Bill
SB 5957
Creates the Office of Privacy and Data Protection within OCIO, led by a Chief Privacy Officer, to govern privacy, train agencies, and set AI guidelines protecting PII.
SB 5957 — Summary
Overview and purpose
- Bill to require the State’s Office of Privacy and Data Protection to develop guidelines for the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to ensure ethical, transparent, accountable, and responsible implementation, while protecting personally identifiable information (PII).
- Creates a dedicated office within the Office of the State Chief Information Officer (OCIO) to centralize privacy policy, guidance, and training related to data protection and AI.
What the bill would do
- Establish the Office of Privacy and Data Protection within the OCIO.
- Require the director to appoint the Chief Privacy Officer to lead the new office.
- Task the office with key duties focused on privacy governance and AI guidelines (listed duties include, at minimum):
- Conduct an annual privacy review of state agencies and programs.
- Conduct annual privacy training for state agencies and employees.
- Articulate privacy principles and best practices.
- Develop guidelines for the use of AI to ensure ethical, transparent, accountable, and responsible implementation and protection of PII.
- Additional duties related to privacy and data protection as defined in the bill (text excerpt indicates there are more duties beyond the four listed).
Definitions and statutory changes
- The bill amends RCW 43.105.020 and RCW 43.105.369 to:
- Define AI (including both branches of AI and devices performing human-like reasoning or learning).
- Clarify terms such as “Office,” “Director,” “Information Technology,” “Public agency,” and other related concepts to support privacy and AI governance.
- Align privacy governance with state IT and procurement contexts (e.g., cloud computing, information security, and IT portfolio concepts).
Affected entities
- State agencies and their vendors/contractors: subject to annual privacy reviews and training, and required to implement AI guidelines.
- Public and local governments: as defined in the bill, may be affected through the streamlined privacy framework and AI-use guidelines governing interactions with state systems.
- Public interest: enhanced privacy protections and greater transparency in AI-driven processes used by state government.
Procedural and timeline aspects
- Introduced: January 3, 2024 (prefiled).
- First reading: January 8, 2024; referred to Senate Committee on Environment, Energy & Technology.
- Public hearing: Scheduled for January 30, 2024 at 1:30 PM.
- Next steps: Committee consideration, potential amendments, and eventual floor action if advanced.
Key takeaways
- The core aim is to centralize privacy leadership and create formal guidelines for AI use by Washington state, emphasizing ethical considerations and protection of personal data.
- The bill would significantly increase state-level scrutiny of AI applications and required privacy training for agency personnel.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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