S-1286               _______________________________________________

                                         SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL NO. 5336

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1989 Regular Session

By Senate Committee on Law & Justice (originally sponsored by Senators Pullen, Sutherland, Newhouse, McCaslin, Talmadge, Thorsness, Nelson, Rasmussen, Benitz, Johnson, Lee, Vognild, Sellar, Metcalf, Bauer, Smith and West; by request of Governor and Attorney General)

Read first time 1/26/89.

AN ACT Relating to immunity from civil liability; and adding new sections to chapter 4.24 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     Information provided by citizens concerning potential wrongdoing is vital to effective law enforcement and the efficient operation of government.  The legislature finds that the threat of a civil action for damages can act as a deterrent to citizens who wish to report information to federal, state, or local agencies.  The costs of defending against such suits can be severely burdensome.  The purpose of sections 1 through 3 of this act is to protect individuals who make good-faith reports to appropriate governmental bodies.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.     A person who in good faith communicates a complaint or information to any agency of federal, state, or local government regarding any matter reasonably of concern to that agency shall be immune from civil liability based upon the communication.  A person prevailing upon the defense provided for in this section shall be entitled to recover costs and reasonable attorneys' fees incurred in establishing the defense.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.     In order to protect the free flow of information from citizens to their government, an agency receiving a complaint or information under section 2 of this act may intervene in and defend against any suit precipitated by the communication.  In the event that a local governmental agency does not intervene in and defend against a suit arising from any communication protected under this act, the office of the attorney general may intervene in and defend against the suit.  An agency prevailing upon the defense provided for in section 2 of this act shall be entitled to recover costs and reasonable attorneys' fees incurred in establishing the defense.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.     Sections 1 through 3 of this act are each added to chapter 4.24 RCW.