or she desires as the first directors of such district and shall fold his or her ballot and hand the same to the chair of the meeting who shall deposit it in a ballot box provided for that purpose. The clerk shall thereupon write the name of such person on a list as having voted at such election. After all persons present and entitled to vote have voted, the chair shall declare the election closed, and shall, with the assistance of the clerk and the other person appointed as assistant, proceed to count the ballots. The person receiving the greatest number of votes shall be elected as director for a term ending three years from the first Monday in March following his or her election; the person receiving the second greatest number of votes shall be elected for a term ending two years from the first Monday in March following his or her election, and the person receiving the third greatest number of votes shall be elected for a term ending one year from the first day of March following his or her election. Annually thereafter, there shall be held a meeting of the electors of such district on the first Monday in February. At such meeting one director shall be elected to succeed the director whose term will expire on the first Monday in March following. The directors shall call the annual meeting, and shall fix the time when and place where the same shall be held and shall give the same notice thereof as provided for the initial meeting. The annual meeting shall be conducted in the same manner as is provided for the initial meeting, and the qualifications of electors at such annual meeting shall be the same as is required for the initial meeting. All directors shall hold office for the term for which they are elected, and until their successors are elected and qualified. In case of a vacancy occurring in the office of any director, the remaining members of the board of directors shall appoint a qualified person to fill the vacancy for the unexpired term. The board of directors shall elect one of its members chair and may appoint a secretary who need not be a member of the board, and who shall be paid such compensation as the board may determine. Each director shall furnish a bond in the sum of one thousand dollars, which may be a surety company bond or property bond approved by the principal board of county commissioners, which bond shall be filed with the same board and shall be conditioned for the faithful discharge of his or her duties. The cost of such bond shall be paid by the district the same as other expenses of the district. At any annual meeting the method for destroying, preventing, and exterminating weeds of such district as set forth in the petition, and the rules and regulations adopted by such district, may be changed by a majority vote of the qualified electors present at such meeting, or a special meeting may be called for that purpose, notice of which meeting and of such proposed changes to be voted on, shall be given to all landowners residing within the district by mailing a copy of such notice and of such proposed changes to the address of such landowner at least one week before the date fixed for such special meeting.
RCW 17.28.185 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 28 / Section 185
RCW 17.28.185: Control of mosquitoes—Noncompliance by landowner with regulations.
Status: in_force

(1) Whenever the board finds that the owner has not taken prompt and sufficient action to comply with regulations adopted pursuant to RCW 17.28.175 to control mosquitoes originating from the owner's land, the board shall notify the owner that a violation of this chapter exists. The notice shall be in writing and sent by certified mail, or served by personal service. The notice shall provide a reasonable time period for action to be taken to control mosquitoes. If the board deems that a public nuisance or threat to public health or welfare caused by the mosquito infestation is sufficiently severe, it may require immediate control action to be taken within forty-eight hours following the time that notification is reasonably expected to have been received by the owner or agent by certified mail or personal service. (2) If the owner does not take sufficient action to control mosquitoes in accordance with the notice, the board may control them, or cause their being controlled, at the expense of the owner. The amount of such expense shall constitute a lien against the property and may be enforced by proceedings on such lien. The owner shall be liable for payment of the expenses, and nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prevent collection of any judgment on account thereof by any means available pursuant to law, in substitution for enforcement of the lien. Necessary costs and expenses, including reasonable attorneys' fees, incurred by the board in carrying out this section, may be recovered at the same time, as a part of the action filed under this section. The venue in proceedings for reimbursement of expenses brought pursuant to this section, including those involving governmental entities, shall be the county in which the real property that is the subject of the action is situated.
RCW 17.04.030 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 04 / Section 030
RCW 17.04.030: Petition—Time, place and notice of hearing.
Status: in_force

Any one or more freeholders owning more than fifty percent of the acreage desired to be included within the proposed weed district may file a petition with the board of county commissioners praying that their land be included, either separately or with other lands included in the petition, in a weed district to be formed for the purpose of destroying, preventing or exterminating any one or all such weeds, or that such lands be included within a district already formed, or a new district or districts to be formed out of any district or districts then existing. Such petition shall state the boundaries of the proposed district, the approximate number of acres in the proposed district, the particular weed or weeds to be destroyed, prevented or exterminated, the general method or means to be used in such work, and shall contain a list of all known land owners within the proposed district, together with the addresses of such land owners. Upon the filing of such petition the board of county commissioners shall fix a time for a hearing thereon, and shall give at least thirty days' notice of the time and place of such hearing by posting copies of such notice in three conspicuous places within the proposed district, one copy of which shall be at the main entrance to the courthouse, and by mailing a copy of such notice to each of the land owners named in the petition at the address therein named, and if any of the land described in the petition be owned by the state, a copy thereof shall be mailed to the department of natural resources at Olympia.
RCW 17.06.030 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 06 / Section 030
RCW 17.06.030: Petition for formation—Notice of hearing.
Status: in_force

Any one or more freeholders owning more than fifty percent of the acreage desired to be included within the proposed intercounty weed district may file a petition with the principal board of county commissioners praying that their land be included, either separately or with other lands included in the petition, in a weed district to be formed for the purpose of destroying, preventing or exterminating any one or all such weeds, or that such lands be included within a district already formed, or a new district or districts to be formed out of any district or districts then existing. Such petition shall state the boundaries of the proposed district, the approximate number of acres in the proposed district, the particular weed or weeds to be destroyed, prevented or exterminated, the general method or means to be used in such work, and shall contain a list of all known landowners within the proposed district, together with the addresses of such landowners. Upon the filing of such petition the principal board of county commissioners shall notify the other boards of commissioners, shall arrange a time for a joint hearing on the petition, and shall give at least thirty days' notice of the time and place of such hearing by posting copies of such notice in three conspicuous places within the proposed district, and at the main entrance to the courthouse of each county, and by mailing a copy of such notice to each of the landowners named in the petition at the address named therein. If any of the land described in the petition be owned by the state a copy thereof shall be mailed to the department of natural resources at Olympia.
RCW 17.15.010 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 15 / Section 010
RCW 17.15.010: Definitions.
Status: in_force

The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise: (1) "Integrated pest management" means a coordinated decision-making and action process that uses the most appropriate pest control methods and strategy in an environmentally and economically sound manner to meet agency programmatic pest management objectives. The elements of integrated pest management include: (a) Preventing pest problems; (b) Monitoring for the presence of pests and pest damage; (c) Establishing the density of the pest population, that may be set at zero, that can be tolerated or correlated with a damage level sufficient to warrant treatment of the problem based on health, public safety, economic, or aesthetic thresholds; (d) Treating pest problems to reduce populations below those levels established by damage thresholds using strategies that may include biological, cultural, mechanical, and chemical control methods and that must consider human health, ecological impact, feasibility, and cost-effectiveness; and (e) Evaluating the effects and efficacy of pest treatments. (2) "Pest" means, but is not limited to, any insect, rodent, nematode, snail, slug, weed, and any form of plant or animal life or virus, except virus, bacteria, or other microorganisms on or in a living person or other animal or in or on processed food or beverages or pharmaceuticals, which is normally considered to be a pest, or which the director of the department of agriculture may declare to be a pest.
RCW 17.24.161 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 24 / Section 161
RCW 17.24.161: Funds for technical and scientific services.
Status: in_force

The director may, at the director's discretion, provide funds for technical or scientific services, labor, materials and supplies, and biological control agents for the control of plant pests, bee pests, and noxious weeds.
RCW 17.10.020 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 10 / Section 020
RCW 17.10.020: County noxious weed control boards—Created—Jurisdiction—Inactive status.
Status: in_force

(1) In each county of the state there is created a noxious weed control board, bearing the name of the county within which it is located. The jurisdictional boundaries of each board are the boundaries of the county within which it is located. (2) Each noxious weed control board is inactive until activated pursuant to the provisions of RCW 17.10.040 .
RCW 17.10.154 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 10 / Section 154
RCW 17.10.154: Owners' agreements with county noxious weed control boards—Terms—Enforcement.
Status: in_force

It is recognized that the prevention, control, and eradication of noxious weeds presents a problem for immediate as well as for future action. It is further recognized that immediate prevention, control, and eradication is practicable on some lands and that prevention, control, and eradication on other lands should be extended over a period of time. Therefore, it is the intent of this chapter that county noxious weed control boards may use their discretion and, by agreement with the owners of land, may propose and accept plans for prevention, control, and eradication that may be extended over a period of years. The county noxious weed control board may make an agreement with the owner of any parcel of land by contract between the landowner and the respective county noxious weed control board, and the board shall enforce the terms of any agreement. The county noxious weed control board may make any terms that will best serve the interests of the owners of the parcel of land and the common welfare that comply with this chapter. Agreements made under this section must include at least a one thousand foot buffer for all adjacent agricultural land uses. Noxious weed control in this buffer must comply with RCW 17.10.140 (1).
RCW 17.28.440 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 28 / Section 440
RCW 17.28.440: Dissolution—Disposition of property.
Status: in_force

