Revised Code of Washington - RCW Title 42 Public Officers And Agencies - Chapter 42.56 Public Records Act

• 42.56.001 Finding, purpose
  The legislature finds that chapter 42.17 RCW contains laws relating to several discrete subjects. Therefore, the purpose of chapter 274, Laws of 2005 is to ...
• 42.56.010 Definitions
  The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise. (1) "Agency" includes all state agencies and all local agencies. ...
• 42.56.020 Short title
  This chapter may be known and cited as the public records act.[2005 c 274 § 102.] ...
• 42.56.030 Construction
  The people of this state do not yield their sovereignty to the agencies that serve them. The people, in delegating authority, do not give their ...
• 42.56.040 Duty to publish procedures
  (1) Each state agency shall separately state and currently publish in the Washington Administrative Code and each local agency shall prominently display and make available ...
• 42.56.050 Invasion of privacy, when
  A person's "right to privacy," "right of privacy," "privacy," or "personal privacy," as these terms are used in this chapter, is invaded or violated only ...
• 42.56.060 Disclaimer of public liability
  No public agency, public official, public employee, or custodian shall be liable, nor shall a cause of action exist, for any loss or damage based ...
• 42.56.070 Documents and indexes to be made public
  (1) Each agency, in accordance with published rules, shall make available for public inspection and copying all public records, unless the record falls within the ...
• 42.56.080 Facilities for copying -- Availability of public records
  Public records shall be available for inspection and copying, and agencies shall, upon request for identifiable public records, make them promptly available to any person ...
• 42.56.090 Times for inspection and copying
  Public records shall be available for inspection and copying during the customary office hours of the agency, the office of the secretary of the senate, ...
• 42.56.100 Protection of public records -- Public access
  Agencies shall adopt and enforce reasonable rules and regulations, and the office of the secretary of the senate and the office of the chief clerk ...
• 42.56.110 Destruction of information relating to employee misconduct
  Nothing in this chapter prevents an agency from destroying information relating to employee misconduct or alleged misconduct, in accordance with RCW 41.06.450, to the extent ...
• 42.56.120 Charges for copying
  No fee shall be charged for the inspection of public records. No fee shall be charged for locating public documents and making them available for ...
• 42.56.130 Other provisions not superseded
  The provisions of RCW 42.56.070(7) and (8) and 42.56.120 that establish or allow agencies to establish the costs charged for photocopies of public records do ...
• 42.56.140 Public records exemptions accountability committee
  (1)(a) The public records exemptions accountability committee is created to review exemptions from public disclosure, with thirteen members as provided in this subsection. (i) The ...
• 42.56.210 Certain personal and other records exempt
  (1) Except for information described in RCW 42.56.230(3)(a) and confidential income data exempted from public inspection pursuant to RCW 84.40.020, the exemptions of this chapter ...
• 42.56.230 Personal information
  The following personal information is exempt from public inspection and copying under this chapter: (1) Personal information in any files maintained for students in public ...
• 42.56.240 Investigative, law enforcement, and crime victims
  The following investigative, law enforcement, and crime victim information is exempt from public inspection and copying under this chapter: (1) Specific intelligence information and specific ...
• 42.56.250 Employment and licensing
  The following employment and licensing information is exempt from public inspection and copying under this chapter: (1) Test questions, scoring keys, and other examination data ...
• 42.56.260 Real estate appraisals
  Except as provided by chapter 8.26 RCW, the contents of real estate appraisals, made for or by any agency relative to the acquisition or sale ...
• 42.56.270 Financial, commercial, and proprietary information
  The following financial, commercial, and proprietary information is exempt from disclosure under this chapter: (1) Valuable formulae, designs, drawings, computer source code or object code, ...
• 42.56.280 Preliminary drafts, notes, recommendations, intra-agency memorandums
  Preliminary drafts, notes, recommendations, and intra-agency memorandums in which opinions are expressed or policies formulated or recommended are exempt under this chapter, except that a ...
• 42.56.290 Agency party to controversy
  Records that are relevant to a controversy to which an agency is a party but which records would not be available to another party under ...
• 42.56.300 Archaeological sites
  (1) Records, maps, or other information identifying the location of archaeological sites in order to avoid the looting or depredation of such sites are exempt ...
• 42.56.310 Library records
  Any library record, the primary purpose of which is to maintain control of library materials, or to gain access to information, that discloses or could ...
• 42.56.320 Educational information
  The following educational information is exempt from disclosure under this chapter: (1) Financial disclosures filed by private vocational schools under chapters 28B.85 and 28C.10 RCW; ...
• 42.56.330 Public utilities and transportation
  The following information relating to public utilities and transportation is exempt from disclosure under this chapter: (1) Records filed with the utilities and transportation commission ...
• 42.56.335 Public utility districts and municipally owned electrical utilities -- Restrictions on access by law enforcement authorities
  A law enforcement authority may not request inspection or copying of records of any person who belongs to a public utility district or a municipally ...
• 42.56.340 Timeshare, condominium, etc. owner lists
  Membership lists or lists of members or owners of interests of units in timeshare projects, subdivisions, camping resorts, condominiums, land developments, or common-interest communities affiliated ...
• 42.56.350 Health professionals
  (1) The federal Social Security number of individuals governed under chapter 18.130 RCW maintained in the files of the department of health is exempt from ...
