AGO News Releases With Topic: Open Government

For more than two decades, Sunshine Week has raised awareness about the importance of transparency in government. This year, the Attorney General’s Office celebrates its success in processing a record number of public records requests and a commitment for further improvement in open government practices in Washington. 

Attorney General Nick Brown has chosen veteran open government advocate Morgan Damerow to lead the office’s new Public Records and Open Government Unit.

The Washington State Attorney General’s Office is creating a new unit and a new position to modernize public records and retention processes, enhance staff training on open government issues, and innovate solutions to hurdles between the business of government and the public’s right to know.

In a move to make all levels of government more transparent, Attorney General Nick Brown has proposed changes to the model rules that guide governments’ responses to Public Records Act requests. 

OLYMPIA — Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced today he has selected Assistant Attorney General Morgan Damerow as the Attorney General’s Office Open Government Ombuds.

OLYMPIA — Attorney General Bob Ferguson partnered today with a coalition of states that will file a complaint with the Postal Regulatory Commission challenging drastic operational changes at the U.S. Postal Service that threaten critical mail delivery. These mirror changes Postmaster General and Trump-appointee Louis DeJoy intended to make before the 2020 election that Ferguson successfully blocked in federal court last fall.

Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced today, as a result of his lawsuit, the Wapato City Council and all Wapato city officers will undergo ethics and open government trainings and commit to not paying former City Administrator Juan Orozco’s unlawful contract, and to not employ Orozco in the future.

Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced today that Wapato City Administrator Juan Orozco has agreed to step down and forfeit any severance pay to resolve a lawsuit Ferguson filed in June accusing Orozco of using his former position as mayor to unlawfully enrich himself. Orozco resigned shortly after noon today.

OLYMPIA — Attorney General Bob Ferguson filed updates to the Public Records Act (PRA) Model Rules, reflecting changes in state law and helping the public and agencies navigate changing technology. The amended model rules are effective April 2, 2018.

Public Records Consultation Program assists local governments with compliance