WashingtonSB 50492025-2026 Regular SessionSenate

Concerning the public records exemptions accountability committee.

Sponsored By: Jeff Wilson (Republican)

Became Law

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Public records exemptions oversight panel

The law creates a 13-member Public Records Exemptions Accountability Committee. Members are appointed by the Governor, Attorney General, State Auditor, and legislative leaders; four are public members. The Governor selects the chair, and members serve staggered four-year terms. The committee meets at least four times a year, all meetings are open, and it must consider public input. The Attorney General’s Office and the Office of Financial Management provide staff support. Legislative members get travel reimbursement; nonlegislative members do too unless they represent an employer or organization.

Regular reviews and yearly exemption reports

The committee sets and publishes criteria to review public records exemptions. Each year by August 1, the Code Reviser sends the committee a list of all exemptions. The committee publishes a schedule to review each exemption and posts updates. For every exemption, it recommends to keep, change, plan a later sunset review, or end it. By November 15 each year, it sends these recommendations to the Governor, the Attorney General, and key House and Senate committees.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Jeff Wilson

    Republican • Senate

Cosponsors

  • Jim McCune

    Republican • Senate

  • Phil Fortunato

    Republican • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 144 • No: 0

House vote 4/11/2025

3rd Reading & Final Passage

Yes: 95 • No: 0 • Other: 3

Senate vote 2/25/2025

3rd Reading & Final Passage

Yes: 49 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Effective date 7/27/2025.

    4/22/2025Senate
  2. Chapter 110, 2025 Laws.

    4/22/2025Senate
  3. Governor signed.

    4/22/2025legislature
  4. Delivered to Governor.

    4/17/2025legislature
  5. Speaker signed.

    4/16/2025legislature
  6. President signed.

    4/15/2025legislature
  7. Third reading, passed; yeas, 95; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 3.

    4/11/2025Senate
  8. Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.

    4/11/2025Senate
  9. Rules Committee relieved of further consideration. Placed on second reading.

    4/10/2025Senate
  10. Referred to Rules 2 Review.

    3/27/2025Senate
  11. SGOV - Majority; do pass.

    3/25/2025Senate
  12. SGOV - Executive action taken by committee.

    3/25/2025Senate
  13. First reading, referred to State Government & Tribal Relations.

    2/27/2025Senate
  14. Third reading, passed; yeas, 49; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 0.

    2/25/2025Senate
  15. Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.

    2/25/2025Senate
  16. 1st substitute bill substituted.

    2/25/2025Senate
  17. Placed on second reading consent calendar.

    2/19/2025Senate
  18. Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.

    2/11/2025Senate
  19. SGTE - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.

    2/7/2025Senate
  20. First reading, referred to State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections.

    1/13/2025Senate
  21. Introduced

    1/13/2025Senate

Bill Text

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