• 42.56.360 Health care
  (1) The following health care information is exempt from disclosure under this chapter: (a) Information obtained by the board of pharmacy as provided in RCW ...
• 42.56.370 Domestic violence program, rape crisis center clients
  Client records maintained by an agency that is a domestic violence program as defined in RCW 70.123.020 or 70.123.075 or a rape crisis center as ...
• 42.56.380 Agriculture and livestock
  The following information relating to agriculture and livestock is exempt from disclosure under this chapter: (1) Business-related information under RCW 15.86.110; (2) Information provided under ...
• 42.56.390 Emergency or transitional housing
  Names of individuals residing in emergency or transitional housing that are furnished to the department of revenue or a county assessor in order to substantiate ...
• 42.56.400 Insurance and financial institutions
  The following information relating to insurance and financial institutions is exempt from disclosure under this chapter: (1) Records maintained by the board of industrial insurance ...
• 42.56.403 Property and casualty insurance statements of actuarial opinion. Documents, materials, and information obtained by the insurance commissioner under RCW 48.05.385(2) are confidential and privileged and not subject to public disclosure under this chapter.[2006 ...
• 42.56.410 Employment security department records, certain purposes
  Records maintained by the employment security department and subject to chapter 50.13 RCW if provided to another individual or organization for operational, research, or evaluation ...
• 42.56.420 Security
  The following information relating to security is exempt from disclosure under this chapter: (1) Those portions of records assembled, prepared, or maintained to prevent, mitigate, ...
• 42.56.430 Fish and wildlife
  The following information relating to fish and wildlife is exempt from disclosure under this chapter: (1) Commercial fishing catch data from logbooks required to be ...
• 42.56.440 Veterans' discharge papers -- Exceptions
  (1) Discharge papers of a veteran of the armed forces of the United States filed at the office of the county auditor before July 1, ...
• 42.56.450 Check cashers and sellers licensing applications
  Information in an application for licensing or a small loan endorsement under chapter 31.45 RCW regarding the personal residential address, telephone number of the applicant, ...
• 42.56.460 Fireworks
  All records obtained and all reports produced as required by state fireworks law, chapter 70.77 RCW, are exempt from disclosure under this chapter.[2005 c 274 ...
• 42.56.470 Correctional industries workers
  All records, documents, data, and other materials obtained under the requirements of RCW 72.09.115 from an existing correctional industries class I work program participant or ...
• 42.56.480 Inactive programs
  Information relating to the following programs and reports, which have no ongoing activity, is exempt from disclosure under this chapter: (1) Railroad company contracts filed ...
• 42.56.510 Duty to disclose or withhold information -- Otherwise provided
  Nothing in RCW 42.56.250 and 42.56.330 shall affect a positive duty of an agency to disclose or a positive duty to withhold information which duty ...
• 42.56.520 Prompt responses required
  Responses to requests for public records shall be made promptly by agencies, the office of the secretary of the senate, and the office of the ...
• 42.56.530 Review of agency denial
  Whenever a state agency concludes that a public record is exempt from disclosure and denies a person opportunity to inspect or copy a public record ...
• 42.56.540 Court protection of public records
  The examination of any specific public record may be enjoined if, upon motion and affidavit by an agency or its representative or a person who ...
• 42.56.550 Judicial review of agency actions
  (1) Upon the motion of any person having been denied an opportunity to inspect or copy a public record by an agency, the superior court ...
• 42.56.560 Application of RCW 42.56.550
  The procedures in RCW 42.56.550 govern denials of an opportunity to inspect or copy a public record by the office of the secretary of the ...
• 42.56.570 Explanatory pamphlet
  (1) The attorney general's office shall publish, and update when appropriate, a pamphlet, written in plain language, explaining this chapter. (2) The attorney general, by ...
• 42.56.580 Public records officers
  (1) Each state and local agency shall appoint and publicly identify a public records officer whose responsibility is to serve as a point of contact ...
• 42.56.590 Personal information -- Notice of security breaches
  (1)(a) Any agency that owns or licenses computerized data that includes personal information shall disclose any breach of the security of the system following discovery ...
• 42.56.600 Mediation communications
  Records of mediation communications that are privileged under chapter 7.07 RCW are exempt from disclosure under this chapter.[2006 c 209 § 15.] ...
• 42.56.610 Certain information from dairies and feedlots limited -- Rules
  The following information in plans, records, and reports obtained by state and local agencies from dairies, animal feeding operations, and concentrated animal feeding operations, not ...
• 42.56.900 Purpose -- 2005 c 274 §§ 402-429
  The purpose of sections 402 through 429 of this act is to reorganize the public inspection and copying exemptions in RCW 42.17.310 through 42.17.31921 by ...
• 42.56.901 Part headings not law -- 2005 c 274
  Part headings used in this act are not any part of the law.[2005 c 274 § 501.] ...
• 42.56.902 Effective date -- 2005 c 274
  This act takes effect July 1, 2006.[2005 c 274 § 502.] ...
• 42.56.903 Effective date -- 2006 c 209
  This act takes effect July 1, 2006.[2006 c 209 § 17.] ...
• 42.56.904 Intent -- 2007 c 391
  It is the intent of the legislature to clarify that no reasonable construction of chapter 42.56 RCW has ever allowed attorney invoices to be withheld ...