PUBLIC RECORDS ACT

Recently, there have been many legislative bills proposed by Washington State legislators aimed at limiting a citizen’s access to public records and reducing any available recourse for denial of requested records, as currently afforded by the Public Records Act, RCW 42.56.

These recent bills (HB2910, HB3031, SB 6408 to name just a few) are just the beginning of the assault, by lawmakers to shield their actions from public view.

More often then ever before, many government agencies (and their insurers) are relying on the complacency and lack of interest that citizens demonstrate toward government activities and behavior.

The Public Records Act was adopted by Washington voters in 1972 with the idea that free and open examination of public records is in the public’s interest, even though such examination may cause inconvenience or embarrassment to public officials and that the people do not give their public servants the right to decide what is and what isn’t good for the people to know.

We need to preserve one of the only “tools” that we currently possess that favors the “openness” of government. Don’t the the politicians “gut” the Public Records Act.

I would encourage readers to write or call their state representatives and express their concerns with these attempts to limit and/or reduce access to public records — Records that belong to the citizens.

We have a right to know what our government is up to.

Ken McLeod

Moses Lake