SENATE BILL REPORT

                   SB 5862

              As Passed Senate, February 2, 2000

Title:  An act relating to public record protection.

Brief Description:  Protecting records of strategy discussions.

Sponsors:  Senators Gardner, Horn, Patterson, McCaslin and Haugen.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  State & Local Government:  2/22/99, 3/1/99 [DP].

Passed Senate, 3/10/99, 44-1; 2/2/00, 43-1.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Majority Report:  Do pass.

  Signed by Senators Patterson, Chair; Gardner, Vice Chair; Hale, Haugen, Horn, Kline and McCaslin.

Staff:  Diane Smith (786-7410)

Background:  The state of Washington has an open disclosure law promoting full access to public records in order to assure continuing public confidence in the fairness of elections and governmental processes as well as to ensure the public interest will be fully protected.  Certain personal and public records are exempt from public inspection and copying.

Summary of Bill:  Any record, the disclosure of which would reveal, directly or indirectly, the strategy or position to be taken by an agency during the course of any collective bargaining, professional negotiations, grievance or mediation proceedings, is exempt from public inspection and copying.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  Strategies are always important.  If a strategy is successful, an agency should be able to use it again in later sessions.  If the agency is forced to reveal a strategy, it is of no use at a later date.  This bill will level the playing field during bargaining sessions.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Jim Justin, AWC.