FINAL BILL REPORT

HB 1002

C 70 L 01

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Limiting the public inspection and copying of residential addresses or residential phone numbers of public employees or volunteers of public agencies.

Sponsors:  By Representatives Ruderman, Rockefeller, Santos, Lambert, Darneille, Haigh, McIntire and Hunt.

House Committee on State Government

Senate Committee on State & Local Government

Background:

Passed by initiative in 1972, the Public Disclosure Act requires public agencies to provide full access to public records.  The act states that its provisions are to be liberally construed in favor of disclosure, and all public records are subject to disclosure unless specifically exempted.  A number of records are exempted, including:

$All applications for public employment, including the names of applicants, resumes, and other related materials submitted with respect to an applicant; and

$Personal information in files maintained for employees, appointees, or elected officials of any public agency to the extent that disclosure would violate their rights to privacy.

The residential addresses and residential telephone numbers of employees or volunteers of a public agency that are held by the agency in personnel records, employment or volunteer rosters, or mailing lists of employees or volunteers are also exempt from disclosure.  Public agencies that have lists of the residential addresses and phone numbers of other agencies' employees, however, are not specifically exempted from releasing the information. 

Summary:

The residential addresses or phone numbers of any public agency=s employees or volunteers held by any public agency in personnel records, public employment related records, or volunteer rosters, or included in mailing lists are exempt from public disclosure.

Votes on Final Passage:

House950

Senate450

Effective:  July 22, 2001