RCW 1.20.010
State flag.
The official flag of the state of Washington shall be of dark green silk or bunting and shall bear in its center a reproduction of the seal of the state of Washington embroidered, printed, painted or stamped thereon. The edges of the flag may, or may not, be fringed. If a fringe is used the same shall be of gold or yellow color of the same shade as the seal. The dimensions of the flag may vary.
The secretary of state is authorized to provide the state flag to units of the armed forces, without charge therefor, as in his or her discretion he or she deems entitled thereto. The secretary of state is further authorized to sell the state flag to any citizen at a price to be determined by the secretary of state.
[
2011 c 336 s 7
;
1967 ex.s. c 65 s 2
;
1925 ex.s. c 85 s 1
;
1923 c 174 s 1
; RRS s 10964-1, RRS vol. 11, p. 399.]
NOTES:
Reviser's note:
Same RRS number was also used for a section dealing with a different subject on page 110 of RRS vol. 11, pocket part.
RCW 1.20.015
Display of national and state flags.
The flag of the United States and the flag of the state shall be prominently installed, displayed and maintained in schools, court rooms and state buildings.
[
1955 c 88 s 1
.]
NOTES:
Crimes relating to flags: Chapter
9.86
RCW.
Flag exercises in schools: RCW 28A.230.140
.
RCW 1.20.017
Display of national league of families' POW/MIA flag.
(1) Each public entity must display the national league of families' POW/MIA flag along with the flag of the United States and the flag of the state upon or near the principal building of the public entity on the following days: (a) Former Prisoners of War Recognition Day on April 9th; (b) Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day on March 30; (c) Armed Forces Day on the third Saturday in May; (d) Memorial Day on the last Monday in May; (e) Flag Day on June 14; (f) Independence Day on July 4; (g) National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day on July 27; (h) National POW/MIA Recognition Day on the third Friday in September; (i) Veterans Day on November 11th; and (j) Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day on December 7th. If the designated day falls on a Saturday or Sunday, then the POW/MIA flag must be displayed on the preceding Friday.
(2) The governor's veterans affairs advisory committee must provide information to public entities regarding the purchase and display of the POW/MIA flag upon request.
(3) As used in this section, "public entity" means every state agency, including each institution of higher education, and every county, city, and town.
[
2017 c 79 s 1
;
2013 c 5 s 2
;
2012 c 11 s 2
;
2002 c 293 s 1
.]
RCW 1.20.020
State tree.
That certain evergreen tree known and described as the western hemlock (
Tsuga heterophylla
) is hereby designated as the official tree of the state of Washington.
[
1947 c 191 s 1
; Rem. Supp. 1947 s 10964-120.]
RCW 1.20.025
State grass.
Agropyron spicatum
, the species of natural grass commonly called "bluebunch wheatgrass," is hereby designated as the official grass of the state of Washington.
[
1989 c 354 s 62
.]
NOTES:
Severability
—
1989 c 354:
See note following RCW 15.36.012
.
RCW 1.20.030
State flower.
The native species,
Rhododendron macrophyllum
, is hereby designated as the official flower of the state of Washington.
[
1959 c 29 s 1
;
1949 c 18 s 1
; Rem. Supp. 1949 s 10964-200.]
RCW 1.20.035
State fruit.
The official fruit of the state of Washington is the apple.
[
1989 c 354 s 63
.]
NOTES:
Severability
—
1989 c 354:
See note following RCW 15.36.012
.
RCW 1.20.037
State marine mammal.
The orca,
Orcinus orca
, is hereby designated as the official marine mammal of the state of Washington.
[
2005 c 51 s 2
.]
NOTES:
Finding
—
Intent
—
2005 c 51:
"The legislature finds that many people visit Washington state to watch orcas, the orca is a significant symbol for the Native American culture, there are pods of orcas that migrate annually through Puget Sound, and the orca is easily recognizable because of its distinct markings. The legislature intends to promote orca awareness and to encourage protection of the natural marine habitat by designating the orca as the official marine mammal of the state of Washington." [
2005 c 51 s 1
.]
RCW 1.20.038
State endemic mammal.
The Olympic marmot,
Marmota olympus
, is hereby designated as the official endemic mammal of the state of Washington.
[
2009 c 464 s 2
.]
