Committee hears technical cleanup to corporate and nonprofit filing rules

A Washington legislative committee heard from staff, the bill’s prime sponsor and agency representatives on House Bill 2,248, which lawmakers described as a technical cleanup of corporate and nonprofit filing statutes.

Tim Ford, committee staff, told members HB 2,248 aligns statute with current Secretary of State practice by clarifying procedures for corporate filings, foreign-entity registration, trademark recording and apostille authentication. He said annual license fees remain $70 for for-profit entities and $10 for nonprofits, with $50 of the annual fee deposited in the state general fund and any remainder placed in the Secretary of State’s revolving fund.

Representative Osman Salahuddin (48th Legislative District), the bill’s prime sponsor, said the measure restores language “that was unintentionally removed in 2015” and stressed it makes no policy changes or fee increases. “This is a clarification with no cost or change to businesses or nonprofits,” he said, urging the committee’s support.

Stacy Valenzuela, speaking for manufactured-home-community stakeholders, supported the bill’s aim to improve LLC listings but urged better verification during the application process, saying she has seen property owners create multiple LLCs and EINs with similar documents that obscure corporate ownership and may affect grant distribution. Constance Parbin, public and government affairs administrator in the Secretary of State’s Corporations and Charities Division, said the agency supports the bill because it improves consistency and service delivery.

Chair Dhingra closed the public hearing after staff and sponsor remarks; a fiscal note was available on the bill record.