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Bill

HB 1610

Concerning the disclosure of critical energy infrastructure information.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Beth Doglio and 5 co-sponsors

HB 1610 restricts public disclosure of critical energy infrastructure details to protect against potential attacks while limiting transparency of utility operations and government energy decisions.

Referred to State Government & Tribal Relations.
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Bill Summary · HB 1610

Legislative bill overview

HB 1610 establishes restrictions on the public disclosure of information about critical energy infrastructure in Washington State. The bill creates a new category of protected information that energy utilities and government agencies cannot freely release to the public, with specific exemptions for certain authorized parties.

Why is this important

Critical energy infrastructure—including power plants, transmission lines, and distribution systems—is considered vulnerable to physical and cyber attacks. Unrestricted disclosure of detailed infrastructure information could theoretically help malicious actors identify targets, but transparency advocates worry that excessive secrecy limits public oversight of utility operations and government decision-making.

Potential points of contention

  • Definition scope: What counts as "critical energy infrastructure information" may be broadly or narrowly interpreted, affecting how much utility data remains public versus protected
  • Public transparency vs. security: Balancing legitimate security concerns against citizens' right to access government records and monitor utility performance and spending
  • Implementation burden: Determining which specific data points require protection could create administrative complexity for agencies and utilities while potentially creating loopholes

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

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