(1) All public records of the department are available for public inspection and copying pursuant to this chapter, unless the department determines that a requested public record or portion of a public record is exempt under the provisions of chapter
42.56 RCW or other statute.
(2) Various statutes exempt certain records from disclosure including, but not limited to:
(a) Division of banks - Examination reports and information obtained by the department in relation to:
(i) Washington state commercial banks and their holding companies, RCW
30A.04.075;
(ii) Washington state savings banks and their holding companies, RCW
32.04.220;
(iii) Nondepositary trust companies, RCW
30B.04.060;
(iv) Agricultural lenders, chapter
31.35 RCW;
(v) Federally guaranteed small business loan companies, chapter
31.40 RCW; and
(vi) Business development companies, RCW
31.24.120.
(b) Division of consumer services - Information obtained by the department in relation to:
(i) The personal residence address and telephone number of applicants for a check casher's and seller's license, RCW
31.45.030(3);
(ii) A trade secret as defined under RCW
19.108.010 regarding an applicant for or holder of a check casher's and seller's license, RCW
31.45.030(3);
(iii) Information or reports obtained by the department or prepared by, on behalf of, or for the use of the department regarding money transmitters, currency exchangers, and other money service businesses subject to licensure by the department, RCW
19.230.190.
(c)
Division of credit unions - Examination reports and information obtained by the department in relation to Washington state-chartered credit unions and credit union service organizations, RCW
31.12.565; and
(d) Division of securities - Information obtained by the department in relation to:
(ii) Investigation of commodities offerors or broker-dealers, RCW
21.30.170;
(iii) Investigation of franchisors and franchise brokers, RCW
19.100.242; and
(iv) Investigation of business opportunities offerors, RCW
19.110.140.
(3) Other statutory exemptions may cover records received by the department from another regulatory agency or under interagency agreement.
(4) Federal statutes and rules, including regulations of the federal reserve board of governors, federal deposit insurance corporation, national credit union administration, consumer financial protection bureau, securities and exchange commission, and other federal financial regulators implementing the Freedom of Information Act, at subsection (b)(8) of Title 5, United States Code, Section 552 (5 U.S.C. Sec. 552(b)(8)), which:
(a) Exempts from public disclosure examination and investigation information involving financial institutions that are also subject to regulation by the department; and
(b) May be more expansive than or supersede or preempt Washington state law with respect to public disclosure of such information.
(5) Pursuant to RCW
42.56.050,
42.56.070,
42.56.210,
42.56.230, and
42.56.240, the department reserves its authority to delete identifying details when it makes available or publishes any public record, if there is reason to believe that disclosure of such details would be an invasion of personal privacy. All deletions will be justified in writing.