(1) A consumer reporting agency may provide a consumer report relating to a consumer under RCW 19.182.020(1)(c)(i) in connection with a credit transaction that is not initiated by the consumer only if:

     (a) The consumer authorized the consumer reporting agency to provide the report to such a person; or

     (b) The consumer has not elected in accordance with subsection (3) of this section to have the consumer's name and address excluded from such transactions.

     (2) A consumer reporting agency may provide only the following information under subsection (1) of this section:

     (a) The name and address of the consumer; and

     (b) Information pertaining to a consumer that is not identified or identifiable with particular accounts or transactions of the consumer.

     (3)(a) A consumer may elect to have his or her name and address excluded from any list provided by a consumer reporting agency through prescreening under subsection (1) of this section or from any list provided by a consumer reporting agency for direct solicitation transactions that are not initiated by the consumer by notifying the consumer reporting agency. The notice must be made in writing through the notification system maintained by the consumer reporting agency under subsection (4) of this section and must state that the consumer does not consent to any use of consumer reports relating to the consumer in connection with any transaction that is not initiated by the consumer.

     (b) An election of a consumer under (a) of this subsection is effective with respect to a consumer reporting agency and any affiliate of the consumer reporting agency, within five business days after the consumer reporting agency receives the consumer's notice.

     (4) A consumer reporting agency that provides information intended to be used in a prescreened credit transaction or direct solicitation transaction that is not initiated by the consumer shall:

     (a) Maintain a notification system that facilitates the ability of a consumer in the agency's database to notify the agency to promptly withdraw the consumer's name from lists compiled for prescreened credit transactions and direct solicitation transactions not initiated by the consumer; and

     (b) Publish at least annually in a publication of general circulation in the area served by the agency, the address for consumers to use to notify the agency of the consumer's election under subsection (3) of this section.

     (5) A consumer reporting agency that maintains consumer reports on a nation-wide basis shall establish a system meeting the requirements of subsection (4) of this section on a nation-wide basis, and may operate such a system jointly with any other consumer reporting agencies.

     (6) Compliance with the requirements of this section by any consumer reporting agency constitutes compliance by the agency's affiliates.

[1993 c 476 § 5.]