Governor expected to sign review of Sunshine gaps

By JENNIFER BYRD | The Associated Press • Published April 18, 2007

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A measure that creates a committee to study more than 300 exemptions to the state's public records act is headed to Gov. Chris Gregoire, who is expected to sign it.

The Senate approved House changes to the bill on a 47-0 vote Tuesday. The measure was requested by Attorney General Rob McKenna, who says all of the exemptions have deteriorated the act.

"Over time, our state's open public records act - which originally was one of the best laws of its kind - has been steadily eroded," McKenna said. "This committee will be in a position to reverse decades of erosion."

Voters enacted the public records law with the overwhelming passage of Initiative 276 in 1972. The measure called for disclosure of campaign finances, lobbyist activity, financial affairs of elective officers and candidates, and access to public records. When it passed, there were only 10 exemptions to the public records section.

Since then, hundreds of exemptions have been introduced. Some have been introduced as separate measures, while others were put into other bills. McKenna said there were 18 new exemptions proposed this session alone.

"No one has gone back and reviewed the hundreds and hundreds of exemptions that have been made over the years," McKenna said.

The 13-member committee will include representatives appointed by the governor, attorney general, the state auditor and legislative leaders. One member must represent a statewide media association.

House Majority Leader Lynn Kessler, D-Hoquiam, sponsored the House version of the bill. She said she hoped to be a member of the committee.

"I feel strongly we need to get rid of a bunch of those exemptions that have piled on over the years," Kessler said, adding that the committee's work will probably "take a while."

"It won't be done in a year," she said.

McKenna said it has been a good session for open government. Along with this measure, the state House sent a bill that will keep journalists who refuse to reveal confidential sources out of jail. Gregoire is expected to sign it.

Also on Tuesday, the Senate agreed to House changes and passed the following bills. They now head to the governor for signature:

• On a 48-0 vote, a measure that allows patients to directly contract with primary care physicians for certain procedures. The measure is Senate Bill 5958.

• On a 49-0 vote, a measure that creates an office of public guardianship, which would provide services to low-income individuals who have been determined to need a guardian. The measure is Senate Bill 5320.

• On a 46-0 vote, a measure that would create a committee to study gang-related crime and bring recommendations back to the Legislature. The measure is Senate Bill 5987.

• On a 45-1 vote, a measure that replaces references to gender in state statutes with gender neutral terms. For example, references to "firemen" would change to "firefighters" and references to "policemen" would change to "police officers." The measure is Senate Bill 5063.

• On a 47-1 vote, a measure that increases the penalty for animal abandonment. The measure is Senate Bill 5227.

• On a 49-0 vote, a measure that allows police officers to carry a spring blade knife. The measure is Senate Bill 5202. Senate Bill 5435

Measure creates the public records exemptions accountability committee.