Washington § 35.90.080 - Adoption of model ordinance — Development committee — Mandatory provisions — City registration.

(1)(a) The cities, working through the association of Washington cities, must form a model ordinance development committee made up of a representative sampling of cities that impose a general business license requirement. This committee must work through the association of Washington cities to adopt a model ordinance on general business license requirements by July 1, 2018. The model ordinance and subsequent amendments developed by the committee must be adopted using a process that includes opportunity for substantial input from business stakeholders and other members of the public. Input must be solicited from statewide business associations and from local chambers of commerce and downtown business associations in cities that require a person that conducts business in the city to obtain a general business license.

(b) The department, association of Washington cities, and municipal research and services center must post copies of, or links to, the model ordinance on their internet websites. Additionally, a city that imposes a general business license requirement must make copies of its general business license ordinance or ordinances available for inspection and copying as provided in chapter 42.56 RCW.

(c) The definitions in the model ordinance may not be amended more frequently than once every four years, except that the model ordinance may be amended at any time to comply with changes in state law or court decisions. Any amendment to a mandatory provision of the model ordinance must be adopted with the same effective date by all cities.

(2) A city that imposes a general business license requirement must adopt the mandatory provisions of the model ordinance by January 1, 2019. The following provisions are mandatory:

(a) A definition of "engaging in business within the city" for purposes of delineating the circumstances under which a general business license is required;

(b) A uniform minimum licensing threshold under which a person would be relieved of the requirement to obtain a city's general business license. A city retains the authority to create a higher threshold for the requirement to obtain a general business license but must not deviate lower than the level required by the model ordinance.

(3)(a) A city may require a person that is under the uniform minimum licensing threshold as provided in subsection (2) of this section to obtain a city registration with no fee due to the city.

(b) A city that requires a city registration as provided in (a) of this subsection must partner with the department to have such registration issued through the business licensing service in accordance with chapter 19.02 RCW. This subsection (3)(b) does not apply to a city that is excluded from the requirement to partner with the department for the issuance and renewal of general business licenses as provided in RCW 35.90.020.