NOTES:
Finding
—
Intent
—
2009 c 464:
"The legislature finds that the Olympic marmot, the only endemic mammal in Washington state, should be designated as the state endemic mammal. The Olympic marmot inhabits the Olympic Peninsula in the western section of the state of Washington. Olympic marmots hibernate from September to May. During the morning and afternoon on summer days they feed and spend time sunbathing on rocks. In the evening, they return to their burrow. Olympic marmots are relatively easy to see during the summer months along Hurricane Ridge in the Olympic National Park. Olympic marmots eat herbs, grasses, and flowers. They prefer plants that are soft and easy to digest. They may also eat fruits, legumes, and insects.
Olympic marmots are highly social and may live in groups of over a dozen animals. Gregarious bonds are made between individuals in a family. Olympic marmots identify each other by touching noses and smelling cheeks.
The legislature intends to promote awareness of the Olympic marmot by designating the Olympic marmot as the official endemic mammal of the state of Washington." [
2009 c 464 s 1
.]
RCW 1.20.040
State bird.
The willow goldfinch is hereby designated as the official bird of the state of Washington.
[
1951 c 249 s 1
.]
RCW 1.20.041
State dinosaur.
The Suciasaurus rex is hereby designated as the official dinosaur of the state of Washington.
[
2023 c 330 s 2
.]
NOTES:
Finding
—
2023 c 330:
"The legislature finds that the Suciasaurus rex, the first and, as of July 23, 2023, only dinosaur discovered in Washington state, should be designated as the state dinosaur. In May 2012, paleontologists discovered a portion of a left femur of a theropod dinosaur at Sucia Island state park in the San Juan Islands. Theropods are bipedal carnivorous dinosaurs that include Tyrannosaurus and Velociraptor. While scientists are unsure exactly what type of theropod the fossil belongs to, evidence suggests it may be a species similar to Daspletosaurus. The dinosaur has been nicknamed Suciasaurus rex.
Dinosaurs are not usually found in Washington because of its proximity to an active tectonic plate boundary and the high degree of human development. Some scientists believe the Suciasaurus rex lived somewhere between Baja California, Mexico, and northern California, and its fossil traveled to Washington along with a portion of the western edge of North America that was displaced to British Columbia in the Late Cretaceous period, but the fossil's exact location of origin remains controversial." [
2023 c 330 s 1
.]
RCW 1.20.042
State fossil.
The Columbian mammoth of North America,
Mammuthus columbi
, is hereby designated as the official fossil of the state of Washington.
[
1998 c 129 s 2
.]
NOTES:
Legislative recognition
—
1998 c 129:
"The legislature recognizes that the large, hairy prehistoric elephants of the extinct genus Mammuthus roamed the North American continent, including the Pacific Northwest, during the Pleistocene epoch (ice ages)." [
1998 c 129 s 1
.]
RCW 1.20.045
State fish.
The species of trout commonly called "steelhead trout" (
Salmo gairdnerii
) is hereby designated as the official fish of the state of Washington.
[
1969 c 36 s 1
.]
RCW 1.20.047
State insect.
The common green darner dragonfly,
Anax junius drury
, is hereby designated as the official insect of the state of Washington.
[
1997 c 6 s 2
.]
NOTES:
Finding
—
1997 c 6:
"The legislature finds that the common green darner dragonfly,
Anax junius drury
, can be found throughout Washington and is easily recognizable by its bright green head and thorax. The legislature further recognizes that the common green darner dragonfly, also known as the "mosquito hawk," is a beneficial contributor to our ecosystem." [
1997 c 6 s 1
.]
RCW 1.20.050
Standard time
—
Daylight saving time.
(Contingent repeal.)
No county, city or other political subdivision of this state shall adopt any provision for the observance of daylight saving time, or any time other than standard, except pursuant to a gubernatorial proclamation declaring an emergency during a period of national war and authorizing such adoption, or unless other than standard time is established on a national basis: PROVIDED, That this section shall not apply to orders made by federal authorities in a local area entirely under federal control.
[
1953 c 2 s 1
(Initiative Measure No. 181, approved November 4, 1952).]
NOTES:
Reviser's note:
2019 c 297 contains a contingent repeal section and a contingent effective date section. This section and RCW 1.20.051
and
1.20.052
will be repealed under 2019 c 297 s 4 on the date provided in 2019 c 297 s 5 when the contingency in 2019 c 297 s 5 occurs.
