"Agency" means any department, office, commission, board, or division of state government; and any county, city, district, or other political subdivision or municipal corporation or any department, office, commission, court, or board or any other state or local government unit, however designated.

"Public records" means any paper, correspondence, completed form, record book, photograph, map, or drawing, regardless of physical form or characteristics, and including records stored on magnetic, electronic, or optical media, and including all copies thereof, that have been made by any agency or received by it in connection with the transaction of public business. And includes any writing containing information relating to the conduct of government or the performance of government or proprietary function prepared, owned, used, or retained by the state or local agency regardless of physical form or characteristics.

"Writing" means handwriting, typewriting, printing, photostatting, photographing, and every other means of recording any form of communication or representation, including letters, words, pictures, sounds, symbols, or combinations thereof, and all papers, maps, magnetic tape, punched cards, discs, drums, and other documents.

"Records classification" means the designation of a record as either an official public record or as an office file and memorandum, as those terms are defined by RCW 40.14.010 and by these regulations.

"Official public records" means all original or most important copies of vouchers, receipts, and other documents necessary to isolate and prove the validity of every transaction relating to the receipt, use, and disposition of all public property and public income from all sources whatever; all agreements and contracts to which the state of Washington or any agency thereof may be a party; all fidelity, surety, and performance bonds; all claims filed against the state of Washington or any agency thereof; all records and documents required by law to be filed with or kept by the state of Washington or any agency thereof; all legislative records as defined in section 2, chapter 1, Laws of 1971, ex. sess., and chapter 2, Laws of 1971 ex. sess.; and all other documents or records determined by the state or local records committees to be official public records.

"Office files and memoranda" means all records, correspondence, exhibits, record books, booklets, drawings, maps, completed forms, or documents produced or received by the agency but not defined and classified as official public records; all documents and reports made for the internal administration of the office to which they pertain, but not required by law to be filed or kept with such agency; and all other documents or records determined by the state or local records committees to be office files and memoranda.

"Record series" means any group of related records which is filed and used as a unit and which permits evaluation as a unit for disposition purposes.

"Retention period" means the period of time that must elapse before a specific record is eligible for disposal or transfer in accord with approved retention schedules.

"Long term records" means records which have an enduring administrative, legal, or financial value and in consequence thereof, must be retained and preserved more than six year.

"Archival records" means those public records of state and local government agencies which are determined by the state archivist as having continued historical value, must be permanently preserved and have been or may be transferred to the custody of the division of archives after their approved retention has been met.

"Retention schedule" means a compilation of records of an office by name and description which indicates the length of time each record series must be retained and authorizing its disposition.

"Scheduled records" are those public records which have been inventoried in accord with these regulations and approved for disposition and/or transfer to the records center but remain under the jurisdiction of the agency of origin.

"Division records" are those records pertaining to the operations of the division of archives and records management.