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Bill

HB 1964

Concerning persons requesting disclosure of lists of individuals under the public records act.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Darya Farivar and 8 co-sponsors

HB 1964 adds procedural requirements for public records requests seeking lists of individuals, balancing transparency with privacy protection by potentially limiting commercial or political misuse of personal citizen data.

Public hearing in the House Committee on State Government & Tribal Relations at 1:30 PM.
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Bill Summary · HB 1964

Legislative bill overview

HB 1964 modifies Washington's public records act by establishing new requirements for individuals requesting disclosure of lists containing personal information about citizens. The bill appears designed to add procedural safeguards or transparency requirements when such sensitive list requests are made under the state's public disclosure laws.

Why is this important

Public records requests for lists of individuals can reveal sensitive personal information and raise privacy concerns, particularly when requested by private parties for commercial, political, or potentially harmful purposes. This bill addresses the tension between government transparency and individual privacy protection—a significant issue as data brokers and political campaigns increasingly seek voter and constituent lists.

Potential points of contention

  • Privacy vs. transparency trade-off: Restrictions on list disclosures could limit legitimate public oversight while opponents may argue it creates barriers to information access that citizens have legal rights to obtain
  • Definition and scope ambiguity: The bill's specific requirements aren't detailed in available summaries, making it unclear which lists are affected and what procedural burdens requesters must meet
  • Practical enforcement concerns: Determining legitimate versus problematic requests may be subjective, potentially creating inconsistent implementation across agencies or legal disputes over access denial

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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