Contingent repeal
—
2019 c 297:
See note following RCW 1.20.052
.
RCW 1.20.051
Daylight saving time.
(Contingent repeal.)
At two o'clock antemeridian Pacific Standard Time of the second Sunday in March each year the time of the state of Washington shall be advanced one hour, and at two o'clock antemeridian Pacific Standard Time of the first Sunday in November in each year the time of the state of Washington shall, by the retarding of one hour, be returned to Pacific Standard Time.
[
2018 c 22 s 2
;
1963 c 14 s 1
;
1961 c 3 s 1
(Initiative Measure No. 210, approved November 8, 1960).]
NOTES:
Reviser's note:
(1) 2019 c 297 contains a contingent repeal section and a contingent effective date section. This section and RCW 1.20.050
and
1.20.052
will be repealed under 2019 c 297 s 4 on the date provided in 2019 c 297 s 5 when the contingency in 2019 c 297 s 5 occurs.
(2) See also federal law, which prescribes identical start and end dates for daylight saving time. 15 U.S.C. Sec. 260a.
Contingent repeal
—
2019 c 297:
See note following RCW 1.20.052
.
Explanatory statement
—
2018 c 22:
"RCW 1.08.025
directs the code reviser, with the approval of the statute law committee, to prepare legislation for submission to the legislature "concerning deficiencies, conflicts, or obsolete provisions" in statutes. This act makes technical, nonsubstantive amendments as follows:
(1) Section 2 of this act amends RCW 1.20.051
to conform the start and end dates of daylight saving time to the dates in federal law, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 260a.
(2) Section 3 of this act is intended to correct an apparent error in RCW 6.23.120
. The legislature apparently intended to refer to one hundred twenty percent of the redemption amount, rather than one hundred twenty percent greater than the redemption amount.
P.H.T.S., LLC v. Vantage Capital, LLC
, 186 Wn. App. 281, 289 n.8, 345 P.3d 20, 24 (2015).
(3) Section 4 of this act is intended to correct an apparent error in RCW 6.27.060
. The section contains a cross-reference to the fee schedule in RCW 36.18.020, when the actual fee is found in RCW 36.18.016
(6).
(4) Section 5 of this act amends RCW 9A.56.130
to reflect multiple changes in subsection numbering of a cross-referenced section.
(5) Section 6 of this act is intended to correct an apparent error in RCW 11.02.005
(10). One sentence in the subsection is repeated in nearly identical form in the same subsection.
(6) Section 7 of this act amends RCW 13.40.193
to reflect a change in subsection numbering of a cross-referenced section.
(7) Section 8 of this act is intended to correct an apparent error in RCW 15.24.100
. Section 8, chapter 15, Laws of 2016 sp. sess. removed the language authorizing an assessment in RCW 15.24.100
. The assessment referred to appears to be the assessment authorized in RCW 15.24.090
.
(8) Section 9 of this act clarifies language in RCW 26.50.070
(4) by consistently using the term "ex parte temporary order" throughout the subsection.
(9) Section 10 of this act merges a double amendment created when section 39, chapter 7, Laws of 2010 1st sp. sess. amended RCW 43.21B.005
without reference to the amendments made by section 4, chapter 210, Laws of 2010.
(10) Section 11 of this act is intended to correct an apparent error in RCW 43.43.823
(5). RCW 9.41.114
provides a five-day deadline for firearms dealers to report certain information, but the informational form in RCW 43.43.823
(5) states that the deadline is two days.
(11) Section 12 of this act amends RCW 46.55.080
to reflect a change in subsection numbering of a cross-referenced section.
(12) Section 13 of this act is intended to remove doubt as to the validity of portions of RCW 51.32.095
. Section 3, chapter 137, Laws of 2015 repealed the expiration date of 2013 and 2011 amendments to RCW 51.32.095, but allowed 2007 amendments to the section to expire on June 30, 2016.
(13) Section 14 of this act repeals RCW 82.04.4483, which was previously repealed by section 504, chapter 323, Laws of 2017 without cognizance of technical amendments made by section 19, chapter 135, Laws of 2017.
(14) Section 15 of this act is intended to clarify the expiration date of RCW 90.56.335
. Section 950, chapter 36, Laws of 2016 sp. sess. (the supplemental omnibus appropriations act) amended RCW 90.56.335
without cognizance of the section's expiration date." [
2018 c 22 s 1
.]
