Kauffman public records bill OK’d by Senate

OLYMPIA – The Washington Senate approved a bill today by Sen. Claudia Kauffman, D-Kent, to examine exemptions to Washington’s public records law.

Senate Bill 5435 would create the Public Records Exemption Accountability Committee to inspect the more than 300 exemptions that exist today, and recommend exemptions to be amended or repealed by the Legislature.

“Transparency is a hallmark of a democratic government. This bill would help protect the public’s right to know,” Kauffman said.

Washington’s public records law was approved by a ballot initiative in1972. The Public Disclosure Act originally described 10 instances in which public records could be exempt from disclosure, but more than 300 exemptions continue. There is no process for examining these exemptions, and oversight is often difficult because they are inserted into individual bills and are not recorded in the same location in statute.

“Some exemptions are vital to protect privacy, but without a process to examine them, we don’t know how many unnecessary exemptions exist today,” said Kauffman. “This bill will help make our government cleaner, leaner and more open.”

SB 5435 passed 48-0, and is now headed to the House of Representatives for consideration.

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