ENROLLMENT OF PERSONS

RCW 38.44
in effect

RCW 38.44.010 Commander-in-chief may order enrollment.

Whenever the commander-in-chief shall deem it necessary, in event of, or imminent danger of war, insurrection, rebellion, invasion, tumult, riot, resistance to law or process, breach of the peace, public disaster, or the imminent occurrence of any of these events, the commander-in-chief may order an enrollment by counties of all persons subject to military duty, designating the county assessor or some other person for each county to act as county enrolling officer. Each county enrolling officer may appoint such assistant or assistants as may be authorized by the commander-in-chief. In each county the enrollment shall include every sane able bodied inhabitant not under sentence for a felony, who is more than eighteen and less than forty-five years of age. The enrollment shall be made in triplicate and shall state the name, residence, age, occupation and previous or existing military or naval service of each person enrolled. When complete the rolls shall be verified under oath by the enrolling officer, who shall immediately thereupon file one copy with the adjutant general of the state and another with the county auditor, retaining the third copy for himself or herself. Whenever the commander-in-chief shall deem it necessary, in event of, or imminent danger of war, insurrection, rebellion, invasion, tumult, riot, resistance to law or process, breach of the peace, public disaster, or the imminent occurrence of any of these events, the commander-in-chief may order an enrollment by counties of all persons subject to military duty, designating the county assessor or some other person for each county to act as county enrolling officer. Each county enrolling officer may appoint such assistant or assistants as may be authorized by the commander-in-chief. In each county the enrollment shall include every sane able bodied inhabitant not under sentence for a felony, who is more than eighteen and less than forty-five years of age. The enrollment shall be made in triplicate and shall state the name, residence, age, occupation and previous or existing military or naval service of each person enrolled. When complete the rolls shall be verified under oath by the enrolling officer, who shall immediately thereupon file one copy with the adjutant general of the state and another with the county auditor, retaining the third copy for himself or herself.

RCW 38.44.020 Notice of enrollment.

Persons making an enrollment under this chapter shall, at the time of making same, serve a notice of such enrollment upon each person enrolled, by delivering such notice to the enrollee personally or by leaving it with some person of suitable age and discretion at his or her place of business or residence, or by mailing such notice to him or her at the enrollee's last known place of residence, and shall make a return under oath of such service to accompany the copy of the enrollment filed with the adjutant general. The return shall be prima facie evidence of the facts therein. Persons making an enrollment under this chapter shall, at the time of making same, serve a notice of such enrollment upon each person enrolled, by delivering such notice to the enrollee personally or by leaving it with some person of suitable age and discretion at his or her place of business or residence, or by mailing such notice to him or her at the enrollee's last known place of residence, and shall make a return under oath of such service to accompany the copy of the enrollment filed with the adjutant general. The return shall be prima facie evidence of the facts therein.

RCW 38.44.030 Exemptions.

Whenever an enrollment shall have been ordered under this chapter, the commanding officers of existing organizations of militia, and the chiefs of all police and fire departments shall make and deliver to the enrolling officer of the county in which such organization and departments are stationed, verified lists in triplicate of the members of their respective commands and departments, and the enrolling officer shall mark "Exempt" opposite the names of all persons so listed, attaching one copy of each such list to each copy of the enrollment. The enrolling officer shall also mark "Exempt" opposite the names of all federal, state and county officers. All other persons claiming exemption must within fifteen days after service upon them of the notice of enrollment make a written verified claim in duplicate of such exemption and file the same in the office of the county auditor, who shall within five days thereafter forward one copy thereof with remarks and recommendations to the adjutant general. Upon the expiration of the time within which any claim of exemption may be filed and received by the adjutant general, the latter shall notify the county auditor of the decision in each case where exemption has been claimed, and the county auditor shall write upon the roll opposite the name of each person whose claim of exemption has been allowed by the adjutant general, the word "Exempt." All those on the roll not marked "Exempt" shall be subject to military duty. Whenever an enrollment shall have been ordered under this chapter, the commanding officers of existing organizations of militia, and the chiefs of all police and fire departments shall make and deliver to the enrolling officer of the county in which such organization and departments are stationed, verified lists in triplicate of the members of their respective commands and departments, and the enrolling officer shall mark "Exempt" opposite the names of all persons so listed, attaching one copy of each such list to each copy of the enrollment. The enrolling officer shall also mark "Exempt" opposite the names of all federal, state and county officers. All other persons claiming exemption must within fifteen days after service upon them of the notice of enrollment make a written verified claim in duplicate of such exemption and file the same in the office of the county auditor, who shall within five days thereafter forward one copy thereof with remarks and recommendations to the adjutant general. Upon the expiration of the time within which any claim of exemption may be filed and received by the adjutant general, the latter shall notify the county auditor of the decision in each case where exemption has been claimed, and the county auditor shall write upon the roll opposite the name of each person whose claim of exemption has been allowed by the adjutant general, the word "Exempt." All those on the roll not marked "Exempt" shall be subject to military duty.