RCW 1.20.052
Permanent daylight saving time
—
Intent.
(Contingent repeal.)
Under federal law as it exists on July 28, 2019, states are not permitted to observe daylight saving time year-round. If the United States congress amends federal law to authorize states to observe daylight saving time year-round, the legislature intends that Washington state make daylight saving time the permanent time of the state and all of its political subdivisions.
[
2019 c 297 s 1
.]
NOTES:
Reviser's note:
2019 c 297 contains a contingent repeal section and a contingent effective date section. This section and RCW 1.20.050
and
1.20.051
will be repealed under 2019 c 297 s 4 on the date provided in 2019 c 297 s 5 when the contingency in 2019 c 297 s 5 occurs.
Contingent repeal
—
2019 c 297:
"The following acts or parts of acts are each repealed:
(1) RCW 1.20.050
(Standard time—Daylight saving time) and
1953 c 2 s 1
;
(2) RCW 1.20.051
(Daylight saving time) and 2018 c 22 s 2, 1963 c 14 s 1, &
1961 c 3 s 1
; and
(3) RCW 1.20.052
and
2019 c 297 s 1
." [
2019 c 297 s 4
.]
Contingent effective date
—
2019 c 297:
See note following RCW 1.20.055
.
RCW 1.20.055
Pacific daylight time.
(Contingent effective date.)
(1) The time of the state of Washington and all of its political subdivisions is Pacific daylight time throughout the calendar year, as determined by reference to coordinated universal time.
(2) Pacific daylight time within the state is that of the fifth zone designated by federal law as Pacific Standard Time, 15 U.S.C. Secs. 261 and 263, advanced by one hour.
[
2019 c 297 s 2
.]
NOTES:
Contingent effective date
—
2019 c 297:
"(1) Sections 2 through 4 of this at [act] take effect on the first Sunday in November following the effective date of federal authorization to observe daylight saving time year-round, except if the effective date of federal authorization to observe daylight saving time year-round occurs on or after October 1st but before the first Sunday in November, sections 2 through 4 of this act take effect on the first Sunday in November in the following year.
(2) The governor shall provide written notice of the effective date of sections 2 through 4 of this act to affected parties, the chief clerk of the house of representatives, the secretary of the senate, the office of the code reviser, and others as deemed appropriate by the governor." [
2019 c 297 s 5
.]
RCW 1.20.060
Arbor day.
The second Wednesday in April of each year is designated as Arbor day.
[
1957 c 220 s 1
.]
RCW 1.20.070
State song.
The song, music and lyrics, "Washington My Home", composed by Helen Davis, is hereby designated as the official song of the state of Washington.
[
1959 c 281 s 1
.]
RCW 1.20.071
State song
—
Proceeds from sale.
All proceeds from the sale of the official song of the state as designated in RCW 1.20.070
shall be placed in the general fund.
[
1973 1st ex.s. c 59 s 1
;
1959 c 281 s 2
.]
NOTES:
Effective date
—
1973 1st ex.s. c 59:
See note following RCW 43.79.420
.
RCW 1.20.073
State folk song.
The legislature recognizes that winter recreational activities are part of the folk tradition of the state of Washington. Winter recreational activities serve to turn the darkness of a northwest winter into the dawn of renewed vitality. As the winter snows dissolve into the torrents of spring, the Columbia river is nourished. The Columbia river is the pride of the northwest and the unifying geographic element of the state. In order to celebrate the river which ties the winter recreation playground of snowcapped mountains and the Yakima, Snake, and the Klickitat rivers to the ocean so blue, the legislature declares that the official state folk song is "Roll On Columbia, Roll On," composed by Woody Guthrie.
[
1987 c 526 s 4
.]
RCW 1.20.075
State dance.
The square dance is designated as the official dance of the state of Washington.
[
1979 ex.s. c 10 s 1
.]
RCW 1.20.080
State seal.
The seal of the state of Washington shall be, a seal encircled with the words: "The Seal of the State of Washington," with the vignette of General George Washington as the central figure, and beneath the vignette the figures "1889" and shall be composed as appears in the illustration below:
[
1967 ex.s. c 65 s 1
.]
RCW 1.20.090
State gem.
Petrified wood is hereby designated as the official gem of the state of Washington.
