OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — The Washington Supreme Court is set to hear a case that will determine whether state lawmakers are subject to the same disclosure rules that apply to other elected officials under the voter-approved Public Records Act.
The high court will hear oral arguments Tuesday on the appeal of a case that was sparked by a September 2017 lawsuit filed by a media coalition, led by The Associated Press. The coalition has argued that lawmakers have been violating the law by not releasing emails, schedules and reports of sexual harassment. Lawmakers have long argued they are not subject to the voter-approved Public Records Act.
A Thurston County superior court judge ruled in January 2018 that while the offices of individual lawmakers are subject to the Public Records Act, the Washington Legislature, the House and Senate were not. The media coalition’s lawsuit had named the individual entities of the Legislature, as well as four legislative leaders.
