AN ACT Relating to school safety; amending RCW 28A.305.130; reenacting and amending RCW 42.17.310; adding a new section to chapter 28A.320 RCW; creating a new section; providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. Following the tragic events of September 11, 2001, the government's primary role in protecting the health, safety, and well-being of its citizens has been underscored. The legislature recognizes that there is a need to focus on the development and implementation of comprehensive safe school plans for each public school. The legislature recognizes that comprehensive safe school plans for each public school are an integral part of rebuilding public confidence. In developing these plans, the legislature finds that a coordinated effort is essential to ensure the most effective response to any type of emergency. Further, the legislature recognizes that comprehensive safe school plans for each public school are of paramount importance and will help to assure students, parents, guardians, school employees, and school administrators that our schools provide the safest possible learning environment.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 28A.320 RCW to read as follows:

(1) By June 1, 2002, within existing resources, the superintendent of public instruction, in consultation with representatives from the emergency management division of the state military department, educators, classified staff, principals, superintendents, administrators, the American society for industrial security, the state criminal justice training commission, the Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs, and others as determined by the superintendent, shall provide guidance to school districts in developing comprehensive safe school plans for each school. This guidance shall include, but shall not be limited to, a comprehensive school safety checklist to use as a tool when developing their own individual comprehensive safe school plans, and successful models of comprehensive safe school plans that include prevention, intervention, all-hazards/crisis response, and postcrisis recovery.

(2) Schools and school districts shall consider the guidance, including the comprehensive school safety checklist and the model comprehensive safe school plans, when developing their own individual comprehensive safe school plans.

(3) The superintendent of public instruction, in consultation with school district superintendents, shall establish timelines for school districts to develop individual comprehensive safe school plans. The superintendent of public instruction shall require school districts to periodically report progress on their comprehensive safe school plans.

(4) The superintendent of public instruction may adopt rules to implement provisions of this section. These rules may include, but are not limited to, provisions for periodic drills and testing, evacuations, lockdowns, or other components of a comprehensive safe school plan.

Sec. 3. RCW 28A.305.130 and 1997 c 13 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:

In addition to any other powers and duties as provided by law, the state board of education shall:

(1) Approve or disapprove the program of courses leading to teacher, school administrator, and school specialized personnel certification offered by all institutions of higher education within the state which may be accredited and whose graduates may become entitled to receive such certification.

(2) Conduct every five years a review of the program approval standards, including the minimum standards for teachers, administrators, and educational staff associates, to reflect research findings and assure continued improvement of preparation programs for teachers, administrators, and educational staff associates.

(3) Investigate the character of the work required to be performed as a condition of entrance to and graduation from any institution of higher education in this state relative to such certification as provided for in subsection (1) ((~~above~~)) of this section, and prepare a list of accredited institutions of higher education of this and other states whose graduates may be awarded such certificates.

(4)(a) The state board of education shall adopt rules to allow a teacher certification candidate to fulfill, in part, teacher preparation program requirements through work experience as a classified teacher's aide in a public school or private school meeting the requirements of RCW 28A.195.010. The rules shall include, but are not limited to, limitations based upon the recency of the teacher preparation candidate's teacher aide work experience, and limitations based on the amount of work experience that may apply toward teacher preparation program requirements under this chapter.

(b) The state board of education shall require that at the time of the individual's enrollment in a teacher preparation program, the supervising teacher and the building principal shall jointly provide to the teacher preparation program of the higher education institution at which the teacher candidate is enrolled, a written assessment of the performance of the teacher candidate. The assessment shall contain such information as determined by the state board of education and shall include: Evidence that at least fifty percent of the candidate's work as a classified teacher's aide was involved in instructional activities with children under the supervision of a certificated teacher and that the candidate worked a minimum of six hundred thirty hours for one school year; the type of work performed by the candidate; and a recommendation of whether the candidate's work experience as a classified teacher's aide should be substituted for teacher preparation program requirements. In compliance with such rules as may be established by the state board of education under this section, the teacher preparation programs of the higher education institution where the candidate is enrolled shall make the final determination as to what teacher preparation program requirements may be fulfilled by teacher aide work experience.

