Z-0110.3/91       _______________________________________________

                                 SENATE BILL 5196

                  _______________________________________________

State of Washington              52nd Legislature             1991 Regular Session

By Senators West, Wojahn and L. Kreidler; by request of Health Care Authority.

Read first time January 23, 1991.  Referred to Committee on Health & Long‑Term Care.Allowing nondisclosure of trade information by the health care authority and state employees benefits board.

     AN ACT Relating to disclosure of information by the health care authority and state employees benefit board; and amending RCW 41.05.026.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

     Sec. 1.  RCW 41.05.026 and 1990 c 222 s 6 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) When soliciting proposals for the purpose of awarding contracts for goods or services, the administrator shall, upon written request by the bidder, exempt from public inspection and copying such proprietary data, trade secrets, or other information contained in the bidder's proposal that relate to the bidder's unique methods of conducting business or of determining prices or premium rates to be charged for services under terms of the proposal.

(2) Actuarial formulas, statistics, cost and utilization data, or other proprietary information submitted upon request of the administrator or board by a contracting insurer, health care service contractor, health maintenance organization, or vendor may be withheld from public inspection when necessary to preserve trade secrets or prevent unfair competition.

(3) The board may hold an executive session during any regular or special meeting to discuss information submitted in accordance with subsection (1) or (2) of this section.