FINAL BILL REPORT

                 SHB 1504

FULL VETO

Brief Description:  Protecting records of strategy discussions.

Sponsors:  By House Committee on Government Administration (originally sponsored by  Representatives McMorris, Boldt, Honeyford and Dunn).

House Committee on Government Administration

Senate Committee on Government Operations

Background:  Each state and local agency is required to make all public records available for public inspection and copying unless the record is exempted from disclosure.  Among others, the following records are exempt from public inspection and disclosure:  preliminary drafts, notes, recommendations, and intra-agency memos in which opinions are expressed or policies are formulated, unless the agency publicly cites the document in an agency action; and the contents of real estate appraisals made for the acquisition or sale of property until the sale is abandoned or finalized.

Although strategy sessions pertaining to collective bargaining, professional negotiations, and grievance and mediation proceedings are exempt from the provisions of the Open Public Meetings Act, records pertaining to such sessions are not expressly exempt from public inspection and copying under the Public Disclosure Act.

Summary:  Records which would reveal, either directly or indirectly, the strategy or position that an agency will take before and during the course of collective bargaining, professional negotiations, or grievance or mediation proceedings, are exempt from public inspection and copying. These records are disclosable after the conclusion of the bargaining, labor negotiations, or grievance or mediation proceedings.

Votes on Final Passage:

House940

Senate430(Senate amended)

House5840(House concurred)