(5) Supervise the issuance of such certificates as provided for in subsection (1) ((~~above~~)) of this section and specify the types and kinds of certificates necessary for the several departments of the common schools by rule or regulation in accordance with RCW 28A.410.010.

(6) Accredit, subject to such accreditation standards and procedures as may be established by the state board of education, all schools that apply for accreditation, and approve, subject to the provisions of RCW 28A.195.010, private schools carrying out a program for any or all of the grades kindergarten through twelve: PROVIDED, That no private school may be approved that operates a kindergarten program only: PROVIDED FURTHER, That no public or private schools shall be placed upon the list of accredited schools so long as secret societies are knowingly allowed to exist among its students by school officials: PROVIDED FURTHER, That the state board may elect to require all or certain classifications of the public schools to conduct and participate in such preaccreditation examination and evaluation processes as may now or hereafter be established by the board.

(7) Make rules and regulations governing the establishment in any existing nonhigh school district of any secondary program or any new grades in grades nine through twelve. Before any such program or any new grades are established the district must obtain prior approval of the state board.

(8) Prepare such outline of study for the common schools as the board shall deem necessary, and prescribe such rules for the general government of the common schools, as shall seek to secure regularity of attendance, prevent truancy, secure efficiency, and promote the true interest of the common schools.

(9) Continuously reevaluate courses and adopt and enforce regulations within the common schools so as to meet the educational needs of students and articulate with the institutions of higher education and unify the work of the public school system.

(10) Carry out board powers and duties relating to the organization and reorganization of school districts under RCW 28A.315.010 through 28A.315.680 and 28A.315.900.

(11) ((By rule or regulation promulgated upon the advice of the chief of the Washington state patrol, through the director of fire protection, provide for instruction of pupils in the public and private schools carrying out a K through 12 program, or any part thereof, so that in case of sudden emergency they shall be able to leave their particular school building in the shortest possible time or take such other steps as the particular emergency demands, and without confusion or panic; such rules and regulations shall be published and distributed to certificated personnel throughout the state whose duties shall include a familiarization therewith as well as the means of implementation thereof at their particular school.

~~(12)~~)) Hear and decide appeals as otherwise provided by law.

The state board of education is given the authority to promulgate information and rules dealing with the prevention of child abuse for purposes of curriculum use in the common schools.

Sec. 4. RCW 42.17.310 and 2001 c 278 s 1, 2001 c 98 s 2, and 2001 c 70 s 1 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:

(1) The following are exempt from public inspection and copying:

(a) Personal information in any files maintained for students in public schools, patients or clients of public institutions or public health agencies, or welfare recipients.

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

(c) Information required of any taxpayer in connection with the assessment or collection of any tax if the disclosure of the information to other persons would (i) be prohibited to such persons by RCW 84.08.210, 82.32.330, 84.40.020, or 84.40.340 or (ii) violate the taxpayer's right to privacy or result in unfair competitive disadvantage to the taxpayer.

(d) Specific intelligence information and specific investigative records compiled by investigative, law enforcement, and penology agencies, and state agencies vested with the responsibility to discipline members of any profession, the nondisclosure of which is essential to effective law enforcement or for the protection of any person's right to privacy.

(e) Information revealing the identity of persons who are witnesses to or victims of crime or who file complaints with investigative, law enforcement, or penology agencies, other than the public disclosure commission, if disclosure would endanger any person's life, physical safety, or property. If at the time a complaint is filed the complainant, victim or witness indicates a desire for disclosure or nondisclosure, such desire shall govern. However, all complaints filed with the public disclosure commission about any elected official or candidate for public office must be made in writing and signed by the complainant under oath.

(f) Test questions, scoring keys, and other examination data used to administer a license, employment, or academic examination.

