(1)(a) Beginning September 1, 2010, a third-party administrator must register with the department of licensing and renew its registration on an annual basis thereafter prior to December 31st of each year, or within ten days after the registrant changes its name, business name, business address, or business telephone number, whichever occurs sooner.

     (b) The registrant shall pay the registration or renewal fee established by the department of licensing as provided in RCW 43.24.086.

     (c) Any person or entity that is acting as or holding itself out to be a third-party administrator while failing to have registered under this section is subject to a civil penalty of not less than one thousand dollars nor more than ten thousand dollars for each violation. The civil penalty is in addition to any other penalties that may be imposed for violations of other laws of this state.

     (2) For the purposes of this section, "third-party administrator" has the same meaning as defined in RCW 70.290.010.

     (3) The department of licensing may adopt rules under chapter 34.05 RCW as necessary to implement this section.

[2010 c 174 § 9.]

NOTES:

     Effective date -- 2010 c 174: See RCW 70.290.900.