Z-0262.2  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 5772

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      56th Legislature     1999 Regular Session

By Senators Gardner, T. Sheldon, Rasmussen, Swecker, Prentice, Costa, McCaslin, Wojahn, Spanel, Goings and Oke; by request of Secretary of State

Read first time 02/08/1999.  Referred to Committee on State & Local Government.

Strengthening confidentiality for victims of domestic violence.

    AN ACT Relating to confidentiality of records of participants in programs for victims of domestic violence or sexual assault; amending RCW 40.24.070; and declaring an emergency.

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

    Sec. 1.  RCW 40.24.070 and 1998 c 138 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

    The secretary of state may not make any records in a program participant's file available for inspection or copying, other than the address designated by the secretary of state, except under the following circumstances:

    (1) If requested by a law enforcement agency, to the law enforcement agency;

    (2) If directed by a court order, to a person identified in the order; or

    (3) ((If certification has been canceled; or

    (4))) To verify the participation of a specific program participant, in which case the secretary may only confirm information supplied by the requester.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately.

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