If the district at the time of dissolution was wholly within unincorporated territory in one county, its property vests in that county. If the district at the time of dissolution was situated wholly within the boundaries of a single city, its property vests in that city. If the district at the time of dissolution comprised only unincorporated territory in two or more counties, its property vests in those counties in proportion to the assessed value of each county's property within the boundaries of the district as shown on the last equalized county assessment roll. If the district at the time of dissolution comprised both incorporated and unincorporated territory, its property vests in each unit in proportion as its assessed property value lies within the boundaries of the district: PROVIDED, HOWEVER, That any real property, easements, or rights-of-way vest in the city in which they are situated or in the county in which they are situated.
RCW 17.10.205 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 10 / Section 205
RCW 17.10.205: Control of noxious weeds in open areas.
Status: in_force

Open areas subject to the spread of noxious weeds, including but not limited to subdivisions, school grounds, playgrounds, parks, and rights-of-way shall be subject to regulation in the same manner and to the same extent as is provided for all terrestrial and aquatic lands of the state.
RCW 17.10.040 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 10 / Section 040
RCW 17.10.040: Activation of inactive county noxious weed control board.
Status: in_force

An inactive county noxious weed control board may be activated by any one of the following methods: (1) Either within sixty days after a petition is filed by one hundred registered voters within the county or, on its own motion, the county legislative authority shall hold a hearing to determine whether there is a need, due to a damaging infestation of noxious weeds, to activate the county noxious weed control board. If such a need is found to exist, then the county legislative authority shall, in the manner provided by RCW 17.10.050 , appoint five persons to the county's noxious weed control board. (2) If the county's noxious weed control board is not activated within one year following a hearing by the county legislative authority to determine the need for activation, then upon the filing with the state noxious weed control board of a petition comprised either of the signatures of at least two hundred registered voters within the county, or of the signatures of a majority of an adjacent county's noxious weed control board, the state board shall, within six months of the date of the filing, hold a hearing in the county to determine the need for activation. If a need for activation is found to exist, then the state board shall order the county legislative authority to activate the county's noxious weed control board and to appoint members to the board in the manner provided by RCW 17.10.050 . (3) The director, upon request of the state noxious weed control board, shall order a county legislative authority to activate the noxious weed control board immediately if an infestation of a class A noxious weed or class B noxious weed designated for control on the state noxious weed list is confirmed in that county. The county legislative authority may, as an alternative to activating the noxious weed board, combat the class A noxious weed or class B noxious weed with county resources and personnel operating with the authorities and responsibilities imposed by this chapter on a county noxious weed control board. No county may continue without a noxious weed control board for a second consecutive year if the class A noxious weed or class B noxious weed has not been eradicated.
RCW 17.28.900 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 28 / Section 900
RCW 17.28.900: Severability—1957 c 153.
Status: in_force

If any part, or parts, of this chapter shall be held unconstitutional, the remaining provisions shall be given full force and effect, as completely as if the part held unconstitutional had not been included therein, if any such remaining part can then be administered in furtherance of the purposes of this chapter.
RCW 17.28.400 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 28 / Section 400
RCW 17.28.400: Consolidation of districts—Composition of board.
Status: in_force

After the consolidation, the board of the consolidated district shall consist of the number and shall be appointed in the manner prescribed by this chapter for a district originally formed. The terms of the members of the district boards of the several districts consolidated who are in office at the time of consolidation shall terminate at the time the consolidation becomes effective.
RCW 17.04.250 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 04 / Section 250
RCW 17.04.250: District treasurer—Duties—Fund.
Status: in_force

The county treasurer shall be ex officio treasurer of such district and the county assessor and other county officers shall take notice of the formation of such district and of the tax levy and shall extend the tax on the tax roll against the property liable therefor the same as other taxes are extended, and such tax shall become a general tax against such property, and shall be collected and accounted for as other taxes, with the terms and penalties thereto attached. The moneys collected from such tax shall be paid into a fund to be known as "fund of weed district . . . . . . of . . . . . . county" (giving the number of district and name of county). All expenses in connection with the operation of such district, including the expenses of initial and annual meetings, shall be paid from such fund, upon vouchers approved by the board of directors of such district.
RCW 17.28.254 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 28 / Section 254
RCW 17.28.254: Abatement, extermination declared necessity and benefit to land.
Status: in_force

It is hereby declared that whenever the public necessity or welfare has required the formation of a mosquito control district, the abatement or extermination of mosquitoes within the district is of direct, economic benefit to the land located within such district and is necessary for the protection of the public health, safety and welfare of those residing therein.
RCW 17.12.100 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 12 / Section 100
RCW 17.12.100: Limit of indebtedness.
Status: in_force

No district shall be permitted to contract obligations in excess of the estimated revenues for the two years next succeeding the incoming [incurring] of such indebtedness and it shall be unlawful for the county commissioners to approve of any bills which will exceed the revenue to any district which shall be estimated to be received by such district during the next two years.
RCW 17.21.900 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 21 / Section 900
RCW 17.21.900: Preexisting liabilities not affected.
Status: in_force

The enactment of this act shall not have the effect of terminating, or in any way modifying, any liability, civil or criminal, which shall already be in existence on the date this act becomes effective.
RCW 17.21.040 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 21 / Section 040
RCW 17.21.040: Rules subject to administrative procedure act.
Status: in_force

All rules adopted under the provisions of this chapter shall be subject to the provisions of chapter 34.05 RCW as enacted or hereafter amended, concerning the adoption of rules.
RCW 17.10.110 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 10 / Section 110
RCW 17.10.110: Regional noxious weed control board—Creation.
Status: in_force

A regional noxious weed control board comprising the area of two or more counties may be created as follows: Either the county legislative authority, or the noxious weed control board, or both, of two or more counties may, upon a determination that the purpose of this chapter will be served by the creation of a regional noxious weed control board, adopt a resolution providing for a limited merger of the functions of their respective counties noxious weed control boards. The resolution becomes effective only when a similar resolution is adopted by the other county or counties comprising the proposed regional board.
RCW 17.21.070 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 21 / Section 070
RCW 17.21.070: Commercial pesticide applicator license—Requirements.
Status: in_force

It is unlawful for any person to engage in the business of applying pesticides to the land of another without a commercial pesticide applicator license. Application for a commercial applicator license must be accompanied by a fee of two hundred forty-three dollars and in addition a fee of twenty-seven dollars for each apparatus, exclusive of one, used by the applicant in the application of pesticides.
RCW 17.21.140 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 21 / Section 140
RCW 17.21.140: Renewal—Delinquency.
Status: in_force

(1) If the application for renewal of any license provided for in this chapter is not filed on or prior to the expiration date of the license under this chapter or as set by rule by the director, a penalty of twenty-five dollars for the commercial pesticide applicator's license and the rancher private applicator license, and a penalty equivalent to the license fee for any other license, shall be assessed and added to the original fee and shall be paid by the applicant before the renewal license is issued. However, the penalty does not apply if the applicant furnishes an affidavit certifying that he or she has not acted as a licensee subsequent to the expiration of the license. (2) Any license for which a timely renewal application has been made, all other requirements have been met, and the proper fee paid, continues in full force and effect until the director notifies the applicant that the license has been renewed or the application has been denied.
RCW 17.04.210 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 04 / Section 210
RCW 17.04.210: Statement of expense—Hearing.
Status: in_force

The weed inspector shall keep an accurate account of expenses incurred by him or her in carrying out the provisions of this chapter with respect to each parcel of land entered upon, and the prosecuting attorney of the county or the attorney for the weed district shall cause to be served, mailed, or posted in the same manner as provided in this chapter for giving notice to destroy noxious weeds, a statement of such expenses, including description of the land, verified by oath of the weed inspector to the owner, lessee, mortgagee, occupant or agent, or person having charge of said land, and coupled with such statement shall be a notice subscribed by said prosecuting attorney or attorney for the weed district and naming a time and place when and where such matter will be brought before the board of directors of such district for hearing and determination, said statement or notice to be served, mailed, or posted, as the case may be, at least ten days before the time for such hearing.
RCW 17.04.010 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 04 / Section 010
RCW 17.04.010: Districts authorized—Area and boundaries.
Status: in_force

The boards of county commissioners of the respective counties may create a weed district or districts within their counties and enlarge any district, or reduce any district or create or combine or consolidate the districts, or divide or create new districts, from time to time, in the manner hereinafter provided, for the purpose of destroying, preventing and exterminating, or to prevent the introduction, propagation, cultivation or increase of, any particular weed, weeds or plants, or all weeds or plants, including Scotch broom, which are now or may hereafter be classed by the agricultural experiment station of Washington State University as noxious weeds, or plants detrimental to or destructive of crops, fruit, trees, shrubs, valuable plants, forage, or other agricultural plants or produce. Any such district shall include not less than one section of land, and the boundaries thereof shall be along an established road, railroad, scab, uncleared or grazing land, or property line, or established lines, or some natural boundary, and shall include only cultivated or farming lands and shall not include any scab, uncleared or grazing land, except such as shall lie wholly within cultivated or farming lands within the districts, or which lie adjacent to such cultivated or farming lands and which are infested, or which may reasonably be expected to become infested, with the particular weed or weeds to be destroyed, prevented and exterminated by such district: PROVIDED, That any quarter section of land, or lesser legal subdivision in single ownership, fifty percent of which is cultivated or farming land, shall be considered cultivated and farming land within the meaning of this chapter.
RCW 17.12.080 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 12 / Section 080
RCW 17.12.080: Levies on state and county lands—Levies on state lands to be added to rental or purchase price.
Status: in_force

