Proposed public records bill dead in Legislature

  • By Emma Epperly WNPA Olympia News Bureau
  • Thursday, February 21, 2019 12:13pm
  • News
State Sen. Jamie Pederson, D-Seattle

State Sen. Jamie Pederson, D-Seattle

By Emma Epperly

WNPA Olympia News Bureau

OLYMPIA — A proposal to provide exemptions to the Public Records Act for the Legislature is dead, according to bill sponsor, Jamie Pederson, a Seattle Democrat.

Senate Bill 5784 drew fire from media representatives at a public hearing last week.

At a press conference Tuesday, Democratic leaders from both the House and the Senate indicated that because of the outcry against the proposal, they would not move forward with a public records bill this session.

The Senate Bill 5784, proposed by Pederson and signed by six other Democratic senators, was heard by the Senate State Government and Tribal Relations Committee on Feb. 13.

Rowland Thompson of Allied Daily Newspapers and the Washington State Newspaper Publishers Association testified in opposition saying, “We would rather lose the case than have this bill.”

Democratic lawmakers cited Thompson and other media representatives’ testimony as a deciding factor in not pursuing the bill.

“This bill is a nonstarter, there’s nothing to even work with,” said Senate Majority Leader, Andy Billig D-Spokane, of the now dead bill.

Republicans plan to put forward a bill based on a measure introduced last year by former District 5 Representative Paul Graves, who lost his 2018 race for re-election.

The Graves bill would have explicitly added the legislature to the existing public records act and did not add new exemptions for the legislature. The bill never received a public hearing.

The bill that did pass the legislature in 2018, only to be vetoed by Gov. Jay Inslee, had received broad Republican support.

Last year’s effort to exempt the Legislature from the Public Records Act followed a lawsuit from multiple media organizations led by The Associated Press and including Sound Publishing Inc.

A Thurston County Superior Court judge had ruled that the Legislature was subject to the Public Records Act and had not been in compliance for years.

House Minority Leader, Representative, J.T. Wilcox, R-Yelm, said the Republican caucus would like to move forward with a version of Graves’ bill.

“I think in general our caucus has been for the maximum amount of openness,” Wilcox said.

Senate republican leadership took a broad stance on the whole of the public records act at a press conference on Tuesday.

“We need to take a look at the public records in general, not just for the legislature as we go forward,” said Senator Doug Ericksen, R- Ferndale.

“We have to make sure that people are getting access to the information they need but we also are not wasting public resources on the frivolous types of demands come in, especially for our local governments.”

The cutoff date for many committees is on Friday. A new bill addressing public records would have to be dropped before Friday.

“We are going to re-drop the Graves bill ‘cause we think it’s important and we think it should move forward.” Rep. Morgan Irwin, R-Enumclaw.

The bill can be found at https://tinyurl.com/PDN-gravesbill.

________

This story is part of a series of news reports from the Washington State Legislature provided through a reporting internship sponsored by the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association Foundation.

More in News

Lisa Hansen of Port Angeles, center, takes a cellphone photo of her son, Cooper Hansen, 3, as Hansen’s mother, Tracy Hansen, right, looks on during a warm day at Hollywood Beach on the Port Angeles waterfront on Wednesday. The trio were enjoying a sunny summer afternoon next to the water. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Picture perfect

Lisa Hansen of Port Angeles, center, takes a cellphone photo of her… Continue reading

Claim against First Fed alleges $100M fraud

First Fed plans to ‘vigorously defend’ loans

Olympic Medical Center CEO says Medicaid cuts will hit hard

Darryl Wolfe tells board entire state will feel impact

Joseph Wilson, left, and Kevin Streett.
Jefferson PUD names new general manager

Wilson comes with 30 years of experience

Firefighters from Clallam 2 Fire-Rescue oversee a brush fire Wednesday in the area of Baker Farm Road. (Clallam 2 Fire-Rescue)
Woman airlifted to hospital following bicycle crash

U.S. Highway 101 was closed for about 45 minutes… Continue reading

Firefighters put out 5-acre Belgian Fire

The Belgian Fire, a 5-acre wildland fire which claimed two… Continue reading

Navy security exercises set for next week

Naval Magazine Indian Island will conduct harbor security training… Continue reading

Marius Gerber, 13, front, and his sister, Tirza Gerber, 12, both of Zurich, Switzerland, examine information boards after a hike on Tuesday at the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge northwest of Sequim. The main trail through the refuge provides access to Dungeness Spit and Dungeness Bay. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Dungeness hike

Marius Gerber, 13, front, and his sister, Tirza Gerber, 12, both of… Continue reading

Jefferson County library to host community conversation

Jefferson County will continue its Community Conversations series from… Continue reading

Budget goals discussed at Port Angeles council meeting

Ideas sorted into short- and long-term goals

Chimacum drainage district is reactivated

Next steps are to appoint an interim board, adopt assessment system

A helicopter joins the firefighting effort Tuesday afternoon at the Belgian Fire near Brinnon. (Brinnon Fire Department)
Belgian fire under control

Firefighters remained on scene Wednesday