Title: An act relating to the release of personal information.

Brief Description: Protecting public employee personal information.

Sponsors: House Committee on State Government Operations & Accountability (originally sponsored by Representatives O'Brien, Lovick, Hankins, Ericks, Holmquist, Darneille, Kirby and Moeller).

Brief History: Passed House: 3/09/05, 96-0.

Committee Activity: Government Operations & Elections: 3/28/05, 3/31/05 [DP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS & ELECTIONS

Majority Report: Do pass.Signed by Senators Kastama, Chair; Berkey, Vice Chair; Roach, Ranking Minority Member; Benton, Fairley, Haugen, Kline, McCaslin, Mulliken and Pridemore.

Staff: Cindy Fazio (786-7405)

Background: The Public Disclosure Act (PDA) 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; 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.

"Employees" includes independent provider home care workers.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

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

Testimony For: This legislation arose out of a situation where an inmate began compiling personal information about a corrections officer. We should provide some protections for personal information so it will not be used in this way.

Testimony Against: None.

Who Testified: PRO: Representative O'Brien, prime sponsor.