Whenever there shall be included within any pest district lands belonging to the state or to the county the board of county commissioners shall determine the amount of the tax or assessment for which such land would be liable if the same were in private ownership for each subdivision of forty acres or fraction thereof. The assessor shall transmit to the county commissioners a statement of the amounts so due from county lands and the county commissioners shall appropriate from the current expense fund of the county sufficient money to pay such amounts. A statement of the amounts due from state lands within each county shall be annually forwarded to the commissioner of public lands who shall examine the same and if he or she finds the same correct and that the determination was made according to law, he or she shall certify the same and issue a warrant for the payment of same against any funds in the state treasury appropriated for such purposes. The commissioner of public lands shall keep a record of the amounts so paid on account of any state lands which are under lease or contract of sale and such amounts shall be added to and become a part of the annual rental or purchase price of the land, and shall be paid annually at the time of payment of rent or payment of interest or purchase price of such land. When such amounts shall be collected by the commissioner of public lands it shall be paid into the general fund in the state treasury.
RCW 17.28.257 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 28 / Section 257
RCW 17.28.257: Assessments—Payment, lien, delinquencies, foreclosure, etc.
Status: in_force

The provisions of chapters 84.56 and 84.64 RCW and RCW 36.29.180 governing liens, collection, payment of assessments, delinquent assessments, interest and penalties, lien foreclosure and foreclosed property shall govern such matters as applied to mosquito control districts.
RCW 17.12.020 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 12 / Section 020
RCW 17.12.020: Petition—Notice—Hearing.
Status: in_force

Whenever ten or more resident freeholders in any county petition the board of county commissioners, asking that their lands be included, either separately or with other lands designated in the petition in a district to be formed for the purpose of preventing, destroying, or exterminating any of the animals, rodents or other such things described in RCW 17.12.010 , or that such lands be included within a district already formed by the enlargement of such district, or a new district or districts be formed out of a district or districts then in existence or out of territory partly in districts already formed and not included in any district, and such petition indicating the boundaries of such proposed district, whether all or any part of such county, and stating the purpose of such district, the board shall fix a time for the hearing of such petition and shall give at least thirty days notice of the time and place of such hearing by posting copies of such notice of the time and place of such hearing in three conspicuous places within the proposed district and posting one copy of such notice at the courthouse or place of business of the board, and also by mailing to each freeholder within the proposed district a copy of such notice, to his last known residence, if known, and if not known to the clerk of such board, then and in that event the posting shall be deemed sufficient: PROVIDED, HOWEVER, If the board shall deem it impractical to mail notices to each freeholder, within the proposed district, or if the post office address of all the freeholders are not known, then in that event when recited in a resolution adopted by the board, the notice in addition to posting, shall be published once a week for three successive weeks in the county official paper if there is such, and if there be no official paper, then in some paper published in said county, and if there be no paper published in said county, then in some paper of general circulation within the proposed district. The persons in whose name the property is assessed shall be deemed the owners thereof for the purpose of notice as herein required: PROVIDED, HOWEVER, That for lands belonging to the state, the commissioner of public lands shall be notified, and for lands belonging to the county, the county auditor shall be notified, and if such lands are under lease or conditional sale the lessee or purchaser shall also be notified in the manner above provided. Any person interested may appear at the time of such hearing and may under such rules and regulations as the board may prescribe give his or her reasons for or objections to the creation of such a district.
RCW 17.10.100 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 10 / Section 100
RCW 17.10.100: Order to county board to include weed from state board's list in county's noxious weed list.
Status: in_force

Where any of the following occur, the state noxious weed control board must hold a hearing, then may order any county noxious weed control board or weed district to include a noxious weed from the state board's list in the county's noxious weed list: (1) Where the state noxious weed control board receives a petition from at least one hundred registered voters within the county requesting that the weed be listed. (2) Where the state noxious weed control board receives a request for inclusion from an adjacent county's noxious weed control board or weed district, which the adjacent board or district has included that weed in its county or district list, and the adjacent board or weed district documents that its noxious weed control program is being hampered by the failure to include the weed on the county's noxious weed list.
RCW 17.28.340 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 28 / Section 340
RCW 17.28.340: Annexation of territory authorized—Order of annexation—Election.
Status: in_force

If upon the hearing the district board finds that the petition and the proceedings thereon meet the requirements of this chapter and that it is desirable and to the interests of the district and of the territory proposed to be annexed that the territory, with boundaries as fixed and determined by the district board, or any portion of it, should be annexed to the district, the board shall order the boundaries of the district changed to include the territory, or portion of the territory, subject to approval of the electors of the territory proposed to be annexed. The election to be conducted and the returns canvassed and declared insofar as is practicable in accordance with the requirements of this chapter for the formation of a district. The expenses of such election shall be borne by the mosquito control district regardless of the outcome of the election. The order of annexation shall describe the boundaries of the annexed territory and that portion of the boundary of the district which coincides with any boundary of the territory. If necessary in making this order, the board may have any portion of the boundaries surveyed. If more than one petition for the annexation of the territory has been presented, the district board may in one order include in the district any number of separate territories.
RCW 17.10.190 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 10 / Section 190
RCW 17.10.190: Notice and information as to noxious weed control.
Status: in_force

Each activated county noxious weed control board must publish annually, and at other times as may be appropriate, in at least one newspaper of general circulation within its area, a general notice. The notice shall direct attention to the need for noxious weed control and give other information concerning noxious weed control requirements as may be appropriate, or indicate where such information may be secured. In addition to the general notice required, the county noxious weed control board may use any appropriate media for the dissemination of information to the public as may be calculated to bring the need for noxious weed control to the attention of owners. The board may consult with individual owners concerning their problems of noxious weed control and may provide them with information and advice, including giving specific instructions and methods when and how certain named weeds are to be controlled. The methods may include some combination of physical, mechanical, cultural, chemical, and/or biological methods, including livestock. Publication of a notice as required by this section is not a condition precedent to the enforcement of this chapter.
RCW 17.10.210 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 10 / Section 210
RCW 17.10.210: Quarantine of land—Order—Expense.
Status: in_force

(1) Whenever the director, the county noxious weed control board, or a weed district finds that a parcel of land is so seriously infested with class A or class B noxious weeds that control measures cannot be undertaken thereon without quarantining the land and restricting or denying access thereto or use thereof, the director, the county noxious weed control board, or weed district, with the approval of the director of the department of agriculture, may issue an order for the quarantine and restriction or denial of access or use. Upon issuance of the order, the director, the county noxious weed control board, or the weed district shall commence necessary control measures and may institute legal action for the collection of costs for control work, which may include attorneys' fees and the costs of other appropriate actions. (2) An order of quarantine shall be served, by any method sufficient for the service of civil process, on all persons known to qualify as owners of the land within the meaning of this chapter. (3) The director shall, with the advice of the state noxious weed control board, determine how the expense of control work undertaken pursuant to this section, and the cost of any quarantine in connection therewith, is apportioned.
RCW 17.26.011 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 26 / Section 011
RCW 17.26.011: Spartina removal includes restoration—Study.
Status: in_force

Spartina removal shall include restoration to return intertidal land and other infested lands to the condition found on adjacent unaffected lands in the same tidal elevation. The department of fish and wildlife, the department of ecology, the department of agriculture, and the department of natural resources shall develop a restoration plan in cooperation with owners of spartina infested lands and shall submit the plan to the appropriate standing committees of the house of representatives and the senate by December 31, 1995.
RCW 17.24.061 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 24 / Section 061
RCW 17.24.061: Protection of privileged or confidential information—Procedure—Notice—Declaratory judgment.
Status: in_force

(1) In submitting data required by this chapter, the applicant may: (a) Mark clearly portions of data which in his or her opinion are trade secrets or commercial or financial information; and (b) submit the marked material separately from other material required to be submitted under this chapter. (2) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter or other law, the director shall not make information submitted by an applicant or registrant under this chapter available to the public if, in the judgment of the director, the information is privileged or confidential because it contains or relates to trade secrets or commercial or financial information. Where necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter, information relating to unpublished formulas of products acquired by authorization of this chapter may be revealed to any state or federal agency consulted and may be revealed at a public hearing or in findings of fact issued by the director. (3) If the director proposes to release for inspection or to reveal at a public hearing or in findings of fact issued by the director, information that the applicant or registrant believes to be protected from disclosure under subsection (2) of this section, he or she shall notify the applicant or registrant in writing, by certified mail. The director may not make this data available for inspection nor reveal the information at a public hearing or in findings of fact issued by the director until thirty days after receipt of the notice by the applicant or registrant. During this period, the applicant or registrant may withdraw the application or may institute an action in the superior court of Thurston county for a declaratory judgment as to whether the information is subject to protection under subsection (2) of this section.
RCW 17.21.320 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 21 / Section 320
RCW 17.21.320: Access to public or private premises—Search warrants—Prosecuting attorney's duties—Injunctions.
Status: in_force