RCW 38.44.040 Penalties for dereliction or false certificate.

If any officer or person, who becomes charged under this chapter with any duty relating to an enrollment of persons subject to military duty, refuses or neglects to perform the same within the time and substantially in the manner required by law, or if he or she shall knowingly make any false certificate, or if, when acting as county or assistant enrolling officer, he or she shall knowingly or willfully omit from the roll any person required by this chapter to be enrolled he or she shall thereby forfeit not less than one hundred nor more than five hundred dollars, to be sued for in the name of the state of Washington by the prosecuting attorney of the county in which such offense shall occur, the amount of the penalty to be determined by the court, and, when recovered, to be paid into the general fund of the state. If any officer or person, who becomes charged under this chapter with any duty relating to an enrollment of persons subject to military duty, refuses or neglects to perform the same within the time and substantially in the manner required by law, or if he or she shall knowingly make any false certificate, or if, when acting as county or assistant enrolling officer, he or she shall knowingly or willfully omit from the roll any person required by this chapter to be enrolled he or she shall thereby forfeit not less than one hundred nor more than five hundred dollars, to be sued for in the name of the state of Washington by the prosecuting attorney of the county in which such offense shall occur, the amount of the penalty to be determined by the court, and, when recovered, to be paid into the general fund of the state.

RCW 38.44.050 Compensation of enrolling officer.

Each county enrolling officer shall be allowed the sum of five cents per name enrolled and served with notice of enrollment by the enrolling officer or assistants, to be audited and paid as other military bills out of any moneys in the general fund appropriated to the military department, and from such allowance the enrolling officer must pay the assistant or assistants. Each county enrolling officer shall be allowed the sum of five cents per name enrolled and served with notice of enrollment by the enrolling officer or assistants, to be audited and paid as other military bills out of any moneys in the general fund appropriated to the military department, and from such allowance the enrolling officer must pay the assistant or assistants.

RCW 38.44.060 Examination of records.

All civil officers in each county, city and town shall allow persons authorized under this chapter to make enrollments, at all proper times, to examine their records and take copies thereof or information therefrom. It shall be the duty of every person, under the penalties provided in RCW 38.44.040 , upon application of any person legally authorized to make an enrollment, truthfully to state all of the facts within his or her knowledge concerning any individual of whom the enroller shall make inquiry. In event of a violation of this section the enroller shall report the facts to the prosecuting attorney, who shall at once proceed to enforce the penalty. All civil officers in each county, city and town shall allow persons authorized under this chapter to make enrollments, at all proper times, to examine their records and take copies thereof or information therefrom. It shall be the duty of every person, under the penalties provided in RCW 38.44.040 , upon application of any person legally authorized to make an enrollment, truthfully to state all of the facts within his or her knowledge concerning any individual of whom the enroller shall make inquiry. In event of a violation of this section the enroller shall report the facts to the prosecuting attorney, who shall at once proceed to enforce the penalty.
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=38.44&full=trueFetched: 6/29/2026

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