RCW 21.20.310 Securities exempt from registration.

RCW 21.20.140 through 21.20.300, inclusive, and 21.20.327 do not apply to any of the following securities:

(1) Any security (including a revenue obligation) issued or guaranteed by the United States, any state, any political subdivision of a state, or any agency or corporate or other instrumentality of one or more of the foregoing; or any certificate of deposit for any of the foregoing; but this exemption does not include any security payable solely from revenues to be received from a nongovernmental industrial or commercial enterprise unless such payments are made or unconditionally guaranteed by a person whose securities are exempt from registration by subsection (7) or (8) of this section: PROVIDED, That the director, by rule or order, may exempt any security payable solely from revenues to be received from a nongovernmental industrial or commercial enterprise if the director finds that registration with respect to such securities is not necessary in the public interest and for the protection of investors.

(2) Any security issued or guaranteed by Canada, any Canadian province, any political subdivision of any such province, any agency or corporate or other instrumentality of one or more of the foregoing, or any other foreign government with which the United States currently maintains diplomatic relations, if the security is recognized as a valid obligation by the issuer or guarantor; but this exemption does not include any security payable solely from revenues to be received from a nongovernmental industrial or commercial enterprise unless such payments shall be made or unconditionally guaranteed by a person whose securities are exempt from registration by subsection (7) or (8) of this section.

(3) Any security issued by and representing an interest in or a debt of, or guaranteed by, any bank organized under the laws of the United States, or any bank or trust company organized or supervised under the laws of any state.

(4) Any security issued by and representing an interest in or a debt of, or guaranteed by, any federal savings and loan association, or any building and loan or similar association organized under the laws of any state and authorized to do business in this state.

(5) Any security issued by and representing an interest in or a debt of, or insured or guaranteed by, any insurance company authorized to do business in this state.

(6) Any security issued or guaranteed by any federal credit union or any credit union, industrial loan association, or similar association organized and supervised under the laws of this state.

(7) Any security issued or guaranteed by any railroad, other common carrier, public utility, or holding company which is (a) a registered holding company under the public utility holding company act of 1935 or a subsidiary of such a company within the meaning of that act; (b) regulated in respect of its rates and charges by a governmental authority of the United States or any state or municipality; or (c) regulated in respect of the issuance or guarantee of the security by a governmental authority of the United States, any state, Canada, or any Canadian province; and equipment trust certificates in respect of equipment conditionally sold or leased to a railroad or public utility, if other securities issued by such railroad or public utility would be exempt under this subsection.

(8) Any security which meets the criteria for investment grade securities that the director may adopt by rule.

(9) Any prime quality negotiable commercial paper not intended to be marketed to the general public and not advertised for sale to the general public that is of a type eligible for discounting by federal reserve banks, that arises out of a current transaction or the proceeds of which have been or are to be used for a current transaction, and that evidences an obligation to pay cash within nine months of the date of issuance, exclusive of days of grace, or any renewal of such paper which is likewise limited, or any guarantee of such paper or of any such renewal.

(10) Any security issued in connection with an employee's stock purchase, savings, pension, profit-sharing, or similar benefit plan if: (a) The plan meets the requirements for qualification as a pension, profit sharing, or stock bonus plan under section 401 of the internal revenue code, as an incentive stock option plan under section 422 of the internal revenue code, as a nonqualified incentive stock option plan adopted with or as a supplement to an incentive stock option plan under section 422 of the internal revenue code, or as an employee stock purchase plan under section 423 of the internal revenue code; or (b) the director is notified in writing with a copy of the plan thirty days before offering the plan to employees in this state. In the event of late filing of notification the director may upon application, for good cause excuse such late filing if he or she finds it in the public interest to grant such relief.

(11) Any security issued by any person organized and operated as a nonprofit organization as defined in RCW 84.36.800(4) exclusively for religious, educational, fraternal, or charitable purposes and which nonprofit organization also possesses a current tax exempt status under the laws of the United States, which security is offered or sold only to persons who, prior to their solicitation for the purchase of said securities, were members of, contributors to, or listed as participants in, the organization, or their relatives, if such nonprofit organization first files a notice specifying the terms of the offering and the director does not by order disallow the exemption within the next ten full business days: PROVIDED, That no offerings may be made until expiration of the ten full business days. Every such nonprofit organization which files a notice of exemption of such securities shall pay a filing fee as set forth in RCW 21.20.340(11) as now or hereafter amended.

The notice shall consist of the following:

(a) The name and address of the issuer;

(b) The names, addresses, and telephone numbers of the current officers and directors of the issuer;

(c) A short description of the security, price per security, and the number of securities to be offered;

(d) A statement of the nature and purposes of the organization as a basis for the exemption under this section;

(e) A statement of the proposed use of the proceeds of the sale of the security; and

(f) A statement that the issuer shall provide to a prospective purchaser written information regarding the securities offered prior to consummation of any sale, which information shall include the following statements: (i) "ANY PROSPECTIVE PURCHASER IS ENTITLED TO REVIEW FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF THE ISSUER WHICH SHALL BE FURNISHED UPON REQUEST."; (ii) "RECEIPT OF NOTICE OF EXEMPTION BY THE WASHINGTON ADMINISTRATOR OF SECURITIES DOES NOT SIGNIFY THAT THE ADMINISTRATOR HAS APPROVED OR RECOMMENDED THESE SECURITIES, NOR HAS THE ADMINISTRATOR PASSED UPON THE OFFERING. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE."; and (iii) "THE RETURN OF THE FUNDS OF THE PURCHASER IS DEPENDENT UPON THE FINANCIAL CONDITION OF THE ORGANIZATION."

(12) Any charitable gift annuities issued by a board of a state university, regional university, or of the state college.

(13) Any charitable gift annuity issued by an insurer or institution holding a certificate of exemption under RCW 48.38.010.

[ 2002 c 65 § 5; 1998 c 15 § 13; 1995 c 46 § 4; 1994 c 256 § 18; 1981 c 272 § 5; 1979 ex.s. c 68 § 20; 1979 c 130 § 4; 1979 c 8 § 1. Prior: 1977 ex.s. c 188 § 2; 1977 ex.s. c 172 § 1; 1975 1st ex.s. c 84 § 16; 1959 c 282 § 31.]

NOTES:

Findings—Construction—1994 c 256: See RCW 43.320.007.

Severability—1979 c 130: See note following RCW 28B.10.485.