Subject to the provisions of subsection (3) of this section, public records are obtainable by members of the public when those members of the public comply with the following procedures.

(1) A request shall be addressed to the public records officer. Such request shall include the following:

(a) The name of the person requesting the record.

(b) The time of day and calendar date on which the request was made.

(c) If the matter requested is referenced within the current index maintained by the committee, a reference to the requested record as it is described in such index.

(d) If the requested matter is not identifiable by reference to the committee's current index, a statement that identifies the specific record requested.

(e) A verification that the records requested shall not be used to compile a commercial sales list.

(2) The public records officer shall inform the member of the public making the request whether the requested record is available for inspection or copying at the department's office in Olympia, Washington.

(3) When it appears that a request for a record is made by or on behalf of a party to a lawsuit or a controversy to which the committee is also a party (or when such a request is made by or on behalf of an attorney for such party) the request shall be referred to the assistant attorney general assigned by the department for appropriate response.

(4) Responses to public records requests shall be made within five business days of receipt of the request. The committee must respond by either (1) providing the record, (2) acknowledging that the committee has received the request and providing a reasonable estimate of the time the agency will require to respond to the request, or (3) denying the public record request, subject to the provisions of RCW 42.17.320.