Inaccuracies in the Revised Code of Washington (RCW) may occur in a variety of ways.  Sections may be repealed, recodified, or amended in a way that changes their internal numbering, and references to these sections or subsections in other provisions of the code then become incorrect.  A bill may change a particular term and references to these terms in other provisions of the code become inaccurate, or drafting and typographical errors may be made in the drafting process.

In addition, two or more bills may amend the same section of the RCW without reference to each other.  These are called "double" or "multiple" amendments.  Usually, there are no substantive conflicts between the multiple amendments, and the amendments may be merged, but sometimes merging multiple amendments may require restructuring a section.

The Office of the Code Reviser (Code Reviser), under the direction of the Statute Law Committee, is authorized to correct certain "manifest errors" in the statutes.  These errors may include such things as mistakes in spelling, or obvious clerical or typographical errors.  The Code Reviser is also authorized to recommend to the Legislature changes regarding deficiencies, conflicts, or obsolete provisions in the RCW.

Technical corrections are made to numerous sections of law, including revisions that:

• reorder legislatively recognized days by calendar order;
• correct cross references concerning the sentencing of sex offenders and the definition of "liquor retailers;"
• correct a drafting error concerning the number of hours of supervised experience required for licensed advanced social workers;
• renumber a definition section in order to combine two subsections defining the term "commercial telephone solicitor;"
• correct errors in internal references in the Washington Business Corporation Act;
• remove a duplicative cross reference created by merging multiple amendments;
• decodify sections relating to various groups whose work has concluded;
• repeal a session law section omitted in error from a prior section repeal;
• correct cross references to reflect the recodification of sections and changes in subsection numbering;
• merge multiple amendments created when sections were amended without reference to other amendments made in the same session;
• change a reference to "the developmentally disabled" to "individuals with developmental disabilities;"
• change the term "marijuana" to "cannabis" in uncodified notes published in the RCW;
• change the term "Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission" to "State Board of Nursing" in accordance with 2023 legislation; and
• change the term "advanced registered nurse practitioner" to "advanced practice registered nurse" in accordance with 2024 legislation.

(In support) This is quite a lengthy bill, but it is truly a technical bill.  The Code Revisor's Office combs through the RCWs every year to recommend technical changes to improve the laws, including by correcting citation errors, updating terms, merging double amendments, and deleting obsolete provisions.

(Opposed) None.

Representative Roger Goodman, prime sponsor; Kathleen Buchli, Office of the Code Reviser; and Alice Im, Office of the Code Reviser.