[
1975 c 8 s 1
.]
RCW 1.20.100
Diverse cultures and languages encouraged
—
State policy.
The legislature finds that:
(1) Diverse ethnic and linguistic communities have contributed to the social and economic prosperity of Washington state;
(2) It is the welcomed responsibility and opportunity of this state to respect and facilitate the efforts of all cultural, ethnic, and linguistic segments of the population to become full participants in Washington communities;
(3) This state's economic well-being depends heavily on foreign trade and international exchange and more than one out of six jobs is directly linked to foreign trade and international exchange;
(4) If Washington is to prosper in foreign trade and international exchange, it must have citizens that are multilingual and multicultural;
(5) While recognizing the value of a multilingual background, the state also encourages all citizens to become proficient in English to facilitate full participation of all groups into society and to promote cross-communication between multilingual groups; and
(6) The multilingual nature of communication that currently exists in this state should be promoted to build trust and understanding among all of its citizens.
Therefore, it shall be the policy of the state of Washington to welcome and encourage the presence of diverse cultures and the use of diverse languages in business, government, and private affairs in this state.
[
1989 c 236 s 1
.]
NOTES:
Construction
—
1989 c 236:
"Nothing in section 1 of this act creates any right or cause of action or adds to any existing right or cause of action nor may it be relied upon to compel the establishment of any program or special entitlement." [
1989 c 236 s 2
.]
RCW 1.20.110
State tartan.
The Washington state tartan is hereby designated. The tartan shall have a pattern of colors, called a sett, that is made up of a green background with stripes of blue, white, yellow, red, and black. The secretary of state shall register the tartan with the Scottish Register of Tartans.
[
2019 c 64 s 2
;
1991 c 62 s 1
.]
NOTES:
Explanatory statement
—
2019 c 64:
"RCW 1.08.025
directs the code reviser, with the approval of the statute law committee, to prepare legislation for submission to the legislature "concerning deficiencies, conflicts, or obsolete provisions" in statutes. This act makes technical, nonsubstantive amendments as follows:
(1) Section 2 of this act updates RCW 1.20.110
to reflect 2008 legislation by the Scottish parliament, creating a new register of tartans.
(2) Sections 3, 17, and 19 of this act merge double amendments created when sections were amended without reference to the amendments made in the same year.
(3) Section 4 of this act amends RCW 13.40.193
to reflect a change in subsection numbering of a cross-referenced section.
(4) Section 5 of this act corrects an apparent error in RCW 28B.117.040
(1). The reference to "subsection (3)(a) of this section" is incorrect. RCW 28B.117.030
(3)(a) was apparently intended.
(5) Sections 6 through 16 of this act amend numerous sections in chapter
29A.92
RCW to replace references to "chapter 113, Laws of 2018" with "this chapter."
(6) Section 18 of this act amends RCW 41.50.033
to remove unnecessary subsection references for a defined term.
(7) Sections 20 through 22 of this act merge double amendments created when sections were amended without cognizance of amendments made in previous years.
(8) Section 23 of this act corrects five references to "emergency volunteer health practitioner" in RCW 70.15.110
(1). Reference to "volunteer health practitioner" was apparently intended.
(9) Section 24 of this act corrects an apparent error in RCW 70.305.010
(4) and (5). The reference to RCW 43.216.141
appears erroneous. RCW 43.216.157
was apparently intended.
(10) Section 25 of this act amends RCW 74.13.029
to reflect multiple changes in subsection numbering of a cross-referenced section.
(11) Section 26 of this act adds a definition section to chapter
74.14B
RCW to clarify that, pursuant to RCW 43.216.906, "department" refers to the department of children, youth, and families, rather than the department of social and health services." [
2019 c 64 s 1
.]
RCW 1.20.120
State arboretum.
The Washington park arboretum is hereby designated as an official arboretum of the state of Washington.
[
1995 c 82 s 2
.]
NOTES:
Findings
—
1995 c 82:
"The legislature finds that the arboreta in this state act as living museums devoted to the display and conservation of woody plant species from around the world that can grow in the Pacific Northwest. Arboreta enhance public appreciation for the aesthetic diversity of temperate woody plants; conserve both natural and cultivated woody plant taxa to preserve their diversity for future appreciation; educate the public and students concerning urban landscape use and the natural biology of temperate woody plants; and cooperate with similar institutions in this region and around the world in achieving these common goals. The legislature further finds that arboreta are of increasing importance as world biodiversity declines.
