H-3446.1
SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2661
State of Washington
69th Legislature
2026 Regular Session
By House State Government & Tribal Relations (originally sponsored by Representative Rude)
READ FIRST TIME 02/04/26.
AN ACT Relating to establishing the legislative task force on public records act modernization consisting of eight voting members and four nonvoting legislators; creating new sections; and providing an expiration date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds the public records act was enacted as part of a voter initiative and is the cornerstone of transparency and accountability in state and local government. The legislature reaffirms that broad public access to government records strengthens accountability, promotes civic engagement, and fosters confidence in public institutions. The legislature further finds that misuse of the public records act for frivolous, retaliatory, or harassing purposes strains limited public resources, especially for school districts, delays access to records for individuals who use the public records request process for legitimate purposes, and does not advance the public interest in governmental transparency. The legislature therefore finds that it is necessary to examine ways to improve the functionality of the public records act that will increase efficiency, reduce the financial burden on school districts, maintain transparency in government, and deter abuse of the public records request process.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) The joint legislative audit and review committee must examine: