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3118122, 8:26 ANE RCW 4.96.010: Tortious conduct of local governmental entities—Liability for damages. <br />RCW 4.96.010 <br />Tortious conduct of local governmental entities—Liability for damages. <br />(1) All local governmental entities, whether acting in a governmental or proprietary capacity, shall <br />be liable for damages arising out of their tortious conduct, or the tortious conduct of their past or present <br />officers, employees, or volunteers while performing or in good faith purporting to perform their official <br />duties, to the same extent as if they were a private person or corporation. Filing a claim for damages <br />within the time allowed by law shall be a condition precedent to the commencement of any action <br />claiming damages. The laws specifying the content for such claims shall be liberally construed so that <br />substantial compliance therewith will be deemed satisfactory. <br />(2) Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, for the purposes of this chapter, "local <br />governmental entity" means a county, city, town, special district, municipal corporation as defined in <br />RCW 39.50.010, quasi -municipal corporation, any joint municipal utility services authority, any entity <br />created by public agencies under RCW 39.34.030, or public hospital. <br />(3) For the purposes of this chapter, "volunteer" is defined according to RCW 51.12.035. <br />[ 201' c 258 § 10; 2001 c 119 § 1; 1993 c 449 § 2; 1967 c 164 § 1.] <br />NOTES: <br />Short title—Purpose—intent-2011 c 258: See RCW 39.106.010. <br />Purpose --1993 c 449: "This act is designed to provide a single, uniform procedure for <br />bringing a claim for damages against a local governmental entity. The existing procedures, contained in <br />chapter 36.45 RCW, counties, chapter 35.31 RCW, cities and towns, chapter 35A.31 RCW, optional <br />municipal code, and chapter 4.96 RCW, other political subdivisions, municipal corporations, and quasi- <br />municipal corporations, are revised and consolidated into chapter 4.96 RCW." [ 1993 c 449 § 1.] <br />Severability -1993 c 449: "If any provision of this act or its application to any person or <br />circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons <br />or circumstances is not affected." [ 1993 c 449 § 15.] <br />Purpose -1967 c 164: "It is the purpose of this act to extend the doctrine established in <br />chapter 136, Laws of 1961, as amended, to all political subdivisions, municipal corporations and quasi <br />municipal corporations of the state." [ 1967 c 164 § 17.] <br />Severability -1967 c 164: "If any provision of this act, or its application to any person or <br />circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act, or the application of the provision to other persons <br />or circumstances is not affected." [ 1967 c 164 § 18.] <br />https:/Iapp.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=4.96.010 111 <br />