(1) For purpose of carrying out the provisions of this chapter the director may enter upon any public or private premises at reasonable times, in order: (a) To have access for the purpose of inspecting any equipment subject to this chapter and such premises on which such equipment is kept or stored; (b) To inspect lands actually or reported to be exposed to pesticides; (c) To inspect storage or disposal areas; (d) To inspect or investigate complaints of injury to humans or land; or (e) To sample pesticides being applied or to be applied. (2) Should the director be denied access to any land where such access was sought for the purposes set forth in this chapter, the director may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for a search warrant authorizing access to such land for said purposes. The court may upon such application, issue the search warrant for the purposes requested. (3) It shall be the duty of each prosecuting attorney to whom any violation of this chapter is reported, to cause appropriate proceedings to be instituted and prosecuted in a court of competent jurisdiction without delay. (4) The director may bring an action to enjoin the violation or threatened violation of any provision of this chapter or any rule made pursuant to this chapter in the superior court of the county in which such violation occurs or is about to occur.
RCW 17.21.280 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 21 / Section 280
RCW 17.21.280: Disposition of revenue, enforcement of chapter—Pesticide safety education program—Fee—District court fees, fines, penalties, and forfeitures.
Status: in_force

(1) Except as provided in subsections (2) and (4) of this section, all moneys collected under the provisions of this chapter shall be paid to the director and deposited in the agricultural local fund, RCW 43.23.230 , for use exclusively in the enforcement of this chapter. (2) In addition to any other fees the department may collect under this chapter, the department shall collect a fee of seven dollars for each license issued by the department under this chapter. The department shall transmit the seven dollar fee required by this subsection to Washington State University for the purpose of providing a pesticide safety education program to educate and train pesticide licensees and prospective licensees. (3) The department shall engage with the regulated community on the status of license fees established in this chapter, including consideration of future increases, in coordination with a stakeholder work group. (4) All moneys collected for civil penalties levied under RCW 17.21.315 shall be deposited in the state general fund. All fees, fines, forfeitures and penalties collected or assessed by a district court because of the violation of a state law shall be remitted as provided in chapter 3.62 RCW.
RCW 17.28.070 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 28 / Section 070
RCW 17.28.070: Procedure to include other territory.
Status: in_force

If the county commissioners deem it proper to include any territory not proposed for inclusion within the proposed boundaries, they shall first cause notice of intention to do so to be mailed to each owner of land in the territory whose name appears as owner on the last completed assessment roll of the county in which the territory lies, addressed to the owner at his or her address given on the assessment roll, or if no address is given, to his or her last known address; or if it is not known, at the county seat of the county in which his or her land lies. The notice shall describe the territory and shall fix a time, not less than two weeks from the date of mailing, when all persons interested may appear before the county commissioners and be heard. The boundaries of a district lying in a city shall not be altered unless the governing board of the city, by resolution, consents to the alteration.
RCW 17.10.050 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 10 / Section 050
RCW 17.10.050: Activated county noxious weed control board—Members—Election—Terms—Meetings—Quorum—Expenses—Officers—Vacancy.
Status: in_force

(1) Each activated county noxious weed control board consists of five voting members appointed by the county legislative authority in the manner prescribed in this section. In appointing the voting members, the county legislative authority shall divide the county into five geographical areas that best represent the county's interests, and appoint a voting member from each geographical area. At least three of the voting members shall be engaged in the primary production of agricultural products. There is one nonvoting member on the board who is the director of the county extension office or an extension agent appointed by the director of the county extension office. Each voting member of the board serves a term of four years, except that the county legislative authority shall, when a board is first activated under this chapter, designate two voting members to serve terms of two years. The board members shall not receive a salary but shall be compensated for actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties. (2)(a) The voting members of the board serve until their replacements are appointed. New members of the board shall be appointed at least thirty days prior to the expiration of any board member's term of office. (b) Notice of expiration of a term of office shall be published at least twice in a weekly or daily newspaper of general circulation in the geographical area with last publication occurring at least ten days prior to the nomination. All persons interested in appointment to the board and residing in the geographical area with a pending nomination shall make a written application that includes the signatures of at least ten registered voters residing in the geographical area supporting the nomination to the county noxious weed control board. After nominations close, the county noxious weed control board shall, after a hearing, send the applications to the county legislative authority recommending the names of the most qualified candidates, and post the names of those nominees in the county courthouse or county website and publish in at least one newspaper of general circulation in the county. The county legislative authority, within 60 days of receiving the list of nominees, shall appoint one of those nominees to the county noxious weed control board to represent that geographical area during that term of office. If the county legislative authority fails to appoint a nominee within the 60-day period and a quorum of the board is not seated, the county noxious weed control board shall appoint a nominee only to meet a quorum, who shall serve in that capacity until the county legislative authority appoints a nominee to fill the vacant position in the manner prescribed in this section. Not more than three board members may be appointed in this manner. (3) Within thirty days after all the members have been appointed, the board shall conduct its first meeting. A majority of the voting members of the board constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business and is necessary for any action taken by the board. The board shall elect from its members a chair and other officers as may be necessary. (4) In case of a vacancy, the position must be filled in the manner prescribed in this section.
RCW 17.24.021 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 24 / Section 021
RCW 17.24.021: Inspection and investigation.
Status: in_force

(1) The director may intercept and hold or order held for inspection, or cause to be inspected while in transit or after arrival at their destination, all plants, plant products, bees, or other articles likely to carry plant pests, bee pests, or noxious weeds being moved into this state from another state, territory, or a foreign country or within or through this state for plant and bee pests and disease. (2) The director may enter upon public and private premises at reasonable times for the purpose of carrying out this chapter. If the director be denied access, the director may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for a search warrant authorizing access to such premises. The court may upon such application issue the search warrant for the purposes requested. (3) The director may adopt rules in accordance with chapter 34.05 RCW as may be necessary to carry out the purposes and provisions of this chapter.
RCW 17.21.180 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 21 / Section 180
RCW 17.21.180: Commercial pesticide applicator license—Suspension of license for failure to meet financial responsibility criteria.
Status: in_force

The commercial pesticide applicator license shall, whenever the licensee's surety bond or insurance policy is reduced below the requirements of RCW 17.21.170 or whenever the commercial applicator has not supplied evidence of financial responsibility, as required by RCW 17.21.160 and 17.21.170 , by the expiration date of the previous policy or surety bond, be automatically suspended until such licensee's surety bond or insurance policy again meets the requirements of RCW 17.21.170 . In addition, the director may pick up such licensee's license plates during such period of automatic suspension and return them only at such time as the licensee has furnished written proof that he or she is in compliance with the provisions of RCW 17.21.170 .
RCW 17.04.190 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 04 / Section 190
RCW 17.04.190: Duties of weed inspector.
Status: in_force

It shall be the duty of the weed inspector to carry out the directions of the board of directors and to see that the rules and regulations adopted by the board are carried out. He or she shall personally deliver or mail to each resident landowner within such district and to any lessee or person in charge of any land within such district and residing in such district, a copy of the rules and regulations of such district; and he or she shall personally deliver a copy thereof to nonresident landowners or shall deposit a copy of the same in the United States post office in an envelope with postage prepaid thereon addressed to the last known address of such person as shown by the records of the county auditor; and in event no such address is available for mailing he or she shall post a copy of such rules and regulations in a conspicuous place upon such land. A record shall be kept by the weed inspector of such dates of mailing, posting, or delivering such rules and regulations. In case of any railroad such rules and regulations shall be delivered to the section foreman, or to any official of the railroad having offices within the state. Such rules and regulations must be delivered, posted, or mailed by the weed inspector as herein provided at least ten days before the time to start any annual operations necessary to comply with such rules and regulations: PROVIDED, That after such district shall have been in operation two years such rules and regulations shall be delivered to resident landowners only once every three years, unless such rules and regulations are changed.
RCW 17.28.250 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 28 / Section 250
RCW 17.28.250: Interference with entry or work of district—Penalty.
Status: in_force

Any person who obstructs, hinders, or interferes with the entry upon any land within the district of any officer or employee of the district in the performance of his or her duty, and any person who obstructs, interferes with, molests, or damages any work performed by the district, is guilty of a misdemeanor.
RCW 17.28.320 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 28 / Section 320
RCW 17.28.320: Annexation of territory authorized—Consent by city.
Status: in_force

