Brief Description: Protecting personal information of public employees and home care workers.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Government Operations & Elections (originally sponsored by Senators Carrell, Schmidt, Benson, Swecker, Honeyford, Delvin, Schoesler, Roach, Mulliken and Benton).

Hearing Date: 3/25/05

Staff: Jim Morishima (786-7191).

Background:

The Public Disclosure Act requires that all state and local government agencies make all public records available for public inspection and copying unless they fall within certain statutory exemptions. The provisions requiring public records disclosure must be interpreted liberally and the exceptions narrowly in order to effectuate a general policy favoring disclosure.

The residential addresses or residential telephone numbers of employees or volunteers of a public agency are exempt from public records disclosure when they are held by any public agency in personnel records, public employment related records, volunteer rosters, or mailing lists.

Summary of Bill:

Exempts the following information from public records disclosure when it is held by any public agency in personnel records, public employment related records, volunteer rosters, or mailing lists:

• Personal wireless telephone numbers, personal e-mail addresses, social security numbers, and emergency contact information of employees or volunteers of a public agency or individual home care workers; and
• Personal wireless telephone numbers, personal e-mail addresses, social security numbers, and emergency contact information of dependents of employees or volunteers of a public agency or independent home care workers.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.