S-3616.2
SENATE BILL 5926
State of Washington
69th Legislature
2026 Regular Session
By Senators Wellman, Nobles, and C. Wilson
Prefiled 12/22/25. Read first time 01/12/26. Referred to Committee on State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections.
AN ACT Relating to expanding the public records exemption for personal information of family home child care providers to all licensed or certified child care providers; amending RCW 42.56.640 ; adding a new section to chapter 42.56 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 43.216 RCW; and creating a new section.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that child care providers care for and serve some of Washington's most vulnerable populations. Existing privacy protections under RCW 42.56.640 apply only to licensed family home child care providers because their business operates within their private residence. However, the legislature further finds that child care providers working in licensed centers and other nonresidential care settings also face safety risks, harassment, doxxing, and targeted retaliation when their home addresses, personal phone numbers, photographs, and other identifying information are released publicly.
The legislature intends to extend the public records act privacy protections currently provided to licensed family home child care providers to all licensed child care providers, regardless of setting, to ensure that individuals who care for young children are protected from harm, intimidation, and threats to their personal safety.