Any territory contiguous to a district may be annexed to the district. If the territory to be annexed is in a city, consent to the annexation shall first be obtained from the governing body of the city. An authenticated copy of the resolution or order of that body consenting to the annexation shall be attached to the annexation petition.
RCW 17.21.300 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 21 / Section 300
RCW 17.21.300: Agreements with other governmental entities.
Status: in_force

The director is authorized to cooperate with and enter into agreements with any other agency of the state, the United States, and any other state or agency thereof for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this chapter and securing uniformity of regulation.
RCW 17.15.030 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 15 / Section 030
RCW 17.15.030: Integrated pest management training—Designated coordinator.
Status: in_force

(1) A state agency or institution listed in RCW 17.15.020 shall provide integrated pest management training for employees responsible for pest management. (2) A state agency or institution listed in RCW 17.15.020 shall designate an integrated pest management coordinator.
RCW 17.21.350 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 21 / Section 350
RCW 17.21.350: Report to legislature.
Status: in_force

By February 1st of each year the department shall report to the appropriate committees of the house of representatives and the senate on the activities of the department under this chapter. The report shall include, at a minimum: (1) A review of the department's pesticide incident investigation and enforcement activities, with the number of cases investigated and the number and amount of civil penalties assessed; and (2) a summary of the pesticide residue food monitoring program with information on the food samples tested and results of the tests, a listing of the pesticides for which testing is done, and other pertinent information.
RCW 17.10.235 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 10 / Section 235
RCW 17.10.235: Selling product, article, or feed containing noxious weed seeds or toxic weeds—Penalty—Rules—Inspections—Fees.
Status: in_force

(1) The director of agriculture shall adopt, with the advice of the state noxious weed control board, rules designating noxious weed seeds which shall be controlled in products, screenings, or articles to prevent the spread of noxious weeds. The rules shall identify the products, screenings, and articles in which the seeds must be controlled and the maximum amount of the seed to be permitted in the product, screenings, or article to avoid a hazard of spreading the noxious weed by seed from the product, screenings, or article. The director shall also adopt, with the advice of the state board, rules designating toxic weeds which shall be controlled in feed stuffs and screenings to prevent injury to the animal that consumes the feed. The rules shall identify the feed stuffs and screenings in which the toxic weeds must be controlled and the maximum amount of the toxic weed to be permitted in the feed. Rules developed under this section shall identify ways that products, screenings, articles, or feed stuffs containing noxious weed seeds or toxic weeds can be made available for beneficial uses. (2) Any person who knowingly or negligently sells or otherwise distributes a product, article, screenings, or feed stuff designated by rule containing noxious weed seeds or toxic weeds designated for control by rule and in an amount greater than the amount established by the director for the seed or weed by rule is guilty of a misdemeanor. (3) The department of agriculture shall, upon request of the buyer, county weed board, or weed district, inspect products, screenings, articles, or feed stuffs designated by rule and charge fees, in accordance with chapter 22.09 RCW, to determine the presence of designated noxious weed seeds or toxic weeds.
RCW 17.21.129 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 21 / Section 129
RCW 17.21.129: Demonstration and research license—Fees—Requirements.
Status: in_force

Except as provided in RCW 17.21.203 , it is unlawful for a person to use or supervise the use of any experimental use pesticide or any restricted use pesticide on small experimental plots for research purposes when no charge is made for the pesticide and its application without a demonstration and research applicator's license. (1) Application for a demonstration and research license must be accompanied by a fee of forty-three dollars. (2) Persons licensed under this section are exempt from the requirements of RCW 17.21.160 , 17.21.170 , and 17.21.180 .
RCW 17.21.130 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 21 / Section 130
RCW 17.21.130: Revocation, suspension, or denial.
Status: in_force

(1) Any license, permit, or certification provided for in this chapter may be revoked or suspended, and any license, permit, or certification application may be denied by the director for cause. If the director suspends a license under this chapter with respect to activity of a continuing nature under chapter 34.05 RCW, the director may elect to suspend the license for a subsequent license year during a period that coincides with the period commencing 30 days before and ending 30 days after the date of the incident or incidents giving rise to the violation. (2) The director shall immediately suspend the license or certificate of a person who has been certified pursuant to RCW 74.20A.320 by the department of social and health services as a person who is not in compliance with a support order. If the person has continued to meet all other requirements for reinstatement during the suspension, reissuance of the license or certificate shall be automatic upon the director's receipt of a release issued by the department of social and health services stating that the licensee is in compliance with the order. (3) The director may elect to suspend or revoke any license or certification that is based in whole or in part on a license or certification from another state or jurisdiction upon notification that the applicator's original certification was terminated because the certified applicator has been convicted under section 14(b) of FIFRA or has been subject to a final order imposing a civil penalty under section 14(a) of FIFRA.
RCW 17.24.091 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 24 / Section 091
RCW 17.24.091: Impound and disposition.
Status: in_force

(1) If upon inspection, the director finds that an inspected plant or plant product or bees are infected or infested or that a regulated article is being held or transported in violation of a rule or quarantine of the department, the director shall notify the owner that a violation of this chapter exists. The director may impound or order the impounding of the infected or infested or regulated article in such a manner as may be necessary to prevent the threat of infestation. The notice shall be in writing and sent by certified mail or personal service identifying the impounded article and giving notice that the articles will be treated, returned to the shipper or to a quarantined area, or destroyed in a manner as to prevent infestation. The impounded article shall not be destroyed unless the director determines that (a) no effective treatment can be carried out; and (b) the impounded article cannot be returned to the shipper or shipped back to a quarantine area without threat of infestation to this state; and (c) mere possession by the owner constitutes an emergency. (2) Before taking action to treat, return, or destroy the impounded article, the director shall notify the owner of the owner's right to a hearing before the director under chapter 34.05 RCW. Within ten days after the notice has been given the owner may request a hearing. The request must be in writing. (3) The cost to impound articles along with the cost, if any, to treat, return, or destroy the articles shall be at the owner's expense. The owner is not entitled to compensation for infested or infected articles destroyed by the department under this section.
RCW 17.10.134 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 10 / Section 134
RCW 17.10.134: Liability of county and regional noxious weed control boards.
Status: in_force

Obligations or liabilities incurred by any county or regional noxious weed control board or any claims against a county or regional noxious weed control board are governed by chapter 4.96 RCW or RCW 4.08.120 : PROVIDED, That individual members or employees of a county noxious weed control board are personally immune from civil liability for damages arising from actions performed within the scope of their official duties or employment.
RCW 17.21.126 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 21 / Section 126
RCW 17.21.126: Private applicator, limited private applicator, or rancher private applicator—Requirements—Application for license—Fees.
Status: in_force

It is unlawful for any person to act as a private applicator, limited private applicator, or rancher private applicator without first complying with requirements determined by the director as necessary to prevent unreasonable adverse effects on the environment, including injury to the pesticide applicator or other persons, for each specific pesticide use. (1) Certification standards to determine the individual's competency with respect to the use and handling of the pesticide or class of pesticides for which the private applicator, limited private applicator, or rancher private applicator is certified must be relative to hazards of the particular type of application, class of pesticides, or handling procedure. In determining these standards the director must take into consideration standards of the EPA and is authorized to adopt these standards by rule. (2) Application for a private applicator license must be accompanied by a fee of thirty-eight dollars. Application for a limited private applicator license must be accompanied by a fee of thirty-three dollars. Application for a rancher private applicator license must be accompanied by a fee of one hundred three dollars. Individuals with a valid certified applicator license, pest control consultant license, or dealer manager license who qualify in the appropriate statewide or agricultural license categories are exempt from the private applicator, limited private applicator, or rancher private applicator fee requirements. However, licensed public pesticide operators, otherwise exempted from the public pesticide operator license fee requirement, are not also exempted from the fee requirements under this subsection.
RCW 17.28.040 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 28 / Section 040
RCW 17.28.040: Petition method—Publication of petition and notice of meeting.
Status: in_force

Upon receipt of a duly certified petition, the board of commissioners shall cause the text of the petition to be published once a week for at least three consecutive weeks in one or more newspapers of general circulation within the county where the petition is presented and at each city a portion of which is included in the proposed district. If any portion of the proposed district lies in another county, the petition and notice shall be likewise published in that county. Only one copy of the petition need be published even though the district embraces more than one unit. No more than five of the names attached to the petition need appear in the publication of the petition and notice, but the number of signers shall be stated. With the publication of the petition there shall be published a notice of the time of the meeting of the county commissioners when the petition will be considered, stating that all persons interested may appear and be heard.
RCW 17.04.260 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 04 / Section 260
RCW 17.04.260: Limit of indebtedness.
Status: in_force

No weed district shall contract any obligation in any year in excess of the total of the funds which will be available during the current year from the tax levy made in the preceding year and funds received in the current year from services rendered and from any other lawful source, and funds accumulated from previous years.
RCW 17.24.051 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 24 / Section 051
RCW 17.24.051: Introduction of plant pests, noxious weeds, or organisms affecting plant life—Special transit permit for brush, yard waste, or debris generated inside a quarantine area for apple maggot.
Status: in_force

