Government

Relevant RCW  |  Bill Status Report  |  WCOG Legislative Priorities  |  WCOG Correspondence  |  Open Government Candidate Questionnaire  |  Sunshine Committee  |  Open Public Meetings Acts Violations 2004 - 2007 |  EFF's Open Government Legislative Report Card

Relevant RCW
RCW 42.56 Public Records
RCW 42.30 Open Public Meetings Act
RCW 40.14 Preservation and destruction of public records



Relevant WAC
WAC 44-14 Public Records Act - model rules.
434-600 Promulgation.
434-610 Definitions.
434-615 Custody of public records.
434-620 Powers and duties of the state archivist.
434-624 Powers and duties of the state records committee.
434-626 Powers and duties of the state agency records officers.
434-630 Powers and duties of the local records committee.
434-635 Local records disposition authorization.
434-640 Methods of records disposal.
434-660 Standards for the accuracy, durability and permanence of public records.
434-663 Imaging systems, standards for accuracy and durability.
434-670 The Washington state archives local records grant program.
434-677 Security microfilm.
434-690 Archives -- Access to public records



Bill Status Reports
Open Government Bills 2010.pdf
Open Government Bills 2009.pdf
Open Government Bills 2007-2008.pdf



WCOG Legislative Priorities
To view the priorities click here.


WCOG Correspondence to Government Agencies
WCOG Recommendations to the Seattle City Council


EFF's Open Government Legislative Report Card
Click here to be directed to the Evergreen Freedom Foundation's Open Government Legislative Report Card

Open Public Meetings Acts Violations 2004 - 2007
Washington State Auditor's Office Open Public Meetings Act Issues Identified Report 2004 – 2007

Open Government Questionnaire
Washington Coalition for Open Government Candidate Questionnaire 2009

Click here to view the candidates and their responses to the questionnaire.

Sunshine Committee
Voters approved the Public Disclosure Act by initiative in 1972. At the time, the act included only 10 exemptions from disclosure. Today, there are at least 300 exemptions (provided by Legislative staff). Attorney General Rob McKenna requested a bill during the 2007 Legislative session to establish a Blue-Ribbon Committee to review all exemptions to the Public Disclosure Act on an annual basis. State Bill 5435 became law on July 22, 2007 creating the Public Records Exemptions Accountability Committee. The "Sunshine Committee" will make recommendations to repeal or amend exemptions to the Public Records Act. The committee will be chaired by Thomas Carr, Seattle city attorney.

3 of our members serve as members of the Sunshine Committee:
Patience Rogge - Washington Library Association
Ken Bunting - Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Frank Garred - Retired Publisher

Click here to view a complete list of the Sunshine Committee members.
Click here to view the Sunshine Committee webpage
Click here join the Sunshine Committee listserv. You will receive information and updates via email.