(g) Except as provided by chapter 8.26 RCW, the contents of real estate appraisals, made for or by any agency relative to the acquisition or sale of property, until the project or prospective sale is abandoned or until such time as all of the property has been acquired or the property to which the sale appraisal relates is sold, but in no event shall disclosure be denied for more than three years after the appraisal.

(h) Valuable formulae, designs, drawings, computer source code or object code, and research data obtained by any agency within five years of the request for disclosure when disclosure would produce private gain and public loss.

(i) Preliminary drafts, notes, recommendations, and intra-agency memorandums in which opinions are expressed or policies formulated or recommended except that a specific record shall not be exempt when publicly cited by an agency in connection with any agency action.

(j) Records which are relevant to a controversy to which an agency is a party but which records would not be available to another party under the rules of pretrial discovery for causes pending in the superior courts.

(k) Records, maps, or other information identifying the location of archaeological sites in order to avoid the looting or depredation of such sites.

(l) Any library record, the primary purpose of which is to maintain control of library materials, or to gain access to information, which discloses or could be used to disclose the identity of a library user.

(m) Financial information supplied by or on behalf of a person, firm, or corporation for the purpose of qualifying to submit a bid or proposal for (i) a ferry system construction or repair contract as required by RCW 47.60.680 through 47.60.750 or (ii) highway construction or improvement as required by RCW 47.28.070.

(n) Railroad company contracts filed prior to July 28, 1991, with the utilities and transportation commission under RCW 81.34.070, except that the summaries of the contracts are open to public inspection and copying as otherwise provided by this chapter.

(o) Financial and commercial information and records supplied by private persons pertaining to export services provided pursuant to chapter 43.163 RCW and chapter 53.31 RCW, and by persons pertaining to export projects pursuant to RCW 43.23.035.

(p) Financial disclosures filed by private vocational schools under chapters 28B.85 and 28C.10 RCW.

(q) Records filed with the utilities and transportation commission or attorney general under RCW 80.04.095 that a court has determined are confidential under RCW 80.04.095.

(r) Financial and commercial information and records supplied by businesses or individuals during application for loans or program services provided by chapters 43.163, 43.160, 43.330, and 43.168 RCW, or during application for economic development loans or program services provided by any local agency.

(s) Membership lists or lists of members or owners of interests of units in timeshare projects, subdivisions, camping resorts, condominiums, land developments, or common-interest communities affiliated with such projects, regulated by the department of licensing, in the files or possession of the department.

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

(u) The residential addresses or residential telephone numbers of employees or volunteers of a public agency which are held by any public agency in personnel records, public employment related records, or volunteer rosters, or are included in any mailing list of employees or volunteers of any public agency.

(v) The residential addresses and residential telephone numbers of the customers of a public utility contained in the records or lists held by the public utility of which they are customers, except that this information may be released to the division of child support or the agency or firm providing child support enforcement for another state under Title IV-D of the federal social security act, for the establishment, enforcement, or modification of a support order.

(w)(i) The federal social security number of individuals governed under chapter 18.130 RCW maintained in the files of the department of health, except this exemption does not apply to requests made directly to the department from federal, state, and local agencies of government, and national and state licensing, credentialing, investigatory, disciplinary, and examination organizations; (ii) the current residential address and current residential telephone number of a health care provider governed under chapter 18.130 RCW maintained in the files of the department, if the provider requests that this information be withheld from public inspection and copying, and provides to the department an accurate alternate or business address and business telephone number. On or after January 1, 1995, the current residential address and residential telephone number of a health care provider governed under RCW 18.130.040 maintained in the files of the department shall automatically be withheld from public inspection and copying unless the provider specifically requests the information be released, and except as provided for under RCW 42.17.260(9).

(x) Information obtained by the board of pharmacy as provided in RCW 69.45.090.

(y) Information obtained by the board of pharmacy or the department of health and its representatives as provided in RCW 69.41.044, 69.41.280, and 18.64.420.