(1) The introduction into or release within the state of a plant pest, noxious weeds, bee pest, or any other organism that may directly or indirectly affect the plant life of the state as an injurious pest, parasite, predator, or other organism is prohibited, except under special permit issued by the department under rules adopted by the director. A special permit is not required for the introduction or release within the state of a genetically engineered plant or plant pest organism if the introduction or release has been approved under provisions of federal law and the department has been notified of the planned introduction or release. The department shall be the sole issuing agency for the permits. Except for research projects approved by the department, no permit for a biological control agent shall be issued unless the department has determined that the parasite, predator, or plant pathogen is target organism or plant specific and not likely to become a pest of nontarget plants or other beneficial organisms. The director may also exclude biological control agents that are infested with parasites determined to be detrimental to the biological control efforts of the state. The department may rely upon findings of the United States department of agriculture or any experts that the director may deem appropriate in making a determination about the threat posed by such organisms. In addition, the director may request confidential business information subject to the conditions in RCW 17.24.061 . (2) Plant pests, noxious weeds, or other organisms introduced into or released within this state in violation of this section shall be subject to detention and disposition as otherwise provided in this chapter. (3) Upon the request of a city or town that is located partially inside a quarantine area for apple maggot established by the department, the department may issue a special transit permit for the limited purpose of transporting brush and yard waste or debris generated within the city or town through a pest free area to a destination located inside a quarantine area for apple maggot established by the department, subject to conditions and provisions which the director may prescribe to prevent introduction, escape, or spread of the quarantined pests.
RCW 17.28.140 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 28 / Section 140
RCW 17.28.140: Board of trustees—Organization—Officers—Compensation—Expenses.
Status: in_force

The members of the first district board shall meet on the first Monday subsequent to thirty days after the filing with the secretary of state of the certificate of incorporation of the district. They shall organize by the election of one of their members as president and one as secretary. The members of the district board shall serve without compensation; but the necessary expenses of each member for actual traveling in connection with meetings or business of the board may be allowed and paid. The secretary shall receive such compensation as shall be fixed by the district board.
RCW 17.04.240 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 04 / Section 240
RCW 17.04.240: Assessments—Classification of property—Tax levy—Special assessments.
Status: in_force

(1) The directors shall annually determine the amount of money necessary to carry on the operations of the district and shall classify the property therein in proportion to the benefits to be derived from the operations of the district and in accordance with such classification shall prorate the cost so determined and shall levy assessments to be collected with the general taxes of the county. In the event that any bonded or warrant indebtedness pledging tax revenue of the district shall be outstanding on April 1, 1951, the directors may, for the sole purpose of retiring such indebtedness, continue to levy a tax upon all taxable property in the district until such bonded or warrant indebtedness shall have been retired. (2) Activities and programs to limit economic loss and adverse effects due to the presence and spread of noxious weeds on all terrestrial and aquatic areas in the state are declared to be of special benefit, including to lands owned or held by the state, and may be used as the basis upon which special assessments are imposed by the county legislative authority, including upon lands owned or held by the state.
RCW 17.21.050 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 21 / Section 050
RCW 17.21.050: Hearings—Administrative procedure act.
Status: in_force

All hearings for the imposition of a civil penalty and/or the suspension, denial, or revocation of a license, certification, or permit issued under the provisions of this chapter shall be subject to the provisions of chapter 34.05 RCW concerning adjudicative proceedings.
RCW 17.06.010 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 06 / Section 010
RCW 17.06.010: Definitions.
Status: in_force

As used in this chapter, unless the context indicates otherwise, "principal board of county commissioners", "principal county treasurer", and "principal county auditor" mean respectively those in the county of that part of the proposed intercounty weed district in which the greatest amount of acreage is located.
RCW 17.24.210 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 24 / Section 210
RCW 17.24.210: Indemnity contracts for damages resulting from prevention, control, or eradication measures—Authorized—Conditions.
Status: in_force

The director of agriculture may, on the behalf of the state of Washington, enter into indemnity contracts wherein the state of Washington agrees to repay any person, firm, corporation, or other entity acting under the direction or control of the proper authority to provide plant pest or plant disease prevention, control, or eradication measures as provided in this chapter or any rule adopted pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, for losses and damages incurred as a result of such prevention, control, or eradication measures if all of the following conditions occur: (1) At the time of the incident the worker is performing services as an emergency measures worker and is acting within the course of his or her duties as an emergency measures worker; (2) At the time of the injury, loss, or damage, the organization providing emergency measures by which the worker is employed is an approved organization for providing emergency measures; (3) The injury, loss, or damage is proximately caused by his or her service either with or without negligence as an emergency measures worker; (4) The injury, loss, or damage is not caused by the intoxication of the worker; and (5) The injury, loss, or damage is not due to willful misconduct or gross negligence on the part of a worker. Where an act or omission by an emergency services provider in the course of providing emergency services injures a person or property, the provider and the state may be jointly and severally liable for the injury, if state liability is proved under existing or hereafter enacted law.
RCW 17.12.010 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 12 / Section 010
RCW 17.12.010: Pest districts authorized.
Status: in_force

For the purpose of destroying or exterminating squirrels, prairie dogs, gophers, moles or other rodents, or of rabbits or any predatory animals that destroy or interfere with the crops, fruit trees, shrubs, valuable plants, fodder, seeds or other agricultural plants or products, thing or pest injurious to any agricultural plant or product, or to prevent the introduction, propagation, growth or increase in number of any of the above described animals, or rodents, the board of county commissioners of any county may create a pest district or pest districts within such county and may enlarge any district containing a lesser territory than the whole county, or reduce any district already created, or combine or consolidate districts or divide, or create new districts from time to time in the manner hereinafter set forth.
RCW 17.24.151 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 24 / Section 151
RCW 17.24.151: Violations—Costs of control.
Status: in_force

A person who, through a knowing and willful violation of a quarantine established under this chapter, causes an infestation to become established, may be required to pay the costs of public control or eradication measures caused as a result of that violation.
RCW 17.28.110 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 28 / Section 110
RCW 17.28.110: Board of trustees—Composition.
Status: in_force

Within thirty days after the filing with the secretary of state of the certified copy of the order of formation, a governing board of trustees for the district shall be appointed. The district board shall be appointed as follows: (1) If the district is situated in one county only and consists wholly of unincorporated territory, five members shall be appointed by the county commissioners of the county. (2) If the district is situated entirely in one county and includes both incorporated and unincorporated territory one member shall be appointed from each commissioner district lying wholly or partly within the district by the county commissioners of the county, and one member from each city, the whole or part of which is situated in the district, by the governing body of the city; but if the district board created consists of less than five members, the county commissioners shall appoint from the district at large enough additional members to make a board of five members. (3) If the district is situated in two or more counties and is comprised wholly of incorporated territory, one member shall be appointed from each commissioner district of each county or portion of a county situated in the district by the county commissioners; but if the district board created consists of less than five members, the county commissioners of the county in which the greater area of the district is situated shall appoint from the district at large enough additional members to make a board of five members. (4) If the district is situated in two or more counties and consists of both incorporated and unincorporated territory, one member shall be appointed by the county commissioners of each of the counties from that portion of the district lying within each commissioner district within its jurisdiction; and one member from each city, a portion of which is situated in the district by the governing body of the city; but if the board created consists of less than five members, the county commissioners in which the greater area of the district is situated shall appoint from the district at large enough additional members to make a board of five members.
RCW 17.10.140 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 10 / Section 140
RCW 17.10.140: Owner's duty to control spread of noxious weeds.
Status: in_force

(1) Except as is provided under subsection (2) of this section, every owner must perform or cause to be performed those acts as may be necessary to: (a) Eradicate all class A noxious weeds; (b) Control and prevent the spread of all class B noxious weeds designated for control in that region within and from the owner's property; and (c) Control and prevent the spread of all class B and class C noxious weeds listed on the county weed list as locally mandated control priorities within and from the owner's property. (2) Every owner of forestlands classified under RCW 17.10.240 (2), or meeting the definition of forestlands contained in RCW 17.10.240 , must perform or cause to be performed those acts as may be necessary to: (a) Eradicate all class A noxious weeds; (b) Control and prevent the spread of all class B noxious weeds designated for control in that region within and from the owner's property; and (c) Control and prevent the spread of all class B and class C noxious weeds listed on the county weed list as locally mandated control priorities within and from the owner's property only when encountered in any of the following enumerated circumstances: (i) Within 1,000 feet of adjacent land uses; (ii) Within 25 feet of all privately owned roads unless properly abandoned as defined under WAC 222-24-052 as that section existed as of January 1, 2020; (iii) Within 200 feet of navigable rivers, gravel pits, log yards, and staging areas, except when not allowed under other state or federal laws or regulations; and (iv) For a single five-year period within harvested areas following the harvesting of trees for products.
RCW 17.28.253 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 28 / Section 253
RCW 17.28.253: District boundaries for tax purposes.
Status: in_force

