HB 1991
In CommitteeHouse
Agency email subscribers/PRA
Exempting from public inspection and copying requirements email addresses of individuals who subscribe to regular communications of certain agencies as defined under the public records act.
This status may be delayed. See Action History below for the latest updates.
How does a bill become law?
- Introduced: The bill is filed and assigned a number.
- Committee: A subject-matter committee holds hearings, takes public testimony, and decides whether to advance the bill.
- Floor Vote: The full chamber (House or Senate) debates and votes on the bill.
- Opposite Chamber: The bill repeats the committee and floor vote process in the other chamber.
- Governor: The Governor reviews the bill and decides whether to sign or veto it.
- Signed: The bill has been signed into law.
AI Analysis
This bill adds a new protection under the Public Records Act to keep email addresses private for people who sign up to receive regular updates (like newsletters) from state boards or commissions. It ensures those email addresses cannot be disclosed in response to public records requests, while leaving all other public records rules unchanged.
- Adds a new exemption to the Public Records Act (RCW 42.56.230) protecting email addresses of individuals who voluntarily provide them to subscribe to regular updates (e.g., newsletters) from state boards or commissions.
- Applies only to email addresses submitted specifically for the purpose of receiving communications — not other contact info like phone numbers or physical addresses.
- Does not affect other existing exemptions for personal information (e.g., student records, tax data, law enforcement identities).
- Reenacts and amends existing law to clarify that these email addresses are exempt from disclosure, even if other parts of the same file or record are publicly available.
Who is affected
- Subscribers to state agency communications — People who sign up to receive regular updates (like newsletters) from state boards or commissions will have their email addresses protected from public disclosure under the Public Records Act.
- State boards and commissions — State boards and commissions that maintain email lists for subscribers will be required to keep those email addresses confidential and not disclose them in response to public records requests.
- Public records requesters — Members of the public who request public records will no longer be able to obtain email addresses of individuals who subscribed to agency communications, even if other parts of the records are released.
- Other public program participants — This change does not affect other types of personal information already protected under the Public Records Act — for example, addresses, phone numbers, or financial details of other kinds of program participants remain protected under separate provisions.
Pro/Con Analysis
Stronger case for benefits
Potential Benefits (2)
Protects individuals’ privacy by preventing their email addresses from being harvested and potentially misused—e.g., by spammers, scammers, or political actors—if the addresses were disclosed in response to public records requests. This is especially valuable for vulnerable or politically active individuals who fear harassment or surveillance.
Rights & LibertiesPeopleRef: Sec. 1, new subsection (14) to RCW 42.56.230Reduces risk of doxxing, stalking, or targeted harassment of subscribers—particularly those engaging on sensitive topics (e.g., reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ issues, housing justice)—by limiting the availability of their contact information to malicious actors who might exploit public records requests.
Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 1, new subsection (14) to RCW 42.56.230
Potential Concerns (1)
The exemption reduces transparency by preventing public access to email addresses of subscribers—even when those emails are part of a public database used for official communications—making it harder for journalists, researchers, and citizens to track agency outreach, participation, and potential bias in who is being engaged. This weakens public oversight of how state boards and commissions interact with the public.
Local GovernmentPeopleRef: Sec. 1, new subsection (14) to RCW 42.56.230
Who Is Most Affected
Subscribers—especially those from marginalized, politically active, or vulnerable communities—gain stronger privacy protections and reduced risk of harassment or surveillance. This benefit is most pronounced for people who fear retaliation or misuse of their contact information.
State agencies gain operational flexibility by allowing them to maintain subscriber lists without fear of exposing individuals to misuse of their email addresses, but they must also implement or update systems to properly segment and protect these records—though the fiscal impact is minimal.
Journalists, researchers, and civic technologists lose a tool for tracking government outreach and engagement patterns—e.g., determining whether agencies are reaching diverse or underrepresented communities—potentially reducing accountability and transparency in public communication strategies.
This change does not affect other personal data protections, so other program participants (e.g., welfare recipients, students) retain their existing exemptions—no new exposure or risk is introduced for them.