(z) Financial information, business plans, examination reports, and any information produced or obtained in evaluating or examining a business and industrial development corporation organized or seeking certification under chapter 31.24 RCW.

(aa) Financial and commercial information supplied to the state investment board by any person when the information relates to the investment of public trust or retirement funds and when disclosure would result in loss to such funds or in private loss to the providers of this information.

(bb) Financial and valuable trade information under RCW 51.36.120.

(cc) Client records maintained by an agency that is a domestic violence program as defined in RCW 70.123.020 or 70.123.075 or a rape crisis center as defined in RCW 70.125.030.

(dd) Information that identifies a person who, while an agency employee: (i) Seeks advice, under an informal process established by the employing agency, in order to ascertain his or her rights in connection with a possible unfair practice under chapter 49.60 RCW against the person; and (ii) requests his or her identity or any identifying information not be disclosed.

(ee) Investigative records compiled by an employing agency conducting a current investigation of a possible unfair practice under chapter 49.60 RCW or of a possible violation of other federal, state, or local laws prohibiting discrimination in employment.

(ff) Business related information protected from public inspection and copying under RCW 15.86.110.

(gg) Financial, commercial, operations, and technical and research information and data submitted to or obtained by the clean Washington center in applications for, or delivery of, program services under chapter 70.95H RCW.

(hh) Information and documents created specifically for, and collected and maintained by a quality improvement committee pursuant to RCW 43.70.510 or 70.41.200, or by a peer review committee under RCW 4.24.250, regardless of which agency is in possession of the information and documents.

(ii) Personal information in files maintained in a data base created under RCW 43.07.360.

(jj) Financial and commercial information requested by the public stadium authority from any person or organization that leases or uses the stadium and exhibition center as defined in RCW 36.102.010.

(kk) Names of individuals residing in emergency or transitional housing that are furnished to the department of revenue or a county assessor in order to substantiate a claim for property tax exemption under RCW 84.36.043.

(ll) The names, residential addresses, residential telephone numbers, and other individually identifiable records held by an agency in relation to a vanpool, carpool, or other ride-sharing program or service. However, these records may be disclosed to other persons who apply for ride-matching services and who need that information in order to identify potential riders or drivers with whom to share rides.

(mm) The personally identifying information of current or former participants or applicants in a paratransit or other transit service operated for the benefit of persons with disabilities or elderly persons.

(nn) The personally identifying information of persons who acquire and use transit passes and other fare payment media including, but not limited to, stored value smart cards and magnetic strip cards, except that an agency may disclose this information to a person, employer, educational institution, or other entity that is responsible, in whole or in part, for payment of the cost of acquiring or using a transit pass or other fare payment media, or to the news media when reporting on public transportation or public safety. This information may also be disclosed at the agency's discretion to governmental agencies or groups concerned with public transportation or public safety.

(oo) Proprietary financial and commercial information that the submitting entity, with review by the department of health, specifically identifies at the time it is submitted and that is provided to or obtained by the department of health in connection with an application for, or the supervision of, an antitrust exemption sought by the submitting entity under RCW 43.72.310. If a request for such information is received, the submitting entity must be notified of the request. Within ten business days of receipt of the notice, the submitting entity shall provide a written statement of the continuing need for confidentiality, which shall be provided to the requester. Upon receipt of such notice, the department of health shall continue to treat information designated under this section as exempt from disclosure. If the requester initiates an action to compel disclosure under this chapter, the submitting entity must be joined as a party to demonstrate the continuing need for confidentiality.

(pp) Records maintained by the board of industrial insurance appeals that are related to appeals of crime victims' compensation claims filed with the board under RCW 7.68.110.

(qq) Financial and commercial information supplied by or on behalf of a person, firm, corporation, or entity under chapter 28B.95 RCW relating to the purchase or sale of tuition units and contracts for the purchase of multiple tuition units.