For the purpose of property taxation and the levying of property taxes the boundaries of the mosquito control district shall be the established official boundary of such district existing on the first day of September of the year in which the levy is made, and no such levy shall be made for any mosquito control district whose boundaries are not duly established on the first day of September of such year.
RCW 17.26.015 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 26 / Section 015
RCW 17.26.015: Lead agency—Responsibilities.
Status: in_force

(1) The state department of agriculture is the lead agency for the control of spartina and purple loosestrife with the advice of the state noxious weed control board. (2) Responsibilities of the lead agency include: (a) Coordination of the control program including memorandums of understanding, contracts, and agreements with local, state, federal, and tribal governmental entities and private parties; (b) Preparation of a statewide spartina management plan utilizing integrated vegetation management strategies that encompass all of Washington's tidelands. The plan shall be developed in cooperation with local, state, federal, and tribal governments, private landowners, and concerned citizens. The plan shall prioritize areas for control. Nothing in this subsection prohibits the department from taking action to control spartina in a particular area of the state in accordance with a plan previously prepared by the state while preparing the statewide plan; (c) Directing on the ground control efforts that include, but are not limited to: (i) Control work and contracts; (ii) spartina survey; (iii) collection and maintenance of spartina location data; (iv) purchasing equipment, goods, and services; (v) survey of threatened and endangered species; and (vi) site-specific environmental information and documents; and (d) Evaluating the effectiveness of the control efforts. The lead agency shall report to the appropriate standing committees of the house of representatives and the senate no later than December 15th of each year through the year 1999 on the progress of the program, the number of acres treated by various methods of control, and on the funds spent.
RCW 17.28.010 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 28 / Section 010
RCW 17.28.010: Definitions.
Status: in_force

When used in this chapter, the following terms, words or phrases shall have the following meaning: (1) "District" means any mosquito control district formed pursuant to this chapter. (2) "Board" or "district board" means the board of trustees governing the district. (3) "County commissioners" means the governing body of the county. (4) "Unit" means all unincorporated territory in a proposed district in one county, regarded as an entity, or each city in a proposed district, likewise regarded as an entity. (5) "Territory" means any city or county or portion of either or both city or county having a population of not less than one hundred persons. (6) "Person" means any individual, firm, partnership, corporation, company, association, or joint stock association, and the legal successor thereof.
RCW 17.10.074 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 10 / Section 074
RCW 17.10.074: Director—Powers.
Status: in_force

(1) In addition to the powers conferred on the director under other provisions of this chapter, the director, with the advice of the state noxious weed control board, has power to: (a) Require the county legislative authority or the noxious weed control board of any county or any weed district to report to it concerning the presence, absence, or estimated amount of noxious weeds and measures, if any, taken or planned for the control thereof; (b) Employ staff as may be necessary in the administration of this chapter; (c) Adopt, amend, or repeal rules, pursuant to the administrative procedure act, chapter 34.05 RCW, as may be necessary to carry out this chapter; (d) Do such things as may be necessary and incidental to the administration of its functions pursuant to this chapter including but not limited to surveying for and detecting noxious weed infestations. (2) In addition to the powers conferred on the director under the provisions of this chapter, the director, with the advice of the state noxious weed control board, must: (a) Upon receipt of a complaint signed by a majority of the members of an adjacent county noxious weed control board or weed district, or by one hundred registered voters that are land owners within the county, require the county legislative authority or noxious weed control board of the county or weed district that is the subject of the complaint to respond to the complaint within forty-five days with a plan for the control of the noxious weeds cited in the complaint; (b) If the complaint in (a) of this subsection involves a class A or class B noxious weed, order the county legislative authority, noxious weed control board, or weed district to take immediate action to eradicate or control the noxious weed infestation. If the county or the weed district does not take action to control the noxious weed infestation in accordance with the order, the director may control it or cause it to be controlled. The county or weed district is liable for payment of the expense of the control work including necessary costs and expenses for attorneys' fees incurred by the director in securing payment from the county or weed district. The director may bring a civil action in a court of competent jurisdiction to collect the expenses of the control work, costs, and attorneys' fees; (c) In counties without an activated noxious weed control board, enter upon any property as provided for in RCW 17.10.160 , issue or cause to be issued notices and citations and take the necessary action to control noxious weeds as provided in RCW 17.10.170 , hold hearings on any charge or cost of control action taken as provided for in RCW 17.10.180 , issue a notice of civil infraction as provided for in RCW 17.10.230 , 17.10.310 , and 17.10.350 , and place a lien on any property pursuant to RCW 17.10.280 , 17.10.290 , and 17.10.300 with the same authorities and responsibilities imposed by these sections on county noxious weed control boards; (d) Adopt a list of noxious weed seeds and toxic weeds which shall be controlled in designated articles, products, or feed stuffs as provided for in RCW 17.10.235 . (3) The moneys appropriated for noxious weed control to the department shall be used for administration of the state noxious weed control board, the administration of the director's powers under this chapter, the purchase of materials for controlling, containing, or eradicating noxious weeds, the purchase or collection of biological control agents for controlling noxious weeds, and the contracting for services to carry out the purposes of this chapter. In a county with an activated noxious weed control board, the director shall make every effort to contract with that board for the needed services. (4) If the director determines the need to reallocate funds previously designated for county use, the director shall convene a meeting of the state noxious weed control board to seek its advice concerning any reallocation.
RCW 17.24.141 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 24 / Section 141
RCW 17.24.141: Penalties—Criminal and civil penalty.
Status: in_force

Whenever the director finds that a person has committed a violation of any of the provisions of this chapter, and that violation has not been punished pursuant to RCW 17.24.100 , the director may impose upon and collect from the violator a civil penalty not exceeding five thousand dollars per violation. Each violation shall be a separate and distinct offense. A person who knowingly, through an act of commission or omission, procures or aids or abets in the violation shall be considered to have violated this section and may be subject to the civil penalty.
RCW 17.12.040 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 12 / Section 040
RCW 17.12.040: Designation of district.
Status: in_force

If the board shall deem the interests of the county or of any particular section thereof will be benefited by the creation of such a district or districts, or the changing thereof, it shall make a record thereof upon the minutes of the board and shall designate such territory in each such district as "Pest District . . . . . . for . . . . . . County".
RCW 17.26.005 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 26 / Section 005
RCW 17.26.005: Findings.
Status: in_force

The legislature finds that: (1) Spartina alterniflora, Spartina anglica, Spartina x townsendii, and Spartina patens which are collectively called spartina are not native to the state of Washington nor to the west coast of North America. This noxious weed was inadvertently introduced into the wetlands of the state and is now aggressively invading new areas to the detriment of native ecosystems and aquatic habitat. The spread of spartina threatens to permanently convert and displace native freshwater and saltwater wetlands and intertidal zones, including critical habitat for migratory birds, many fish species, bivalves, invertebrates, marine mammals, and other animals. The continued spread of spartina will permanently reduce the diversity and the quantity of these species and will have a significant negative environmental impact. Spartina poses a significant hydrological threat. Clumps and meadows of spartina are dense environments that bind sediments and lift the intertidal gradient up out of the intertidal zone through time. This process reduces flows during flood conditions, raises flood levels, and significantly alters the hydrological regime of estuarine areas. Spartina spreads by rhizomes and seed production. Through lateral growth by rhizomes, spartina establishes a dense monotypic meadow. Through seed production and the spread of seed through the air and by water, spartina is currently being spread to other states and to Canadian provinces. (2) Purple loosestrife was first documented in the state in 1929 along freshwater shorelands. It is now present throughout the state and is particularly abundant in Grant county and its neighboring counties. The plant appears to be colonizing more rapidly on the eastern side of the state than on the western side. It was first introduced to the Winchester wasteway area in the 1960's and has invaded the area rapidly. Purple loosestrife is displacing native plants and as a result is threatening an extremely important part of this state's wildlife habitat. Lythrum salicaria and L. virgatum are closely related loosestrife species that are morphologically similar and not easily distinguished from each other in the field. Both species have been referred to as purple loosestrife. (3) Current laws and rules designed to protect the environment and preserve the wetland habitats, fish, and wildlife of the state are not designed to respond to an ecosystem-wide threat of this kind. State and federal agencies, local governments, weed boards, concerned individuals, and property owners attempting to deal with the ecological emergency posed by spartina and purple loosestrife infestations have been frustrated by interagency disagreements, demands for an undue amount of procedural and scientific process and information, dilatory appeals, and the improper application of laws and regulations by agencies that have in fact undermined the legislative purposes of those same laws while ignoring the long-term implications of delay and inaction. There is a compelling need for strong leadership, coordination, and reporting by a single state agency to respond appropriately to this urgent environmental challenge. Any further delay of control efforts will significantly increase the cost of spartina and purple loosestrife control and reduce the likelihood of long-term success. Control efforts must be coordinated across political and ownership boundaries in order to be effective. (4) The presence of noxious weeds on public lands constitutes a public nuisance and negatively impacts public and private lands. The legislature finds that control and eradication of noxious weeds on private lands is in the public interest.
RCW 17.10.290 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 10 / Section 290
RCW 17.10.290: Lien for labor, material, equipment used in controlling noxious weeds—Notice of lien.
Status: in_force