The Washington park arboretum is a two hundred acre living museum that is managed cooperatively by the city of Seattle and the University of Washington. It is devoted to the display and conservation of collections of plants from around the world which can grow in the Pacific Northwest. These plants are used for education, research, conservation, and a sense of public pleasure. The Washington park arboretum, the oldest center for botanical and gardening learning in the Pacific Northwest, is recognized as one of the two foremost collections of woody plants in the United States of America and enjoys an excellent international reputation. The legislature finds that it is fitting and appropriate to recognize the importance of the overall mission of the Washington park arboretum." [
1995 c 82 s 1
.]
RCW 1.20.130
Preferred terminology in government documents.
(1) All state and local government statutes, codes, rules, regulations, and other official documents enacted after July 1, 2002, are required to use the term "Asian" when referring to persons of Asian descent. The use of the term "Oriental" is prohibited.
(2) The legislature urges all state and local entities to review their statutes, codes, rules, regulations, and other official documents and revise them to omit the use of the term "Oriental" when referring to persons of Asian descent.
[
2002 c 307 s 2
.]
NOTES:
Finding
—
2002 c 307:
"The legislature finds that the use of the term "Oriental" when used to refer to persons of Asian descent is outdated and pejorative. There is a need to make clear that the term "Asian" is preferred terminology, and that this more modern and nonpejorative term must be used to replace outdated terminology." [
2002 c 307 s 1
.]
Effective date
—
2002 c 307:
"This act takes effect July 1, 2002." [
2002 c 307 s 4
.]
RCW 1.20.140
State vegetable.
The Walla Walla sweet onion is designated as the official vegetable of the state of Washington.
[
2007 c 137 s 1
.]
RCW 1.20.150
State amphibian.
The Pacific chorus frog,
Pseudacris regilla,
is hereby designated as the official amphibian of the state of Washington.
[
2007 c 224 s 1
.]
RCW 1.20.160
State ship.
The Lady Washington is hereby designated as the official ship of the state of Washington.
[
2007 c 351 s 1
.]
RCW 1.20.170
State waterfall.
Palouse falls is hereby designated as the official waterfall of the state of Washington.
[
2014 c 41 s 2
.]
NOTES:
Findings
—
2014 c 41:
"(1) The tourist industry is a vital part of the state's economy. Palouse falls has visitors numbering averaging over eighty thousand to one hundred thousand per year. The falls drop one hundred ninety-eight feet identifying them as the last remaining year-round waterfalls left by the ice age floods.
(2) Palouse falls was named sixth on the top ten best United States waterfalls list, tenth on the list of the world's most amazing waterfalls, and the site of the world record-breaking kayak drop.
(3) Palouse falls surrounding area is the location for the oldest documented remains found in the western hemisphere; home of the Palouse Native American culture; birthplace of the Appaloosa horse; and documented in Lewis and Clark's journals." [
2014 c 41 s 1
.]
RCW 1.20.180
State oyster.
The
Ostrea lurida
is hereby designated the official oyster of the state of Washington. This native oyster species plays an important role in the history and culture that surrounds shellfish in Washington state and along the west coast of the United States. Some of the common and historic names used for this species are Native, Western, Shoalwater, and Olympia.
[
2014 c 146 s 2
.]
NOTES:
Finding
—
2014 c 146:
"The
Ostrea lurida
is the only oyster native to Washington state." [
2014 c 146 s 1
.]
RCW 1.20.190
Purple heart state.
Washington state is designated a purple heart state that honors people who have received the purple heart award.
[
2021 c 213 s 2
.]
NOTES:
Findings
—
2021 c 213:
"(1) Washington state is grateful to be home to multitudes of United States armed forces members, veterans, and their families that have made the choice to protect freedom and our country.
(2) The purple heart medal is the oldest United States military decoration, dating back to 1782 when our state's namesake general George Washington created the badge of military merit to recognize heroic acts by his troops during the revolutionary war. Based on this example, the purple heart medal was created on George Washington's two hundredth birthday, February 22, 1932, and was made available for recognition of meritorious acts that occurred during World War I.
(3) Elizabeth Will designed the award to be a heart shaped medal with a profile image of general Washington that hangs from a purple ribbon.
