The bill amends existing laws regarding the recording of school board meetings in Washington State. It specifies that requests for recordings made by the public must include a date or range of dates to be considered valid. Additionally, it establishes that school districts are only required to consider the date as a search criterion when fulfilling these requests. A new section clarifies that if a recording is unavailable or unintelligible due to technical issues, it does not constitute a denial of access to public records.

Furthermore, the bill mandates that all regular and special meetings of school district boards, where final actions are taken or public testimony is accepted, must be audio recorded and maintained for at least one year. These recordings must be made available electronically upon request, with the understanding that technical difficulties in recording do not violate the law. The bill also encourages school districts to provide meeting content in accessible formats for individuals needing communication assistance. The act is set to take effect on June 30, 2024.

Statutes affected:
Original Bill: 42.56.080, 42.30.035
Engrossed Bill: 42.56.080, 42.30.035
Bill as Passed Legislature: 42.56.080, 42.30.035
Session Law: 42.56.080, 42.30.035