Every county noxious weed control board furnishing labor, materials, or supplies or renting, leasing, or otherwise supplying equipment to be used in the control of noxious weeds upon any property pursuant to RCW 17.10.160 and 17.10.170 or pursuant to an order under RCW 17.10.210 as now or hereafter amended, shall give to the owner or reputed owner or his or her agent a notice in writing, within ninety days from the date of the cessation of the performance of such labor, the furnishing of such materials, or the supplying of such equipment, which notice shall cover the labor, material, supplies, or equipment furnished or leased, as well as all subsequent labor, materials, supplies, or equipment furnished or leased, stating in substance and effect that such county noxious weed control board is furnishing or has furnished labor, materials and supplies or equipment for use thereon, with the name of the county noxious weed control board ordering the same, and that a lien may be claimed for all materials and supplies or equipment furnished by such county noxious weed control board for use thereon, which notice shall be given by mailing the same by registered or certified mail in an envelope addressed to the owner at his or her place of residence or reputed residence.
RCW 17.28.080 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 28 / Section 080
RCW 17.28.080: Determination of public necessity and compliance with chapter.
Status: in_force

Upon the hearing of the petition the county commissioners shall determine whether the public necessity or welfare of the proposed territory and of its inhabitants requires the formation of the district, and shall also determine whether the petition complies with the provisions of this chapter, and for that purpose shall hear all competent and relevant testimony offered.
RCW 17.21.220 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 21 / Section 220
RCW 17.21.220: Application of chapter to governmental entities—Public operator license required—Exemption—Liability.
Status: in_force

(1) All state agencies, municipal corporations, and public utilities or any other governmental agencies are subject to this chapter and its rules. (2) It is unlawful for any employee of a state agency, municipal corporation, public utility, or any other government agency to use or to supervise the use of any restricted use pesticide, or any pesticide by means of an apparatus, without having obtained a public operator license from the director. Application for a public operator license must be accompanied by a fee of forty-three dollars. The fee does not apply to public operators licensed and working in the health vector field. The public operator license is valid only when the operator is acting as an employee of a government agency. (3) The jurisdictional health officer or his or her duly authorized representative is exempt from this licensing provision when applying pesticides that are not restricted use pesticides to control pests other than weeds. (4) Agencies, municipal corporations, and public utilities are subject to legal recourse by any person damaged by such application of any pesticide, and action may be brought in the county where the damage or some part of the damage occurred.
RCW 17.10.160 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 10 / Section 160
RCW 17.10.160: Right of entry—Warrant for noxious weed search—Civil liability—Penalty for preventing entry.
Status: in_force

Any authorized agent or employee of the county noxious weed control board or of the state noxious weed control board or of the department of agriculture where not otherwise proscribed by law may enter upon any property for the purpose of administering this chapter and any power exercisable pursuant thereto, including the taking of specimens of weeds, general inspection, and the performance of eradication or control work. Prior to carrying out the purpose for which the entry is made, the official making such entry or someone in his or her behalf, shall make a reasonable attempt to notify the owner of the property as to the purpose and need for the entry. (1) When there is probable cause to believe that there is property within this state not otherwise exempt from process or execution upon which noxious weeds are standing or growing and the owner refuses permission to inspect the property, a judge of the superior court or district court in the county in which the property is located may, upon the request of the county noxious weed control board or its agent, issue a warrant directed to the board or agent authorizing the taking of specimens of weeds or other materials, general inspection, and the performance of eradication or control work. (2) Application for issuance and execution and return of the warrant authorized by this section shall be in accordance with the applicable rules of the superior court or the district courts. (3) Nothing in this section requires the application for and issuance of any warrant not otherwise required by law: PROVIDED, That civil liability for negligence shall lie in any case in which entry and any of the activities connected therewith are not undertaken with reasonable care. (4) Any person who improperly prevents or threatens to prevent entry upon land as authorized in this section or any person who interferes with the carrying out of this chapter shall be upon conviction guilty of a misdemeanor.
RCW 17.10.080 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 10 / Section 080
RCW 17.10.080: State noxious weed list—Hearing—Adoption—Guidelines for placing plants on the list—Dissemination.
Status: in_force

(1) The state noxious weed control board shall each year or more often, following a hearing, adopt a state noxious weed list. (2) The state noxious weed control board shall adopt guidelines by rule for placing plants on the state noxious weed list. These guidelines must include criteria for reconsideration of proposed new species that were not adopted by the state noxious weed control board, including the need for the board to be presented with additional data from scientific sources regarding any invasive and noxious qualities of the species and from existing positive economic benefits before taking any action. (3) Any person may request during a comment period established by the state noxious weed control board the inclusion, deletion, or designation change of any plant to the state noxious weed list. (4) The state noxious weed control board shall send a copy of the list to each activated county noxious weed control board, to each weed district, and to the county legislative authority of each county with an inactive noxious weed control board. (5) The record of rule making must include the written findings of the board for the inclusion of each plant on the list. The findings shall be made available upon request to any interested person.
RCW 17.28.090 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 28 / Section 090
RCW 17.28.090: Declaration establishing and naming district—Election to form district—Establishment of district.
Status: in_force

If, from the testimony given before the county commissioners, it appears to that board that the public necessity or welfare requires the formation of the district, it shall, by an order entered on its minutes, declare that to be its finding, and shall further declare and order that the territory within the boundaries so fixed and determined be organized as a district, under an appropriate name to be selected by the county commissioners, subject to approval of the voters of the district as hereinafter provided. The name shall contain the words "mosquito control district." At the time of the declaration establishing and naming the district, the county commissioners shall by resolution call a special election to be held not less than thirty days and not more than sixty days from the date thereof, and shall cause to be published a notice of such election at least once a week for three consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the county, setting forth the hours during which the polls will be open, the boundaries of the proposed district as finally adopted, and the object of the election. If any portion of the proposed district lies in another county, a notice of such election shall likewise be published in that county. The election on the formation of the mosquito control district shall be conducted by the auditor of the county in which the greater area of the proposed district is located in accordance with the general election laws of the state and the results thereof shall be canvassed by that county's canvassing board. For the purpose of conducting an election under this section, the auditor of the county in which the greater area of the proposed district is located may appoint the auditor of any county or the city clerk of any city lying wholly or partially within the proposed district as his or her deputies. No person shall be entitled to vote at such election unless he or she is a qualified voter under the laws of the state in effect at the time of such election and has resided within the mosquito control district for at least thirty days preceding the date of the election. The ballot proposition shall be in substantially the following form: "Shall a mosquito control district be established for the area described in a resolution of the board of commissioners of . . . . . . county adopted on the . . . . day of . . . . . ., (year) . . . .? YES . . . . □ NO . . . . □" If a majority of the persons voting on the proposition shall vote in favor thereof, the mosquito control district shall thereupon be established and the county commissioners of the county in which the greater area of the district is situated shall immediately file for record in the office of the county auditor of each county in which any portion of the land embraced in the district is situated, and shall also forward to the county commissioners of each of the other counties, if any, in which any portion of the district is situated, and also shall file with the secretary of state, a certified copy of the order of the county commissioners. From and after the date of the filing of the certified copy with the secretary of state, the district named therein is organized as a district, with all the rights, privileges, and powers set forth in this chapter, or necessarily incident thereto. If a majority of the persons voting on the proposition shall vote in favor thereof, all expenses of the election shall be paid by the mosquito control district when organized. If the proposition fails to receive a majority of votes in favor, the expenses of the election shall be borne by the respective counties in which the district is located in proportion to the number of votes cast in said counties.
RCW 17.10.300 — Washington Code / Title 17 / Chapter 10 / Section 300
RCW 17.10.300: Lien for labor, material, equipment used in controlling noxious weeds—Claim—Filing—Contents.
Status: in_force

No lien created by RCW 17.10.280 exists, and no action to enforce the same shall be maintained, unless within ninety days from the date of cessation of the performance of the labor, furnishing of materials, or the supplying of equipment, a claim for the lien is filed for record as provided in this section, in the office of the county auditor of the county in which the property, or some part of the property to be affected by the claim for a lien, is situated. The claim shall state, as nearly as may be, the time of the commencement and cessation of performing the labor, furnishing the material, or supplying the equipment, the name of the county noxious weed control board that performed the labor or caused the labor to be performed, furnished the material, or supplied the equipment, a description of the property to be charged with the lien sufficient for identification, the name of the owner, or reputed owner if known, or his or her agent, and if the owner is not known, that fact shall be mentioned, the amount for which the lien is claimed, and shall be signed by the county noxious weed control board, and be verified by the oath of the county noxious weed control board, to the effect that the affiant believes that claim to be just; and the claim of lien may be amended in case of action brought to foreclose the same, by order of the court, as pleadings may be, insofar as the interest of third parties shall not be affected by such an amendment.