Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research	BILL ANALYSIS
State Government

HB 1002

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

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

Brief Summary of Bill

$Exempts public agencies from releasing the residential addresses or phone numbers of public employees or volunteers.

Hearing Date:  1/24/01

Staff:  Serena Dolly (786‑7093), Jim Morishima (786-7191).

Background: 

Passed by initiative in 1972, the Public Disclosure Act requires public agencies to provide full access to public records. An agency provides access by making records available to the public for inspection and copying. 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:

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

2.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.

3.The residential addresses and residential telephone numbers of employees or volunteers of a public agency which are held by the agency in personnel records, employment or volunteer rosters, or mailing lists of employees or volunteers.

The third exception exempts public agencies from releasing the residential addresses and phone numbers of its employees. 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 of Bill: 

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, volunteer rosters, or mailing lists are exempt from public disclosure.

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

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not Requested.