The bill aims to enhance protections for school districts in Washington against burdensome public records requests by amending several sections of the Revised Code of Washington (RCW). It allows school districts to establish supplementary cost schedules for requests that require excessive staff time or resources, enabling them to charge additional fees after notifying the requestor and obtaining their acceptance. Additionally, the bill permits school districts to petition a court to deny vague or overly broad requests, ensuring effective resource management while still adhering to public records laws. It also mandates that school districts provide clear instructions for submitting public records requests on their websites and designates a public records officer, while clarifying that they are not liable for delays or denials if they act in good faith.

Moreover, the bill clarifies the responsibilities of agencies, including the office of the secretary of the senate and the office of the chief clerk of the house of representatives, in responding to public records requests. It allows these agencies to seek clarification from requestors for unclear requests, and if the requestor fails to respond, the agency is not obligated to fulfill the request. Any denial of a request must include a written explanation, and agencies are required to establish prompt review mechanisms for such denials. The bill also introduces a new definition for "news media," updates definitions for "public record" and "writing," and clarifies that the chapter does not affect rights under the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act and related state law.

Statutes affected:
Original bill: 42.56.070, 42.56.080, 42.56.060, 42.56.520, 42.56.010