(4) The purple heart medal is now presented to those members of the armed services who are killed or wounded in action as the result of an act of an enemy of the United States or in military combat.
(5) The state designated August 7th as purple heart recipient recognition day.
(6) The state offers a distinctive license plate for purple heart recipients.
(7) The state has multiple counties, cities, and locations that recognize portions of the transportation system as part of the purple heart trail.
(8) The designation of Washington as a purple heart state authorizes state agencies to honor purple heart recipients and recognize and proclaim the state as a purple heart state." [
2021 c 213 s 1
.]
RCW 1.20.200
State sport.
The sport of pickleball is hereby designated as the official sport of the state of Washington.
[
2022 c 188 s 2
.]
NOTES:
Finding
—
Intent
—
2022 c 188:
"The legislature recognizes that the sport of pickleball was created in 1965 on Bainbridge Island by Joel McFee Pritchard, who went on to be elected lieutenant governor and member of Congress for Washington, along with two of his friends, Bill Bell and Barney McCallum. These men created the game at Pritchard's summer cabin after they "persuaded" their abnormally hyper children to go outside to play a few games of badminton, but there was no badminton equipment to be found. Instead, these fathers did some brainstorming and created a new game using ping-pong paddles, a net, and a neighbor's plastic wiffle ball. The rules that they created for the new game, which they named pickleball, are still used today by the USA Pickleball Association.
The legislature finds that pickleball is a game that can be played by anyone, one-on-one, or as a team, and has expanded far beyond Washington to become a nationally and internationally beloved game; over four million people play pickleball in the United States and there are currently 67 member countries in the International Federation of Pickleball. Soon pickleball will even be televised by Fox Sports. The legislature intends to honor and recognize the Washingtonians who created, popularized, and continue to enjoy this sport by designating pickleball the official sport of the state of Washington." [
2022 c 188 s 1
.]
RCW 1.20.210
Water safety day.
On the day recognized as water safety day under RCW 1.16.050, individuals who work directly with children, from infants to age 18, in their profession are encouraged to provide training, educational materials, and other resources to the children and their families around water safety, water rescue, and drowning prevention, including a list of locations where caregivers can access swimming lessons for their children.
[
2023 c 181 s 3
.]
NOTES:
Findings
—
Short title
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2023 c 181:
See notes following RCW 1.16.050
.
RCW 1.20.220
State marine forest.
Bull kelp (
Nereocystis luetkeana
) forests are hereby designated to be the official marine forest of the state of Washington.
[
2025 c 45 s 2
.]
NOTES:
Findings
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2025 c 45:
"(1) As the foundational species of the evergreen state's underwater forests, bull kelp is vital to Washington's culture, commerce, and ecology. Together with understory kelp, other floating kelps, and eelgrass meadows, bull kelp forests provide a mosaic of habitats and food that support the state's marine species like orcas, salmon, rockfish, and pinto abalone, and serve to sustain commercially and culturally important marine fisheries. Bull kelp holds deep cultural significance for tribal nations, continuing to sustain and support tribal communities today as it has for generations. For tribes, access to healthy bull kelp ecosystems within their usual and accustomed grounds, stations, and traditional areas is essential not only as a source of food and traditional materials, but also for spiritual, cultural, and economic practices that have long depended on the kelp forest's vitality. Recognizing this, this act explicitly respects and upholds the treaty rights of Indian tribes. Nothing within this act is intended to alter or infringe upon these inherent rights.
(2) Bull kelp has declined dramatically throughout south and central Puget Sound in recent years, endangering its crucial role in our marine and coastal ecosystems. The Washington state legislature provided initial funding to implement priority actions identified in the Puget Sound kelp conservation and recovery plan during the 2021 and 2023 legislative sessions. Continuing this work, the department of natural resources established the statewide kelp and eelgrass health and conservation plan in 2023 to conserve and recover at least 10,000 acres of kelp forests and eelgrass meadows by 2040, driving collaborative efforts to preserve and restore our bull kelp forests on Washington's coast and in Puget Sound.
(3) Conserving and recovering this vital species relies on awareness that our bull kelp forests are critical to Washington's identity, culture, economy, and ecology. In recognition of this important habitat, the state legislature hereby designates bull kelp (
Nereocystis luetkeana
) forests as the official state marine forest." [
2025 c 45 s 1
.]