Washington State

Office of the Attorney General

Attorney General

Bob Ferguson

 Sunshine-Committee-Logo.jpgVoters approved the Public Disclosure Act by initiative in 1972. At the time, the Act included only 10 exemptions from disclosure. As of 2016, there are over 500 exemptions in the Revised Code of Washington.

The Attorney General’s Office requested a bill to establish a Blue-Ribbon Committee to review all exemptions to the Public Disclosure Act. Senate Bill 5435, which created the Public Records Exemptions Accountability Committee (Sunshine Committee), became law on July 22, 2007. The Sunshine Committee makes recommendations to the Legislature to repeal or amend exemptions to the Public Records Act.


General Meeting Information and Attendance Options

Thank you for your interest in the Public Records Exemptions Accountability Committee (Sunshine Committee).

Sunshine Committee meetings are held in a hybrid environment.  This means that there are a number of ways to attend.  Members of the public can attend in-person or online via Zoom, by phone, or via live-stream by TVW.  For specific details on each option please see the information below.

To attend the meeting anonymously, you may attend in-person, join by phone or view the meeting on TVW’s website.

The other option to view the meeting is to use the online platform, Zoom. It will ask for a first name, last name, and email address. (You can use an alias, such as “observer,” should you want to remain anonymous.)

The Sunshine Committee strives to make its meetings accessible to all.  For questions about a reasonable accommodation in Washington State Legislative buildings, please go to their website here.  Contact the Washington Relay Service at 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6388 for telephone relay service. For any other requests, please email SunshineCommittee@atg.wa.gov


Public Testimony/Written Comments

Public testimony regarding agenda items, exemptions under review, or general comments are welcomed by the Committee.  To provide public testimony, please contact Brian North at (360) 890-1281 or by email at Brian.North@atg.wa.gov.  Requests to testify via Zoom are appreciated the day prior to the meeting, by close of business.  Please note, in order to ensure written information is received by the Committee in a timely manner, written comments and materials should be provided two business days prior to the next scheduled meeting.

The Sunshine Committee will not be able to monitor and receive public comment through the Zoom chat feature. 


Next Meeting

What: Public Records Exemptions Accountability Committee (Sunshine Committee)
When: CANCELLED March 12, 2024
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
In-Person: John A. Cherberg Building, Conference Room ABC, Olympia, WA
Virtual:https://atg-wa.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ZAHAxRX4RU2qcIJYWthJEw
By Phone: 1-253-205-0468; Access Code 818-3069-0206  
TVW: https://www.tvw.org/watch/?clientID=9375922947&eventID=2024031029
Materials: Agenda

Previous Meeting Materials (Agendas, Minutes, Video Recordings) 


Sunshine Committee's 2024 meeting schedule


Additional information:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

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Sunshine Committee

Open Government Resources

Sunshine Committee Members

  • Rowland Thompson, Vice Chair, Executive Director, Allied Daily Newspapers of Washington
  • Representative Jenny Graham (R)
  • Senator Sam Hunt (D)
  • Melissa Luck, News Director, KXLY
  • Tricia Smith, Director of Public Information & Records, Office of the Governor
  • Ann Marie Soto, Attorney, Madrona Law Group, PLLC
  • Representative Larry Springer (D)
  • Jennifer Steele, Assistant Attorney General
  • Senator Jeff Wilson (R)
  • David Zeeck, Former Publisher, Tacoma News Tribune