(rr) Any records of investigative reports prepared by any state, county, municipal, or other law enforcement agency pertaining to sex offenses contained in chapter 9A.44 RCW or sexually violent offenses as defined in RCW 71.09.020, which have been transferred to the Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs for permanent electronic retention and retrieval pursuant to RCW 40.14.070(2)(b).

(ss) Credit card numbers, debit card numbers, electronic check numbers, card expiration dates, or bank or other financial account numbers supplied to an agency for the purpose of electronic transfer of funds, except when disclosure is expressly required by law.

(tt) Financial information, including but not limited to account numbers and values, and other identification numbers supplied by or on behalf of a person, firm, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, or other entity related to an application for a liquor license, gambling license, or lottery retail license.

(uu) Records maintained by the employment security department and subject to chapter 50.13 RCW if provided to another individual or organization for operational, research, or evaluation purposes.

(vv) Individually identifiable information received by the work force training and education coordinating board for research or evaluation purposes.

(ww) Those portions of records containing specific and unique vulnerability assessments or specific and unique response plans, either of which is intended to prevent or mitigate criminal terrorist acts as defined in RCW 70.74.285, the public disclosure of which would have a substantial likelihood of threatening public safety.

(xx) Commercial fishing catch data from logbooks required to be provided to the department of fish and wildlife under RCW 77.12.047, when the data identifies specific catch location, timing, or methodology and the release of which would result in unfair competitive disadvantage to the commercial fisher providing the catch data. However, this information may be released to government agencies concerned with the management of fish and wildlife resources.

(yy) Sensitive wildlife data obtained by the department of fish and wildlife. However, sensitive wildlife data may be released to government agencies concerned with the management of fish and wildlife resources. Sensitive wildlife data includes:

(i) The nesting sites or specific locations of endangered species designated under RCW 77.12.020, or threatened or sensitive species classified by rule of the department of fish and wildlife;

(ii) Radio frequencies used in, or locational data generated by, telemetry studies; or

(iii) Other location data that could compromise the viability of a specific fish or wildlife population, and where at least one of the following criteria are met:

(A) The species has a known commercial or black market value;

(B) There is a history of malicious take of that species; or

(C) There is a known demand to visit, take, or disturb, and the species behavior or ecology renders it especially vulnerable or the species has an extremely limited distribution and concentration.

(zz) The personally identifying information of persons who acquire recreational licenses under RCW 77.32.010 or commercial licenses under chapter 77.65 or 77.70 RCW, except name, address of contact used by the department, and type of license, endorsement, or tag. However, the department of fish and wildlife may disclose personally identifying information to:

(i) Government agencies concerned with the management of fish and wildlife resources;

(ii) The department of social and health services, child support division, and to the department of licensing in order to implement RCW 77.32.014 and 46.20.291; and

(iii) Law enforcement agencies for the purpose of firearm possession enforcement under RCW 9.41.040.

(aaa) Information compiled by school districts or schools in the development of their comprehensive safe school plans pursuant to section 2 of this act, to the extent that they identify specific vulnerabilities of school districts and each individual school.

(2) Except for information described in subsection (1)(c)(i) of this section and confidential income data exempted from public inspection pursuant to RCW 84.40.020, the exemptions of this section are inapplicable to the extent that information, the disclosure of which would violate personal privacy or vital governmental interests, can be deleted from the specific records sought. No exemption may be construed to permit the nondisclosure of statistical information not descriptive of any readily identifiable person or persons.

(3) Inspection or copying of any specific records exempt under the provisions of this section may be permitted if the superior court in the county in which the record is maintained finds, after a hearing with notice thereof to every person in interest and the agency, that the exemption of such records is clearly unnecessary to protect any individual's right of privacy or any vital governmental function.

(4) Agency responses refusing, in whole or in part, inspection of any public record shall include a statement of the specific exemption authorizing the withholding of the record (or part) and a brief explanation of how the exemption applies to the record withheld.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. (1) Sections 2 and 4 of this act are necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and take effect immediately.

(2) Section 3 of this act takes effect September 1, 2002.