Open Government

Attorney General Rob McKenna believes access to open government is vitally important in a free society. That's why he's made government accountability, open records and access one of the top priorities in his administration.

Public Records Brochures

Obtaining Public Records (pdf)
Denials of Public Records (pdf)

Since Washington voters approved the Public Disclosure Act more than 30 years ago, state and local governments have been claiming a growing number of exemptions to public records laws.

As a result, citizens have faced increasing obstacles and frustration in their efforts to gain access to government and information. Strong “sunshine laws” are crucial to assuring government accountability and transparency.

Open Government Ombudsman

To assist in promoting public access to government, Attorney General McKenna created a new position in the Attorney General's Office called Open Government Omdudsman. Assistant Attorney General Tim Ford, the AGO Open Government Ombudsman, works with other assistant attorneys general as they advise their clients and coordinates with and offers training to local government on open government issues.

Attorney General McKenna on the Open Government Tour in Spokane.

Open Government Internet Manual

The Attorney General’s Open Government Internet Manual was produced by the Attorney General’s Office with the assistance of Allied Daily Newspapers of Washington and local and state government organizations. The deskbook is a comprehensive, easy-to-read overview intended to help clarify provisions of the law and hopefully prevent future disagreements. This Internet Manual provides a general summary and is not intended to provide a complete discussion of every detail of the Public Records Act or Open Public Meetings Act.

2006 Model Rules (Paper Records)

The model rules, designed to reduce litigation and assist smaller local governments and citizen requestors by allowing them to avoid “re-inventing the wheel” on recurring issues, have been adopted and published in the Washington Administrative Code.

2007 Model Rules (Electronic Records)

The Legislature directed the Attorney General to adopt advisory model rules on topics including “Fulfilling requests for electronic records.”  The model rules are non-binding best practices to assist records requestors and agencies.  On June 15, 2007, the Attorney General’s Office adopted the model rules for electronic records.

Public Records Tour

AG McKenna hosted a series of forums across the state in the summer and fall of 2005, in an effort to increase citizen involvement in government and gather input for the 2006 model rules.

He visited 13 cities around the state and heard from local, county and state officials, members of the media and numerous citizen activists.

2005 Legislation

Shortly after taking office in 2005, Attorney General McKenna proposed, and the Legislature and Governor approved, legislation to strengthen the Public Disclosure Act (HB 1758).

The new public disclosure law:

March 16-22, 2008 was Sunshine Week! Read Attorney General Rob McKenna's editorials:

OPINION:"Sunshine makes government stronger, more accountable" (The Olympian)

OPINION: Government can be complicated, sunshine shouldn’t be (The (Vancouver) Columbian)

OPINION: Sustaining sunshine in a complicated world (Wenatchee World, The (Tacoma) News Tribune, The Linden Tribune)

OPINION: Transparency matters (Yakima-Herald Republic)

OPINION: Wins and losses in the battle for transparency (The Tri-City Herald)

• Balances the public’s right to access information with tools that assist governments with complying in a cost-effective manner
• Prohibits government agencies from denying public records requests simply because they are “overbroad”
• Provides additional compliance tools to government agencies by allowing them to respond to requests on a partial or installment basis
• Helps discourage nuisance requests by allowing agencies to ask for a small copying deposit on each installment of a public records request or to cease fulfilling a request if an installment is not picked up.

Finally, the law directed the Attorney General to adopt model rules on public records disclosure to assist both records requestors and government agencies.

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